The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-17 00:00:00

SOUTH•EASTEUN.

The report of tha directors to be presented to the
proprietors at the special general meeting and the
twenty-eighth half.•yearly general meeting of the
South-Eastern Riilway Company, to be held on
Thursday, the 19th inst., contains the following state-
ments :

" The directors have to report, that the receipts of the
South-Eastern Railway Company for the half-year
ending on the 31st July, 1850, have bees 291,2461. 10s.
33.; and the working expenses, 103,9731. 16s. Id. The
revenuo account is charged in the present half year with
the sum of 19;2941. 4s. 10d., to be added to the fund
already laid aside for the renew al of engines, tenders,
carriages, and other stock of the company. The rates
and Government duty amount to 25,084/. Is. Id.; the
rent of the Greenwich, Canterbury, arid Whitstable, and
Reading, Guildford, and Reigate Railways; to 37,9161.
4s,—which sums, in addition to the interest on the mort-
gage debt and guaranteed stock of the company, and a
provision of 8641. Is. 7(1. for bad debts, make a total
deduction from the gross earnings of 218,5751. 2s. 91.
leaving,, together with the amount at the credit of profit
and loss, after providing for last half-year's dividend, a
balance available for dividend of 113,478/. 14s. 7(1.
" The total increase in traffic on the main line for the
last half-year, as compared with the corresponding half
of 1819, is 15,6571. 55. I Id.; of this sum 12,634/. 103. sd.
is from passengers, and 3,622/, 155. 6d. from goods, Ste.
The returns on the North Kent lino from passengers for
last half-year, compared with the preceding one, show a
decrease of 4,3211. 9s. 91.; but this is accounted for by
the half-year including the month of January getting
credit for the large amount received in that month for
annual tickets. The decrease of 4,486/. 6s. 6d.. in the
receipts from passengers on the Greenwich branch has
evidently been occasioned by the abstraction of traffic
from that lino to tho North Kent. The ;through-traffic
to and from London and Folkestone, Dover, Ramsgate,
and Margate, for the half-year ending on the 31st July,
1849, was 53,0891. 15s. 4d.; 31st July, 1830, 62,892/. Ils.
4d.; increase, 9 8021. 16s. _ _

" The communication between Folkestone and Bou-
logne by a tidal service, leaving one harbour and ar-
riving at the other, now takes place twice each way
in the twenty-four hours; the Boulogne and Amiens
Company contributing an allowance towards the ex-
pense of the nightly service. Between Dover and
Calais the communication takes place three times
each way in the twenty-four hours; namely, twice
at a fixed hour by the steam•packets of her Majesty's
Government and that of Franco, and once by the steam-
ships in connexion with this company,
1849, at tide time, al-
ways leaving one harbour and arriving in the other
without the use of boats; to this service the Northern of
company.rrancsßailwa
This latter service accornmod.ited 8.777 pas-
sengers sengers last half year, in comparison with 4,403 in the
Company contributes jointly with thin
correspondins halt of showing an increase of
D,OT4 passengers. Between Dover and Ostend her Ma-
jesty's packets and those of the Belgian Government
perform a service from Dover to Ostend every evening
(excepting Sunday),and from Ostend to Dover every even-
ing (excepting Saturday), and a service is also performed by
the Belgian Government's steamers, in conjunction with
those of the South-Eastern and Continental Steam-
packet Company, from Ramsgate to Ostend, every Mon-
day, Wednesday, Thursday,
,and Saturday morning,
and from Ostend to Ramsgate every Sunday, Wednes-
day, Thursday, and Saturday morning, from harbour to
harbour.

- --
" The 61i hours now occupied in the journey to Mar-
seines will be materially reduced as soon as railway
communication between Paris and Marseilles is corn.
buildings, regulating
sad
pleted, and this route will then, the directors confidently
believe, be adopted as tie general one for the Mediter-
ranean, the East, and for the Overland route to India.
i platforms
t The
connected with the terminus will be completed within
" The division of the joint station at the London-
bridge terminus took place on the 2d of August, in ac-
cdoirredettnecres
expectwihthael the Al
ct
two months from the present time, and it is certain that
great advantage will then accrue in the management of
the traffic. The lease of the Reading, Guildford, and
Reigate Railway was sealed by both companies and ex-
changed on the 15th of March last; the rent payable by
this company, of 41,000/. per annum, being at the rate
of Si. 2s. 6d. per cent. per annum on the capital of
800,0001., commencing from that date. The directors
anticipate a growing traffic on this line, and they trust
that, although some time may elapse before it prove re-
munerative, the proprietors of the South-Eastern Com-
pany will obtain that credit for promptly maintaining
that engagement to which their good faith entitles them.
The improvements that were required at the Brick-
layers' Arms Station for the goods department are ,
rapidly approaching completion, which is the case also
with the accommodation required to be provided on
the North Kent and Reading, Guildford, and Reigate
lines for the like purpose.
" The directors think the proprietors may safely anti-
cipate a gradual and satisTfhe acttraoryffic increase
at Folkestone, of revenuin e
li
from the goods traffic.
merchandise from France, is increasing; the Customs
duties received at that port, which
. were 4,0081. in 1847,
in 1849
8,218/. in 1848, and 42,2601. ,
• amounted in the
last six months to 41,3161., which affords satisfactory
evidence of the preference which the port of Folkestone
will obtain when it can present equal facilities in all
other respects, as well as the advantage of speedy deli-
very. The South-Eastern and Continental Steam Packet
Company are making arrangements for a daily steamer
for the carriage of merchandise between Boulogne and
Folkestone. Hitherto there has been one on only three
days of the week. Conveniences will be provided at the
London-bridge terminus for the examination of valuable
goods as soon as possible. The establishment for the
repairs of carriages and waggons has been removed
to the new boildisge at the btatim at Aehf9rd. The