The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-27 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EI4NING, AUGUST 27, 1856.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

EAST KENT.

The following is from the report by the directors to
the seventh half yearly meeting of proprietors :
".In accordance with the resolution passed at the gene-
ral meeting in Feb. last, the directors proceeded to carry
out the arrangement with Messrs. Crampton and • Co. for
constructing the lino from Strood to Dover.
" Accordingly on the IQth March last a contract was
entered into with the above parties to execute the lino to
Dover in three sections, viz. :—Strood to Faversham, Fa-
versham to Canterbury, and Canterbury to Dover; the
first section to be completed within 18 months from the
date of the engineer's order to commence the works.
" By the terms of this contract the contractors agreed
for the first 203,0001. expended upon the works of the line
to receive payment, ono-half in cash, and one-half in shares
of the company at par.
" The contractors by their contract further agreed to
lease the line for 21 years after its completion, at the rate
of 5 per cent. per annum and half-profits above 6 per cent.,
and also to pay interest half-yearly at the rate of 5 per
cent. per annum, during the construction of the line, in
accordance with which arrangement the first half-yearly
payment of interest was made on the sth July la3t.
" The works were commenced at the beginning of April,
and are now in full operation ; and, as appears by the en-
gineer's report, there is every prospect of the line being
opened to Faversham within twelve months from the pre-
sent time.

" The board are happy to be able to report that the
bridge over the Medway is substantially completed, and
that the cost falls short of the parliamentary estimate by
more than 10,0001.

" With respect to the arrears of calls, the directors are
happy to be able to report that arrangements have been
made by which a large portion of the shares in arrear have
teen transferred to parties who have paid up 20,0001. since
the balance-sheet was drain' out on 30th June last ; the
remainder consists principally of arrears on a large number
of shares on which a considerable sum has been paid,
which have been forfeited by the board, and the forfeiture
of which requires the confirmation of the general meeting
before the shares can be re-issued.
" In conclusion, the directors feel warranted in congra-
tulating the shareholders on the improved position of the
company. They have no doubt that the line will be opened
to Faversham, and probably to Canterbury, in the autumn
of next year. The prospects of traffic improve with every
day's experience, and the board continues to feel unabated
confidence in the undertaking."
The statement of receipts and payments during the
half year ending June 30, 1856, is as follows-Receipts
-Balance Ist January, 1856, 23,4171, 6s. ; bridge
money in band, 40,8271. 18s. 3d. ; received on calls, and
in anticipation thereof, 33,6101. ; interest and transfer
fees, 9261. is. 7d.-total, 98,7811. 53. 10d. Payment-
Land and compensation, expenses of laud purchases,
rates, and insurance, 29,2381. 2s. 2d. ; works and engi-
neering, g 2, 4901. 133. 3d. ; legal and miscellaneous- ex-
penses, 1,1611. 7e. ld. ; West Kent Extension, 2001. ;
bridge money in hand, 19,7511. 93. Bd. ; balance
15,4891. 13s. Bd. The balance sheet, made up to 30th
June, 1856, shows thalthejcapital of the 'company is
350,0001., from which are deducted unpaid deposit and
calls on sundry shares, to the amount of 165,1001., leaving
a sum of 184,900/. paid up capital, which, added .to
6,2971. 103. paid in anticipation of calls, 2,580/. Os. 10d.
interest, 91. 103. transfer fees, and 2,3301. 4s. outstanding
liabilities, gives a total of 196,117/. 103. 101 Against
this are items as follows :-By preliminary expenses, in-
cluding all expenses to June, 1854, and expenses of ob.
taining amended act, 38,364/. 17s, ; land and compen-
sation, &c., 51,0881. Bs. 3d. works, 57,999/. 15s. 101. ;
engineering, surveying, and legal expenses, 5,0351.. 18s.
5d.; :salaries, rates, and insurance, office expenses, &a
4,4821. 45.; West Kent Extension, 1,5751.; bridge money,
19,751/. 9e. Bd.; cash on loan, securities, &c., 17,8191.
17s. Bd. The Dover Extension account shows that
30,2531. 15'. 9d. has been paid out of a capital of
43,7951., the charges on which are for Parliamentary de-
posit, 18,6551.; parliamentary expenses, 6,371/. 13s. 3d.;
engineering, surveying, and land surveying, 3,4631.
195.; share certificates, books, and stationery, adver-
tising, and postage, 1671. 6s. 9d.; compensation, 561.
16s. BJ.; interest and commission, 1,3691. Os. 3d.; car-
ried to general account, 115/. ss. Id.; cash at banker's,
34/. 14s. 9d.

