The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-30 00:00:00

SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.
The ordinary half-yearly meeting of this railway come
pang was held on Friday at the board room of the Pad-
dington station; Mr. Talbot, M.P. for Glamorganshire,
chairman of the board of directors, in the chair.
The following report was read by the Secretary:—
" The directors have the pleasure to report, that the
revenue receipts, during the past half-year, indicate a
steany progress in the traffic, as compared with the re-
ceipts for the corresponding year. Exclusive of the sum
credited for the conveyance of mails, they amount,
during the half-year ending the 30th of June, 1852, to
3811 per mile—as compared with 2881. per mile during
the corresponding period of 1851. A sum of 10,0604
was assumed in the statement of accounts for the half-
year ending the 31st of December, as a portion of a
claim upon the Post-office authorities not then finally
ascertained; the arbitrator to whom reference was
made awarded about 11,600/. for the services performed
up to that period—a lesser sum than was expected by
your directors, but to which they immediately assented.
They conceive that they have now just cause to complain
that after having performed an onerous and expensive
service in the =inner required by the Postmaster-
Genersl for nearly two years, without receiving any
remuneration for it, an intimatiou should have been con-
veyed to them of the intention of the Post-office
to question the validity of the award. it is
with great satisfaction that your directors are
enabled to annc.unce to you that a line of rail-
way has been completed across the River Wye at Cht 0-
stow, and is now open for traffic, thereby perfecting al
continuous communication from London to Swansea. 13y
the completion of thi3 communication the lease of the
South Wales Railway to the Great Western Company
comes into operation, and the rent of 30,501 d. a year,
payable under that lease in respect to the line betwemn
Grange Court and Swansea, commenced on the 19th
July last. Upon the completion of the line to Carmar-
then, that rent will be increased to 310001. per annum.
Every effort is being made by the committee having the
management
theG
re oa ftW
the
Western Company,
oymoupranryai,lwtoayd,evineicooprej conjunction
with hmi-
neral and other traffic of the country, and your directors
have no doubt that tee great advantages of this railway
will soon be made apparent. The branch to join the
Western Valleys Railway at Newport has been opened
for traffic. The improvements in the Forest of Dean
Railway, authorised by the ' South Wales Railway New
Works' Act, 1851,' have been commenced, and are now
in active progress. Between Swansea and Carmarthen
the works have been rapidly proceeded with, and your
directors have every reason to believe that that portion
of the railway may be opened for traffic by the middle
of the ensuing month. Impressed with the conviction
that the early opening
of the line to Milford
Haven is of great importance both the pro-
prietors and the public, and believing that that
improved position in which the company will be placed
by the completion of a continuous line from London to
Carmarthen will justify such a proceeding, your direc-
tors have given instructions that the works between
Carmarthen and Haverfordwest should be prosecuted
with increased rapidity. Under the provisions of the
bill approved by the proprietors on the 30th April last,
which has since become law, the company is authorised
to make arrangements for the interchange of traffic with
the Taff Vale Railway Company, with the Monmouth..
shire Railway and Canal Company, and with the New-
port Dock Company. Power is also given to construct
a railway from Haverfordwest to Milford Haven, and
the portion of the line authorised by the South Wales
Railway Act, 1845, extending from Fishguard to the
point ofj divergence of the Haverfordwest branch, be-
comes abandoned. The directors have well considered
the propriety of paying a dividend for the past half-
year,bat the no
out of the funds usually applicable to that purpose;
duev e
they ai this
t tuthhneadute
umpire
thetp iisr et ahawep aprodi
intentionnmtea made
togetherf
oo
of the
tthhee E.cwooisutth--
miciloOnaPmiaglpsYfbneyyennt by the Post-office of the amount
Post-
master-General to question the legal accuracy of that
award, involving a sum of upwards of 17,0001., has in-
duced them to advise the proprietors not to declare a
dividend for the past half-year, but to reserve their re-
sources for a future occasion."

r, July 29.
Gentle
I 18, Dhaakve; s ttrheee t, p Nri
eVaess
ENGINEER'S REPORT
05fte
" r':
opening, on the 19th inst., of ono line of reporting the
Chepstow Bridge, and that considerable pro over the
been made with the other roadway, so that wegrneiass has
pect to float the second tube in the middle of September.
The works and permanent way between Swansea and
Carmarthen are making rapid progress, and there can
be little doubt of opening the railway between those
places by the second week in September. The machinery
of the coal drops at Swansea is being fixed, and one drop
is nearly completed. A temporary apparatus was put up
some time ago, and several thousand tons of coal have
been shipped. Below Carmarthen the works are pro-
gressing, and steps are being taken for setting out the
extension of the Haverfordweat branch to Milford Haven,
for which an Act was obtained in the last session. The
improvements in the Forest of Dean Railway have been
commenced. A new station has been opened at Gat-
' combo, between Newnham and Lydney. The junction
with the Western Valleys Railway at Newport is nearly
completed. All the works between Grange Court and
Swansea are in good order. At Gloucester the new sta-
tion is nearly completed, and considerable progress has
been made with the dock there by the Gloucester and
Dean Forest Railway Company.
" I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant,
" I. K. BRUNEL."
From the statement of accounts it appeared that the
net earnings for the half-yeas, exclusive of the sum in
dispute with the Post-office, amounted to 22,3421.
13s. 7d.
The CHAIRMAN regretted it had fallen to his lot to
ask them to assent to a report which told them that
they were not to have a dividend. He hoped this
would be the last time such a thing would happen,
but there were several reasons for doing so. The first
was the extraordinary defalcation, he could call it
nothing else, of the Post-office, who, after a reference
had been given against them, refused to abide by the
award.
A PROPRIETOR—Did they agree to the reference ?
The CHAIRMAN—The reference was entirely of
their own making and arrangement, and he feared it
was a continuous system, for he was told by the Great
Western directors that they had been carrying the
mails for the past three years for nothing, the Post-
office having for the third time disputed their award.
Another reason was that their line, though naturally a

