The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-22 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN.

The report of the directors states that they have arranged
all matters in difference with the Great Western Railway
Company. The net receipts from traffic during the half year
up to the 10th of August payable by the Great Western
Company amounted to £6,757, and for the four months and
2l days during which the line has been worked by this com-
pany to £20,654. The available sum for division among the
shareholders is £29,145. The directors recommend that a
dividend be declared at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum
upon the preference and ordinary stocks of the company,
leaving a balance of £1,312. The directors have resolved
on constructing the extension to Finsbury with four lines
of rails throughout, and sufficient land is being purchased
for that purpose. The proposed extensions of this company's
line from Paddington to Kensington and Brompton, and
from Finsbury towards the Docks, are to be constructed by
means of separate capitals entirely distinct from the present
authorised capital of the company, and to depend for their
return exclusively on their own earnings. The directors
call the attention of the shareholders to the proposed metro-
politan district railways by Mr. Fowler, their engineer, as
a comprehensive project promoted by powerful parties.
Upwards of 4,631,000 passengers have been conveyed over
the railway during the past six months. From the opening
of the line there has never been% sufficient plant to work it
adequately, and since the abandonment of the working by
the Great Western Company the supply of plant has been
so limited as to leave no reserve, and consequently no power
to augment the accommodation so much required. The
capital account shows that £1,670,340 had been expended to
the 31st December, leaving a balance of £71,966. The re-
venue for the half year amounted to £51,909, and the ex-
penses to £17,844, leaving a balance of £34,055.

CRYSTAL PALACE AND SOUTH LONDON
JUNCTION.

The report of the directors states that most satisfactory
progress has been made in the construction of the works
during the past half-year: The report of Mr. F. T. Turner,
the engineer, states that possession has been obtained of
nearly all the land required for the immediate prosecution
of the works at every available point. About one-third of
the total excavation in the cuttings has been completed, and
with a view to increase the rate of progress arrangements
have been recently made for disposing of the greater portion
of the heavy cutting near the Crystal Palace, independently
of carrying it through the adjacent tunnels, thus securing
to the company a more immediate prospect of an early open-
ing of the line. The brickwork in both the Crescent Wood
and Paxton tunnels has been carried on without intermis-
sion, and about one-half of the entire length of each has
been completed in a very workmanlike manner. The via-
duct at Peckham, the bridges over the various roads, and
all the requisite masonry are for the most part in the course
of construction. The expenditure on capital account was
£477,952.

MORETONHAMPSTEAD AND SOUTH DEVON.

The fourth half-yearly meeting of this company was hEld
on Thursday, at Bovey Tracey—the Earl of Devon in the
chair.

Mr. Lloyd, the secretary, read the report, which stated
that during the last 6 months the works had favourably
progressed. The contractor had concentrated hie men be-
tween Bovey Heath and Moretonharupstead, on which
length of the line several of the cuttings were in a forward
state, and some of them would be shortly completed.
The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report, which
was seconded by Mr. WOOLCOMBE, and carried.
The retiring directors, Messrs. Curving and "Wills, were
re-elected, and a vote thanks to the chairman closed the
proceedings.