The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-11 00:00:00

SOUTH YORKSHIRE.

The report of the directors states that £42,151 had been
added to capital during the past half-year. The revenue
account exhibited a gross income from all sources, under the
agreement with the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire
Company, of £90,023, earned at a total expenditure of
£34,511, leaving a balance of £55,512, which, after meeting
the interest and preferential dividends, would yield a divi-
dend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum on the ordinary
capital ; and the directors recommended that such dividend
be declared accordingly. The bill for the lease of the under-
taking to the Sheffield Company was strongly opposed by
the Great Northern and the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Companies and certain of the coalowners of the district.
The committee, after hearing the whole case, declared the
preamble proved, but in consequence of the committee in-
sisting upon a modification of the rates, which would have
had the effect of depriving the company of the customary
terminal charges upon coal, the two companies considered it
advisable to withdraw the bill. An arrangement was made
between this company and the Manchester, Sheffield, and
Lincolnshire with the Midland Company, by which running
powers for coal from the South Yorkshire district to Wake-
field would be secured. The capital account showed that
£2,505,700 had been expended, leaving a balance in hand of
£94,849.

MID-KENT (BROMLEY TO ST. MARY CRAY).
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yester-
day at the London Tavern ; Mr. W. Dent in the chair.
Mr. G. Woolcott, the secretary, having read the notice
convening the meeting, the report was taken as read.

The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
congratulated the shareholders on the position of the com-
pany. The undertaking would be handed over to the Lon-
don, Chatham, and Dover Company on the Ist of Septem-
ber next, when the labours of the directors would be prac-
tically at an end. The line was leased for 999 years, and
until the Chatham Company exercised the option of pur-
chasing it, the directors would continue to have a nominal
duty to perform.

The report was unanimously adopted, and a dividend at
the rate of three per cent. per annum, free of income-tax,
was declared for the past half-year, payable on the 17th inst.
Mr. BROWNE called attention to the gratuitous services
of the directors for several years past, and moved :---" That
this meeting recommends that £5OO be set aside out of the
current half-year's revenue, in recognition of the services
of the directors during the past five years."

The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply to a queetion, stated that they
would have to keep up the Board to look after the interests
of the shareholders during the continuance of the lease, but
the London, Chatham, and Dover Company would pay
some of the expenses.

The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors for their past services.

ROYSTON AND HITCHIN.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yester-
day at the office, Gracechurch-street ; Mr. J, C. Cobbold,
M.P., in the chair,
Mr. Janson, the secretary, having read the notice con-
vening the meeting,
The CHAIRMAN moved that a dividend at the rate of 6 per
cent. per annum, less income-tax, and Id. per £6 ss, stock
for expenses of management, be declared on the Royston,
Hitchin, and Shepreth Consolidated Stock for the half-year
ending the let inst., and be paid forthwith.
The motion was seconded, and carried unanimously, Mr.
J. G. Fordham and Mr. J. Shaples, the retiring directors,
were re-elected ; and a vote of thanks to the chairman con-
cluded the proceedings,

FOREST
the
halfo l.tE yearlyST O
meetingF
was
held at the offices
in
Victoria-street,
Mr. A.P.Barlow
Mr. W. 11. Wilson' the secretary, read the report, which
stated that the directors since the last meeting had been
anxiously engaged
in
the liabilities of the co endeavouring to effect a settlement of
pletion of the line. mpany, and to provide for the corn-
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
the
congratulated the proprietors on
and speedy settlement of affairs. If theprospect of a pacific
their solicitors could be carried out in
plan proposed by
liabilities of the company would be satisnhed, and its integrity the
com-
pletion and opening of the line insured. In order to
insure
the
the working of their collieries at the least possible expense,
and with the most productive results, they had enlisted h
services of Mr.Bartholomew,who was intimatelyacquaintedte
with the mineral peculiarities of the district. It as esti-
mated that £lO,OOO would be required to complete the line
and bring it into operation, but arrangements would have
to be made to meet the outstanding liabilities.
Mr. BAXTER, the solicitor, explained the financial plan
that had been devised by his firm. It was to capitalize or
convert into preference stock the £41,000 of outstanding
debt. Of this sum the directors would at once borrow
£26,000, of which £lO,OOO would be laid out in works to
complete the railway, and the remaining £16,000 among
the company's creditors, who would accept the rest of the
preference stock in proportionate rates to their claims.
After a long discussion it was resolved that the meeting
should be adjourned until October, to enable the directors to
negotiate with all the parties concerned and report thereon
to the proprietors for their approval.
A vote of thanks to the chairman and directors termi-
nated the proceedings.

ANDS.
The report of the MONKS
directorstates that the receipts on
revenue account for the half-year ending the 30th of June