The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-05 00:00:00

----
THE CHA.RING-CllOBB RAILWAY.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

The railway meetings during the week have again
been numerous, but mostly of the less important
companies. At the United Lancashire and York-
shire and East Lancashire the dividend was at the
rate of 41- per cent. The amalgamation of the
two undertakings was welcomed, as they have been
incessantly at Parliamentary warfare. Of the
£45,000 authorised to be expended on capital
account during the past six months, oniv £25,000
has been spent. In addition to the balance of
£20,000 it is intended to lay out in the current half-
year £22,000 to double the Burnley branch, £40,000
for old land claims, £15,000 for new rolling stock,
and £lO,OOO for extension of stations, making
about £107,000. The repdrt of the North British
proposes a dividend at the rate of 3 per cent. per
annum out of the available balance, of £63,506.
After a 13 years' struggle the company have ob-
tained authority for a direct line from Hawick to
Carlisle. At a meeting of the South-Eastern a dis-
tribution was ordered at the increased rate of 4 per
cent. per annum. The permanent way and rolling
stock are stated to have been kept in efficient con-
dition at the cost of revenue. The through conti-
nental traffic has been considerably less, but the
local traffic has steadily. increased. The directors
were authorised to subscribe 300,000 to the Charing-
cross Railway. After long negotiations the trains
of the Great Northern have been allowed to use
the Lime-street station at Liverpool. At the
Sittingbourne and Sheerness meeting it was stated
that the Act empowering the lease to the London,
Chatham, and Dover, at a rental of not less than
£5,000, or more than £ll,OOO a-year, has received
the Royal assent. The total cost of the line is ex-
pected to be £15,000 a-mile. The Leeds, Bradford,
and Halifax junction have declared a dividend at the
reduced rate of 31 per annum. There has been an
increase in the past half-year of £BBl in the pas-
senger receipts, and a decease in the goods of
£1,493. The coal traffic has not hitherto realised
the expectations of the directors. It is proposed
to amalgamate the Lancaster and Carlisle,
Lancaster and Preston, and Kendal and Winder-
mere railways, and to lease the whole undertaking
for 1,000 years to the London and North-Western,
on terms varying with the dividend of the latter
company. At a meeting of the Bideford Extension
it was stated that the number of passengers in the
six months ending in June was 58,272, showing•an
increase of nearly 13,000 on 1858. The balance in
hand of £530 is to be carried forward. The report
of the Waveney Valley announces that the Bungay
Extension will shortly be completed; it is then
proposed to revise the temporary arrangement with
the Eastern Counties. At the South Yorkshire the
proposed distribution at the rate of 21 per annum
was ordered. A similar dividend has also been
agreed to by the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Che-
shire Junction, leaving £5,587 to be carried for-
ward. The agreement for the transfer of the line
to the Great Western and London and North-Wes-
tern companies was confirmed. At the Dublin and
Belfast Junction it was stated that the works
and plant are in good order, and that the work-
ing expenses have not exceeded 36 per cent.
The company are to subscribe £20,000 towards the
branch from Clones to Cavan, projected by the Dun-
dalk and Enniskillen. The proposed distribution
at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum was agreed to.
The shareholders of the Dublin and Drogheda have
also sanctioned a subscription of £20,000 to the
Clones line. A dividend has been declared at the
increased rate of 4.1 per annum. It is proposed to
pay off the debentures as they fall due with a deben-
ture stock. At the Norfolk a distribution at the
diminished rate of Ll 4s. per cent. for the half-
year was agreed to. The falling off was attributed
to the increased claims for compensation, the
amount charged by the Eastern Counties against
the associated companies being £12,947, while in
the corresponding period of 1858 it was £BB7
only. The dispute with the Eastern Counties
re-
spectingr the accounts, which has now gone on
four years, is still unsettled. The Epsom and
Leatherhead have declared a dividend of 4s. per
share. This railway was opened for traffic on the
Ist of February, and is worked under a rental by
the South-Western. The Junction of the Colne
Valley, and Halstead with the Stour Valley line has
been effected, and the Act obtained for the exten-
sion to Haverhill. The original portion to Halstead
is expected to be shortly open for traffic. At the
Dublin and Wicklow a dividend was declared on
the preference stock only. The traffic is stated to
show a progressive increase. An agreement with
the Dublin and Kingstown for developing the
traffic on the Bray line was confirmed. The South
Wales meeting was adjourned to receive an award
from Captain Galton. It was stated, -with refer-
ence to the proposition of steam communication
at Milford Haven, that it is not intended, as far as
the company is concerned, to purchase any steamers
whatever. The shareholders of the South Devon
have agreed to a distribut. on at the rate of 11 per
annum. The receipts, which in 1858, had fallen
off, have this year shown an increase. Considerable
benefit has been derived from the traffic through
the Cornwall line. At the meeting of the Newport,
Abergavenny, and Hereford preference dividends
only were declared. The net revenue has augmented
by £2,621, chiefly from minerals. It is hoped the
completion of the Aberdare branch will furnish a
profit available for division on the ordinary stock.
