The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-21 00:00:00

RAIL WAY NO'T'ICES.

The following circular of statistical requirements has been
forwarded to all the railways now in operation:—
" Ordered—That there be laid before this Committee a re-
turn from each railway company, showing—
" 1. The length of the main line, and the total cost of
constructing the same.
" A statement of the cost under the following heads
via:—

" a. Cost of land, or sums paid for land.
" b. Cost of engineering, or sums paid to the engineers
employed in laying out and constructing of the line.
" c. Cost of Parliamentary expenses, including the whole
SUMS expended in getting the Act under which the line has
been made.
" d. Sums expended on the construction of the works, dis-
tinguishing the costs of rails from the other expenses.
" e. Cost of the machinery, such as locomotive engines,
carriages, trucks, &c., employed in working the line, as well
for the conveyance of goods as of passengers.
" 2. A statement setting forth the Acts of Parliament or
authority under which, and the mode in which the capital
laid out on the main line, and on the machinery for working
the same, has been raised; specifying the sums received
at different times by the sale or allocation of shares, by
loans, and otherwise; and specifying the rates of interest
annually paid on the loans, the dates when the loans were
contracted, and the periods for which they were contracted.
"3. A statement of the rates of tells per mile authorised
in the Act establishing the company to be levied on the pas-
sengers, and on the various descriptions of animals and goods
conveyed along the line or any part thereof.
" A statement showing the rates of charge per mile that
have actually been levied on passengers, and on the various
descriptions of animals and goods conveyed by the line since
its opening, specifying the exact periods when any altera-
tions (if any) have been made in such rates of charge, and
the extent of such alteration.

"4, A statement of the entire expense of working the line
in each year, since opening, so far as is practicable ; also the
legal and Parliamentary expenses incurred by the company,
specifying how much of the latter in each year has been in-
curred in opposing other lines.
"5. A statement of the annual expense incurred in main-
tenance of way, showing whether the same has been per-
formed under contract, and if so, specifying the duration of
such contract ; and showing also whether any portion of that
expense, and if any, how much, has been added to the capital
of the company. . _ _

"6. A statement of the revenue annually derived from the
line, distinguishing the amount received for the conveyance
of passengers from that received for the conveyance ofgoods,
and specifying the number of each class of passengers car-
ried, the rates at which they were carried, and the revenue
annually derived from each class; and specifying also the
number of each description of animals, and the number of
tons of goods annually conveyed along the line.
"7. A statement showing the number of trains per diem
that carry third-class passengers, the hours at which such
trains depart from each terminus, the rate of speed per hour
at which they travel, and whether the carriages are covered
and provided with seats.
"8. A statement showing whether the Company has car-
ried coal; aad if it has done so, showing the quantity car-
ried each year since the opening of the line; and whether
the company has carried it in their own trucks, or allowed it
to be carried by other parties, charging them with toll; and
the average distance to which coal has been conveyed along
the line.

" 9. A statement showing the average expense per mile
of working each train (meaning by train a greater or less
number of carriages, vans, and trucks, drawn or impelled by
a single locomotive engine), and the different rates of speed
at which the different trains travel along the line ; distin-
guishing the cost of coke, and also of the wear and tear of
carriages and engines from the other items of expense.
" 10. A statement showing whether the charges for the
conveyance of goods on the line are uniform to all parties
using the same ; and if not, specifying the exact nature and
extent of the differences of charge.
" 11. A statement showing the total amount of the public
and parochial taxes annually paid by the company.
" 12. A statement showing whether the company's main
line has any branches or subsidiary lines attached to it; and
if so, stating the name and length of each, the cost of con-
structing, and how the money for the same was raised, so far
as isyracticable.

" 1-3. A statement showing whether the company's main
or any of its branch or subordinate lines have been extended;
and, if such has been the case, showing the length and cost
of each such extension, and the date when it was opened.

"JAMES MORRISON, Cliirman."

NEW POST-OFFICE ARRANGEMENTS WITH
BADEN.

