The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-02 00:00:00

BLYTII AND TYNE.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held in
Newcastle on Monday—Mr. J. Laycock in the chair.
The report having been read,
The CHAIRMAN, in movmg its adoption, remarked that
while Ihe income of the railway had fallen off during the
past half-year, the loss had been more than met by a reduc-
tion in the expenditure that had not affected the efficient
working of the line, which was never in better condition.
Some discussion, he said, had taken place in the district
lately with regard to the probable time that it would take
to exhaust the supply of coal. But he had no fears of the
property of the line on that score. The works for the New-
castle branch had been let to a respectable contractor, and
the directors anticipated it would be completed by the end
of the year, and be opened for passenger traffic in the spring
of next year.
The report was adopted, and dividends were agreed to at
the rate of 10 per cent, on the 10 per cent. preference stock;
5 per cent. on the 5 per cent. preference stock, and at the
rate of 91 per cent. per annum on the ordinary stock.
The CHAIRMAN then moved that the company raise part
of the share capital authorised by the act of 1861. The sum
to be so raised being between £60,000 and £70,000 ; the
shares to be offered at par to the holders of ordinary stock
in the proportion of £lO to every £2O so held.
Mr. F. LAMBERT seconded the motion, and it was
adopted.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors.

COCKERMOUTH, KESWICK, AND PENRITH.
The half•yearly meeting of this company was held on
Thursday at Keswick, Mr. T. A. Hoskins in the chair.
The Secretary (Hr. Cattle) read the engineer's report,
which stated that about four-fifths of the earthworks had
been executed, and that there was a reasonable prospect of
the works being completed by March 31, 1861, the time
specified in the contract.
The directors' report stated that the bill for legalising the
working arrangements with the London and North-Western
and Stockton and Darlington Railway Companies had re-
ceived the Royal assent. The new floating dock at Work-
ington, it was expected, would be ready for traffic by the
time the line was completed. The Whitehaven and Clutter
Company had obtained power to construct a branch line
from the present terminus in Lamplugh to the Cockermouth
and Workington Railway, near the junction of the rivers
Marrow and Derwent. That line would considerably shorten
the distance from the company's terminus at Cockermouth
to the iron-ore-producing and coke-consuming district, and
could not fail to prove advantageous. The directors strongly
recommend a project for the construction of a first•elass
hotel at the Keswick station.
The capital account to June 30 showed that £131,169
had been expended, leaving a balance of £21,262 against
the company.
The CHAIRMAN, in m3ving the adoption of the report,
expressed satisfaction at the progress of the works. The
line being so nearly finished, he trusted, as they had good
security, that the money they proposed to raise would be
obtained at a low rate of interest.

Mr, FLETCHER seconded the adoption of the report, and
it was carried unanimously.
The directors were authorised to borrow on mortgage a
suns not exceeding in the whole £66,000.
The retiring directors (Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Mitirlassan, and
Major J. J. Spedding), and the retiring auditor (Mr. J. F.
Crosthwaite), were re-elected.
A special meeting was then held to consider the project
for a first-rate hotel, to cost about £lO,OOO.
Mr. J. STEEL, M.P., moved that the directors be author-

ised to proceed with the construction of a first-class hotel,
with stables, in Keswick, which was seconded by Mr.
CROZIER.

Some opposition was manifested, an amendment was pro.
posed and rejected, and the original motion was carried.
A vote of thanks to tho chairman terminated the proceed.
logs.

BOSTON, SLEA FORD, AND MIDLAND COUNTIES.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on
Monday at the Easton Hotel, Euston-square; Mr. Parry
in the chair.
The report stated that the total earnings of the line for
the past half-year amounted to £10,316, being an increase
of £1,233 ever those for the corresponding half of 1862.
Neptiritions had resulted in a proposal for the lease in per-
petuity of the Boston line to the Great Northern Company,
that company guaranteeing annual payments on the share
ca?ital of the Boston and Sleaford Company for the yelr
1863, at the rate of £3 per cent, per annum, and at an in-
creased rate until 1867, when the dividend would be fixed
in perpetuity at LI 28. 6d. per ceut, per annum. From the
available balance of £2,856, a dividend of 3s. per share was
recommended.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
said the terms of the proposed agreement would be submitted
to the shareholders for approval at a special meeting. For
the half-year ending June, 1860, the dividend paid was 31
per cent. for the half-year ending June, 1861, 21 per cent.
for the same half-year in 1862, 22., and for the past year 31
per cent., so that for the years the line had beep opened the
dividend averaged 21 per cent. Those dividends had been
earned without any through traffic.
Mr. TOOTAL seconded the motion.
Mr. PARSONS congratulated the shareholders upon. the