The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-02 00:00:00

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES

FROM
GENERAL HAIR Y J ONES.

[FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE.]
WAR DEPARTMENT, SEPT. 1.

His Grace the Duke of Newcastle has received two
despatches, of which the following aro copies, addressed to
his Grace by BrigadiQr General Harry David Jones, of the
Royal Engineers :
No. 5.

Camp before Bomarsund,

MY LORD DUKE, August 16, 1854.
In my despatch No. 4, under date the 14th instant, I
stated that there was every prospect of being able to open
my batteries, erected against Fort Nottich, yesterday
morning : I have now the honour to report that at 8 a.m.
yesterday morning I ordered the two batteries which wore
manned by seamen from the fleet and detachments of
Royal Marine Artillery, under the command of Captain
Ramsay, R.N., to open their fire ; this was done in a very
effective manner, by a spirited and extremely well-directed
fire. By 3 p.m. the interior of the tower was laid open, and
all the guns silenced. At 0 p.m., a white flag havin(-, been
hoisted, I directed my Brigade-Major, St. George Ord,' who
had offered his services to take his tour of duty on the batteries
and who was then so employed, immediately to proceed, and
take possession of the fort. This duty ho performed in a
very satisfactory manner; but finding that it would not
be possible for him to keep open his communication with
my advanced posts after day light, in consequence of the
proximity of the principal work, he brought off three of-
ficers and 115 soldiers, who gave themselves up to him as
prisoners : I have in consequence sent them to the admiral,
Sir C. Napier, for shipment.
In the fort were sixteen 18-pounder iron gulls, and two
32-pounder iron guns.
Garrison—

1 Lieutenant of Engineers,
1 Captain of Infantry, 1
Sub-Lieutenant, Infantry, and 129 men, Artillery
and Line.

There were 6 killed and 7 wounded.
Notwithstanding the heavy and well-directed fire upon
our batteries, both from Fort Nottich and Presto, the
casualties were very few, but amongst that number I have
to regret the loss of a very promising young officer of En-
gineers, Lieutenant the Honourable C. Wrottesley, who
received a mortal wound from a cannon ball, which had
struck a trunnion of one of the guns.
My thanks are especially due to Captain Ramsay, R.N.,
and the officers of the Royal Navy, and seamen ; and also
of the detachment of the Royal Marine Artillery, for the
spirited and energetic manner in whichthey performed the
laborious duty of dragging the 32-pounders up the moun-
tain to the site of the batteries. From my second in
command, Colonel Graham, of the Royal Marines, and
y orders, andfrom
i continue al l the officers
ffic et
o rs
re-
ceiveto
Aa Aide
-do
willing 'al I \se srliasjtiel'asnt ye
Although the operations
of the last 48 hours may appear to be insulated and in-
dependent of those carrying on by the French troops, I
have to state that I have constantly been acting in close
communication with General Baraguay d'Hilliers, and
that whatever I have ordered to be done, or executed, has
been part of the general plan of attack, and which now
must be considered as drawing to a close.—l have, &c.
(Signed) HARRY D. JoNEs, Brigadier-General.
His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, sce. &e.

No. G.

Camp before Bomarsuml

August 13:?1,0r1n8i5nt,
of
the
fire
oe
fhroonmoutrhotofireeept ol,rta,sthroastuou:nheo(sttilitth,sretaavn
reednfidoino.eretfahroe ac rto hgn ee.
MY LORD DUKE,
inducedl
at aboutthe
1 6 hh tahv
twofort hours'of flomfiarrisnut
Bomarsund,
the
nwdhi
thete figaagi..illysaosn
showed
neverthelessth at
the injury uncon-
ditionally, and were embarked in two hours afterwards.
shipsTh ehna interior
been of
excellent;the fort
to the
Governor, with such a strong garrison, no breach, and a
works was trifling, and ought not. to
well casemated work, to have surrendered. Th'o cause
may be considered that, finding two of his principal ad-
vanced works taken, a breaching battery ready to open,
and no prospect of relief, it would be a sacrifice of life to
hold out any longer : thus has been lost to Russia a most
important military post, and, judging from tho nature of
the works existing, those partly erected, and the foun-
dations of others which have been laid, it was evi-
dently the intention of the Russian Government to
have created a first-rate fortress. The position of Bomar-
sund at the entrance of the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia,
with a beautiful and extensive anchorage well shel-
tered, points it out as a position of the most favourable
nature, and no expense apparently has been spared in the
construction of the works already built, and the walls of
those partly erected are of the same substantial nature.
The position of Bomarsund is naturally very strong, and
favourable for defence ; bold and rocky, with a fine com-
mand of the ground in its immediate front, and when oc-
cupied with suitable advanced works would make its cap-
ture a very long operation, and if fully garrisoned woUld
require a very large force for its reduction. The Admiral
has sent home his report accompanied l.y a joint report
from the French General Niel and myself, upon the prac-
ticability of holding Bomarsund in its present state. That
report will have reached London before this despatch, it
is therefore needless for me to recapitulate the substance
of that report, as ycur Grace will have been acquainted
with it ; in fact I have no copy, as it was called for in
great haste, and no time was allowed me to do so before
the departure of Liout. Nugent, Royal Engineers, the
bearer of the Admiral's despatches.
This the first operation of the combined forces having
been brought to a successful termination, I may be per
to state that the utmost cordiality and good feeling
have pervaded every branch of the service employed, Eng-
lish as well as French ; and in making these observations
I should not do justice to the officers of the Royal Navy,
the seamen and marines of the fleet who were employed
under my orders on shore, if I did not notice the great
order and regularity as well as the great zeal with which
every duty was performed, and the strict discipline which
was observed in camp ; not a single complaint has been
made to ine of any irregularity on their part.
From Captain Ramsay,in charge of the seamen,
and from Colonel Graham, in command of the Royal Ma-
rines, I have received the most ready assistance, for which