The Boston and Sleaford have declared a dividend
equal to 3 per cent. per annum. The remaining
portion of the line was opened in April, and the
traffic is rapidly increasing. The Mid-Kent (Brom-
ley to St. Mary Cray) have ordered a distribution
for the past half-year at the rate of 21 per annum,
carrying forward £B9. The scheme for a West-ens
terminus at Charing-cross is expected to be of great
value in developing the traffic of the line. At a
meeting of the Newry, Warrenpoint, and Rostrevor
a dividend was declared upon the preference stock
only. The differences with the Newry and Armagh
have been arranged, and a junction will be effected
between the two lines at joint expense. At a meet-
ing of the Maryport and Carlisle a distribution was
ordered of 5 per cent. per annum. The traffic in the
past six months has been larger than in any pre-
vious half-year especially in coal and iron ore. The
shareholders of the Lewes and Uckfield have agreed
to a dividend at the rate of 2 per cent. for the half-
year. The bill to permit the sale of the line to the
Brighton has received the Royal assent. Since the
completion of the railway property in the neigh-
bourhood is stated to be continually increasing in
value. The first section of the Oldham, Ashton,
and Guide-bridge is nearly finished, and the re-
maining portion of the works have been let. The
contract for the construction of the Exeter and Ex-
mouth, from the latter place to Topsham has been
formally executed, and the most important work,
the viaduct over the Clyst, has been commenced.
At the Hereford, Ross, and Glocester meeting a 45.,
dividend Ni as deelared. • The business of the past
half-year shows an increase compared with 1858 of
more than .5 per cent. The report of the Rhymnsy
states that the balance of revenue in the past half-
year was £1,569, and that the' disposable sum in
hand was £1,823. The Bate Dock branch, with
the coal tipping staiths, and the necessary siding
accommodation, are nearly completed. The goods
and coal traffic show a considerable advance over
last year. At the Dundalk and Enniskillen a di-
vidend of ss. per share was declared. There has
been an augmentation in the traffic, with a decrease
of £l,OOO in the working expenses. The Waterford
and Limerick distribution is at the rate of 1 per
cent. per annum. The profits in the last six
months were 30 per cent. more than in 1858, 'While
the expenditure, has been reduced. The report
of the Cornwall states that the . line was
opened early in May, and that the traffic
has been fully equal to expectations. The bal-
ance of revenue for the few weeks to the close of
June wa,•£3,405. The construction of the Forest
?.S. Dean Central is saidtobeproceeding with vigour.
The first section of the Dartmouth and Torbay to
Paigliten has been finished. At a meeting of the
Great Northern and 'Western (Ireland) it was stated
that the agreement with the Midland Great West-
tern has ben executed. The works between Ath-
lone and Roscommon are being proceeded with
satisfactorily. It has been announced drat the Cork
and Youghal completedt inf the
h
course of eight or 12Da
YorZwunitlrhleseboemmTherecommends
drse report
dividendo te
Belfast and County
of 95. per share out of the balance of €3,036. The
to DonEtghadeeThanedEast
extension BangorA is
Anglian
onbe com-
menced immediately. reportshows a continued falling off in the traffic. For
the half year the receipts have been £24,459,
against £24,493 in the corresponding half of 1858,
and £27,131 in 1857. The A and B dividends will
be paid in' full, and £3 ss• will be distributed on C
stock, leaving a balance of only £l6. Steps are in
progress Tor a better development of the resources
of the district, but complaints are made of the
charges of the Eastern Counties for working the
line, and also of illiberal conduct on the part of that
company. At a meeting of the Northern of Canada
the arrangement with the Colonial Government,
undo r which the holders of £250,000 preferential
bonds about to be issued will take the first rank,
the £;285,000 existing bonds the second rank, and
the Gorvernment claim of £475,000 the third rank,
was agreed to. The Ulverstone and Lancaster
show a n, increase of £4,727 in traffic, and a divi-
dend h s',3 been declared at the rate of 21 per annum.