1855, amounts to 1,671/., and the directors recommend a
dividend on the original share capital of 70,000/: at the
usual rate of 4 per cent. liar annum, less income-tax, for
the past half-year, leaving a balance of 3631.

THE CORONATION OF THE -B3fTEROI

OF BVSSIA.

ST. PETERSBURG, AUG. 19.

At about ten o'clock this morning the second
and last division of the British embassy extraordi-
nary left their hotel for Moscow, Lord Granville
having-departed the day before. On the whole, I
do not think they have any reason to be dissatisfied
with their sojourn in St. Petersburg, where they
have•receivecl every suitable attention, although
certainly their presence has not caused as much
stir and excitement as that of their French allies,
who have been seen el-ery-whi-•re in their splendid
equipages, and doing the thing. in grand style at
their magnificent hotel. The English residents here,
hdwever console themselves with the reflection that
it is the French manner to make a splendid burst at
first either in war or parade, and afterwards to
subside after the manner of their own delightful
champagne. The British embassy it is thought will
come out strongest atMoscow, whither all the plate
and state carriages have been sent, and where a sa-
;lonia has actually been built, as I understand, in
order that our ambassador may have.ainple scope
and verge to do justice to our proverbial insular
hospitality. The rival; between the special embas-
sies will, I belieye, be emisiderable, and a rather
humerbus indication of it has already got into cir-
culation. It is said -that Prince Esterhazy's agent
at Moscow, from having been'early in the field, was
able to obt,in a suitable house for his serene high-
ness at the moderate charge of 17,000 roublea t,l2€
subsequentlymonth, but that the Prince sequently -heari4
tbat the British and French Ambassadors were re-
spectively paying 40,000, he indignantly cancelled
his contract, and insisted on having a house
at -the same price. The serene ambition was
easily gratified. A new coat of paint, a new
name, . and a new rate of rental, soon brought
the original house up to the Prince's notion,
of what was suitable for the representative of the
Emperor. As lam now about to start fjr Mos-
cow in the wake of greater people, I think I cannot
do better than collect in this my last Petersburg
letter all the minor incidents of the past week con-
nected with the approaching pageant, and the pro-
ceedings of our special embassy, the members of
which of course' , like other people, immediately
after their arrival, scattered themselves about to
enjoy the sights with which this magnificent ciry
abounds. Lord Ward, whose long residence in
Italy has, I believe, made him an admirer of reli-
gious ceremonial, took the opportunity of being
present at the Smolensk° fete, an annual festival to
which the mujiks repair to weep, and subsequently
feast actually over the graves of their deceased re
latives. While his lordship was gazing on this in-
teresting scene, one of the least absorbed of the
mourners contrived to abstract his watch and
chain, in a manner that would have done honour
to a London professional, to the great surprise of
the aristocratic observer of Russian national cus-
toms. A greater wonder, however, yet remains to
be told, which is, that his lordship is likely to get
it back again through the agency of the English
magasin, the thief having by an odd coincidence
brought it to one of the workmen, employed in
the establishment, for sale. Should he do so it
will be looked upon as rather a novelty in St.
Petersburg, as the Russian police are almost as
subject to legal doubts as the late Lord Eldon,
when called upon to decide on the restora'ion of
stolen property. Lady Peel drives about in her
fascinating " wide-awake " hat, Much to the as-
tonishment and admiration of the Russian fashion-
ables, and Lord and Lady Stafford pay frequent
visits to their graceful little yacht, now lying
at anchor in the Neva. The Emperor has inti-
mated his intention of inspecting this vessel
before she 'leaves, although, from the incom-
plete state in which she was hurried away from
England, she can hardly be said to be in suitable
trim for an Imperial visit. 'Lord Stafford intimated
SO much to his Imperial Majesty, but the latter
would take no denial, and the visit will, I believe,
certainly come off. Fortunately for the visitors,
the week has been signalised by two important re-
ligious solemnities) to which the Russian people
attach the greatest interest and importance. I
allude to the blessing respectively of the water and
the apples, which is performed with all the pomp
and ceremony of the Gre3k Cihurli. The first wag
solemnised at Peterhoff, in the presence of the Em-
peror, on a small piece of water, consecrated for
the purpose. The Greek prelates and priests
walked in procession, dressed in their most gorge-
ous vestments, followed by the Imperial family,
also walking, and when they came to the water-
