The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-11 00:00:00

MIDLAND.

The report of the directors of this company states that a
very considerable increase in the traffic of the railway had
taken place during the half year. The receipts from coach-
ing amounted to £387,096, showing an increase of £28,521,
from minerals to £282,661, showing an increase of £59,392;
from merchandise to £483,538, showing an increase of
£40,041; from cattle to £14,641, showing a decrease of £44,
the result of the whole being that the amount of the gross
traffic was £1,167,936, and the total increase £127,913 as
compared with the corresponding half of 1863. The balance
available for dividend was £450,825, of which the sum of
£8,839 was brought from the account of the previous half
year; and the directors were enabled to recommend the de-
claration of the following dividends (less income tax), pay-
able on Sept. .1 :—£3los per cent. on the consolidated stock ;
£2 16s 3d per cent. on the consolidated Birmingham and
Derby stock; £3 lOs per cent. on the consolidated prefe-
rential stock; £3 lOs per cent. on the consolidated Erewash
Valley stock ; £2 5s per cent. on the 4t per cent, preferen-
tial stocks; per cent. on the Leicester and Hitchin pre-
ferential stock ; and 4s 4d per £6 4s share, leaving a balance
of £3,549. The works on the Rowsley and Buxton Exten-
sion Railway to New Mills were proceeding satisfactorily,
and 1,143 yards of the Dove Holes tunnel had been com-
pleted out of the total length of 2,860 yards. The Whit-
acre and Nuneaton line was expected to he ready for traffic
at an early date. The line of the London and Bedford
Extension Railway has been staked out. The first contract
of one mile 17 chains, in the neighbourhood of London,
has been let; and now that the sanction of Parliament had
been obtained for the alterations proposed to be made, the
entire railway would be placed under contract as soon as
practicable. The Aschurch and Evesham Railway would
shortly be ready for psssenger traffic. The suit so long
pending between the Midland and Great Western Railway
Companies had received its final adjudication in the House
of Lords. The judgments of the Courts below had been
confirmed, and the result was satisfactory to the company.
the directors expressed their deep regret that their valued
colleague, Mr Beale, owing to the state of his health, was
about to resign the office of chairman of the company, but
had consented to continue a member of the board. The
proprietors would be asked to authorize an expenditure on
capital account of £95,000 for new waggons and carriages,
£60,000 for new engines, and £45,000 for additional land
and station buildings—total, £200,000. The capital ac.
count showed that £23,805,258 had been expended, and
£23,725,807 received, leaving a balanc3 of £79,451 against
the company. The revenue account for the half-year endo
ing the 30th of June last showed that £1,188,885 had been
received, and £520,239 expended in working, £202,842 paid
for interest on loans and dividends on guaranteed stocks,
£963 for Manchester and Buxton deficiency, £22,355 for
rental of North-Western Railway, and £5OO for redemption
of debentures—leaving, with £8,839 from the preceding
account, a disposable balance of £450,825 against £373,66
for the corresponding half of 1863.