SOUTH-EASTERN.
The report of the directors of this company to the
proprietors, to be presented at the general meeting on
Thursday next, states the directors have to report that
the receipts of the company for the half-year ending on
the 31st of July, 1854, have been 430,9111. 11s. 6d., in-
cluding 3131. ls. 7d. received of the Brighton Company
for toll ; and the working expenses and renewals
177,1901. 6s. 7d. The sum of 6,2331. has been laid aside
for renewal of permanent way. The rates, taxes, and!
tolls amount to 20,1361. Os. 3d. ; the Government duty
to 11,8611. 13s. lid. ; the rents of the Greenwich Rail-
way, Deptford-creek-bridge, and Angerstein-wharf and
Branch, to 23,2891. ss. 5d., which sums, in addition to
the interest on the mortgage debt, South-Eastern An-
nuities, and guaranteed stock of the company, 88,2691.
10s. 10d., make a total deduction from the gross earn-
ings of 326,9791. 17s. The profit and loss account shows
a balance of 2,601/. Bs. Bd., after providing for the last
dividend and steam-boat reserve, as well as 9,212/. 45., the
net earnings at the credit of steam-boat account, and is
debited with the sum of 3,6001. 16s. Sd. fur Parliamentary
expenses, &c., leaving a balance of 112,2141. 10s. 6d.
The total increase in traffic for the last half-year, as
compared with the corresponding half-year ending 31st
July, 1853, is 48,0301. 15s. ld. The revenue account,
exclusive of the net earnings of the steam-boats, shows,
as compared with the similar period of 1853, an increase
of receipts amounting to 47,9851. 9s. lid. The
net receipts of the steam-boats, after deducting 2,5001.
for the renewal fund, agreeably to the resolution of the
proprietors in-March last, are 9,282/. 4s. The charge
for working expenses, renewals, rates, and Government
duty, for the same period arc increased to the amount of
37,0991. 4s. 9d. The profit and loss account begins
with a balance of 2,6011. Bs. Sd., against 1,5201. 12s. ld.
last year ; and the balance of 224,672/. 14s. 9W, less
9,2821. 45., earned by the steam-boats, making 215,4901.
10s. 9d. brought from revenue account, is larger for
this than the comparative half of last year by the sum
of 10,8861. ss. 2d. Against this balance, the charges
for rents, interests, Parliamentary expenses, &c., are
larger by the sum of 9,1051. Bs. Bd., which iucludes one-
third of the Parliamentary and other expenses incurred
by promoting a line to Lewisham, Croydon, and Brom-
ley, in the session of 1853, and to Lewisham and Brom-
ley during the present year. The balance of not revenue,
viz., 112,2141. 10s. Gd. is 11,9741. 13s. 9d. larger than
that for the corresponding half year of 1853. This will
afford a dividend for the half-year ending July 31st, of
Bs. Gd. per 301. stock, or at the rate of 2/. 16s. Sd. per
cent, per annum ; and this rate of dividend the directors
recommend to be paid. There will then remain the sum
of 6,9041. Os. 6d. to be carried forward to the following,
half-year. The excess of expenditure in the various de-
partments is thus explained :-In the locomotive it has
arisen, first, from increased mileage and from increased
cost of coke, which has averaged during the half-
year 225. W., instead of 18s. 11 2-sd. per ton ; se-
condly, from an advance of wages ; thirdly, from the
higher price of all materials used in the renewals and re-
pairs of the rolling stock. The total running of the
engines has cost, including repairs and renewals, 9.3321 d
per mile, against 7.9772 d. per mile for the half-year end-
ing July, 1853. In the carriage department, the excess
of expenditure amounts to 1,6141. 14s. Bd. It is caused
by the higher price of materials used in the repairs and
renewals of stock, and to a continued advance in the cost
of labour. Thirty-seven vehicles have been completely
renewed during the half-year, and 65 carriages have
been newly painted, besides the usual incidental repairs.
The reports of the locomotive and carriage superintend-
ents certify that the rolling stock is in efficient working
order, and well maintained. The amount expended by
the engineer for the maintenance of way, works, and
stations, is 26,9351. 12s. 2d., being 7,888/. 19s. ld. more
than in the same period of 1853. The renewals have
cost 17,619/. 16s. 7d., being 2,1771. Os. 6d. less than in
1853 ; and the total amount expended under the latter
head has been charged as usual against the reserve fund.
This fund, which has so materially relieved the charges
against revenue for the last few half-years, has been
heretofore supported as well by the sale as the transfer of
old materials to sidings at their market value, for which
capital account was debited. The stock being nearly ex-
hausted, the fund mustin future be dependent for support
upon the reserve set aside in each half-year. Notwith-
