The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-28 00:00:00

THTITSITI4,--LONIDON, ritIEgDAY PVENING, MARCH ts, 1834.

LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS.

BIRMINGHAM RACES.

(THIS DAY.)

(BY ELEOTRIO TELEGRAPH.)
ARRIVALS FOR THIS DAY'S CHASES.

Annual Steeplechase—Peter, Spring, Star of England,
Marquis, Victress, Jumpaway, Burnt Sienna, Colum-
bine, Farmer, Escape, Tulip, Needwood, Comeaway,
Dearest Mae, Trout, and Ploughboy. Run at three.
Plate of £so—California g., Theodine, Mina, Blue
Stockings, Slashing Painter, and Kennington. Run at
two.

SPORTING NOTES.

NOTIONS ABOUT NORTHAMPTON.

The movements at Tattersall's yesterday relative to the
Northamptonshire Stakes were marked by considerable
importance. Both Defiance and Lamprocles were sup-
ported with unmistakeable spirit, but the layers were evi-
dently as numerous and as " willing" as the backers.
Although the investments on Lamprocles at 10 to 1 were
frequent and somewhat heavy, yet these odds were, with
little difficulty, obtainable about him until the close of
business. Indeed, his partisans appear to be not a little
staggered by the determined opposition which he encoun-
ters from certain quarters, and are no less puzzled by the
fact of his principal opponents being "good men." Still my
confidence in his pretensions is unshaken.
Mr. Sykes gave way to his stable companion, Swiftsure,
who will, perhaps, be the intended of the stable. Chief
Justice and Veteran were introduced into the betting, and
backed with some show of spirit. Of the former I enter-
tain no expectations at present ; the latter's chance, how-
ever, lam induced to consider far from insignificant. I
am, however, disinclined to abandon the conclusion at
which I arrived yesterday as to the result of the race. I
am still of opinion that the winner will be either DEFIANCE
or LAMPROCLES. For-" cock-boats" I shall select VETERAN
and PTOLEMY. .

The minor events do not require elaborate discussion.
Should Orestes and the Reiver meet for the Trial Stakes
the encounter will be peculiarly interesting and important.
Notwithstanding the reported improvement in the Reiver,
I shall expect him to succumb again to Orestes. For the
Stand Plate the most formidable-looking names are Cyrus,
Red Rose, and Miss Bolton. The foremost competitors
for the Whittlebury Stakes will, perhaps, be Alas,
Student, and the Duchess of Lorraine colt. On paper,
the Delapre Stakes seems a " certainty " for Orestes. For
Earl Spencer's Plate my selections are Ephesus, Kohinoor,
and Twinkle, and of the thirty-two nominations for the
Althorp Park States, Challow Boy and The Despised may
first attract the attention of the judge. Ilex, Rackapelt,
and the Blanchie filly will perhaps occupy the foremost
places in the race for the Cup, and the Innkeepers' Plate
may be carried off by either John Bull or Miss Bolton.
March 28th. A FRESH MAN.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

LYONS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN.

The annual general meeting of the shareholders of this
company took place on Saturday, March 25, in one of the
large rooms connected with the offices of the company in
the Rue Laffitte—M. Dumon, the president, in the chair.
The meeting having been declared duly constituted, M.
Talabot, the managing director, proceeded to read the
report. It may be as well to premise that no portion of
the Lyons to Avignon line is yet open, and that the various
points relative to receipts and cost, which were previously
merely matter of supposition, appear at present to have be-
come absolute certainties.

