The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-26 00:00:00

is drawing nigh when there will be a fusion of
interests by the amalgamation, and the directors
expect that the entire concern may then be con-
ducted with greater benefit to the proprietors and
more advantage to the pablic.

LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOVER.
The directors in their report congratulate the
proprietors on the very rapid increase which has
taken place in the traffic of the line, more especially
since the opening to Dover. For the concluding
three weeks of the past half-year ending on the
30th of June the traffic was at the rate of £24 per
mile per week ; for the following three weeks, being
the first three weeks of the current half-year, the
receipts averaged £3l per mile per week; and for
the next three weeks, being the first after the open-
ing to Dover, £35 per mile per week, and the re-
ceipts for the- last week show a further increase.
This increase is derived almost exclusively from
passenger traffic, the company's goods station at
Battersea not being as yet completed. The company
have continued to suffer from the want of locomo-
tive power, owing to the non-delivery of their or-
ders by the manufacturers, The directors, how-
ever, consider that this difficulty is now nearly at
an end. The company have also suffered much from
the want of carriages, but this difficulty is becom-
ing daily less formidable. Messrs. Peto and Betts
are constructing a goods station for the company at
Battersea, adjoining the Wandsworth-road, the
present accommodation for the goods traffic being
extremely limited. This will be completed in two
or three weeks, when a large amount of additional
traffic will at once be brought upon the line. The
permanent station at Victoria-street is progressing,
and will be completed by April next. Two of
the company's steamers have been launched and are
being fitted with their engines. By the time they
are finished the line to Dover harbour will also be
completed, when a large portion of the Continental
traffic may be expected to fall to the share of the
company. The works on the Metropolitan Exten-
sion lines are being carried on with unexampled
vigour. It is expected that the lines will be
opened between the Victoria station and the Ele-
phant and Castle and the Victoria station and
Dulwich early in the spring of next year, so as to
be in time for the traffic of the Great Exhibition.
The populous districts about Newington, Kenning-
ton, Camberwell,Clapham, Brixton, Stockwell, andDulwich will thus bo broo6La into direct communi-
cation with the company's system of railways. By
the Deviations Bill the company have obtained the
last link which was wanting to complete the inde-
pendent through line between London and
Dover. Parliament has also inserted clauses in that
bill with the view of securing the proper regula-
tion of the traffic over the line of the Crays Com-
pany so long as it remains in the hands of the
South-Eastern Company. The Margate Company
have succeeded in obtaining powers to extend their
line to Ramsgate, with a station contiguous to the
harbour at that port.
The capital account of the East Kent line and
Dover extension shows that £1,916,146 had been
received and £1,819,494 expended, leaving a balance
of £96,652. The capital account of the Western
Extension shows that £520,000 had been received
and £601,317 expended, leaving a balance against
the account of £81,317. The capital account of the
Metropolitan Extension shows that £1,108,725 had
been received and £620,038 expended, leaving a
balance of £488,687. The revenue account of the
line from London to Canterbury for the half-year
ending the 30th of June shows that £32,997 had
been received and £34,199 expended, including
£4,555 tolls to other companies, leaving a balance
of £1,202 against the company.