At the _Dundee and Perth there was no dividend
for the a rdinary shareholders, only £533 remaining
after pay nient of preference claims. During the
week ai d:,ifitinet charge has been made against the
chaieman ,and directors of the Eastern Counties line
of Imeandi'd, proceedings in connexion with the
election of a.editors, but it does not.appear to have
drawn forth any explanation.,
•

It is confidently stated that within two years
from the present time the most important public
work which has been projected during a long
period, will, with some suggested improvements,
be completed. We refer to the extension of the
South-Eastern and the railways which terminate at
London-bridge to Charing-cross, the very heart of
the traffic by which they are mainly supplied from
the west of London. The benefits to the rest of the
metropolis and more especially to those parts which
are now its most crowded thoroughfare, which will
be afforded by the construction of this important
work cannot.be too highly estimated. Fleet-street,
Ludgate-hill, Cheapside, the Poultry,King William-
street, and the thoroughfares leading into them
will be relieved of more than haif the conveyances
which now carry with infinite loss of time their
passengers to the London-bridge station. The
amount of annoyance and excitement which will be
spared to persons using this railway station will be
something considerable, and it must be bad man-
agement indeed if in futnre excuses are made of
being " too late for the train." Some returns which
have been recently obtained by the South-Eastern
Railway Company, and through the agency of the
officers of the City police, will serve to throw some'
light upon the extent of public convenience which
will be provided by this extension. A map of
London was divided into districts by lines drawn
at right angles to the river, midway between
each of the bridges, and the destination of
the passengers was marked into the respective
districts, the return being furnished by the
passengers themselves, either on leaving or return-
ing to London in one day; a printed form having
been handed to each passenger, with a request that
they would fill it up and deliver it to the ticket col-
lector with the ticket. From these schedules so
filled up, it was found that out of 4,190 cabs which
left the station there were but 807 the destination
of which was in the City. The rest, with the ex-
ception of 579, which went to the south of the
Thames, and which, to a great extent, were on the
line of the proposed railway, went westward, and
passed through most of the crowded thoroughfares
which we have mentioned. There were 418 cabs
and 845 passengers for the Blackfriars district, 780
cabs and 695 passengers for the Waterloo district,
1,092 cabs and 897 persons for Charing-cross and
its neighbourhood, 265 cabs and 276 passengers for
Westminster, and 249 cabs and 185 passengers for
Pimlico and Chelsea.
These returns, however, by no means exhaust the
traffic between the Westend and the London-bridge
stations. The omnibuses which ply between these
two points make not less than 2,000 journeys daily,
or 600,000 in the year. To these vehicles is mainly
due the stoppage of the thoroughfares and the de-
lays in making the journey which so constantly
take place. The journey from Charing-cross to
London-bridge almost invariably occupies more
time than would be required to get over half the
distance to Brighton, or one-third of that between
London and Dover. The united stations of
the railways at London-bridge attract towards
them during the year not less than thirteen
millions and a half of passengers—a number
nearly equal to the whole population of England,
and any plan which will divert one-half of that
living stream into other and less crowded channels
cannot but be regarded as a great and much needed
public improvement.
The new railway will not only serve the interests
of the public by clearing the thoroughfares of a
moiety of these millions of travellers, and leaving
the streets proportionately more clear for the use
of those who " stay at home," but it will be an im-
mense convenience to the travellers in going to and
returning from their journeys. Charing-cross is
of all places in London that best adapted for a rail-
way station. It is to the west-end what the Bank
and London-bridge are to the east, the great centre
of the traffic. There are Whitehall, the Houses of
Parliament, and Westminster on the south-west ;
Regent-street, Pall-mall, and Piccadilly on the
west •, St. Martin's-lane, Oxford-street, Holborn,
and Tottenham-court-road on the north ; and the
Strand, Fleet-street, and the City on the east;
while the pier at Hungerford places the passengers
in direct communication with the steam-boats on
the Thames. The inhabitants of Greenwich, New-
cross, Lewisham, Blackheath, Woolwich, Graves-
end, and other places on the lines of the Southern
and South-Eastern Railways, will be brought di-
rectly into the midst of the clubs, the the theatres, and
all that pertains to and makes up the celebrity and
attractions of the West-end. As the line in its pro-
gress to Charing-cross will effect ajunction with the
South-Western Railway, it will in like manner af-
ford direct access to London-bridge and the City
to passengers from Richmond, Putney, Wimbledon,
Hampton,Windsor, and other districts on the South-
Western line. The Crystal Palace traffice, which,
upon occasions of great attraction, blocks up Lon-
,don-bridge, and crowds all the thoroughfares of the
City, can pass direct from Charing-cross to the
Palace without the necessity of going through the
City on the one hand, or making the long journey
to Pimlico in the extreme west, in order to reach
Sydenham by the West-end Crystal Palace line.
