The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-30 00:00:00

CAPE TOWN RAILWAY AND DOCK.

HALF-YEARLY MEETING THIS DAY.
The ninth report of the directors stated that, in addition
to the 21 miles opened on the 13th of February, 10 miles—
as far as Stellenbosch—were opened for public use on the
4th of May. Since the opening to 30th June 35,874
passen-
gers and 2,907 tons of goods had been conveyed over the
line. During the month of June the traffic was temporarily
affected by the unusually heavy rains which prevented pas-
sengers and goods from reaching the country stations, and
also impeded the progress of the works on the unfinished por
tion of the line. The section to Stellenbosch is complete, and
nine-tenths of the remaining earthworks have been con-
structed. A further portion of the line to Klapmuts—nine
miles in length—was shortly expected to be opened. The
construction of railways to Malmesbury and Worcester,
forming junctions with the present line, have been proposed
by the executive government. The short branch at Cape
Town into the Morning Market has been sanctioned by the
government under the usual guarantee, and is in course of
construction. The goods traffic will be materially aug-
mented by this extension. The suburban line, originally
proposed by this company, from the Salt River Station to
Wynberg, by way of Mowbray, Rondebosch, and Clare-
mont, is being constructed by the Wynberg Company,
to whose directors the board have made proposals for
working the traffic subject to the approval of the
terms by the colonial government. The capital
hitherto raised on construction account amounts to £526,600,
consisting of 25,000 shares of £2O each, which are nearly all
converted into stock, and debentures to the extent of
£26,600, authorised to be issued by the meeting of 19th
March last. There have also been raised £20,000 on
account of working expenses, as sanctioned by the last
general meeting. Of this capital £508,768 3s. 11d. have
been expended on construction account. This amount
includes advances for interest and management expenses,
to be recovered hereafter. The sum of £16,689 12s. 3d.
has also been expended on ,working account. From
the revised estimate of Mr. Brounger, it appears that
the sum of about £50,000 would be required to com-
plete the line from the Ist of June. In order, there-
fore, to meet this outlay, and to provide the necessary ad-
vances on account of interest to be eventually repaid, partly
by the Government and partly by the contractor, it is pro.
posed to take authority to raise the sum of £53,000. As a
great portion of this sum is only to be temporarily advanced,
it is proposed to raise the whole by debentures at short dates,
so as to admit of its being paid off at an early period. The
guarantee enjoyed by this company being in the form of a
rate in aid of profits, to an amount not exceeding £20,000
a year, a return of only £6,000 a year over expenses is re-
quired to pay £6 per cent. interest on £600,000, to which
amount the capital will be temporarily extended, until the
accounts with the Government and the contractor have
been arranged.
The report was unanimously adopted.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE AD-
VANCEM-ENT OF SCIENCE.

CAMBRIDGE, MONDAY.

Active proceedings in connexion with the forth-
coming meeting here may be said to have com-
menced to-day with the arrival of many members
and intended members and associates, and though
the terms " large numbers" cannot at present be
applied to them, yet they are in appreciable quan-
tities ; and the sight of old familiar faces and many
strange ones in the streets, many of them those of
notabilities, betrays the fact that there is something
more important on the tapis than is usual in Cam-
bridge at this particular time of year.
These, for the most part, consist of those who are
about to take an active part in the approaching
proceedings, and such as by reason of past experi-
ence know the value of an early arrival in securing
choice of accommodation, and (when strangers) an
early intimacy with the neighbourhood. As a mat-
ter of course, the majority find their way to the
reception-room at the Guildhall, where the prices
and situation of lodgings may be learned, and all
necessary information acquired. There is a branch
Post-office and Telegraph-office in the building.
Many of the former members of the colleges are
snugly ensconced in their ancient habitations, but
if the attendance reach former averages, there will
be still enough to afford a fair harvest to the lodging
house keepers, a numerous class in Cambridge, and
whose hopes are raised as flys and omnibuses dis-
charge into the town the living loads of the railway
trains, lodgers at this season are to them a welcome
extra; but we have not heard of any unreasonable
prices. By reason of the requirements of the junior
members of the University, lodging-houses are
plentiful, and competition would. tend to regulate
the prices at reasonable rates, even were there any
desire to overcharge, which, however, as we have
said, is not the case: '4.-71 tit/ LLOs, r.
the accommodation ; but all purses can be accommo-
dated. In the ranks of the Association the names
of many of the roost distinguished scions of this
University may be found ; and though the fame of
some is all that now remains of them to the scien-
tific world, yet worthy successors occupy their places,
and the forthcoming meeting may be looked to to
display a galaxy of talent rarely equalled. Estab-
lished 31 years ago, the Association now favours
Cambridge as its focas for its yearly gathering for
the third time, the former visits being in 1835,
under the presidency of the venerable Professor
Sedgwick ; and in 1845, under Sir John Herschel.
Many of the " boasts" of this University have filled
the presidential chair, and this year Professor Willis
is thus appropriately honoured. Taking the 30
years to 1860, the average number of members at
each. annual gathering may be set down at 1,600,
and the receipts at something under £2,000.
Manchester, however, in 1861, worthily boasted
of upwards of 3,000 members, and receipts to the
amount of £3,920. This was, however, a vast in-
crease over the first visit to the cotton metropolis in
1842, when the number of members was 1,316, and
the receipts £2,161. The increase in 1861 was
of course due to the increasing appreciation of
the importance of the Association, and with
this, the attractions of Cambridge, and its pecu-
liar aptitude for a meeting of this kind, it is not to
be expected that Cambridge winnow lag in the race.
An excursion to Hunstanton is proposed for Sa-
turday next.

For general convenience there will be an ordi-
nary at Peeling's Bath Hotel, Benet-street, every
day at 5 o'clock, and it is recommended that in all
private parties during the meeting the hour of
dinner be 5 o'clock.