The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-25 00:00:00

APRIL 25, 1850.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
RAILWAY TOLLS.

The Commissioners of Railways have made their
report to the House of Commons on the Railway
Bills introduced during the present session in which
it is proposed to raise or alter the, tolls authorised
under existing Acts. Tnirteen days after receiving
the order of tire House the Commissioners were ire-
formed by the promoters of the Aberdeen (Amend-
ment of Acts, increase of capital, alterations of
station and of line and levels, &c) Bill, that the
toll clauses would be withdrawn to avoid the de-
lay which their retention would cause to the
progress of the Bill. Under these circumstances
the Commissioners ceased to consider it as one of the
Bills referred to them. It was proposed to increase
the toll for the use of the line 50 per cent., and the
charges for conveyance 161 per cent. In the South
Yorkshire, Doncaster, and Goole (amendment of Acts
and deviation) Bills it is proposed to increase the tolls
for the use of the line to convey manure and
minerals 100 per cent , and the toll and charge
of conveyance 25 per cent.; the toll on stones
for building and pas lug to be increased 200
per cent., aed cl arges for conveyance, includ-
ing use of line, 75 per cent. ; fur the cirri. ge of tiz.h
and poultry a dem ase of 33 per cent. Au increase
of 50 per cont. in the fares c f first-class pssengers.,
rod 25 per cent. in those f second and third dabs
passengers. The proposed increase in the charge fee
the conveyance of sheep is 200 per cent. ; fur pipe
300 per cent. ; and for mules and other beaets c f
burden, 400 per cent. With the exception of about
five miles, employed for coal traffic, the only part of
the lines authorised, at present open for traffic, is that
between Swinton and Doncaster, eight miles in
length. The line has only been opened about five
months, during which period it has been worked by
the Midland Railway Company for 25 per cent. of
the gross receipts, and is to be worked at that rate for
a period of seven years. Considering the short time
that the line has been worked, and that the company
are the proprietors of a great extent of navigation
competing with the railway routes of the district, the
Commissioners are of opinion that no sufficient reason
has been shown for the alteration of tolls proposed
by the Bill. The South Wales, No. 2 (Repeal and
'alteration of powers as to Forest of Dean Railway
and Works, &c.) Bill proposes to authorise a charge
for the conveyance of goods on the Forest of Dear.
and the South Wales Railways of 3d. per ton per
mile, being id. more than the maximum authorised
by the Act of 1847, and also to sanction a limited
charge for the use of the wharves at Ballo Pill,
for which no charge can at present be exacted.
The Commissioners state that if the Bill be
so alte ed as to secure the observance of articles
entered into between the promoters of the Bill
and opposing parties, no objections would exist
to the proposed alterations of the tolls. The
Lancashire and Yorkshire Bill for the alteration of
&c., proposes to increase the present rates and
tolls 20 per cent., except in cases of corn, the increase
upon which is 50 per cent. In addition to the in-
crease of fares, this Bill renders a first-class passen-
ger liable to an additional charge of 61., the same
with a second or third-class passenger in the smaller
sums of 4d. and 2d., in addition to which, however
short the distance travelled, or however convenient or
otherwise flee station may be, whether terminal
or not, the company seek to add to every fare
so computed, the sum of 61., 4d., or 2d., as a
terminal charge. Memorials have been received in
opposition to this proposed increased traffic from
landowners, merchants, manufacturers, &c., on the
railway, from the East Lancashire Railway Com-
pany, and parties resident at Halifax, Huddersfield,
Bolton, and Oldham. From the statement sub-
mitted by the company for the consideration of
the Commissioners, it appears that in 1847
the p-cductive capital of the company was
3,699,7631., and the gross revenue was 356,9331.,
which, after deducting all expenses, 142,7561, left
net revenue of 214,175/.7 being at the rate of 5 78
per cent. profit upon the expended capital ; the
length of line opened for public traffic at this time
being 042- miles. At the end of 1849 the productive
capital of the company appears to have been
8,179,5091., being an increase of 121 per cent. upon
that of 1847, the mileage of. railway open being
157 k miles, exclusive of 234 opened in October and
December, 1849, being an increase of 144 per cent.,
while the gross revenue had become 545,1741., being
an increase of 52 per cent. The working expenses
had, in the meantime, increased to 266,3721., or by
86 per cent., and the net revenue had become
279,3321, having therefore only increased 30 per cent.;
and it now, therefore, yields, at the rate of last year,
only 3.41 per cent. profit upon the productive capital
of the company. Considering that the company
have, in the statment of their reasons for this appli
cation of an increased tariff, set forth that the dimi-
nution of the dividend is not consequent on a dimi-
nution of traffic, the Commissioners are of opinion
that the present traffic on the main line is at least
sufficient toy ield the same dividend, 5 78 per cent.,
that it yielded is 1847 upon the capital expended in
the construction of that portion of the line. From
th:s consideration it would appear th it the present pe
cuniary position cf the company has been brought
about, nut by the reduction of tolls by the Act of 1846,
but by the investment c f a capital sum amounting to
three times the capital producing revenue at the end
of 1847 in 181 miles of railway, of which 157 k were
completed and open for public traffic at the end of
1848, which are either unprofitable speculations or the
companies have not had sufficient experience fully
to ascertain the extent of the traffic upon them.
This railway had, at the time of accepting the
tariff in the Act of 1840, which also conferred
powers for making several branch railways, a full
knowledge of the capabilities of the district, their main
line having been in operation through the heart of it

