The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-08 00:00:00

WESTERN MEETING AT AYR.--Tnußstqa,

The Ayr Gold Cup of 100 sovs., by subscribers of 10 sovs.
each, the rest in specie. Two miles. (12 Subs.),
Lord Eglinton's Glen Saddel, 4 yrs, Bst 51b. 1
Mr. Meiklam's inheritress, aged, Bst 131 b 2
Won by a length.
• Plate of 50/. Heats, two miles.
Lord Eglinton's Solon, 3 yrs, 7st 51b (Cartwright) 1 1
Mr. Shepherd's Alp, 3 yrs, 7st 10lb (W. Margot') 4 2
Mr. Smart's Aspasia, 4 yrs, Bst 41b
Mr. Cowan na br c by Young Longwaist, dam by
Inheritor, 3 yrs, 7st 81b (G.Keppis) 3 dr
Won easy.
LICHFIELD RACES.—FRIDAY.

The Anson Stakes of tO sous. each, 5 ft, and 20 added,
for two and three yrs old. Half a mile. (6 Subs.)
Mr. Copeland's Candlewick, 2 yrs, 7st ...(W. Sharp) 1
Mr. E. Phillips's Burghley, 3 yrs, Bst 71b (Denman) 2
Mr. J. Parrott's Selina, 3 yrs, 9st (J. Evans) 0
Mr. J." Merry's f by Irish Birdcatcher, out of Ifuf,
2 yrs, 7st (G. Oates) 0
The Gold Cup of 501., added to a handicap of 10 soya.
each, h ft. One mile. (10 Subs.) 'Three of whom
declared.

Mr. Copeland's Cbeapside, 5 yrs, Bst 71b...(Marlow) 1
Mr. Holland's Terret, 3 yrs, 7st llb (Wells) 2
Mr. E. Phillips's Anthony, 3 yrs, 7st 71b (Whitehouse) 3
Mr. Grimes's Pity the Blind, 3 yrs, 7st 41b (Knott) 4
The Queen's Plate of 100 gs; three yrs old, 8•t 21b; four
yrs, 9st 61b; fire yrs, 10st; six yrs and aged, lOst 31b.
Heats, two miles. _

. _
Mr. Merry's Chanticleer, 6 yrs (Taylor) 1 1
Mr. E Phillips's Burghley, 3 yrs (Denman) 0 2
Mr. Grimes's Pity the Blind, 3 yrs (Marlow) 0 3
Mr. Meeson's Dart, aged (Whitehouse) 2 dr
Mr. Parrott's Selina, 3 yrs (J. Evans) 3 dr
BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—FRIDAY.
ST. LEGER.

200 to 100 on the Flying Dutchman-175 to 25 agar
, Nunn} kirk and Old Dan Tucker.
Nothing else mentioned.

