The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-17 00:00:00

SCOTTISH CENTRAL.

The directors state in their report that the expenditure
on capital account during the past half-year amounted to
£9,263, of which works and stations absorbed £2,377. Under
the head of waggon account a further sum of £5,238 had
been paid. During the half-year £12,700 had been received
on account of irredeemable 4 per cent. debenture stock,
making a total of £242,880 issued in lieu of an equal amount
of fluctuating debenture debt. The revenue of the half-
year had been injuriously affected by the continued depres-
sion of trade. The International Exhibition has also con-
tributed to depress the passenger receipts, as it has attracted
large numbers to the south, and disturbed the regular course
of traffic. The traffic receipts for the half year ending 31st
July amounted to £86,265 against £87,165 for the corres-
ponding period of 1861, showing a decrease of £9OO. This
deficiency is augmented by the large payment of £3,086
made by this company to the Caledonian, Edinburgh and
Glasgow, and Dundee and Perth Companies, under the
quadruple agreement for the half year ending 31st January
last. This was £2,474 in excess of what was paid in the
corresponding period, and swells the net decrease on the
half year to £3,374. This payment is owing to the receipts
of this company during the half year in question being in
excess of the proportion assigned to them under the agree-
ment. Such payments depend entirely upon the progress
made by the respective companies. If any of the four earns
a larger proportion than the value originally assigned to it
under the agreement, a payment has to be made by that
company to its partners. The expenditure amounted to
£56,483 against £54,592, showing an increase of £1,891.
The available balance, including £1,575, brought from the
preceding half year, amounts to £28,272, out of which the
directors recommend a dividend at the rate of 51 per cont.
per annum on £1,045,000, payable on the Ist Oct., leaving
£B4O. The surplus fund shows a total of £11,875. The
directors express their undiminished confidence in the re-
sources of the line, and their belief that when the tempo-
rary depression shall have passed away the company will
continue to progress as it has hitherto done.

MIDLAND GREAT WESTERN OF IRELAND.
The report of the directors states that on the line from
Dublin to Athlone, and the Athenry and Tuam and Long-
ford and Cavan branches, the traffic receipts for the past
half year amounted to £89,947, against £89,889 in the cor-
responding half of 1861, showing an increase of £6B. The
receipts from the railway and canal were £99,843, and the
disbursements £52,299, leaving a balance of £47,544. To
this was added the surplus from last half year of £5,124,
leaving a disposable sum of £52,668, out of which the direc-
tors recommended that a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent.
per annum, free of income-tax, amounting to £49,321, be
declared on the paid-up capital of the company, carrying
over a balance of £3,346. The accounts of the extension
from Athlone to Galway had been examined by the Go-
vernment auditor, and showed a deficiency on the gross re-
ceipts of £2,410 as compared with the corresponding half
of 1861, owing to which there was a debit against the ba-
ronies of £1,058 on this account. The traffic from the Royal
Canal showed a net increase of £243. The traffic on the
Athenry and Tuam branch, leased by this company for ten
years from 1860, still showed a decrease on the working.
The Great Northern and Western Railway of Ireland Com-
pany had obtained their act for a line to Ballina. The Irish
North-Western Railway Company had opened their junc-
tion line between Clones and Cavan, and the Dublin and
Meath Railway Company their line between Clonsilla and
Navan. From both sources the directors hoped that the
traffic over the Midland line would he improved. The con-
struction of the lines from Longford to Sligo and from
i.!
Streamstown to Clara had so far advanced that bethornn
be opened in the course of next month. The works.ta_
account'
Liffey branch proceeded satisfactorily. The eap,ibei
showed that £3,287,313 June showed
account for the half-year ending the oths-oexpended,l9av-
had been expeonded.r
that £99,843 had been received and £4.1,s
ing a balance of £55,690. The receipts
os the expenses to
Athlone to Galway amounted to on the line from
lE.xchequer Loan C 0,..
£10,0.15, and the interest paid to theeent.,
to £8,225, together
170,902, out of which the
missioners, on £470,000 at 3i
£18,270, showing a deficiency of °Of the account, £1,904, was
balance standing to the credit
to
provided by the baronies
deducted, leaving X 1,05.8
through which this portion of the line passes.