This great public improvement will be effected
at a cost of not more than one million, including
the purchase of the required property, the building
of the bridge over the Thames, and the construction
of the necessary stations. Of this sum the South-
Eastern Railway proprietors, at their meeting, held
on Thursday last, agreed to subscribe £300,000, the
South-Eastern Company guaranteeing 41 per cent.
upon the amount of the shares. More than half
the required amount of the capital has been sub-
scribed before any application has been made to the
public to take up the shares. There appears to be
no reason for doubting that the estimated cost for
the construction of the line will be exceeded. The
estimates underwent a most extraordinary amount
of scrutiny before the committee of both Houses of
Parliament, and the opposing engineers were per-
fectly ready to admit the sufficiency of the es-
timates. A sum of not less than at the rate
of £l4 per square yard was set down as the
value of the property to be purchased, which
was as much as £6 more than that esti-
mated for the purchase of property required
for making tip new street in Southwark, uncle;
the direction or the Metropolitan Board of Works,
and which, in a very great degree, is of the same
description as that which will be taken for the rail-
way of the south side of the river. The purchase
of Hungerford-market has of course swollen the
estimates very considerably, but, as that property
was bought provisionally before the bill was passed
the amount was already known, and was correctly
included in the estimate. Mr. Hawkshaw, the
engineer to the Company, is now engaged in the
preparation of the working plans for the bridge
over the Thames. It is proposed that the bridge
shall consist of four lines of rails instead of two, as
originally calculated for in the estimates, and this
will increase the cost of the works by about £60,000.
But it will no doubt be considered advisable by
the board to incur this increased outlay at first,
rather than be compelled, in two or three years at
a much greater, to make the neeesssary widening of
the structure. The two existing piers of Hunger-
ford-bridge, which will be used for the new one, are
of sufficient width, if carried up from their lower
part, to admit of a roadway of four lines of rails.
he footpaths on either side will overhang the
piers. The bridge will be supported by five piers,
and will be as light in its appearance as the nature
of such a work will admit of. In connexion with
the bridge there will be a spacious landing-place
for steam-boat passengers, with a broad flight
of steps conducting to the railway station, and
the footways on each side of the railway
bridge. The revenues derived from foot pas-
sengers, and from persons usinc, the landing
pier, will be the property of the Charing-cross
Company. The arches of the railway will be so
constructed as to admit of their being made tenant-
able, and a revenue of £5,000, it is estimated, will
be derived from that source.
Judging from the traffic returns of short metro-
politan railways, there cannot be much doubt as to
the remunerative character of the undertaking to
those who embark their capital in it. The North
London Railway carried_ last year nearly 6,000,000
of passengers, the London and South-Western more
than 4,000,000, the Blackwall nearly 5,000,000,
and, as we have already stated, 13,500,000 pas-
sengers passed through the London Bridge sta-
tions. The Charing-cross Railway has now passed
out of the region of probabilities ; its completion is
only a question of time, and supported by such a
powerful company as the South-Eastern Railway,
whose proprietors have already shown their sincer-
ity by a subscription of £300,000, the public have
a guirantee that the railway will be completed as
speedily as possible.—Observer.

GROUSE IN KERRY.—John Sealy, Esq., Mol-
loughmarky, and party, bagged on the 20th ult. 13 brace
of grouse and four hares ; on the 22d, 18 brace of grouse
and three hares—this being on the Headly mountains, the
exclusive shooting, of which he has been in the possession
of for the last 20 years. Arthur llerbert, Esq., Killeen-
tierna, shot seven brace of grouse and two hares on the 20th
at Tooreenagswn, the property of George Raymond, Esq.
8.L., and six brace of grouse on the 22d, and one hare.—
T✓glee Chronicle.

TANNUITY-TAY.—The HE EDINBURGH
of a bill being
passed
next prospect
session for the removal or modi-
fication of the obnoxious enu
principal
to resist
for the support of the
4"
encouragement to the
city clergy in Edinburgh has given
hotel-keepers in the
more strenuous opponents of the tax
Iltheencot'sts of the payment. A
and was only
few weeks since one of the
itoibwneratedwasocan carried oenffttoofgtahoel Exr Lill
obtained
pro-
cess against him. On Tuesday last the
decrees against 16 defaulters, one of them collector
the firm of
A. and C. Black, publishers, the senior membereng of which is
one of the representative of the city, and the author of the
bill of last session.