The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-23 00:00:00

a shorter name, and propose, " Prosperity to the Agri
cultural Association of your happy valley." (Loud
cheers.)
Mr. Sheriff MEM afterwards addressed the meeting,
responding to the toast of " The Visitors." His address
was chiefly directed to the more expensive employment
of machinery, and economy of manure in farming.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

GREAT INDIAN PENINSULA.

The following is the report of the directors to be pre-
sented at the fourteenth half-yearly general meeting of
soar ::holders to be held on Monday next :
" The board of directors have again the pleasure of
meeting the shareholders with a satisfactory statement
of the affairs of the company. The contractors engaged
in the construction of the works between the foot of the
Bhore Ghent and Sholapoor (220 miles) have made pro-
gress even beyond expectation, and it is already evident
that this line will be opened considerably within the
period fixed by the respective contracts for the comple-
tion of those works. This result will be obtained partly
by the energy which the contractors themselves have
displayed in their management, and partly by reductions
made in the works at the Ghaut through the skill of the
resident engineer, whereby a great saving in cost (not
less than 100,0001.), will be effected for the benefit of
the company. The first section of the south-eastern
arm of the railway, from Callian to Campoolee, was
opened for traffic in the month of May, as was promised
in the last half-year's report of the directors. The length
of line in operation is therefore now 88 miles, viz., 32
miles from Bombay to Callian ; 17 miles (diverging
N.E ) from Callian to Wassind ;and 39 miles (diverging
S.E.) from Callian to Campolee. The directors are
fully satisfied with the traffic brought along this newly-
opened portion of railway. The following statement
enable the shareholders and the public to judge of
the comparative growth of the traffic for the three past
half-years, and the progressive decresee of working ox.
penses for the same period :
FOR THE riALY:rxARS minims
Jane 30, 1855. Dee. 31, 1855. June 30, 1886.

Average of miles
open daring the i 33 miles. .. 43 miles.
half-year
Receipts ••
Expenses
Net Profits 1,482 18 1.• 3,337 14 4.. 8,810 3 3
Per centage of
working expenses 81.3 .. 59'5 .. 451
on gross receipts
- -

.. 60 miles.

Notwithstanding the satisfactory progress evidenced by
these returns, however, the board must again repeat
what they have more than once stated, that the abundant
traffic of the country can never be said to have com-
menced, even, until the railway shall have been ex-
tended into the Deccan. In connection with the
North-E stsra Extension line, running throughout the
Bera: field to Nag pore, the contract drawings
and specifications have just been completed, and
the works on this important and fertile section of the
rail way will be put to competition in the course of a
month or two from this date. The Hon. East India
Company have, since the last report, formally sanctioned
a further portion of the main line in this direction up to
Jubbulpore, where it will unite with the E ist Indian
Railway, and form a continuous communication between
Bombay and Calcutta. This further concession plains
within the limits of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway
Company the district of Oossungabad, on the Nerbudda,
where there is known to be a most extensive field of coal
and iron in conjunction ; and this company will thus have
a cheap and abundant supply of fuel for the locomotive
engines, the want of.which is its greatest present disad-
vantage. The length of line now officially sanctioned is,
in the aggregate, 1,103 miles. Since the last meeting of
shareholders, a further amount of 1,000,0001. capital has
been issued, guaranteed 5 per cent, interest; and the
present capital of the company therefore amounts
to 4,000,0001., in shares of 201. each ; and 333,300/. in
loans upon debenture bonds at 4i per cent. interest,
issued for a determinate period of five years. The state-
went of accounts in relation to capital and revenue, up
to the termination of the half-year ending the 30th June,
1856, will be found appended to this report. These
statements have been duly examined with the books of the
company by the accountants of the Hon. East India
Company, in addition to a minute audit by the company's
auditors." The revenue account showed that during the
half-year ended the 30th of June last, the receipts .were
15,1911. 95., or 165,724 rs, and the expenditure 7,1151.
9s. 4d., or 77,628 rs., leaving a balance of net prop
8,075/. 19s. Bd.