The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-17 00:00:00

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE.
LONDON AND SOUTH WESTERN.
It appears from the accounts of this company to the
31st ult. of December, 1850, that the amount received
on capital account to that date was 8,32e,101/., in-
cluding 2.013,0381. received on debentures, and the
amount expended 8,393,6951., leaving a balance against
' the company of 64,5944 The amount expended on the
242 miles of the main line and branch lines open
for traffic was 6,477,327/a including 78,5831. ex-
pended OR them during the past half-year. The
engines and carriages are rtated to have cost 554,4561.,
including 4,082/. expended on them during the past half
year. The amount expended on lines in which the
company have an interest appears to be 268,9131., in-
cluding 50,0001. to the South-Western Steam Packet
Company. Under the head of lines suspended
1,087,998/. appears to have been expended. This sum
includes an iiem for interest of 241,6671., which seems
to be a very large sum for interest on suspended lines ;
and no such item appearing under the head of " Lines
Completed," it may be suppoaed that a large portion of
it belongs to the expenditure under that head. The
want of a proper classification of the several items of
expenditure on capital account seems extraordinary,
considering how easily officials of this company
might obtain a copy of the London and North-
Western statement, which is generally admitted to be
a model for railway accounts. Considerable time is fre-
quently occupied at meetings by questions regarding
items in the accounts, which a clear statement would
render unnecessary. The titem of 554,456/. for work-
ing stock properly belongs to the expenditure on lines
completed and open for traffic, but it is placed
among items of expenditure on lines in which
the company have an interest. There is, also,
an item of 90,2931. under the head of lines
suspended, which appears to belong to lines cone-
pleted, of which 12,4431. is for law expenses applicable
►o general business, 59,652.. alt ,ration of stattoes, and
4 4231. for debenture bond stamps. The payments on
capital account during the past six months amount to
116.4181, from which is deducted 10,293/. Jails sold
during the half year, making the net amount expended
108.1251. The accounts give no information as to the
number of tens sold, the price p, r ton. or the original
cost of these rails to the company. The total share
capitol, irrespective of preference stock, is stated to
be 7,434,050/., of which 6,623.888/ is entitled to
dividend; 460,1211., shares in the hands of the company ;
335,4401., amount uncalled on 50/. and 40/ shares; and
14,4001. on non-converted Gosport shares. The deben-
ture bonds outstanding to the 31st of December amount
to 2,013,038/., of which 873.1271. is b"rrowed at 5 per
cent.; 243,010/. at 4:i per cent.; 62,000/ at 4f p r cent ;
611,8001. at 3?-,, per cent.; 42,000/. at 3i per cent; auu
184.100/. at 3 per cent. The borrowed money on the
31st of December last was 60,600/. less than on the 30th
of June, 1850.
The revenue account for the half-year ending the 31st
of December last showed that 308,4364 had been received,
and 127,226/. expended, including 9,464/. for rates and
taxes, and 8,122/. Government duty, leaving a balance
of 181,2101., from which is deducted 46,843/7for interest
on debentures and preference stock, leaving 134,8671.;
to this sum is added 1.8691. surplus from last dividend,
making the net sum applicable to dividend of 136 236/.,
deducting 132,4774, the amount of a 2 per cent, dividend
fur the halt-year, would leave 3,758/. to the credit of the
next account.
The working expenses appear to be 41,66 per cent.
of the gross receipts, including 5.76 per cent. for
rates and taxes and Government duty. The calls in
arreer on the new 501. and 40/. shares amount to
13,898/., and on the third shares to 151 951/ —to-
gether 165,849L—0f which 122 903/. is stated to be
optional, leaving 42,945/. re ,n-opionul. The re-
port of the auditors, Mes-rs. Close and Hoyes,
states that the accounts are correct, and in accord-
ance with the books of the company. With reference
to the directors' estimate of the probable cost of com-
pleting the various lines and works of the company, they
consider that the detailed calculations have been framed
with great care, and they have not found during
the course of their audits for the year just
ended that the payments have exceeded what has
been anticipated, to any very material extent. The
estimates were based on a future contemplated outlay of
640,850/., reducible by the sums to be realised from sur-
plus property sold. The amount received from this
source during the year 1850 was 17,6531., which suns
has teen carried to the credit of the rails' and chairs'
account, and of the various lines previously charged with
the cost of the property disposed of. The total sum ex-
pended during the year 1850 amounted to 280,234/., of
which 172,109/. was expended to the 30th of June.