RAILWAY ACCOUNTS.
THE BALANCE-SHEET.
We take the following excellent suggestions and
queries from our respected contemporary, the Railway
Record. In the present state of the railway world,
and of railway accounts, they are most valuable,
and well deserving the consideration of every rail-
way proprietor :
The lack of a balance-sheet, excluded by an
investigating committee from the Midland re-
port, is very ominous as to the nature of -that
balance-sheet. As some persons imagine the
capital account is the balance sheet ; some
that the revenue account is the balance sheet ;
or, if neither is, that both together must be,
we beg to assure those soi-di.sant accountants
that neither the one nor the other is the balance
sheet, although they both constitute the most impor-
tant parts of one. The balance-sheet is the document
which contains the whole and entire results of a per-
son's affairs at the date when the balances are
taken. If the accounts are correctly kept and
stated, this sheet exhibits all the property he
possesses, and the debts and liabilities to which
he is subject. From this document the
assets and liabilities of any concern, solid or bankrupt,
are extracted. If the books ate not made up, they
are posted, or entered up as quickly as possible ; the
amounts are then adjusted, so that the entries to the
debit of anything or person do not, in fact, exceed
the value of that thing, or the amount due from
that person. So of the credits. In considering the
result, we first take the assets; these consist of
1. The amount of money expended for the works.
2. The amount of cash in hand.
3. The amount of stores and materials, new or old,
on hand.
4. The amount of securities, as stocks, bills, bonds,
or shares, &c.
5. The amount of debts owing to the company.
Having verified and summed up these, we next take
the liabilities. These consist of-
6. The amount of calls on shares wholly or
partially paid up.
7. The amount of profit for the half-year—i. e.,
the balance of revenue account, out of which the
dividend is to come.
8. The amount of unpaid dividends.
9. The amount of interest owing by the company,
as adjusted to the date of the account, say, the end of
the half-year.
10. The amount of income tax reserved on the
foregoing (4), and
11. The amount of debts owing by the company
to bondholders, contractors, and others.
The sum of itenas s„9utt,be equal to the
sum 'of items 6 to 11.
As shareholders begin to take a little more interest
than formerly in looking into accounts in which they
are, often, very deeply concerned, we shall take the
present opportunity of calling their attention to a few
questions of great interest to them.
Is there, then, enough cash in hand (2) to pay
the dividends in arrear (8), and the balance of
profits to be divided (7) ? And if not, are assets 4or
5 available ? Are all the old materials (3) brought
to amount, or are any, and what amount of them
lying in a chaotic state along the line ? Are the
stores (3) so balanced that the sum entered in the
ledger, as their value is verified by the storekeeper as
the amount for which he holds himself personally
responsible, on surety bond ?
Does the amount of cash in hand (2) correspond
with the balance in the banker's book ?
Are any of the securities (4) entered at a value
exceeding their worth ? Are any of the bills (4)
dishonoured ? Are any of the shares (4) held with-
out authority of an Act of Parliament ?
Are any of the debts (5) doubtful or bad ? Do the
debtors admit these debts without set-off?
Are all the powers of the company to raise capital (6)
or loans (11) set forth duly, and compared with the re-
spective amounts expended for works (1)? What is the
amount yet to raise in capital(6)? What the amount of
calls in arrear ? The dates when such calls (6) were
made payable ? Does the amount raised or paid
(11) exceed the power to borrow ? Or, how much
more money has the company yet the unexercised
power of borrowing? Do they owe anything upon
debentures, promissory notes, or other unauthorised
securities ?
These queries will suffice to give the railway share-
holder an inkling of some important matters, which
may serve his present purpose.

DEATH OF SIR GRAVES CHAMNEY 'LAUGHTON,
KT.—The above eminent Oriental scholar died at St.
Cloud on the 26th ult., in the 62d year of his age. The
deceased gentleman was the second son of the late Dr.
Haughton, a branch of the lloghtons, of Hoghton
Tower, Lancashire. He entered early in life the military
service of the East India Company, and was some years
on the Bengal establishment, but owing to ill health was
compelled to relinquish that service. He studied the
oriental languages in the college at Fort William, Cal-
cutta, and there obtained very high honours. In 1817
he was appointed one of the Professors at
the East India Company's College of Haley-
bury, and in 1821 was elected a Fellow of the Royal
Society. Ile continued to fill his appointment at Haley-
bury up to 1827. In 1832 a vacancy occurring for the
Boden professorship of San'crit at Oxford, he became a
candidate for that honourable situation, but he withdrew
in tavour of Mr. Wilson, the other competitor for this
honour. He had in the previous year tilled the honorary
secretaryship of the Royal Asiatic Society. He was
connected with several learned societies abroad, and a
member of the French Institute. The respected de-
ceased was the author of several works, among others,
editor of the " Institutes of Menu," in the original
Sanscrit, author of a "Bengali Grammar," a "Bengali,
Sunset it, and English Dictionary" (a valuable work). &c.
He was knighted in 1833 fur his distinguished attain-
ments in oriental literature by the. late King.
THE COURT-MARTIAL AT PLYMOUTH oN
MANDER PiTmAN.—Yesterd.ly the Court sat at halt'-past
nine, and the prisoner crosi-examinkd John Bright,
after which Mr. Elliott stated that if the Court would
take the evidence produc,ql by Lieut. Graham, on the
charges of cruelty, as his evidence also, he would call
no further witness. The Court agreed to do this, and
toe prosecution was closed. The prisoner then applied
for time till Tuesday, to prepare his defence. This was
immediately granted, and the Court adjourned.