The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-30 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
SOUTH DEVON.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
at Plymouth on Tuesday; T. Woolcombe, Esq., in
the chair.

The report of the directors stated that progress had
been made towards closing the capital account—the
liabilities having been examined and partially ascer-
tained. The sale of atmospheric plant had realized
42,6661., and they believed the whole apparatus would
reach the estimate when entirely disposed of. Surplus
land had been turned into money, and carried to
account. The revenue showed a diminution in the
number of passengers, an increase in the number of
miles travelled, and an increase in goods and traffic.
The cost of traction over the line, with six miles more
than last half-year, had diminished from 13,3571. to
10,857. Further measures of economy were under
consideration, such as the diminution of the number
of trains, and reducing the locomotive expenses. The
pressure of urgent claims precluded the possiblliry
of doing other than carrying the balance, 3,6381,
over to the next half-year. The directors had
the satisfaction of stating that the litigation with
reference to the preference shares has be( n amicably
terminated, and without compromise of princip:e to
either party. The directors had been making every
effort to obtain the arrears of calls. As respected
the whole amount of shares, out of 1,000,0001. sub-
scribed, the sum of 2,4301. only remained due. On
seventy of the preference shares no payment could
be obtained, without recourse to law ; and on 108
1,6271. 10s. remained due, and part of those would
have to be forfeited. The directors contemplated
going to Parliament for powers to capitalise their
debenture debt, and to issue that portion of capital
which was still disposable to repay advances to other
lines and works. This scheme they would have to
consider at a meeting to be held next month. At
the desire of the debenture holders, the official
assignee and eminent accountant of Bristol had
prosecuted a minute investigation of the accounts,
and communicated the result in a voluminous re-
port, which had been printed and placed in the
hands of the shareholders. The directors coincided
in the importance of a clear system of accounts, but
reserved their opinion on the plan proposed by Mr.
Hutton. In conclusion, they stated that they had
elected Mr. Beale, of the Midland Railway, to be a
director, in place of Lord Seymour, resigned.
The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report,
which, after some discussion, was agreed to unani-
mously.

In reply to Mr. Fox, it was stated, that no arrears
of interest were due upon debentures.
Votes of thanks to the debenture-holders, com-
mittee, and legal advisers ; to Mr. Hutton, for his
report; and to the Chairman, closed the proceedings.

MANCHESTER AND SOUTHPORT.
The half-yearly meeting of the Manchester and
Southport Railway Company was held yesterday
(Tuesday) morning, at the Palatine Hotel, Hunt's
Bank ; Mr. William Marshall, of Penwortham, one
of the directors, an the chair.
Among the shareholders present were Messrs. R.
A. Thicknesse, M.P. • S. D. Darbishire, law clerk,
John Smith, Thomas '
Part, and Joseph Harwood.
After Mr. JouN S. HERON, secretary, had read
the notice convening the meeting, the seal of the
company was affixed to the register of proprietors.
The secretary then read the following report of the
directors :
" At the last half-yearly meeting it was stated that
three miles of the railway at Wigan, connecting the
eastern and western portions of the Liverpool and
Bury Railway, had been opened for passenger traffic;
since that time there has been a further outlay of
33,8881. 7s. 4d. in completing this portion of the line,
and connecting it with the North Union Railway, and
in constructing the bridge under the East Lancashire
Railway, near Ormskirk. The directors have not
commenced any new work on the line. Under the
provisions of the deed constituting the company, and
of the Act of Parliament, the shareholders are entitled
to dividends in respect of the productive capital, at
the rate of 2 per cent. for the first year and 1 per
cent. for the second year less than the dividends paid
on the Lancashire and Yorkshire stock for the corre-
sponding periods. Your directors have entered into
arrangements with the Lancashire and YorkshireCom-
pan), for the working by them of the Manchester and
Southport line, until the amalgamation is completed,
subject to the payment of the dividend thus accruing
to the shareholders. As announced in the directors
last report, the amount of capital entitled to dividends
for the half-year ending the 30th June last is 61. per
share. The exact rate of dividend will depend upon
the dividends to be declared at the half-yearly meeting
of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company,
on the sth of September next. The following mem-
bers of the board, viz, Messrs. Henry Houldsworth,
George Wilson, and William Marshall, retire by ro-
tation, and are recommended for re-election.
" From the statement of accounts it appeared that
the amount received on calls had been 264,419/. 155.;
amount in arrears of calls, 36,0301. Expended on the
completed portion of the line up to Dec. 31, 1848,
125,014/. ls. I Id.; to June 30, 1849, 33,039/. 7s. sd.
—total, 158,053/. 9s. 4d. Expended on the portion
of the line not yet commenced, to December, 1848,
66,3401. I ls. 9d.; to June, 1849, 848/. 19s, 11d.—
total, 67,189/. I Is. Bd. Total expenditure to Dec.,
1848, 191,3541. 13s. Bd.; to June 30, 1849, 33,888/.
7s. 4d.—grand total, 225,243/. ls. Balance to the
credit of the company, 39,1761. 145."
The report was unanimously received and adopted.
A resolution was agreed to declaring a dividend of
6/. per share for the half-year ending on the 30th
June last, at the rate of 2 per cent. per annum less
than the dividend to be declared on the Lancashire
and Yorkshire Railway Company's stock at the ap-
proaching half-yearly meeting of that company.
The meeting shortly afterwards adjourned.—Man
chester Paper.

MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLNSHIRE.
MANCHESTER, WEDNESDAY.—The sixth half-
yearly meeting of this company was held here to-day;
the Earl of Yarborough in the chair. The report of
the directors stated that the revenue on the original
portion of the railway had somewhat improved, at the
same time that the rate of charge for working ex-
penses had been considerably reduced; but these
encouraging features were hardly to an extent that
would justify the directors in any strong expression
of congratulation; and they regret that the balance
of profit and loss, after paying interest on loans and
preference stock, would not yield any surplus out of
which to pay- a dividend on the ordinary shares.
Those parts of the railway which had been opened for
traffic eastward of Gainsborough had been as produc-
tive as could be expected, the balance of profit, after
paying working expenses and repairs of steam-boats
for the ferry, being 9,138/. 3s. 2d. But until the
duck and other works at Grimsby should be in a state
to receive and accommodate a large amount of
shipping, there could be no full development of the
traffic upon the railway, nor could any data be fur-
nished to justify an accurate calculation of its ulti-
mate pecuniary results.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the re-
port, expressed the confidence of the board of direc- .

THE FLOATING HARBOUR.
TO TAE. EDITOR OF TUE BRISTOL JOURNAL.
Sir,—l find it is considered needful to run off a
quantity of water from the floating harbour for the-
purpose of scouring the mul from Bathurst-basin;
and, in passing on Monday last, whilst this operation
wiis going on, I was much annoyed with the offensive
exhalations given off, and I learned from the men
employed that they frequently suffered from nausea
occasioned by their exposure to this atmosphere. I
obtained permission to make an experiment the fol-
lowing clay, to ascertain the effects which would be
produced by chlorine gas mingling with this atmos-
phere, and I procured some of Collins' preparation of
chlorine, or disinfecting powder, from his agent (who
liberally supplied this for the trial without charge),
and I caused it to be spread on the transoms of the
lock gates as the water was lowered preparatory to
the scouring. The shuttles being then opened, an
immense volume of filthy water rushed from the basin
into the harbour, and [ had the satisfaction to find
that the chlorine given off was amply sufficient to de-
stroy all the offensive exhalations, as the only percep-
tible odour was a slight smell of chlorine, producing
(as was observed by several gentlemen present, as
well as by Mr. Jennings, the superintendent of the
scouring) an atmosphere strikingly resembling that of
the sea-coast. This resemblance rather took me
by surprise, although I ought to have antici-
pated it, as it is well known that free chlorine is given
off from fresh sea-weed and other marine plants, and
it has been thought that it is to the presence of this gas,
in minute quantity, the curative power exerted by sea
air in many diseases is attributable.
I confess that I am an enthusiast in the use of chlorine
as a sanitary agent, and I cannot but feel much gra-
tified with the result of my experiment, as it demon-
strates the practicability of applying this agent so as
to destroy large masses of offensive exhalations.
Mr. Collins's agent informs me that the quantity
of his compound, which I used on this occasion, would
cost ten shillings. I am ignorant whether or not any
funds exist which can be appled to defray the expense
of such a proceeding, but there cannot be a difference
of opinion as to the desirability of destroylng these
noxious gases, as I learn that this operation of
scouring is repeated twice or thrice a week, and its
duration extends from one to two hours, during which
the offensive exhalations are most oppressive at this
season of the year.
An additional inducement for the adoption of such
a proceeding, in this particular locality, arises from
the circumstance that the cholera hospital and house
of refuge, provided by the Bedminster guardians, are
contiguous to these dock gates ; consequently, the
inmates are exposed to the' offensive atmosphere.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A RETIRED PRACTITIONER.
Bristol, Aug. 22, 1849.