The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-04 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIG

GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN. Pb4l
The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at
Dublin on Saturday—Sir E. M'Doncel in the chair.
The Secretary read the report, a❑ abstract of which
has appeared.
The Ona,rman, in moving the a lop+ion of the report,
stated that the increasc in the working exTemiees amount-
ed to 7,500/. during the half-year as compared with the
corresponding period of last year, and there was also an
increase of 1,2801. in the item of in' °rest on loans. The
reserve fund, which had been established some years ago,
had teen of gr-at service to them. They had already
paid out of it 28,0001. for the fatal accident which had
occurred on the line several months past, and 5,000/. for
relaying the line, making 33,000/., and there now re-
mained 32,0001. to the credit of that account. (Hear,
hear.) The gross traffic for the half year showed an in-
crease of 14,4181., of which only 1,145/, was derived
from the conveyance of troops. In the half•year ending
June, 1855, the weekly receipts averaged 6,0181. ;
but for the half year ending 30th of Juno last they aver-
aged 6,4731., showing an increase of 525/. per week.
From the end of June to the 30th of August the increase
in the receipts amounted to 7,4001. With regard to the
dividend, the plan they bad adopted was to keep the
line and carrying stock in the most efficient working
order, and to pay the dividend from the traffic accord-
ing to what it would afford. For the half-year
ending June, 1855, they gave a dividend of 5 per
cent, per annum, carrying forward 3,1121., and for the
half-year ending the 30th of June last they would
pay at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, carry-
ing forward 6,422/. The increase in the gross traffic
for the half-year was 14,418, and the increase in the stun
available for dividend was 12,500/., so they would per-
ceive that the dividend was paid from the increased
baffle. The dividends declarad by the company were
progressive. In 1851 the dividend was at the rate of
3i per cent., and it was increased in succeeding years to
4 per cent., 4i per cent., and then to 5 per cent., and
now to 6 per cent. The average dividend on the whole
was at the rate of 4} per cent., including interest at 4
per cent, up to 1851, which had been paid during con-
struction out of capital: If they imagined they coati
not-naaintain.the 6 per cent. dividend, they would not
declare it.

A long discussion ensued, in the course of which the
report was adopted, and a dividend at the rate of 6 per
cent. per annum was declared for the balf-year.
A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the pro-
ceedinr.

BUNTINGFORD AND WARE.
A meeting of the proprietors of the proposed railway
from the Eastern Counties line at Ware to Bantingt,rd
was held at the latter town on Saturday—Mr. C Lush-
ington in the chair.

-Air. Mickley rca.l the report of a committee which
had been appointed to ascertain the views of the different
landed proprietors. It concluded as follows :—"The
committee have come to the conclusion that generally
the scheme for the proposed railway from Buntingford
to Ware has been received with favour by the land-
owners and occupiers, and that no serious opposition
need be apprehended from them when the usual applica-
tion to Parliament is made for an act for this purpose."
Mr. Green then moved a resolution, to the effect that,
in the op•0ion (,f the meeting, a company should be
formed to raise thq requisite capital, and to apply to
Parliament for power to construct the line.
The Rev. G. BISHOP seconded the proposition, which
was unanimously adopted.
Other resolutions having been agreed to in respect of
the preliminary expenses, and soliciting subscriptions
from the landowners and others interested in the line,
the meeting terminated.

WILTS, SOMERSET, AND WEYMOUTH.
TL• section of th:e line between From° and Yeovil was
opened for general traffic on Tuesday morning. The
first train left Frome at 10.45 a.tn. The engine was de-
corated with flags and evergreens, but there was by no
means a crush of passengers. Considerable excitement
was exhibitel at Frotne, and the different stations on
the lice were crowded. At Bruton the bridge crossing
thb line was surmounted by laurels and the words,
"Welcome to Bruton." There were also two evergreen
arches in the High-street, and flags appeared on the
church tower and other places. The length of the line
opened is 254 miles, and the intermediate stations are
Witham, Bruton, Castle Cary, Sparkford, and Marston.
The electric telegraph wires are in the course of coal-

RAILWAY PASSENGERS' ASSURANCE COM•

PANY.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at
thS offices, Old Broad-street, yesterday ; Mr. James
Clay presided.

