The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-27 00:00:00

WHITEHAVEN AND FURNESS

JUNCTION RAILWAY.

The seventh half-yearly general-meeting bf the abbve
company was held yesterday afternoon, at the offices in
Basinghall-street ; Lord Lonsdale in the chair.
The report stated that ten miles of the r.Tway were
now completed, and had been opened for mineral
traffic this month. These ten miles extended
from Mire House Station, about a mile from
Whitehaven, to the river Calder ; the opening of
which would supply coals, lime, &c., to St. Bees, Brigg,
Stones, Braystones, and Sellafield stations. The portion
of the line between Mire House and Whitehaven, and
the line from the river Calder to Ravenglass (the latter
being five miles in length), were being urged on with
dispatch, with a view to the section of the line between
Whitehaven and Ravenglass (sixteen and a half miles)
being opened for passenger traffic in the month of May
next. From the cost of works completed, and the forward
state of the remainder, which were being finished between
Whitehaven and Ravenglass, the cost per mile of these
sixteen and-a half miles can be stated with tolerable
accuracy at under 10,0001. a mile, including every charge
that could arise for works, stations, &c., up to the open-
ing of that portion of the line. Beyond the sixteen and
a half miles of railway above reported on, there re-
mained two sections of the line to complete the
whole ; the one, from Ravenglass to Bootle, being six
miles ; the other, from Bootle to the Furness
Railway, a distance of eleven miles. The proprietors
were aware that on the former section 14,000/. had been
laid out, and 22,0001. remained to be expended, and on
the latter section the works were not yet commenced.
In reference to the line entering Whitehaven, the direc-
tors were constructing part of the harbour branch, ex-
tending as far as Preston-street, so as to secure a station
convenient to the town simultaneously with the comple-
tion of the line to Ravenglass, and with a view to the
economical working of the line, until opened through-
out, arrangements had been made with the White-
haven Junction Railway Company, for the supply
of locomotive power and carriages for working the
portions of the line now opene. The finances of
the company had to some extent improved during the
half-year; the arrears of calls had been considerably re-
duced; and during the period subsequent to the 31st
December, there had been further payments on account
of arrears. The call of 11., payable in December, had
been paid upon the usual number of shares upon which
prompt payment is made—about 8,000; and the directors
would continue to act upon the expressed wishes of the
shareholders, that the arrears should be, as far as pos-
sible, kept down. A considerable number of shares, upon
which the directors previously satisfied themselves that
the holders were utterly unable to pay up, bad been
vested in the company; and the sum paid on the shares
which have been so taken over, up to the present time,
amounted to 17,9741.
The balance-sheet represented the total receipts to
amount to 166,359/. and the expenditure to 164,6171.,
leaving 1,7411. in hand. The expenditure of the present
half-year amounted to 33,3491., of which 1,5932 was for
land, and 30,4531. for works.
The report was unanimously adopted, after which
thanks were: voted to the Noble Chairman, and the meet-
ing terminated.

GREAT WESTERN and UXBRIDGE

RAILWAY.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was adver-
tised to be held yesterday at 449, Strand, in accordance
with the provisions of the Act of Parliament, but no
shareholders, with the exception of the directors, making
their appearance, it stood adjourned until this day.

BANK OF FRANCE.
The following is a return or tho situation of the Bank
of France up to Feb. 22:

ASSETS.

Cash and ingots £167 179 697 56
Ditto in branch banks ... . . 127,756 980 00
Bills past due ... ... ... 138,723 05
Bills falling duo in Paris, 6f which
14,620,680 f. Go. arc from the branch
banks ... ... ... ... 53,468,200 15

Bilks in the branch banks ... 92,393,887 87
Advances on coins and ingots... ... 19,128,167 00
Ditto on French public securities ... 31,430,429 05
Ditto by branch banks... ... ... 1,554,337 00
Ditto to the State on Bons du Tresor... 50,000,000 00
Ditto on the loan of 150 millions ... 50,000,000 00
Rentes of the reserve fund ... 10,000,000 00
ftente3, disposable funds ... 42,581,488 13
Investments of the new branch banks in
the public funds ... 12,806,741 39
Hotel and furniture of the Bank ... 4,000,000 00
Real property of the branch banks ... 2,273,734 00
Loan of 10,000,000 f. to the city of Paris 7,000,000 00
Interest in National Discount Bank ... 200,000 00
Ditto branch banks ... 230,000 00

Bills protested at Paris ... ... 8,921,538 38
Ditto at the branches ... ..• ... 4,546,759 00
Expenses of administration of the Bank 127,831 36
Ditto of the branches ... ... ... 138,002 00
Miscellaneous ... ... ... ... 406,981 15

Advaneo to the department of the
Seine 9 000 000 00
Loan of 3,000,000 f. to the City of Mar-
seilles ... 750,000 00

f. 689,033,497 09