The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-22 00:00:00

EASTERN BENGAL.

The report of tiro directors states that the gross receipts
for the half-year ending the 30th of June last amounted to
£67,626, the working expenses:to £34,857, and the net re-
ceipts to X 32,769, against £66,108 gross receipts in the same
half of 1865, £29,014 working expenses, and £37,094 net
receipts, showing an increase of £1,518 in gross receipts,
and a decrease in net receipts of £4,325. The total number
of passengers carried during the half-year was £596,097,
against £615,591 in the same half of 1865, showing a de-
crease of 19,491 passengers; 62,182 tons of goods were
carried against 56,391 tons in the same half of 1865, show-
ing an increase of 6,191 tons. The receipts per train mile
amounted to Bs. 21.1., against Bs. Oid. in the corresponding
half of 1865. The reasons assigned for the falling off in the
passenger returns were the wide-spread distress which had
prevatted aMoililhe poorer glasses of the community, con-
seqtent upon the famine which had devastated Lower
Bengal, and the temporary stoppage of coolie immigration
to the tea districts. The failure of the jute crop, and the
late monetary panic, had had the effect of keeping down
the amount of goods traffic for the half year. During the
last half year the improvement in the general goods traffic
brought on the lino had more than compensated for a falling
off of above £B,OOO in the returns received during that
period for the carriage of jute, Government opium, and
passengers. The receipts during the first 13 weeks of the
current half year, compared with those of the corresponding
period of last year, showed an improvement of above
£5,000. Although the returns from the passenger traffic
did not came up to those of the corresponding, period, yet
there had been a large increase in the returns of the two
last weeks over those immediately preceding. The steamer
service of the company between the railway terminus at
Kooshtea and Dacca had, during the last half year, been
more than self-supporting, while it had at the same time
benefited the railway by bringing on the fine more than 10
per eent. of the whole goods traffic. The working ex-
penses amounted to 51.54 per cent. of the gross receipts.
The survey and land plans for the Goalundo Extension had
received the sanction of the Government, with the excep-
tion only of those relating to the proposed terminus at
Goalundo; arrangements had been made for taking advan-
tage of the approaching dry season for pushing on the
works on that line.
The total expenditure on capital account to the 30th of
June amounted to £1,668,526, leaving a balance of
£122,614.

SOCIETY CF ARTS,

- - - --....-___

Last evening the 139th session of this society was com-
menced at the rooms in John-street, Adelphi, under the
presidency of Sir T. Phillips, P.G.S. (chairman of tho
council), who delivered an address, in which ho alluded to
the losses which the society had sustained through death
1 since the last session. Tho address then went on to observe
that amongst the anticipated triumphs of art and industry
in the coming year, none would be regarded with more in-
terest by this society than the Universal Exhibition to be
held in Paris. The examinations, said the address, which
were conducted by the society in the various subjects of
education continued to afford valuable encouragement to
artisans and other working men, as well as to those mem-
bers of other classes who desire to improve and extend the
school instruction they may have acquired in early life.
Those examinations, embracing a great variety of subjects,
including language, literature, science, and the mechanical
arts, have year by year produced an increasing number of
,chtewerhi siec
value o f
students. Propounded by the society in 1853, the system
has extended itself, through the instrumentality of the
local educational boards, to 100 of the most important
centres of population in the United Kingdom ; and those
t
boards, for the most part, have not only assisted to conduct
the society's examinations, but have held other
tory examinations with the view of enabling other and less
advanced persons to become in after years di
the society's certificates and prizes. Althougica.phulthB6e
57wmhb:nr
of students examined this year wasless t
they amounted to 1,199, they exceeded byba2entinthaey
in 1864, when the number was 1,068, and:
ss which, since
year to witness a continuance of that Pro Jodi
p e dnaet
xe st
which the
these examinations wore establish; , h
important branch of the labours °
council propose to continue without and is this year £230
-; ce Consort and those of the Royal
the prizes gained in 1865 was 011 58'
ss.,ineluding that of the Prince Consort
and the im-
provement Society. the
change.soccbieatr ayi,
several years engaged the attention of
sub-
jects which had for
lans of the council extended to a
and skill of art workmen, were P
employments of art workmen, and the
great variety of the
rf redfor excellence, both in design and
the council,ofatnhde the Plans
rewards they °--e--
workmanship,
f musical education at home and abroad was next
were numerous and substantial. The con-
dition o
discussed,
'
and an account was given of the efforts of the
i
society to effect an improvement
vexed question of copyright in
works
fine arts, Sir Thomas said that " the council
in that branch of instruc-
tion. In treating of the
of the
bad prepared a bill fur dealing with this question in
whatbave
they believe to be the best and most effective man-
nor.This bill will be brought under the consideration of
a committee specially appointed for the purpose, and it is
hoped that in the course of the ensuing session some really
effective measure may be passed remedying the evils com-
plained of." After some observations upon the subject of
trade marks and the protection of inventor; the address
proceeded to give some valuable statistics in regard to the
Rinderpest or cattle plague. In reference to the important
subject of cholera the address stated that fears aro ex-
pressed in many quarters by thoughtful men that, although
the mortality from cholera has greatly diminished, and the
area of its attacks much lessened, it may be expected to re-
appear before it departs from our shores ; and, although
this opinion ought not to discourage us, we should firmly
resolve not to discontinue or diminish, but, where neces-
sary, to increase and extend, those sanitary precautions
whereby we have sought protection for our people in the
recent crisis. The defective condition of the potato crop