standing the amount of 6,2331. received from revenue for
the half-year, the fund, as shown bat the accounts, is over-
drawn to the extent of 6,0301. 12s. Bd., which sum ap-
pears in the balance-sheet. It is manifest, even with a
diminished expenditure, that the amount heretofore
laid by for renewals, at the rate of 46/. per annum per
mile maintained, is inadequate for the purpose : it must
either be increased, or the fund must be abolished and
the cost of renewals made a charge against revenue in
each half-year. The condition of the way, works, and
stations, is such that no reduction under the head of
renewals can be expected.
The directors regret that they cannot agree with the
auditors as to the importance of maintaining the re-
serve fund ; on the contrary, they consider that the
revenue of each half-year should in future be charged
with the full amount of all renewals, leaving it to the
engineer to equalise as far as practicable the expendi-
ture under this head, which will, it is believed, effect
the same result as a reserve fund. To prevent, how-
ever, any undue pressure upon the current half-year,
which, if this recommendation be adopted, would not
only have to bear its own burden for renewals, but also
the sum of 6,0801. 12s. Bd. overdrawn in the reserve
fund, it is proposed by the directors to retain out of the
amount available for the present dividend the sum of
6,9041. Os. Gd. referred to in a preceding paragraph. The
miscellaneous working expenses exceed those of the
corresponding hallyear of 1853 by 11,7091. 2s. 2d.
The excess of expenditure has arisen-first, in the
goods department, from a necessity of providing addi-
tional labour, commensurate to the increased work
done, particularly in the collection, and delivery of
parcels and merchandise ; and, secondly, from the
general increase of wages and additional pay for length
of service which was brought into operation during
the autumn of 1553. The gross receipts from traffic for
the half-year exceed those of 1553 by 48,080/. 15s. ld.,
of which the passenger department earned 30,5981. 10s.
7d., and the goods 17,4821. 4s. Gd. The goods and cattle
traffic shows a steady and satisfactory increase, and 539
tons of additional merchandise have been carried to the
continent, giving a gross receipt for tolls of 687/. in ad-
vance of the corresponding period of last year.
The company's steam-ships have performed their voy-
ages with the accustomed regularity. During the half-
year, 31,956 passengers have passed via Folkestone and
Boulogne, and 12,132 via Dover and Calais, making an
increase of 5,613 passengers over the same period of 1853.
The tidal service to Paris daily, via Folkestone, is in full
operation ; and an agreement has been concluded with
the Northern of France Railway to continue the fixed
service to Paris daily, via Dover and Calais, for a period
of three years, the SonthEastern Railway receiving from
them a ddiy subvention for performing the steam-boat
service.
The circumstances under which the board was recon-
structed in March last especially require the absence of
all reserve in this report. The directors feel that their
duty is to state frankly and fully to the shareholders the
condition in which they found the company's affairs at
that period, the policy they have adopted, and the mea-
sures they have taken to fulfil, so far as time has yet
permitted, the expectations which were indicated by
the changes then made by the proprietary. Before do-
ing so, however, they think it right to state, that all
their subsequent investigations have confirmed their
confidence in the natural resources of the line under
prudent and economical management. It runs through
one of the most fertile districts of the kingdom, bor•
dered by a highly favoured sea coast, studded with po-
pulous watering places easily accessible from the metro-
polis by its means, and is the shortest high road for all
traffic to the Continent and the East. That the pecu-
niary results of such a line should have hitherto disap-
pointed the just expectations of the shareholders, is no
doubt, in a great degree, attributable to the want of
system and foresight with which the Legislature has dealt
with railway property in general ; but your present
directors cannot withhold the expression of their deli-
berate opinion that your disappointment h
indiscreet as been in-
creased by premature and , extensions of the
line, and the absence of primentand economical ma-
nagment of your affairs ; and it is to remedy those
defects that they have hitherto devoted and will devote
their attention. Economy, of management has had a
prominent place in the deliberations of the reconstituted
board during the past half-year, and the result has been
Some imuiediato sad a large prospective reduction of