The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-16 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

NORTH-EASTERN.

The directors of this company regret to have to report a
decrease in the receipts as compared with the corresponding
period of last year. The chief cause they assign for this is
the great and continuous depression of trade throughout the
country, consequent upon the commercial crisis of last au-
tumn, which has mare or less diminished the traffic upon all
railways. The prolonged competition between the London
and North-Western, Great Northern, and Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolonshire Companies has prejudicially
affected this company, by diverting traffic from its ordinary
routes. The directors, however, say they cannot regard
and
the.
diminution in the receipts as otherwise than temporary,
they have little doubt that with the revival of trade athe
soundness of and vitality of the undertaking will again ma-
nifeit themselves in an increase of traffic. The decrease in
the passenger traffic during the past half-. year amounted to
£7,834, in the goods traffic to £21,830 the cattle traffic
to £2,202, and in the mineral trafficsto,l3l,BBs, makingto-
gether a decrease of £41,315, or 4-7 per cent. The decrease
in the working and other expenses amounted to £8,397, or
2.17 per cent., leaving the decrease in the net receipts
£32,918, or 6.81 per cont. The gross receipts for the half-
year ending Juna 30 amounted. to £828,066, and the work-
ing expenses and other deductions to 1377,224, leaving the
The decrease in the passenger and
net receipts Sit-50,1—.
goods traffic has extended throughout the entire system,
and is clearly traceable to the general stagnation of trade.
The falling oft in the mineral traffic has arisen prin-
cipally from the same cause, but Is to some extent
attributable to the peculiar depression of the iron
trade in Staffordshire, which has lessened the demand
for coke in that district. There has, on the other band,
been an lumps In the quantity of coal carried for
shipment, owing in a great measure to the additional
facilities afforded. The Working expenses, exclusive of
rates and taxes, show a decrease to the extent of £10,809,
the rolling stock, permanent way, and works having at the
• ame time been maintaiaed in full efficiency. The receipts
and payments of the Bedale and Leyburn Railway are in-
cluded in the general accounts. On the Berwick revenue
account the disposable balance, after paying all preferential
charges, amounts to £150,780, oat of which the directors
recommend that a dividend be declared on the ordinary
stock and shares at the rate of 41 per cent. per annum,
leaving X 7,920. On the York account the disposable balance
Is £4,273, out of which the directors recommend a dividend
on the ordinary stock at the rate of 3 per cent. per annum,
leaving £4,989. On the Leeds revenue account the dispos-
able is £12,621, out of which the directors recommend a
dividend upon the ordinary stock at the rate of £1 12s. 6d.
per cent. per annum, leaving £1,303. On the Thirsk and
Malton branch revenue accouat the disposable balance is
£BO9, out of which the directors recommend a dividend at
the rate of 3 per cent. per annum, leaving £59. An addi-
tional amount of the irredeemable 4 per cent debenture stock
has been issued. It is expected that the docks at Jarrow
will be ready for opening in about three months.
The capital account to the 30th of June showed that
£14,836,689 bad been received en shares, and £7,269,233
on loans' and debentures—total, £22,105,222. The total
expenditure amounted to £22,271,079 leaving a balance
against the company of £165,157.