The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-29 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

The railway proceedings of the last week have
again comprised several important meetings. At
the Great Northern a dividend was declared at the
proposed rate of 31 per cent. per annum. With the
view of keeping down the capital account many
new lir es for which Parliamentary powers are ob-
tained have not been consti ucted. The expendi-
ture of capital during the past half-year has been
£64,157, the principal items being £25,000 for the
right of using the Sheffield station of the Manches-
ter, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, £11,178 for land
and compensation, £5,000 to £6,000 for a building
to accommodate the engines of the Midland, for
which a rent equivalent to 6 per cent. will be re-
ceived, £3,200 fir improvements in engines, &c.
The total revenue for the half-year shows an in-
crease compared with 1858 of £21,000, notwith-
standing a falling off of like amount in the coal
traffic, and the circumstance that in the previous
year there had been an exceptional receipt of
£15,000 from Redpath's estate. The report of the
Birkenhead states that the total revenue for the six
months ending in June was £6,035 more than in
the same period of last year. The available balance
is £29,856, out of which a distribution at the rate
of 21 per cent per annum is recommended. The
terms for the transfer of the line to the London and
North-Western and Great Western are a 21 per
cent. dividend in 1860 and 1861; for the next four
rears 31, and then 4. If the earnings, however,
in 1860 exceed 21 per cent. 31 per cant. is to be paid
for 1861. At the meeting of the Eastern Counties
the proposed distribution at the rate of2l-Fr cent.
per annum was agreed to. It was stated that the
deferred permanent way account has been reduced
in two years from £130,000 to £50,000. The un-
secured debt from Messrs E. and A. Prior is £6,000.
The debenture debt, as compared with December,
1858, has been diminished by £40,818. The re-
duction in the dividend was attributed to the
heavy compensation for accidents paid by the com-
pany. The report of the Lancashire and York-
shire states the net balance to be £274,851, out
of which a dividend is recommended at the
rate of 41 per cent. per annum. The increase
in the gross receipts for the past half year was
£107,006, while the expenditure has aug-
mented by £16,471 only. The bill for the amalga-
mation with the East Lancashire has received the
Royal assent. At a meeting of the Bristol and
Exeter the proposed 51 per cent. distribution was
ordered. There has been a satisfactory augmenta-
tion under every head of revenue. The directors of
the South-Eastern state in their report that the
gross receipts for the past half-year were £524,919,
including £22,932 •from steamboat traffic : the ex-
penditure being £250,800. Compared with the
same period of 1858 an increase is shown in the net
receips of £36,213. A dividend is recommendedat
the rate of 4 per cent. per annum. The amount of
capital laid out in the six months ending in June
was £32,942, the principal items being £15,200 for
the purchase of the Caterham Railway, £5,070 for
rolling stock, &c. At a meeting of the Bristol and
South Wales Union it was stated that the works
are progressing satisfactorily, 21 miles of the most
difficult part of the undertaking having been com-
pleted. The distribution of the Eastern Union is
at the annual rate of £1 4s. on the A stock, and 16s.
on the B. With reference to the litigation with
the Eastern Counties the directors state that they
have obtained a favourable award. The Wood-
bridge line has been opened for traffic. At the
Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston meeting the
dividend declared was 3s. per share. There has
been a decrease in the goods and mineral traffic,
but an increase in the passengers. The capital
account was stated to be virtually closed. At a
meeting of the Margate (late Herne-bay and Faver-
sham) it was announced that the bill for the exten-
sion to Margate has received the :Royal assent.
The whole line is expected to be completed by the
beginning of next June, by which the distance be-
tween London and Margate will be shortened by
26 miles. The shareholders of the Blyth and Tyne
have agreed to the proposed dividend of 9 per cent.
per annum. Theline is said to have improved, and
the rolling stock to be in better condition than on
any previous occasion. The report of the Waterford
and Limerick states that the total revenue during
the past half-year was £31,908,and that an increase
is shown in the net receipts of £3,915. The avail-
able balance is £3,335, out of which a 1 per cent.
per annum distribution is recommended. At the
Wimbledon and Dorking meeting it was stated that
the line was opened for traffic rn the 4th of April.
The profit since then, to the 30th of June, has been
£1,564. The shareholders of the Dublin and Belfast
Junction have adopted the proposition for a 4 per
oent. dividend out of the net balance of £23,466.
The laying of the additional portions of the second
line of rails is expected to be completed before the
IN inter. At a meeting of the London, Tilbury, and
Southend it was announced that the net revenue in
the six months ending in June was £6,946, or £656
more than at the same period of last year. The
whole of the permanent way was stated to be in good
order, and in some of the bridges the wood-work is