The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-04 00:00:00

NORTH-EASTERN.

The report of the directors of this company states that
the traffic receipts for the half•year ending June 30 last
show an increase of £155,065 as compared with those for
the corresponding half of 1863. The gross traffic receipts
amounted to £1,464,623, and the working expenses, taxes,
&c., to £672,068, leaving the net receipts £792,555, or
£i02,085 more than for the corresponding half of last year.
The balances, after providing for dividends on preferential
stock and shares, amounted on the Berwick account to
£208,009, on the York account to £79,513, on the Leeds
account to £22,865, on the Thirsk and Melton account to
£1,511, on the Carlisle account to £44,006, and on the Dar-
lington account to £63,305. Out of these balances the di-
rectors recommend the payment of dividends on the Berwick
ordinary stock at the rate cf 5f per cent per annum, leaving
£3,631; on the York ordinary stock at the rate of 4.1 per
cent per annum, leaving £2,300; on the Leeds ordinary
stock at the rate of 3h per cent per annum, leaving £1,077;
on the Thirsk and Malton at the rate of 4►i por cent per
annum, leaving £419; on the Carlisle ordinary stock at the
rate of 7 per cent per annum, and on the 4 per cent pref.
stock an equalising dividend at the rate of 3 per cent per
annum, leaving £1,33l ; and on the Darlington ordinary
stock at the rate of 8 per cent per annum, leaving £2,891.
The results of the Met session of Parliament to the company
had been entirely satisfactory, no measure prejudicially af-
fecting them having been passed, and all their own applica-
tious having been successful. The most important of thesewas
the bill for the new line from York, via Selby, to the Great
Northern Railway at Aekern, which would improve the east
coast route between London and Scotland, and accommo-
date a district hitherto without railway communication.
The 0 tley branch was nearly completed, and on receipt of
the requisite authority from the Board of Trade would be
opened for publio traffic. The Market Weight= and Beverly
line would be opened in the coarse of the autumn. The
Caetletme and Grommet branch would be opened before the
end of the year. A provisional arrangement for a union of
the Cleveland Railway with the North-Eastern Company
on the basis of the former receiving a guaranteed dividend
of 51 per cent, per annum on their share capital, limited
to £203,700. The capital account showed that £22,487,137
had been received oa shares, £8,625,734 on loans, £193,937
on 4. per Cent. debenture stack, £61,170 on 4j per cent. de-
benture stook, £420,840 on 4 per cont. preferential stock,
and £2,000,000 on 4f per cent. preferential stock, together
£33,794,817, and £53,849,803 expended, leaving a balance
against the company of £54,991.
During the last month the directors of this company have
reduced the firth-class passenger fares to the extent of about
one-sixth below the old charges. This reduction has made
very little difference between the old second-class fares
(which are unaltered) and theso:of the new first-class tariff,
and the result is, especially on the lines leading to the coast
watering places, a very large increase in the number of first-
class passengers,

LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE,
Tho report of the directors states that the amount of
capital on the 30th of Juno last, on which dividend or in-
terest was paid out of revenue, exolasive of leased lines, was
as f0110w5:—£i2,093,594 consolidated stock, £3,089,119
guaranteed and preference stock, £1,648,337 loans, and
5197,008 paid in advance of calls—total, £20,028,058. Tho
expenditure charged to capital for the past half -y ear
amounted to £153,723, including £86,733 on new lines.
The trail() receipts during the past half-year amounted to
£'966,057, against £863,550 for the corresponding half of
1863, showing an increase of £122,507. The expenditure
amounted to £404,373, 'against £374,728, showing an in-
crease of £29,645. The balance of revenue applicable to
dividend on the ordinary stook of the company wa.£368,128,
out of which the directors recommend the proprietors to
declare a dividend at the rate of 5f per cent, per annum,
lees income tax, leaving a balance of £20,437. The large
increase in the company's revenue, amounting to £122,507
for the half-year, was a source of great satisfaction to the
directors, bearing in mind the fact that many of the mills
and manufactories in the cotton district were still only
partially employed. The estimate of the probable amount
which would be required during the current half-year for
the extension of stations, for land stations, and for rolling
stock, was £150,000.

BETTERING,THRAPSTON,AND HUNTINGDON.

Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of this company was
held at the °aces, in Poet'a-cornet, Westminster ; General
Arbuthnot in the chair.

Mr Lankester, the secretary, read the report, which
stated that the greatest portion of the land required for the
line had been obtained, that the contractors had advanced
considerably with the construction of the works. and that
nothing could exceed the admirable manner in which they
had made the bridges and
.other portions of the railway.
The directors had no doubt that the line would be highly
remunerative, as it passed close by the Woodford Ironpits,
where there was abundance of iron ore of the finest qua-
lity, and for which there was a great demand, as well as in
adjoining localities, which would bring a largo amount of
mineral traffic on the line.

The report was unanimously adopted, and a resolution
was passed authorising the directors to borrow upon mort-
gage any sure not exceeding 475,000.

Thanks to the chairman and directors closed the pro-
ceedings.

'ATRIUM COTTON.—Accounts from Smyrna of
July 25 state that, since the Turkish Government has
adopted the plan of distributing cotton seed gratuitously to
the planters, the produce has increased considerably. In
1860 the cotton exported from Smyrna amounted to only
12,600 bales, and was estimated at £36,000. In 1863 it in-
creased to 60,000 bales, and the value rose in a greater pro-
portion. This year it is expected that the province of Ana-
tolia alone will produce 180,000 bales. The Turkish Go-
vernment has thus gained enormously by the encouragement
it has given to improvement in agriculture. For example,
the tithes of Magnesia, which were farmed out last year for
74,000 Turkish pounds, produced this year 127,000; those
of Aidin, rented last year at 60,000, found bidders on the
spot this year at 100,000 pounds ; and it is expected that
the often) at Cmiatautihople will be gill higher,