The following notice was on Saturday issued from the
General Post-office :

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC AND INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL POST-
MASTERS, SUB-POSTMASTERS, AND LETTER RECEIVERS.
" General Post-office, April, 1846.
" On and after the Ist of May next, the rates of postage
due to France and Baden on letters sent through France,
between the United Kingdom and Baden, will be reduced
from 8;1. to 4d. on each single letter. No alteration will
take place in the present British rates of postage on these
letters.

" The British and Foreign rates must be combined and
taken on the sames principle as that adopted for letters ad-
dres:ied to France, as shown as follows:

COMBINED BRITISH AND FOREIGN RATES OT A LETTER.
" Weighing under a quarter of an ounce—British, 5d.;
Foreign, 4d. ; total to destination, 9d.
" Weighing a quarter of an ounce, and not exceeding half
an ouncs—British, 5d.; Foreign, Bd.; total to destination,
la. Id.
" Exceeding half an ounce, and under three-quarters of
an ounce—British, 10d.; Foreign, ls.; total to destination,
Is. 10d.
"Weighing three-quarters of an ounce, and not exceeding
one ounce—British, 10d.; Foreign, Is. 4d ; total to destina-
tion, 2s. 2d.
" Exceeding one ounce, and under one ounce and a quar-
ter—British, ls. Bd.; Foreign, Is. Bd. ; total to destination,
3s. 4d.
'• The payment of postage on these letters is optional, but
the letters must be either forwarded unpaid, or the whole
postage to destination, both British and Foreign, must be
paid in advance.
"By command of the Postmaster-General,
" W. L. MABERLY, Secretary."

ANOTHER COAL-MINE EXPLO-

SION.

BILSTON, STAFFORDSHIRE, MONDAY EVENING. - This
morning a second explosion took place in the mine of Messrs.
Benton and Pemberton, where the five men lost their lives
last week.

It appears that about six o'clock this morning three men
went down the pit, and that one of them, a man named
D.OLe, took the safety-lamp, and proceeded all round the
workings of the pit; everything appeared safe. After some
necessary preparations had been made for the purpose of
forcing air into a part of the mine which bad been worked
through the solid coal into a gate-road at the back, a man
named Roberts proceeded into the opening for the purpose of
showing Dyke some work to be executed. The latter per-
suaded him not to go, but the former assuring him all was
safe, the two proceeded up the mine, Roberts carrying a naked
candle; they had not proceeded many yards before an ex-
plosion took place, by which both were very seriously in-
jured, so much so, that doubts are entertained as to whether
Roberts will recover. .

---.... ..... ____..,..
The purpose of the men going into the mine was to pre-
pare it for work, by forcing air into an excavation, in order
that the combustible matter might be driven out. Hence
this second catastrophe.

A CANDIDATE FOR MATRIMONY. —lt is wonderful
where dreams of ambition will sometimes operate. A country youth,
of rather rustic features, and of shape and dimensions to correspond,
called at our office the other day, and with becoming sincerity ex-
pressed his wish to obtain the addresses of the beautiful and wealthy
Parisian widows, who were lately noticed in our columns as driven
to the sad resource of having to advertise for husbands. We infer
that his intention was to offer himself to the notice of these sighing
French matrons, but as they had not advertised their wishes in our
pages, we (evidently to his chagrin) could not give our vision-che-
rishing swain the information he desiderated. We do not suppose
that he will be, in reality, much of a loser on this account ; but un-
questionably the ladies have lost an excellent apprete a rire by miss-
ing the impassioned confessions of their humble, but undaunted ad-
mirer, whose dreams of connubial bliss and elevated station in the
French metropolis have inspired him with more than ordinary cou•
rage.—Manchester Examiner.
THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—This astonishing means
of rapid communication is to be applied not only to the whole of the
Midland nal•Way, but to the York and Scarborough line, and the
whole line from York to Newcastle. The necessary apparatus is
11,wv in the course of erection, and we believe the whole will be ready
for use in a few months' time. The apparatus from Lodon to Leeds
and York will probably be completed the Mule °I anew wee""""
a la& Intelligens%