The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-28 00:00:00

ably reduce both the cost of construction and the time
of execution, without injury to the working of the rail-
way. The engineer has, in consequence, reported the
practibility of completing the railway as far as Colches-
ter in twelve months, whenever the works for this pur-
pose are simultaneously commenced. So soon, there-
fore, as the Directors can command sufficient funds to
warrant them in making contracts for this portion of the
line, they propose to prosecute the work with the utmost
vigour.
" The excellent condition of all those portions of the
railway which are finished must be highly satisfactory
to the Proprietors, and especially the beauty and soli-
dity of the London Viaduct, reflect, as a work of art,
the highest credit on the engineer.
" Indispensable as it is not to allow the extension of
the line to be delayed, the Directors must shortly call
upon the Shareholders, if the requisite money cannot be
borrowed upon debentures, to meet specially, and de-
termine that the other means pointed out by the Act
of Incorporation for this purpose, by the issue of new
shares, shall be adopted. _ _ _

" A general financial statement and a balance-sheet
showing the receipts and disbursements of the Company
for the last half-year are appended to this Report. A
separate account for the traffic department is likewise an-
nexed.

" Owing to the expediency of incurring considerable
expenses with the coaching- department, the charges on
the traffic appear larger than i❑ the former statements
laid before the Proprietors. The advantage, however,
resu!ting from this outlay has produced a more than
commensurate return during the last few :months in the
traffic receipts, and this is clearly evidenced from a
comparison of the large weekly receipts of this line,
partially opened for a distance of seventeen and a half
miles only, with the weekly receipts on similar par-
tial openings of most of the leading railways in the
kingdom.

" The laborious examination of the Company's ac-
counts for the period prior to the passing of the Act of
Incorporation, is at length concluded, and exhibits a
more satisfactory result than was anticipated. There
appears to be a balance due of 1,1161., as verified by
the accountant, which the Directors are taking proper
measures to recover.

" The Directors have to announce the resignation,
since the last General meeting, of Captain C. R. Moor-
som, R.N., of Birmingham, to whose vacant place at
the Board, the Directors have elected Alexander Hoyes,
Esq , of Furnival's-inn, London.
" The usual preliminary steps, for the forfeiture of
697 Shares of the Company's Stock, having been taken
by the Directors, they now submit this forfeiture to the
meeting for confirmation, in conformity with the provi-
sions of the Act of Parliament.

" The Directors cannot close their Report without
briefly adverting to the melancholy event which has re-
cently occurred on the line. They trust there is already
sufficient evidence before the public of their deep sym-
pathy for the sufferers, and of their determination to
spare neither expense nor pains in the investigation of
every circumstance connected with the accident. The
inquest before the Coroner terminated only at half-past
two this morning, and the Directors cannot but express
their regret and extreme surprise, that after an investi-
gation establishing in the most undeniable manner the
perfect character of the line, and of all the arrangements
connected with it, by means of parties summoned by the
Coroner and unconnected with the undertaking, instead
of a verdict of gross and culpable negligence against the
unfortunate person, whose rashness and disregard of dis-
tinct orders, was so clearly proved to have alone occr-
sioned the accident, a severe deodand of 500/. has been
inflicted on the Company. While the Company have
been thus proved to have been anxiously adopting every
precaution for the security, protection and comfort of
the public travelling on the railway, it is a source of
great additional regret to the Directors to find, that, al-
thou,4ll the Company is acquitted by the evidence, and
by the verdict of accidental death, unaccompanied by
the least intimation that they were in any respect culpa-
ble, they have not had that entire support and sympathy
from a jury of their countrymen which they confidently
anticipated."

Engineers-Office.
" TO THE CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTORS OF THE EASTERN