The present report, like that of last year, is divided into
three parts—the first relating to the works in course of exe-
cution, the second to the working of the lines already opened
to the public, and the third to the results of the year of 1853
and the fixation of the dividend. With respect to the first
point, the works between Lyons and Avignon had been ac-
tively carried on during the past year. The section from
Avignon to Valence might now be looked on as terminated,
and everything led to the belief that, as had been announced
in the preceding report, that portion of the line would be
ready to be opened for traffic by. the Ist of May next. As
the opening of the line from Chalon to Lyons was to take
place in the course of that same month, an arrangement
would be made with the Paris to Lyons Company, to have
these two sections of the great railway from Paris to the
Mediterranean opened on the same day. As to the section
from Valence to Lyons, the works were being urged on
with great activity, and the works of art were considerably
advanced on every point. Had the rails been furnished
by the ironmasters as much in advance of the timo of de-
livery as was to be desired, the period fixed by the wilier
des charges for the completion of the section would have
much anticipated the time allowed. Still, the opening of
that section would, without doubt, be advanced several
months, so that before the end of 1854 the public would
be able to go by railway the whole distance from Lyons to
Marseilles. The expenses incurred for the execution of
that line, up to the 31st Dec., 1853, amountedto 38,262,621 f.
On the branch line to Aix, to the plans for which the ap-
probation of the Government had been lately given, the
works were to commence immediately. The same would be
done on the branch to Toulon, as soon as the Government
and the company had agreed as to the sum to be expended
on it. The cost for surveys on this line had only amounted
to 5,021 f. ; but the company had paid into the Treasury
during the year 1853 a total of 3,233,333 f. out of the sub-
vention of 9,700,000 f., which the company was liable to
towards the general cost. As to the Marseilles to Avignon
line, a sum of 690,865 f. had been expended on it during
the last year, of which sum 387,039 f. had been applied to
the branch line to La Joliette. The works of art were
nearly terminated on that short line, and there only re-
mained to lay down the iron way and erect the build-
ings of the station. Everything concurred to lead the
board to believe that the expenses which it had calcu-
lated on for the Marseilles to Avignon line would not be
exceeded. In like manner, on the lines situated on
the right bank of the Rhone, considerable works of
improvement had been executed, the expenses of which,
in 1853, was 931,482 f. As the resources which the
company had already at its command, or could realise,
amounted to 125,646,115 f., there would be no neces-
sity to make use of the faculty allowed it by the law
of July 12, 1852, of contracting a loan to the extent of
12,400,000 f. Up to 31st of December last, the resources
realised were 78,850,333 f., or 31,896,025 f. more than the
expenses incurred, and that sum would enable the board,
as it had mentioned at tho preceding general meeting,
to carry on all the works during the present year, without
making any now call. No call would, in fact, be necessary
until the whole of the line, from Lyons to Avignon, was
open ; and as tho works on the Toulon branch were not
yet commenced, it was probable that the 200 f. remaining
to be paid up could be spread over two years by a call
being made every six months. The report then refers to
the sale of some parcels of land, which had brought in
17,213 f., and states that, as the statutes required the ap-
probation of a general meeting for such acts, the board had
to ask the present meeting to approve of the sale. The
second part of the report is then brought forward—namely,
whatever relates to the working of the various lines in-
cluded in the extensive railway network belonging to the
Lyons to the Mediterranean Company.
The total amount of the receipts of every f. c.
kind during the year 1853, had been 8,973,994 69
And the expenses 4,051,933 41

So that there renitecl a clear profit of ...... 4,919,061 25

Produce of investments

~.. 1,522,348 7

- _
Sum carried to the reserve in 1852...

359,256 67

Total sum disposable in 1854 6,800,665 99
Various charges of interest, on shares and
bonds, annuities, &c.

Disposable remainder ..... . ...... . ..... . . ... 1,250,399 80
"We propose to you," says the report, "to take from
that sum a dividend of 10f. a share, which, on 90,000, will
make 900,000 f., and to carry over the remainder, or
350,399 f. 80c., to the reserve fund."
The reading of the report having terminated,
The CHAIRMAN inquired if any one desired to make any
remark?
No one having expressed a wish, the dividend of 10f.
per share was put to the vote and approved of.'
• A SHAREHOLDER—When is it to be paid?
The CHAIRMAN—On the Ist of April.
Another SHAREHOLDER—And when the interest?
The CHAIRMAN—At the same time; 10f. for the one,
and 6f. for the other—in all, 161. per share.
The sale of land mentioned in the report was also sub-
mitted to the meeting, and approved of.
The CHAlRMAN—Gentlemen, the order of the day is ex-
hausted.
The proceedings then terminated.

CRYSTAL PALACE RAILWAY.
The branch from the London and Brighton line to the
Crystal Palace was successfully opened yesterday by the
passage of a special train, conveying several directors and
officers of the Brighton Railway and the Crystal Palace,
including Mr. Laing, M.P., the chairman of both compa-
nies. This railway diverges from the main line near the
Sydenham station, and partially ascends the hill on which
the Crystal Palace stands, terminating in a large and con-
venient station, which, by means of a glass-covered way,
communicates directly with the Palace.