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

MID-KENT.

The report of the directors of this company states
the bill authorising the amalgamation of the Mid-
Kent Company with the South-Eastern Company
has passed both Houses of Parliament, and the
arrangements for carrying its provisions into effect
will be completed as early as practicable. The
Addiscombs extension was opened for public traffic
on the Ist of April last, and the interest on the capis
tal employed in its construction became from that
date payable by the South Eastern Company. The
revenue account shows a disposable account of
£2,615, which enables the same dividend to be paid
as last half-year—viz,, at the rate of 61 per cent.
per annum, leaving £l5 to be carried forward.
The balance sheet showed that
169,938 had been
expended on capital account.

4•••• ..........

SOLWAY JUNCTION.
The first!ordinary meeting of this company was
held on Friday, at the offices, Victoria.street,
Westminster ; Mr. J. Dees in the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in
moving the adoption of the
report, congratulated the shareholders on the pass-
ing of the bill in its integrity. The great utility
of the line from Annan across the Solway to Bray-
ton the Glasgow and South. Western Company fully
admitted. The traffic in hematite ores from West
Cumberland to Scotland had increased from 22,000
tons in 1857 to 150,000 in 1863, and had tripled
itself in the last three years. He showed that
200,000 tons per annum Would be carriel upon the
perline
annum.whe
when completed and opened, and that this
traffic alone would yield a dividend of 5 per cent.
The receipts from the usual traffic pro-
mised a dividend equal to
land lines, which ranged from 51 to 12 per cent. per
annum. any of the West Cumber-

The
was adopted, the retiring directors
were
re-elected, and the proceedings
terminated.
u li reporta
i
mously

The French Occupation of Cochin China.

According to the Moniteur the intelligence
brought to France by every
t ttt 8
reports current in
the
elat the French racoalioinfiralmestCabolcihshin-
C h
Parisi
Go-
vernmentn a l
ei ss far
last
wi
intendednf rt oe mr , confirmingt o
tt
oh e
limit
mff ei
of the recent proceedings
Occupation. Every
de La Grandiere,
its influence, as will be
amb
:eta establish-
ment t therehe
witnessg governor,
tov et
roant veryobres Rear-Admiral r e s
intentiontr i restricted d
of maintaining French
authorityseen from
rapidaand
of the local administration. 1
-n February the go-
vernor, in order to
extending end i n
mentiong
prevent usury, which is the
scourge of the East, decided on founding. five Monts
de Piste, being one for each of the provinces ceded
to France. As these establishments are to lend
money at 3 per cent. per month, the current rate in
Cochin China must have been most exorbi-
tant. In April, the first careening dock, con-
structed in the Government arsenal at Saigon, was
opened ; it is 72 metres (236 feet) long, and will
admit, ordinary tides, vessels drawing
4.20 metres
(13ft. 9in). This dock has cost 70,090 fr. But the
most important event is the ratification, by the
French Government, of the treaty of protectorate
concluded last year by Rear-Admiral de la Gran-
diere with the King of Cambodia, who, when the
King of Siam threatened to annex his territory,
applied to Franco for protection, and obtained it.
" The fact," says the official journal, " is the most
formal contradiction that can be given to those
persons who circulate alarming rumours. The Go-
vernment has never had the least thought of re.
stricting French domination in Cochin China." The
French college at Adran, confined to Catholic mis-
sionaries, is making constant progress. The adop•
tion of the European alphabet has greatly facili.
tated primary instruction. Most of the boys now
learn as much in 10 months, as the pupils under
the native teachers can in ten years. A great
number already read French with ease, and some
of them speak it 'very passably. Four of the native
boys are now acting as interpreters at the different
stations,