The Sun.
London, England, 1865-12-18 00:00:00

DEMERARA.

The traffic receipts for this company's line
amounted for the fortnight ending 11th of Nov. to
$6,003, and for the corresponding fortnight of last
year to $5,360, showing an increase of $643.

American Financial and Commercal News

From E. F. Satterthwazte 4 Co.'s Weekly Circular, Dec.l3

By the "Persia" we have received our usual advises
from New York, they are to the 28th ultimo, and report
an inactive Stock market, with a declining tendency. The

uncertainty which prevailed as to the future policy of the
Government with regard to a contraction of the currency,

and consequent early return to specie payment, was in-
ducing unusual caution on the part of those who had un-
employed capital; and loans, other than at call, or for
short engagements, were difficult to obtain ; the conse-
quence was that considerable sales of Government Stocks
had been made, causing some depression in all descriptions.

The same cause was operating to check business in rail-
road securities, the chief part of the operations being
. .

effected by speculative parties ; the entire list, with the
exception of Chicago and North-Western, and Michigan
Southern, exhibits a slight decline, which would have

been enhanced on any forced sales.

The Directors of the Michigan Southern Railroad bad ai

last come to an arrangement with the Preference Stock•

holders with regard to the long-pending question of arrears
of interest. The terms were generally considered satis-

factory.
Railroad Bonds and State Stocks were neglected. Gold

had advanced rather more than one per cent., closing
at 148.
Via " Greencastle" we have received the following
quotations, being to the 2nd inst. :
United States 5.20's 1011- Erie, Common 92
Illinois Centrals 139 Gold 1481

The following is the return of the New York Banks :
Discounts. Specie. Circulation. Deposits.
Nov. 18, 224,741,853 12,449,989 14,333,168 173,640,464
Nov. 25, 225,345,177 12,343,542 15,34C,542 175,588,073
We have received the subjoined letter, which will, we
think, be read with interest by such of our friends as
are Stock or Bondholders of the Reading Railroad ; it has
also much interest as showing the mode in which the
Americans get over the difficulties imposed by the rugged
character of the country ; and also as showing the great
state of prosperity this road is enjoying. This prosperity
we are the more gratified to notice, inasmuch as the At-
lantic and Great Western passing through the great coal
fields of Ohio, may expect similar results from its coal traffic,
and having leased for 999 years the Morris and Essex,
and Catawissaroads, it taps by this means the same coal
fields of Pennsylvania as those tapped by the Reading,
and it is beyond question that a very enormous coal traffic
will be carried to New York direct over theso leased lines,
to accommodate which wharves are to be constructed at
Hoboken, on the Hudson River, just opposite New York,
equal to those of the, Philadelphia and Reading, at Port
Richmond, on the Delaware.
The monthly statement of the Reading is also subjoined,

which gives the working for eleven months of the present
fiscal year, and estimating the not profit for the remaining
month, we arrive at the following result :—Net profit, as
stated in return for eleven months, $4,288,520 ; one month,
estimated at increased rate of freight, which took effect in
October last, say, s7oo,ooo—total, $4,988,520. Deduct
amount required forinterest, same as per last annual report,
$502,000 ; deduct amount required for sinking fund,
sllB,6oo—total, $620,600. Leaving a balance of
$4,367,920, being equal to a dividend of over 21 per cent.
on the stock which stood at $20,072,323.
This company paid last year a dividend of 15 per cent. ;

it seems in fact quite to have got over the building of the
Lebanon Valley, prior to doing which it had earned from
12 to 17 per cent. dividends. We have the pleasure to
state that the most amicable relations exist between the
Atlantic and Great Western and the Reading Railroads.
New York, 21th November, 1865.

E. F. Satterthwaite, Esq.,
My dear Sir,—Soon after your departure, and after a
few days' rest, I made a run through the coal district of
Pennsylvania, over the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad,
previously making an appointment with Mr. Bulkeley, the
gentleman we called upon together at Port Richmond, on
the 20th ult. He is the superintendent of the Port Rich-
mond depot, and thoroughly versed in the company's
business; he accompanied me to the mines.
The extension of the wharves is being proceeded with ;
they can now accommodate 125 vessels at a time. On the
6th inst., two days before I got there, they shipped 11,000
tons. Up to the Ist November, this year, notwithstanding
a six weeks' strike, they have shipped 2,000,000 tons.
Their yearly average is about 3,000,000. Next year, with
their additional wharf room, they anticipate sending away
4,000,000 tons.
The freight of coal from Pottsville to Philadelrhia, 93
miles, is $3.50c. or equal to three halfpence sterling per ton
per mile. The main line to Pottsville is double track, and
in good order, though the iron shows sign of the heavy
traffic ; 23 coal trains a day are now running usually,
each of 125 waggons (small), carrying 5 tons each. This
gives an average of say-12,000 per day.
The joints are fished throughout with an iron and wood
"suspended" fish. This is the only suspended joint t
have met with in this country. Ours, at home, are all so.
This Company use gas in their night trains, and, unlike
our clumsy holders on the roof of the carriages, carry it
in a Finch iron cylinder, capacity ten cubic feet water
(say 6-feet long by 10-inches diameter), into which is
pumped 100 feet of gas, enough for one night's use. The
cylinder: is carried under the car, and is removed when
empty, and a full one substituted in a very short space of
time. _ .

The new ca►penter's shop at Reading is one of the
finest I ever saw ; 700 feet long, and three spans of 55-
feet each, or 165-feet broad. They have a large space of
ground adjoining the town, which is going to be covered
with buildings, to be paid out of the revenue I sup-
pose!
From Reading to Pottsville, 35 miles, I travelled on the
Ariel, a donkey-engine, with car built on the boiler, from
which one gets a first-rate view of the line and country,
Next day in the Gem, another donkey, I went over the
Minehall section from Schulkill Haven to Shemokin, a
most interesting country.
A few miles east branches the Tremont line and
laterals, 38 miles in all, which furnish 1,800 tons a day.
From Minersville, for nine miles, is a uniform
ascending grade of 90 feet to the mile (1 in 58),
which takes you to the top of Broad Mountain, the
road forming a horse-shoe bend round the mountain, five
miles from heel to heel, of single track. Here you arrive
at the top of the first "plane ;" or descending grade,
which ig 4,800 feet long, with a fall of 355 foot, 1 in