The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-05 00:00:00

lit July to Slit Dee. ISM.

Ratio of

Expenditure
Receipts. to Income.
22 Miles £37,314 8 0 or £1,696 2 0 per Mile 58.870
Ist Jan. to 30th June, 1539.
22 Miles £43,491 7 oor £1,976 17 0 per Mi'e 57.530
Ist July to 31st Dec. 1339.
31 Miles £65,885 19 6or £2,125 7 0 per Mile 48.824
Some reduction of charge was always anticipated by the Direc-
tors, and may naturally be ascribed to the extension of the line
and the progressive increase of income, but they have deemed
it their duty zealously to devote their attention in every depart-
ment, to such economical arrangements in their permanent es-
tablishment, as appeared to be consistent with that accommo-
dation and advantage to the public, which the experience of
every day proves, in railways at least, to be highly remune-
rative to the Proprietors.
From a review of the expenditure in the locomotive depart-
ment, there is every reason to anticipate the most favourable re-
sults in the future working charges of that establishment.
Notwithstanding the excessive cost of coke, hitherto exclu-
sively made in the neighbourhood of London, from Newcastle
coals, burthened with all attendant expenses, it appears from a
very clear analysis, carefully prepared by the Superintendent
of the locomotive department, that the actual cost per mile run
by all the Company's engines, during the last half-year, has
been only 18.94 d. per mile. When it is considered that the
speed uniformly maintained by these engines, much exceeds the
ordinary rate of railway travelling, and that the Company are
still labouring under the disadvantage of working with a stock of
locomotive engines various in size and power, for which they
have been scarcely provided with any duplicate parts, the re-
sult slow mentioned seems to the Directors fairly to encourage
a confident expectation of great economy in that heavy branch
of railway expenditure, simultaneously with the attainment of
a comparatively high speed of travelling. A remedy has been
provided for the future, as far as it can be, against the loss and
inconvenience sustained from the want of' uniformity referred
to, by requiring all the engines now ordered to be constructed
strictly according to drawings and specifications, which have
been carefully prepared from the results of the past experience.
Three distinct classes of Engines have been planned, of power
and proportions adapted to the working of the long and short
passenger trains, and the carriage of heavy goods ; the principal
parts of each will serve as duplicates for the others.
It is a matter of unqualified pleasure, to state that the general
testimony now borne to the smoothness and comfort of the line
and carriages, as well as to the rate ef travelling, and the public
advantages derivable from frequency of the trains, is beneficially
operating to an increase of business in every direction.
Application having been recently made by the Directors to
the Provost and Fellows of Eton College. for permission to
construct a station at Slough, which had been prohibited by the
Act, wihout previously obtaining their consent, they feel it
due to that body to state, that they handsomely acquiesced in
the request, and have thereby enabled the Company to pro-
vide for the increasing and valuable traffic of that neigh-
bourhood. The prohibitory clauses referred to led, in
the first instance, to some litigation between the College
and the Company, as to the right of slopping trains at Slough,
either to take up or set down passengers, but this matter being
determined by the Lord Chancellor, it is only just to observe,
that no subsequent obstruction was ever offered by the autho.
rities of the College, and that they were good enough to as-
sent to the construction of the station, and to the repeal of the
prohibitory clauses, upon the application of the Board.
The Directors have since purchased the requisite land for
the station, which will be forthwith commenced, so as to secure
to the Company all the benefit of being enabled to take car-
riages, horses, &c. to Slough, during the summer of the pre-
sent year, which, with the other comforts of shelter and pro-
tection from weather, must greatly tend to a general increase
of business there.
The season of the year renders it also a subject of peculiar
interest to accomplish the further opening of the line to Read-
ing arid Steventon with the least possible delay, and had it not
been for the unprecedented rains which have now prevailed
with so little intermission during the last seven months, the
Directors would probably now be enabled to report the exact
time of completing that portion for tre. A Report from the
Engineer, however, describes the progress and present con-
dition ef all the works, and the Directors think it will be more
satisfactory to communicate it in the same form to the general
meeting of Proprietors. merely adding their assurance that no
energy shall be wanting to extend the opening of the line for
traffic at the earlDiesutkep_rsaterteiecta,l‘moment,ster, 24th Jan., 1840,
Gentlemen—ln reporting upon the general progress of the
works during the last six months, I regret to have to state that
very great delay has been caused in all parts of the line by the
unusual wetness of the season.
At the Bristol extremity the floods in the Avon have inter-
fered with the supply of the requisite building materials ; and
at Bath, and in its immediate neighbourhood, the continuation
du state of flood in the river for a long period, and, till within
the last few days, has rendered it impossible to carry on the
works of the bridges, or even of the station, the site of which
has been flooded. Such a complete suspension of the works at
sonic points,
and such delays At others, have resulted from these
consequent on them, that certainly
additional time will be required for
the completion
lreP 1181 etrh aellfoet:or
of some of these works, the whole of whic:r
tvould otherwise have been finished within a month or two of