The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-30 00:00:00

GREAT INDIAN PENINSULA.

The report of the directors states, that in the I
course of the half-year portions of the Nagpoor line,
from Budnaira to Poolgaum, 40+ miles, on the 16th
of July, and from Poolgaum to Sindee, 381 miles,
on the sth of November, together 781 miles, were
opened for public traffic ; and of the Jubbulpoor
line, from Boorhaunpoor to Khundwa, 424, on
the 3d of September ; total, 121+ ; which, added
to 7011 miles previously opened, made the total
length open for traffic on the 31st of December
last 8221 miles. The average number of miles
worked during the half-year was 77716 miles,
against 601.8 miles in the corresponding half of
the year 1865. The total receipts for the half-
year ending December last amounted to £440,205,
against £620,857, in the same half of 1865, show-
ing a decrease of £180,652. The working expenses
amounted to £337,727, against £371,275 in the
same half of 1865, showing a decrease of £33,518.
The revenue account for the first time had the sig-
nature of the consulting engineer of the Bombay
t
Government as signifying the adoption of that ac-
count by the Government. The net receipts of the
half-year amounted to £102,478 to be carried to the
credit of the company in reduction of guaranteed
interest advanced by the Government. The decrease
in the merchandise receipts arose chiefly on the
two important items of cotton and seeds, which
amounted to £171,468 out of the total decrease of
£193,099 owing to the financial crisis of last year.
The falling off in the cotton receipts was also attri-
butable to the circumstance of the company having
succeeded in carrying to Bombay before the 30th
of June, 1866, nearly the whole of the cotton crop
of the previous season, thefact being that only 4,400
tons of cotton were carried in last half-year, as
against £37,256 tons in the corresponding half of
1865. The traffic on the line was, however, again
steadily improving, the gross receipts of the first 11
weeks of the current half-year having amounted to
to £441,705, or something more than the total re-
ceipts for the past half-year. The directors had en-
' gaged Mr. Walter Knox, of the London and North-
' Western Railway, as general traffic manager in

India, and he left for Bombay in March. Major-
General Rivers, R.E., entered upon his duties as
the company's agent in India at the end of Nov.
Considerable progress was made with the doubling
of the line between Callian and Kussara at the foot
of the Thull Ghat incline. The second line was
opened for traffic on the 22d of October from Cal-
lian to Wassiud, and on the 20th of February last
from Wassind. to Atgaum. It was expected that
the remaining 16 miles from Atgaum to Kussara
would be ready during the month of April, thus
completing the double line from Bombay to 'the top
of the Thull Ghat. The doubling of this section of
the line, the gradients upon which were very
heavy, would greatly facilitate the working of the
traffic. On the 20th of February last the remain-
ing portion from Sindee to Nagpoor, 291 miles, was
opened for public traffic, and considerable advance
made on the Jubbulpoor line. The next portion to
be opened being from Kundwa to Ilurda, 091 miles,
from the latter place to Etarsee, 49 miles, was well
Advanced, and might be opened for traffic very soon