side, the Cross was plunged in, the choristers sing-
ing a solemn chaunt as the officiating prelate per-
formed the rite. The distance from town prevented
the presence of many strangers, but I recognised
some English faces amongst the crowd. The second,
" The blessing of the apples," a ceremony which
forms an indispensable preliminary to the elastica-
tion of that refreshing fruit, took place yesterday
in every church throughout St. Petersburg, but
with peculiar pomp in the Kazan Cathedral, by
the metropolitan and fifteen officiating priests. 'The
costumes were most gorgeous, and the Archbishop,
who was robed in the middle of the church, was
one blaze of gold and jewels. The ceremonies,
which seemed exceedingly complex, consisted of
numerous genuflexions, and symbolic grouping on
the part of the priests, who formed themselves into
squares, triangles, and other figures typical
of the Trinity, the Tabernacle, and the various
doctrinal data of Eastern Christianity. The
congregations, amongst which there was no
classification, and who stood the whole time
of service, was of the most varied appearance
and character. Russian princes and generals, co-
vered with decorations, prayed side by side with
the poor mujik, and both seemed equally impressed
with the solemnity of the occasion ; while the Rus-
sian countess, in the most fashionable Parisian toi-
lette, did not feel her dignity ruffled by the vicinity
of the poor Livonian or Finland woman, whose
quaint national costume gave wonderful variety to
the scene. In the churches here there are no care-
fully stuffed pews or separation of ranks—all pray
together, and perform their genuflexions, which are
exceedingly numerous, in the same earnest and
profoundly devout manner. Indeed, I have had
frequent occasion to remark, since my arrival, an
affability on the part of Russian people of distinc-
tion to even the humblest of their countrymen
which might be imitated to advantage by the Eng-
lish aristocracy, even in cases where the line of
social demarcation is by no means so broad. But
this by way of parenthesis. After the service
came a sermon, the text and character of which I
took the trouble of ascertaining for the edification
of your more serious readers. The preacher, Syd-
nowski, is a man of great eloquence and talent,
and, in consequence, of so much influence amongst
the masses as to be almost a power in the state.
He has, I am informed, suffered persecution from
his more conservative brethren for his advanced
opinions ; but however that may be, he is now one
of the most popular preachers in the capital. His
text was, "The Lord is mystrength and my shield,"
and his discourse, which he dexterously applied all
through, not only to the text, but to the occasion was,
judging from the rapt attention andoccasional emo-
tion of the people, most eloquent. That it was deli-
vered with both grace and fervour was apparent even
to those who did not understand a word of the lan-
guage. At the conclusion of the sermon the Metropo-
litan came forward and solemnly blessed the people,
the apples, and finally himself, and a hymn of almost
unearthly solemnity terminated the ceremonial. I
should mention that the Russian choral singing is
very peculiar, having on ono side the trebles, on
the other the basses, the latter of peculiar depth
and force, being selected from the whole population
of the empire, without any consideration of ex-
pense. The boys, who have beautiful voices, sing,
for instance, " the Lord have mercy on us," and
hardly has the lute-like sweetness of their tones
fixed the ear, when, from the other side, the tre-
mendous basses thunder forth the same burthen in
reply. This music, which is without instrumental
accompaniment, sounds strangely at first, but
soon begins to attract by its strange and unearthly
solemnity. It must also be observed that almost
every person, whether priest or chorister, employed
in the service of the Greek Church, is of tall stature
and commanding presence, so that nothing is want-
ing to give effect to the general coup-d' oeil. But
the religious element seems to pervade everything
that is done in this singular country. Sunday last
was appointed by the Emperor for the double pur-
pose of receiving the cordon of the Legion of Ho-
nour, and of having the officers of the St. Jean d'Acre
presented. As a preliminary to both proceedings,
which took place at Peterhoff, his Imperial Majesty
attended diviue service in the church attached to
the palace, and which is exclusively devoted to the
Emperor and court. I was fortunate in getting a
very near view of the Imperial family, and there-
fore took very little notice of the bewildering va-
riety of uniforms that filled the vestibule. Alex-
ander the Second is a slight well-made, man above
the middle size, but nothing approaching the Jove-
like proportions of the late Emperor. His face is
• quite German, with a mild, almost saddened expreo-
slop, but full of thoughtfulness and intelligence.