The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-23 00:00:00

GREAT WESTERN AND BRENTFORD.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yes-
terday at the offices, Great George-street, Westminster;
Mr. P. Davey in the chair.
Mr. Eley, jun., the secretary, read the report. It stated
that the traffic returns, as supplied by the Great Western
Company, showed a falling off in general goods as compared
with the corresponding period of last year of 12,515 tons,
while in coal, coke, and stone there had been an increase
of 15,255 tons. The award of the arbitrators on the
question at issue between this company and the Great
Western had not yet been received, although the directors
had been unceasing. in their endeavours to procure it. In
adverting to the powers proposed to be taken by the Great
Western Company by a bill now in Parliament for the pur-
chase of this railway and dock, the directors stated that,
while viewing such a proceeding with satisfaction, they were
unable to submit any proposal on the subject from the Great
Western Company. The balance of revenue account, £2,780,
would, after providing for the usual preference dividends,
admit of a dividend upon the original share capital of 21 per
cent., which dividend was accordingly recommended.
The CILURMAN, in moving the adoption of . this report,
observed that the gross tonnage for the past year showed an
increase of nearly 3,000 tons on that of 1663, and ever since
the construction of the line there had been a gradual, al-
though slow, increase of tonnage. As compared with 1862
the increase had been nearly 30,000 tons. Wherever a de-
crease had occurred it had been in goods sent into the
country. In the coal traffic there had been a large increase,
notwithstanding that they had now to compete with the
London and North-Western, which had formed a direct
communication with the coal districts in South Wales. A
line was now being constructed which would materially
reduce the distance from South Wales, and thereby prove a
great advantage to this trade. The Great Western Company
had taken powers by a recent act for the purchase of this
railway and stock. The directors of the Brentford desired
to state openly that they were ready to entertain any offers
that they considered fair and equitable, and which they
should feel justified in, recommending the shareholders to
adopt. (Hear, hear.) There could be no doubt that it
would be a most desirable 'purchase for the Great Western
Company. There were three or four projects before Parlia-
ment for communications with this railway, one of which
they must resist, because it sought to run over the line in a
prejudicial manner. The other two—the Acton and Brent-
ford, and the Brentford and Twickenham—they should, as
individuals, do all in their power to promote; but the com-
pany would not be put to any expense whatever for such
promotion. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. H. G. DAY seconded the motion, and the report and
accounts were unanimously adopted.
• The dividends as recommended in the report were then
declared, and the retiring directors and auditors were
elected. A vote of thanks to the chairman and directors
concluded the proceedings.

LONDON, TILBURY, AND SOUTHEND.
The report of the directors states that the revenue account
as furnished by the lessees showed that the receipts for the
half-year ending Dec. 31 amounted to £36,271, and the
expenses to £21,369, leaving a balance of £14,902. The
gross receipts for the Tilbury line during the half-year, in-
cluding tolls paid to the Great Eastern, London and Black-
wall, and North London amounted to £52,600. A prospec-
tus had been issued for raising the capital for the proposed
docks at Dagenham, which, if completed, could not fail to
be of advantage to the company, as the docks would neces-
sarily create a large traffic on the line.