The Sun.
London, England, 1862-03-24 00:00:00

NORTH BRITISH.

The half •yearly meeting was held at Edinburgh
on Friday, Mr. Hodgson in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN said that the Border Counties
section of the North British was now all but com-
pleted. In the course of a few days the railway
extending from Hexham to Bellingham, a distance
of 40 miles, would be ready for the inspection of
the officer of the Board of Trade: In regard to the
Border Union Railway, a few.weeks only were re-
quired for its completion. It would, he hoped, be
ready for opening throughout before the Ist of May.
On the completion of the Border Union the direc-
tors would devote their attention to the construc-
tion of the Langholm branch, the Galashiels and
Peebles Railway, and the Wansbeck Railway from
Morpeth to Bellingham. He regretted that the
bill for a railway to Dunfermline, and thence to
Perth, had been thrown out on standing orders.
A petition would be presented to the House of
Commons on Monday to allow the bill to be re-
vived, which he hoped would be successful, as
this scheme had the support of the public and
would be a bona fide through line. The bill for
amalgamation with the Edinburgh, Perth, and
Dundee the directors confidently expected
to carry against the opposition of the Scottish
Central and other companies, seeing that it was
exactly in accordance with those principles of
amalgamation which Parliament had sanctioned in
other cases. The directors had withdrawn their
opposition to the amalgamation of the Newcastle
and Carlisle with the North Eastern, having satis-
factorily secured over the Carlisle line open routes
and through fares. He anticipated from the nego-
tiations now in progress more harmonious working
with the North Eastern. He concluded by moving
the approval of the report.
Mr. SPROT, deputy chairman, seconded the mo-
tion, which was agreed to.
Resolutions were then adopted, declaring a divi-
dend at the rate of 5 per cent. on guaranteed stock,
4 per cent. on Jedburgh stock, 3 per cent. on the
consolidated stock, and 51 per cent. on the Border
Union guaranteed shares ; approving the bills for
leasing the Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and
Port Carlisle Dock and Railway to the North Bri-
tish; and re-electing the retiring directors and
auditor.

SCOTTISH CENTRAL.
The half-yearly meeting was held at Perth on
Priday—Mr. Bruce in the chair.
The report was held as read.
The Cuatramax said there was a considerable in-
crease in the revenue, while other railway companies
had deplored great loss of traffic from the depression
of trade. The increase during the half year, com-
pared with the corresponding period last year,
amounted to £5,604. This enabled the directors to
declare the largest dividend that the Scottish Cen-
tral had yet been enabled to pay, and he had great
pleasure in announcing to the meeting that they
were to pay a dividend of 61 per cent., which was
the first time they had turned the corner over
6 per cent. He trusted that this ould be satis-
factory to the shareholders. (Cheers w
.) He then
adverted to the aggressive measure of the North
British to promote a line north of the Forth to
Perth. This company considered that such a line
was not required by the public. They had there-
fore opposed it with the utmost vigour in their
power, and had been so successful as to throw out
the bill on the standing orders. Since that time an
attempt had been made to resuscitate the bill in the
House of Commons, but he was happy to say that
the house did not see cause to allow the bill to be
proceeded with, and therefore the bill was defunct
for this session at all events. (Cheers.) The pre-
sent line to Perth by Burntisland was exceedingly
well managed, and there was no occasion for a third
line between Edinburgh and Perth.
Mr. MACDUFF seconded the motion for the adop-
tion of the report, which was agreed to.
The Marquis of Breadalbane and Mr. Wilson,
retiring directors, were re-elected; and Mr. Mac-
duff and Mr. Falshaw were elected to fill vacancies.

The
half-yearly
M ON M OUTHSH IRK
held at Newport
meeting of this company was
M.P., in th7aPcsrt on Wednesday, Mr. C. Bailey,
The cuAlirjr.
the satisfactorgvcongratulated the proprietors, on
directors
rate of 6 per cent. per
annum, the
were enabled to recommend,
and said their traffic
Nas. increasing. They had also
a surplus of
£1,220, after
serve fund. This Nva: re-
an r paying £l,OOO to the re-
oeddition to the 6 per cent.
dividend of 18s., or, in other
words, equivalent to a
7 per cent. dividend, less 2s.
Resolutions Were then pa,eatte.)
d ratePting the report
of 6 per
and declaring the dividend, at
the
that, consi-
dering on
cent. per annum, for the past half-year,
i
the 6th of April. It was also resolved
dering the prosperous state of the company,a
the income-tax of the officers of the company affairs,
should
be paid for them.
The CIIAIRMAN, in reply to a question, said the
directors wished to give every facility both to the
'West Midland and to the London and North-
Western Company for running over their line down
to Newport ; but the former company wanted other
powers as to the erection of stations, which he
thought it was not desirable they should have, and
which this company should oppose.

SCINDE AND PUNJAB.
Thv report of the directors states that every el-
ertion had been made by them and their officers to
make 9.l'rangements for the accommodation and de-
velopme of the traffic of the Scinde Railway.
During l'he last rainy season the monsoon rains
had set in: with =anal severity, and had affectedi

most injuriously the embankments of the railway,
which had not been sufficiently consolidated in
consequence of the rainfall of th© previous seasons
having been less than the usual average. The line
was opened before it was sufficiently advanced and
consolidated, and before an adequate supply of roll-
ing stock and other appliances had been provided.
The amount of the traffic had greatly exceeded the
expectations of the officers of the company and of
the Government. The directors confidently stated
that the Scinde Railway, in its present most imper-
fect state, did more than pay its working expenses.
A viaduct of 1,000 feet in length would connect the
railway with Keamaree, the landing-place in the
harbour at Kurrachee, and every effort would be
made to hasten the completion of this work. The
financial statement showed that from the com-
mencement £1,441,316 had been expended. The
interest account showed that £201,126 had been
received, and £199,827 paid to the shareholders,
leaving a balance of £1,839. The report on the
steam flotilla stated that out of eleven steamers in
various states of preparation only one, the Stanley
was running on the Indus, and four were ready
for service ; that seven barges of 150 tons each
were afloat, two being towed by the Stanley. The
directors had entered into arrangements with the
Government for the purchase of the four best
steamers of the Government fleet now on the
Indus for £45,000, and an application had been
made for the transfer to the Indus Steam Flotilla of
the workshops and other property at Kotree and
elsewhere belonging to Government. The price of
the steamers was to be taken in shares or stock of
the company. The expenditure on capital amounted
for the flotilla to £257,804, leaving an available
balance of £26,051. The report of the directors on
the Punjab Railway stated that for the section be-
tween Lahore and Umritsur, 32 miles in length,
much difficulty had been experienced in obtaining
an adequate supply of sleepers and ballast for the
permanent way, but it was expected that this sec-
tion would be opened for traffic in the course of this
month. With regard to the section from Lahore to
Mooltan, 220 miles, the permanent way materials
for a distance of 27 miles had been deposited
along the line, and there was a further quantity
landed at Mooltan, and a still larger quantity ex_
petted shortly to arrive there. A portion of the
Mooltan section, it was expected, would be opened
before the end of the current year, and every effort
would be made to have the whole of the line opened
for traffic before the close of 1863. The financial
statement of the Punjab Railway showed that
£940,207 had been expended on it from the coat.
mencement leaving an available balance of £271,157
to the credit of the company. The interest account
showed that £100,005 had been paid to the pro-
prietors, leaving a balance of £1,794 in hand.