The SECRETARY (Mr. W. J. Vian) read the minutes of
the:last meeting and the report, which said—" Toe di-
rectors have the satisfaction of reporting to the proprie-
tors a considerable increase in the amount received from
premiums during tlie past half-year. The income for
the half-year ending 30th June last was 3,5411. 6s. 6d.
from railway accident policies and tickets, and 2,4351.
18s. 84. for general accident policies ; together, 5,9771.
55., 2d, ; against 4 570/. 103. 10d. in the corresponding
period of last year, being an increase of 30 per cent. The
amount actually received for premiums during this period,
as shOwn by the printed statement of accounts, was
5,983/ 4s. 3d., making, with the balance of last balf-year
and the interest on investments, 7,5881. Bs. Bd. to credit
of the revenue account. The disburs.ments' including
th 4 or.li,.ary working expenses and 5351, 12s. 6d. as corn-
pehsatinn, amount to 4,036/. os. Bd., leaving a balance
of P,551/. 194, which, with the amount still due from
the clearing-house and ageats Mil. 0 11d.) forms the
sum of 4,445/. 19s. 11d., from a hieh the directorsrecom-
mend the payment of interest upon the paid-up capital at
4 per cent. per annum, free of income t ix, reserving the
balance to meet the charges for Government duty and
c,mmi,ssion, and the risk on current policies. Theamount
compen,,ation paid during the period under review,
535/. 12s. 6d., is smaller than usual, tho number of rail-
way accidents having been less than for some years.
Since the commencement of the current half-year, nume-
rous accidents of a vary serious character have ()purred
cn different railway. 4. The directors, however, are happy
to inform the shareholders, that although great numbers
of people have been more or less injured by these acci-
dents, very few of the sufferers have Held insurance
tic Bets, The directors regret to have to state, that since
thq commencement of the current halficar two claims
of 1,0001. each have been made against the company, in
corisequence of the holders of general accident policies.
Messrs. T. and J. Shilling, father and son, having been
drawned in the river Medway on the 11th July last.
Thy were driving along a private read (since shut up
running between, and parallel with, the Medway on the
ore side and the Stro(.d and Maidstone Branch Railway
on{ the other. It is supposed that the horse took
fright at a train which was passing at the time, as the
chaise with their dead bodies was found in the river
the following morning. The younger Mr. Shilling has
!eft a widow and four children, to whom the amount
of both policies is payable. The 2,000/. was secured as
a provision for the family by the payment of 8/. ss, only
three months previously.

On the motion for the adoption of the report, some
diicu.sion ensued in respect to the amount of expenses
incurred, which were cinsidered large ; but it was ex.
plained by t.be chairman of the finance committee that
every item was lo.,ked to carefully, and no expense
was incurred that could be avoided. They paid large
sums as commissions to agents for increasing the busi-
nem

The report was adopted, and interest at the rate of 4
per cent. was declared, payable cn the paid-up capital
of the company. A vote of thanks to the chairman and
directors concluded the proceedings.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS.
LONDON AND SOUTH-EA.STERLI RATLIVAL—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Aug. 30,1856 £21,906 12 6
Corresponding week last year 25,123 0 3

Therms° in 1856
LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.—
Tfdflic return for the week ending Aug. 30,
1856.. £18,709 16 10
Corresponding weak last year 18,567 9 1
Total of the half-year to this date, 1856 167,i 39 12 5
Total of the half-year to this date, 1855 159,887 9 1
GREAT NORTHERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for the
week ending Aug. 24, 1856 £23,051 4 9
Corresponding week last year 22,693 6 8
LONDON NORTH-WESERN RAILWAY.—Tra fflo
return for theweek ending Aug.T 31, 1856 268,5 7 0 0
Corresponding week last year
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for
the week ending Aug. 31, 1856 £6,823 0 0
Corresponding week last year 6,753 0 0

Increase in 1856 70 0 0
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSIIIRE RAlLWAY.—Traffic re•
turn for the week ending Aug. 31, 1856 £26,273 11. 8
Corresponding week last year 23,16; 11 4
GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—Traffic re-
turn for the week ending Aug. 30,1856 £7,253 8 2
Corresponding week last year 6,639 11 10

Inereaise in 1856.,,
GREAT LUXEMBOURG RAlLWAY.—Traffic return for tho
week ending Aug. 31, 1856 £726 6 10
LONDON GENERAL OMNIBUS COMPANY.—Traffic re-
turns for the week ending Aug. 30, 1856.....£10,622 11 8