The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-01 00:00:00

THAMES HAVEN.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
yesterday at the London Tavern, Mr. J. D. Lowden
in the chair.

The report stated that the bill introduced into Parlia-
ment to enable the company to abandon part of the line
had received the Royal assent. The line now consists
of but 4 miles of railway, exclusive of its docks. During
the interval, arrangements have been made as well to
settle claims arising out of the abandonment as for
lands required for the works, and, with but a trifling
exception, it may be stated that all land claims are ar-
ranged. The works are let to Messrs. Peto, Betts, and
Brassey, upon terms which the directors are advised are
fair and reasonable. The works will be commenced as
soon as the extension of the Tilbury line is so forward
as to make the commencement necessary. The accounts
showed that 12,9641. hid been received, and 7221. ex-
pended, leaving a balance of 12,2411.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
called attention to the past condition of the company,
and the difficulties they had to encounter in obtaining
the necessary acts of Parliament The company had been
in existence more than 15 years, and considering the
disastrous circumstances under which it had suffered,
it was not so bad, after all, to get nearly the whole of
the money back again. He concluded by moving the
adoption of the report, which was seconded.
In reply to questions, it was stated that the number
of the original shares,was 6,063, and nearly the whole of
them had been forfeited, 4,200 shares were sold to the
late Mr. Chadwick, at is a-share, and there were now
12,126 shares in the company.
Mr. ANDERTON said, he made the average cost of the
shares 81. each, including the proposed call.
The report was unanimously adopted, and the pro-
ceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chair-
man and directors.

OXFORD, WORQESTER, & WOLVERHAMPTON.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at
the London Tavern yesterday, Captain Rushout, M.P.,
chairman of the board of directors, presiding.
The report, which has already appeared, was taken
as
Tread.
he enAmmix
said,
that since the opening of the
line to Oxford in June last the traffic had considerably
increased, the weekly receipts having augmented from
8501. to 2,4091., which was the amount of the takings
during the past week. He congratulated the pro-
prietors on the passing of the Bucks Junction line,
which had already been staked out, and which would
give them an outlet for their goods by a through
line to London. They looked for a great accession of
traffic from this source, and in the meantime they had
entered into arrangements with the London and North-
Western and the Midland Companies, which would
place the traffic of their line upon a broad and sound
basis. The traffic account showed a balance of 13,2491.
which had been carried to the revenue account, added
to which there was the Stourbridge Canal account,
1,716/. ; and rents, 3731.: on the other side, they were
debited with the balance of the Stratford and Moreton
Railway account-7951., and one moiety of interest on
debentures, payable July 15, amounting to 7,218/. ;
and this left a balance of 7,325/. 16s. 6d., which the
directors proposed to apply to a dividend upon the pre-
ferential stock at the rate of 1/. 14s. per cent. per annum,
or 17s. per cent. for the last half-year. The changes in
the policy of this company had naturally involved them
in serious expenses not contemplated in the estimate of
February, 1851. The laying down of the extra length
of broad guage would cost, at least, 100,000/. ; the extra
plant would cost another 100,000/. ; and the cost of the
workshops and additional station accommodation would
be very considerable, so that the proprietors would not
be surprised if the demands made upon the company
shortly required the expenditure of the extra capital
which they had the power to raise. The directors, how-
ever, would endeavour to stave off the period for raising
this capital as long as possible, so that they might pro-
cure it at a time when they could do so on the most ad-
vantageous terms. The traffic returns showed a steady
increase of receipts, and the directors anticipated that
the expectations 'of the traffic manager, who had ex-
pressed his opinion that, before the meeting in August
next the weekly returns would amount to more than
4,0001., would be fully realised. The directors regretted
the loss of the Mid-Western and the Cheltenham and
Oxford bills. They had had a most arduous struggle in
Parliament; and it would be some satisfaction to the
pr?prietore to know that provision was already made for
going a third time to Parliament next session, to en-
deavour to procure a direct entrance into London upon
the narrow guage for the Mid-Western traffic. He con-
cluded by moving, that the report be received and
adopted.
Mr. B. OLIVEIRA, M.P., seconded the motion, con-
gratulating the shareholders in this, as it had been, un-
fortunate undertaking, that the line was now pretty
nearly out of its difficulties.
A PROPRIETOR suggested that, in the event of their
going again before Parliament for the Mid-Western
Railway, a line should be chalked out more for the in-
terest of the company. Would it not be better tbat,the
line should run into the South-Western Railway at
Datchet, and so come into London ? (Hear.)
The CHAIRMAN said, that suggestion should receive
he consideration of the board.
The motion for the adoption of the report was then

agreed to. . .
The CHAIRMAN then moved a resolution for the
sion of the balance of 7,3251. 16s. 6d. among the pre-
ference shareholders. The directors were of opinion that
half only of the total debenture charge for the half-year
should be debited against revenue.
Mr. LONGMORE moved an amendment to the effect
that the whole of the interest proposed to be paid upon
the debenture debt be paid from the present revenue
amount.
Mr. DIEHRARNE seconded the amendment.
After some discussion the amendment was put and
lost, and the original motion agreed to.
A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman,
and the proceedings terminated,

AMBERGATE, NOTTINGHAM, AND BOSTON

At the fifteenth half•yearly meeting of this company,
held yesterday at the London Tavern—Mr. J. Wyles in
the chair—the report, which has already been published,
was adopted, and resolutions were passed declaring a
dividend of ls. 3d. per share, free from income tax, and
payable on the 17th of,September next, and re-electing
auditors and directors who went out by rotation.