cheap one,was worked at a very high rate, because having
no rolling stock of their own, they were obliged to work
it with the Great Western engines, for which they were
charged 10 per cent., with the burden of keeping
them in repair ; and as most of the stock they had
was old, the repairs were very heavy. A new ar-
rangement was about to be entered into, which would
be much more favourable for the South \Vales. Then
the Chepstow bridge was nearly finished, which would
add a considerable amount to their traffic, and from
the completion of their line the rent from the (area
Western would be increased. For all these reasons.
the directors thought it would be better to postpone a
dividend till another half year. He would now say a
single word upon the competing lines that bad bees
talked of. A railway from Shrewsbury to Aberystth-
feeder to their line
with would not be a competing line with the S
Wales at all.
traffic from Manchester and the manufacturing
O n thebyc
bo nr
itar
oa ri
ay
g, iat
great would ba ea 1
ios_u_idrueis: t.
tricts upon the South Wales line.
hoped they would not be frightened
of a competing line.—(Hear, hear.) e ''' '
the question of
further to bring under their
"tic who had only
increasing the salaries of the auditors,t
h was too small.
hy:ilehe bugbear
251. a year each, which d ption of the report,
had only
He concluded by moving the tbSuATTLIEWS, the deputy-
which was seconded by Air-
chairman.
A PROIRIETOit Suh,--ts 8,500, should be re-issued
of which there are aabtou i.
3 per cent., which, he con
ted that the forfeited shares,
as preference stockm
the bright prospects of the line,
tended, would, he thaouog
be issued at ttherfrep°l:esendtinhaorldyerastotchkan; to allow
othpeima
iotao
I), AdoPt ci•
- d wir f• reason the Post-office
views of the meeting, and the report
g lETOR apke
A '`.-- °ll' ' to settle the account with the
bad for refusing
bdwei
was
better
n finot
Itii.,meet for
phi e
that his t.. 'e
that each postmaster,. C 011900113 _nur
was t
rniTicrequAlßMAN said he knew. of none unless it
favourable a state as
of offiCewtoauldthabepashboliret,
iwaiashsed to present his own-
accountspossible. Lord Clanricarde wished to throw the onus
of the payment on Lord Hardwicke, and now Lord
Hardwicke wished to throw it on somebody else.
A resolution was then passed to give the auditors
50/. a year each instead of 251., after which thanks
were voted to the chairman, and the meeting ad-
• ourned.

NEW COMPOSITION FOR RAILWAYS AND OTHEIC
CONSTRUCTIVE PuIIPOSES.—Mr. Owen Williams4of Strat-
ford, has patented a composition to be used in railways and
other structures, in lieu of iron, wood, or stone, and for build-
ing purposes generally. One of those compositions consists
41b5sibps.itfichne,i4y%.pogwaldleornesaclriemoeso,tei,018Siblbss;gryeapisnu,m15,110.
7sul-
phur,oflS° and
cubic feet sand, breeze, scoria, bricks, stone, or other
materials, broken up and passed through a sieve with
of the
inch meshes. ihe sulphur is first melted with q b
31
s of the
pitch, after which the resin, and then the remainderdegrs and
pitch is added with the lime and gypsuni,
The eabrYthy and stony
well stirred till the mixture boils. xi-o .Ted in, when the
half-
matters are then added, and the creosote,
composition is ready for moulding
tb mode of preparing
pressure is applied. The claim is
of sulphur therein.—
such composition, particularly the use
Mining Journal.
t operations are now in
TELE IlmtvEsT.—Har
ves
the neighbouring countries.
full progress throughout this and inesr blocks, for which
has been fully Whilst a difficulty
sup-
shearers in sufficient numbers,consequently not risen high—ranging
I Carlislel,onie towns in procuring
plied, and wages have .Bd in some cases to 2s. t;(1. per day.
from ls. 3d. to 2s. and.
ing progress in this neighbourhood,
The potato diseoei
ere quit,: healthy.— Carlisle Journal.
but the cereal crops
Bolsi T DOWN.—On the 6th of this
A VILLAGE , has beenie
out in tho Austrian village at Metzlen,
month a fire broke
r,
which destroyed 117 houses and the
near Steinamange
church. i
NDERRY AND
ENNSK lILIEN RAILWAT.^:-
LoNDO
to this
ected the line would have been opened
It was
.s-t '3l) d this cannot take
week, but we now understand
town ne delay in finishing
- week or two lon- fl ' some_ - - •

place for a —,nger, from
one of the principal bridges. No time will be lost, how(vex.
The contractors are urging with great rapidity,
and are at presenton between Pis and Fintons.—
Tyrone Constitution..
pushing on the works