COUNTIES RAILWAY,
GENTLEMEN,--The works alluded to in my last
half7yearly Report, comprising the different embank-
ments and cuttings, from Romford to Brentwood, have
been so far completed as to enable us to open the line
and continue the running of the trains without interrup-
tion, and by the end of the present month I have no
doubt that the subsidence of the Gubbing's embank-
ment, a subsidence attributable to the state of the
weather during the progress of the work, will have so
far ceased as to permit the completion of the double
line of rails, connecting those at Brentwood with the
others already laid through the cutting at Hare-street
The continuation of the London Viaduct, being the•
remaining portion of Mr. Jay's contract (referred to
in my last Report), extending to Farthing-street, and
Messrs. Curtis' contract, completing from thence the
London Viaduct, to the terminus at Shoreditch, were
carried on with considerable spirit by the contractors,
interrupted at intervals by the supply of bricks not
being adequate to the extraordinary demand caused by
this work and others of magnitude, and which, at one
period was likely to have prevented the opening of the
line in July last. The general character and stability
of these works are very satisfactory, and will not only
meet your approbation, but will also show the care
with which the several contractors have performed
their duties. As a proof of this, I may be allowed to
mention that out of one hundred and sixty bridges and
arches composing the London Viaduct, and varying
from from thirty-six to sixty-two feet span, only three in-
stances occurred in which we had any reason to doubt
the perfect solidity of the work, and those portions
were removed before the centres were struck, and re-
instated within forty-eight hours, at the cost of the
contractors. The remaining works upon this part of
the line, so far as yet determined by you, being the
approaches with their retaining walls, and the requi-
site walls for the passenger shed at the terminus at
Shoreditch, are now in progress, and will be finished in
the course of next month, depending only upon posses-
sion being obtained of the land and buildings,included
in the Schedule to the Act of the Northern and Eastern
Railway Company, which there will be no difficulty in
obtaining so soon as the necessary forms have been com-
plied with.

" It is with pleasure I repeat that the road generally
continues in a very satisfactory state ; indeed that portion
which was opened to the public last year bears more the
character of an old than a new line, and the expenses of
maintenance of way, from this period, will, I am satis-
fied, vie with the minimum of other railways.
" The working of the line will be conducted with
greater regularity than, with all our exertions, we have
yet been able to attain, so soon as we are in possession
of the additional locomotive engines for which orders
have been given to Mr. Bury, and to Messrs. Jones,
Turner, and Evans, and which we expect to receive in
the course of the season.

" My attention has been directed to the continua-

tion of the works beyond Brentwood, and it is with
much regret I have been compelled to witness so fine
a season for earth-working stealing away without the
means of reducing some portion of our heavy works
to a comparative equality with those of a lighter de-
scription, which would have tended to insure the speedy
completion of the whole line from Brentwood to Col-
chester, when the funds of the Company would permit.
" Impressed with the practical advantages which, on
the score of economy as well in the construction as in
the working of a railway, recent experience has shown
may be obtained from gradients hitherto deemed ob-
jectionable, I have re-considered those on the line east
of Brentwood, and am satisfied that they may be bene-
ficially increased (still keeping them considerably within
some of the gradients on other parts of the line), so
as not only to diminish the cost, but to insure the com-
pletion of the railway to Colchester within 12 months,
were we enabled to grapple with the heaviest of them
during the present season, namely, to excavate about
200,000 cubic yards on the east side of Brentwood-
hill, to lead into the Shenfield embankment, 100,000
cubic yards from the west side of Widford-hill, to run
into the Moulsham embankment, and 150,000 cubic
yards from the Springfield-hill, to be carried into the
Chelmer embankment. The two last-named form part
of the suspended contracts taken by Messrs. Sherwoods.
The probable cost of these works, including the land
necessary for the operations, would not exceed 41,000/.,
spread over a period of six months.
" It is right to mention that numerous applications
having been made by the different carriers of the dis-
trict to convey their merchandise on the line, prepara-
tions are making for such accommodations. Several of
the parties are now constructing vans which they intend
to run upon the Company's trucks, and others are
making the necessary inquiries to enable them to adjust
terms with the Company for the transport of coals from
London, Stratford, and Ilford, to Romford and Brent-
wood.

" In conclusion, I beg I may be allowed to acknow-
ledge the unwearied and cheerful exertions of my staff,
previous to the opening of the hne on the Ist of July
last—an earlier period than was believed possible by
many ; and to express my gratification that this de-
sirable object was attained with so much satisfaction to
all concerned.
" I have the honour to remain, Gentlemen,
" Your obedient Servant,
"JOHN BRAITHWAITE."
BALANCE SHEET

BROUGHT FORWARD TO TOR 24TH AUGUST, 1840.
To balance brought down from 4th July,
£ 7,702 2
1840
Further payments on account of
Ist call
2d ~
301 ~ ....
4th „ ...... ... 882 10
sth „ . ... 1,422 10
6th 2 379 10
„
7th „
Bth „
9th „ „
3,878 0
8,727 9
1 oth
35,602 0