fur several- years ; and, therefore, the Commissioners,
considering that the traffic upon the main line at the
rates of the present tariff, is sufficient to yield a pro-
fitable revenue of at least 6 per cent. upon the capital
expended upon it, consider that the company have not
established a case for the repeal of the Act, and there-
fore do not recommend that powers should be granted
to the company to increase their existing tolls.
The Liverpool, Crosby and Southport Bill proposes
to amend the six mile clause of the Lancashire and
Yorkshire Company, Es applied to the line between
Liverpool and the junction, stated to be about
1.1 miles in length, and to provide that the
owners of the line shall only be empowered to
demand tolls as for three miles. The East Lan-
cashire Company have stated, in opposition to the
proposed alteration, that the joint line from the junc-
tian to the town of Liverpool has cost at the rate of
250,0001. per mile, including stations; and that,
therefore, the present tolls are unusually moderate.
The Commissioners recommend that such a modifica-
tion of the six-mile clause as will enable the Liver-
pool, Crosby, and Southport Company to convey pas-
sengers over the joint line into Liverpool at a mode-
rate rate should receive the careful consideration of
the Committee on the Bill. The Great Northern Rail-
way Bill, for amending of Acts and alteration of tolls,
proposes that the present authorised tolls be increased.
The Commissioners state that, considering the outlay
upon the Great Northern Rail w ay has been very great;
that it does not pass through any very extensive manu-
facturing districts with a dense population ; and con-
sidering, also, the competition to which it will he
subject at several points from other companies when
open throughout the whole length, and that the tolls
upon the navigations possessed by the company are
not affected by the Bill; and considering, also, the
particularly low rates of charge now authorised upon
the Great Northern Railway, being less than the
average rates which other railway companies are em-
powered to levy—the Commissioners are of opinion
that the company have shown a sufficient reason why
Parliament should grant them an amended tariff.
They recommend that a tariff on the same scale as
that of the London and North-IVestern Railway,
with which it is a directly competing line at many
points, should be adopted and conceded to them. The
Commissioners, however, are of opinion that the.clause
by which the company seek to continue their powers
to demand from all first and second-class passengers
6d. for every fractional part of 61 beyond the integral
number of sixpences will be objectionable, in case Par-
liament should see fit to concede to the company a
higher tariff than at present. The Commissioners enter-
tain great objections to the inquisitorial powers possessed
by the company, by which it is rendered unlawful to
include in one package several parcels of various sorts
and intended for various individuals, and by which
the company may demand a separate sum for each
such parcel. It appears to the Commissioners that
if the charges of the company are raised, it is due to
the interests of the public that the powers for
repealing the provisions of former Acts to
the effect that the second-class carriages
shall be closed and have glass windows, that
third-class carriages shall be covered and have
seats, and that the company shall run third-class
trains every day, as ef:en as the Commissioners
shall prescribe, should be withdrawn from the pre-
sent Bill. The Commissioners are of opinion that
the repeal of the clauses in the former Act, pro-
viding that the direct geographical distance, as mea-
sured on the Ordnance map, and not the distance
according to the length of railway, is to be that for
which companies are empowered to charge, will
not operate prejudicially to the interests of the public.

AriarnEn GORHAM CASE.—It is stated that a case
very closely resembling that of the Rev. Mr. Gorham and
the Bishop of Exeter is likely to ciccur in the diocese of
Gloucester and Bristol. The Magistrates having appointed
the Rev. Mr. Simpson, who is understood to be the editor
of a publication called The Protestant, to the chaplaincy of
the Bridewell, in that city, a number of the high church
clergy have memorialised the Bishop, all,ging that the Rev.
Gentleman holds the heretical opinion that baptismal rege-
neration is not a doctrine of the Church of England, and
praying his Lordship, on that account, to refuse !tun the ne-
cessary licence. It remains to be seen what course the
Bishop will take in the matter, which has given rise to a
good deal of interest in the neighbourhood.