The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-21 00:00:00

Discontinuance of Oxford Races,

For the last two years the Oxford race committee has
met with considerable difficulty, in consequence of the
question having been raised as to whether the freemen of
Oxford, to whom Port Meadow belongs, or the town
council, who are trustees of the city property, have juris- I
diction over it. To keep peace with both, the committee
took the precaution of obtaining the sanction of the town
council, and also of the freeman's committee, appointed
by the freemen assembled in common hall, for
permission to hold the races on Port Meadow, and
let the ground for stands, boothg, &c. The race
committee by way of compensation, paid to the free-
men's fund a certain annual charge fixed by the free-
men's
committee. At the last races in August the ground
was let as usual by auction, and a freeman named Marsh
hired a certain piece amounting to £27. That ground he
occupied, and underlet at a good profit, and then refused
to pay anything for it, on the ground that he was a free-
man, and had a right to use PorOleadow as a portion of
his freehold. The auctioner sued him for the amount, and
the case was tried in the Court of Queen's Bench on Dec.
23 last, when the judge (Mr. Justice Shee) ruled that the
plaintiff had not proved his right to recover, in consequence
of which his counsel elected to be non-suited.
The application for a new trial was heard on Saturday
last before the Lord Chief Justice and Justices Shee, Black-
burn, and Mellor, when the Court granted a rule nisi. From
what, however, fell from all these judges on that occasion
the race committee did not feel disposed to risk again the
glorious uncertainty of the law. Accordingly a special
meeting of the committee was held last evening, every
member being present, when the following resolution was
carried uananimously :
" That in consequence of the difficulty and expense to
which the Oxford race -committee have been subjected, as
well as the prospect of being involved in further litigation
touching the right of holding the races on Port Meadow,
and letting the ground for the same, the carrying on of
these races in future is abandoned by this committee."
Thus, through the obstinacy of one man, the Oxford
Races, which have proved a great success, and were in-
creasing inimportance every year, are at an end. In coming
to the decision which they did the race committee felt that
they ought not to be involved in an endless and costly
litigation, and probably have to fight a similar battle with
the town council, the burden and responsibility falling on
the racing committee alone.

[ADVERTISEMENT.]-11olloway's Pills and Ointment.—
Happiness round the Hearth.—With the sore trials, temp-
tations, and accidents daily endangering health and life in
large cities, it is most important to aye at hand some
means of stopping the budding evil, for the longer it is
neglected the more wide spread is the generation. Hollo-
way's medicaments supply this great want ; they are inex-
pensive, purchasable everywhere, can be readily used, are
safe in inexperienced hands, and perfectly reliable as
healers and purifiers. Holloway's ointment and pills cure
inflammations, abscesses, and ulcerations with a facility
hitherto unknown. Holloway's noble remedies will give
relief to sufferers from skin diseases of the most revolting
character, for which, in bygone days, a dangerous mineral
Was often administered with_fatal consequences.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

MANCHESTERy SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLN.

The report of the directors of this company has just been
issued. It states that the accounts of the past half-year
show a total revenue from all sources of £490,836, a total
expenditure of £217,053, and a balance of net profit of
£273,783, which, with the balance of £1,249 brought from
the previous half year, gives a totol sum of £275,032 avail-
able for interest and dividend. The debenture and other
interest chargeable against the revenue of the half year
amounts to £65,348, the canal annuities to £14,142, the
dividends on the various classes of preference stock and
shares to £88,213, and the South Yorkshire interest and
dividends to £56,666, making a total charge against the
net balance of £224,371, leaving a balance of £50,661, out
of which the directors recommend a dividend at the rate of
21 per cent. per annum on the ordinary stock of the com-
pany, leaving £1,660 for next account. The dues, wharfage,
&c., of the Grimsby docks amounts to £5,740, against
£5,454 for the corresponding half of 1863, showing an in-
crease of £286. The company's share of the net profit of the
South Junction Railway amount to £8,969, as against
£8,957 in the corresponding period last year. The directors
regret that the traffic of the South Yorkshire Railway and
Navigation shows a very small increase as compared with
the corresponding period of last year. The lock-out, which
continued nearly half a year, is now completely at an end,
and the collieries are all in full work, and considering the
loss of revenue caused by the long interruption of business
the directors consider that the amount of traffic earned
under such difficulty may justify confidence in the deve-
lopment of the coal trade in that district. The accounts for
the present half-year includes the loss which has arisen
under the South Yorkshire lease for the whole year 1864,
in consequence of the consolidation of the accounts, and
working from the Ist of July. The directors, have in
conjunction with the Great Northern Company, made
an arrangement with the Midland Company, by which
that company are to take one-third interest in the lines
west of Manchester, including Garston and Liverpool
and Liverpool Central Station. The repayment of capital
involved will enable this company to accept one-third of
the capital of the Liverpool Central Station, without adding
to the general capital account. It is right to mention that
a part of the arrangement with the Great Northern Com-
pany is that the contingent and reciprocal running powers,
which, under the agreement of 1860, exist for the term of
that agreement, viz., 50 years, shall be exchanged in per-
petuity. In the year 1855 an agreement was entered into be-
tween this company, the London and North Western, Lan-
cashire and Yorkshire, and North Eastern Companies, in
reference to the interchange of traffic, between the respec-
tive system and in connection with the large traffic exist-
ing between the Mersey and the manufacturing districts of
Lancashire with the Humber. This agreement terminated
at the end of last year, and negotiations were entered into
between the parties, which have resulted in the renewal of
what. is termed the " Humber Agreement" for the term of
three years. The expenditure on capital account during
the half year amounts to £203,908, of which £87,066 is for
subscriptions to other companies, £67,399 for works and
stations, and £28,212 for rolling stock. The total capital
expended to the 31st Dec. last amounts to £10;631,180,
leaving:a balance of £48,156.