THE GREAT EXUIBITION.—The following amended
form of a bill of sight entry, to be used for goods intended
for the Great Exhibition of all Nations in Hyde-park, has
been approved for the purpose, and is now in force :—" Ware-
housing Sight. Goods for the Great Exhibition only, viz.
[here the number of packages and other particulars required
s.l eto be inserted]. I [name], importer, do hereby declare,
that the packages herein described are intended for the Great
Exhibition, and that I will forward them in the same state
as when landed with due dispatch to the building for the
Great Exhibition in Hyde-park; and I will enter into the
special bond, as required by the sth clause of the Regula-
tions, to be observed by selected agents and others, issued
per minute of the Commissioners of Customs, dated sth day
of December, 1850. Signed and declared this day of
—, 1851, in the presence of &c. Note.—Let this sight
pass for the packages abovementioned, to be landed and for-
warded to the building for the Great Exhibition in Hyde-
park, for examination under the regulations contained in the
minute above quoted."
THE WARRINGTON MURDER.--COMMITTAL OF
THE PRISONM—On Friday Patrick Lyons, charged with
the murder of Margaret Fahey, and who was arrested in
London on Wednesday last, after baying enlisted in the East
India Company's service, was brought before the magis-
trates at Warrington, for examination. The most intense
interest was manifested by the inhabitants, The old woman
(Peggy Collins), Sergeant Brandwood, Thomas Newcome,
and Dr. Davies, were examined, and gave similar evidence
to that given by them upon the committal of the prisoner's
wife. Some additi,nal evidence affecting Lyons exclusively
having been taken, the usual caution was read to him and he
was asked if he had anything to say. He then made a state-
ment to the effect that the murder was committed by his
wife, and that on learning what had taken place he imme-
diately ab-conded. He was fully committed to take his
trial at the ensuing assizes for the wilful murder of Margaret
Fahey.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
—A society is likely to be formed in Leeds with the view of
promoting public improvements in the town. It would pro-
bably not itelf undertake any works requiring pecuniary,
outlay, but would cultivate the public taste, and indicate ge-
nerally the evils and nuisances that ought to be removed,
and the kind of improvements that are practicable and de-
sirable. Such a society, prudently and perseveringly con-
ducted, could hardly tail to be of great use. It would bct a
valuable auxiliary to the town council. Leeds illercury.
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS.—Air. J. Ambrose
Street is appointed Attorney-General for New Brunswick, in
the room of Mr. Wilmot, promoted to the office of Puisne
Judge. Mr. William Burnley Hume (son of Mr. Hume,
M.P.) is appointed a member of the Legislative Council of
Trinidad. The Commissioners of Cuslomers have selected
Mr. Ogilvie, Searcher of the First Class in the Port of
London, for the appointment of Landing Surveyor, vacant
by the retirement of Mr. Beales. The office of Collector of
Customs at Plymouth having become vacant by the re-
tirement of Mr. Jones, the following promotions will take
place in consequence :—Mr. John Stewart, Collector at
Dundee, to be Collector at Plymouth ; Mr. James, Tre-
venen, Collector at Shoreham, to be Collector at Dundee;
Mr. M‘Kinlay, Controller at Whitehaven, to be Collector at
Shoreham.

„
FIGHT ON THE STAGE...—OH Thursday evening tne
stage of the Thee re Royal, Chester, witnessed a veritable
rough-and-ready bout of fisticuffs, after the most approved
fashion of the prize ring. Two of the corps dramatique,
having a private grudge between them, and making mouths
and grimaces at one another during the business of the stage,
the stoicism of one was not proof against the defiance of his
comrade, and he incontinently dealt him a facer, which was
returned forthwith. A regular set-to ensued, amidst the
cheers of the audience (not very many, and although scanty
not select), who enjoyed the display of human nature as far
superior to holding the mirror up to it. The row and the
fun continued until one of the bruisers received a staggering
blow which tumbled him into the orchestra, and there, amid
the ” din of broken lamps, and the crash of wounded
fiddlers," and the frantic cheers of the pit, the discomfited
hero picked himself up and withdrew.—Chester Chronicle.
It happens a little unluckily, that the persons who
have the most contempt for money are the same that have
the strongest:will to do good with it.—Eliza Cook's Journal.
THE INDIANS or HUMBOLDT.—We have been in.
formed by a gentleman of intelligence and observation, of
some interesting facts relative to the Indians in the vicinity
of Eureka, on Humboldt Bay. The men go entirely unclad,
all the females slightly clothed. The latter are said to be
vestals is point of virtue. The dead are buried after the
manner of Christian burials. Formerly a spot of ground in
the immediate vicinity of Eureka was their burying ground.
At present they bury their dead farther up the bay, whither
they transport the deceased in a canoe, followed by a long
line of others, the train of mourners chanting the Indian
dirge, while they paddle their slight crafts along the waters
to the final resting-place. A grave is dug, a redwood plank
or board placed upon the bottom, one at the head, another
at the foot, one on each side. The body is then deposited,
a plank placed above, and the grave filled with earth,
heaped up and rounded off after our mariner, leaving the
boards at the head and feet, like two grave stones. They
are said to be worshippers of the Sun. In the morning the
old men or chiefs go down to the bay, sit down in the water,
when the young men pour sand upon their beads, after which
it is washed off. They keep Sunday religiously, and will not
visit the white settlements on that day, trom which circum-
stance our informant thinks that California is the land of
Ophir of Solomon. He says they could not have derived
their religious belief from the Jesuits or Franciscan friars, as
they never dwelt there. But this would not account for
their keeping Sunday, instead of the Sabbath of the Jews.
—Alta California.

SMOCKING ACCIDENTS BY FIRE.--00 Saturday
morning two very serious accidents happened by fire, which
it is feared will terminate fatally, in cu!?"Ode of theiii tosequence of the
shocking nature of the injuries sustained.
Mary Evans, in Kent-street, aged 10 years, whose clothes
caught fire while she was cooking something' for dinner, and
the other to Caroline Marsh, aged 16, residing in Webber-
street, Lambeth, whose dress also Caught fire. Beth were
taken to the hospital.