The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-02 00:00:00

Railway and other Companies.

ME ITOPOLITAN.
The report of the directors states that the receipts
during the past half-year, after deductirig all ex-
penses and interest, left a net available balance of
£73,857. The directors recommend that a dividend
be paid upon the preference stock at the rate of
5 per cent. per annum, and upon the ordinary stock
and new ordinary shares respectively at the rate of
7 per cent. per annum, leaving a balance of
£1,708. The narrow gauge lines of the extension
to Finsbury, with stations at Aldersgate and Moor-
gate, were opened for traffic on the 23d Dec. last.
The works for the mixed gauge lines of this exten-
sion would be opened for traffic during the spring.
Until this event occurred the public could not have
the accommodation which would be afforded when
all the trains were run to Finsbury. The directors
considered the traffic receipts of the working from
the narrow gauge trains to Finsbury highly satisfac-
tory, and they anticipated a considerable augmen-
tation in the revenues of the company when the
mixed gauge lines were completed, and the trains of
the Great Western and other companies could run
to Moorgate-street. The connexion with the Lon-
don, Chatham, and Dover Railway was opened for
traffic, and some of the trains of that company and
of the Great Northern Railway Company were now
running over the railway. The works on the Not-
ting-hill and Brompton Extension had made consi-
derable progress during the half-year ; the property
required for this and the Tower-hill extension was
being rapidly acquired. The only application to Par-
liament by this company was for additional powers,
so as better to utilise the property required for the
construction of the extensions, to enable the com-
pany to increase the limited accommodation now
afforded at the intermediate stations, to provide at
Farringdon-street and Finsbury for the traffic of the
long railway companies, and to raise moneys for such
purposes. During the half-year the Metropolitan
Railway Warehousing Company (Limited) had been
established to erect an extensive range of warehouses
on the western side of Victoria-street, in immediate
connexion with the line. In February last the pro-

prietors authorised the directors to appropriate a
sum to remunerate Mr. Parson, the then deputy-
chairman, for his labours in the supervision of the
arrangements for the purchase of property, and the
sum of £2,000 was voted to Mr. Parson for his past
services, and it was resolved on his election to the
chair to recommend the proprietors to vote the chair-
man the sum of £l,OOO per annum during the con-
struction of the works of the eastern and western

extensions.
The capital account to 31st of December showed
that £3,638,974 had been received, and £3,483,867
expended, leaving a balance of £155,106. The
revenue account for the half-year showed that
£98,048 had been received, including £17,068 from
Mr. Selk. The expenses amounted to £27,591,
leaving, with £3,401 from last account, £73,857 for
dividends.
GREAT NORTHERN AND WESTERN.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
yesterday at the office, Victoria-street, WestminEtcr,
the Earl of Lucan in the chair.

The report, au abstract of which has appeared in
The Sun, was taken as read.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by
Mr. 'PARSON, the report was unanimously adopted.
Dividends at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum on
preference capital, at the rate of £3.312 per cent.
per annum on the £113,350 ordinary share capital
held by the Midland Great Western Railway Com-
pany, and at 3 per cent. per annum on the ordinary
share capital other than that held by the Midland
Company, were declared for the half-year ending
the 31st of December, less income tax. The retiring
directors, Lord Bingham, M.P., and Mr. G. Clive,
M.P., were re-elected.
In reply to a question by Mr. FITGERALD, it was•
stated that nothing had been done with respect to
the construction of the line to Ballina, but they had
obtained possession of nearly the whole of the land,
and it was expected that a portion of the line to
Foxford would be opened for traffic about June, 1867.