The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-29 00:00:00

RRISTOL AND GLOUCESTER.

BRISTOL, SATURDAY.—The half,yearlynneeting, which was
very numerously attended, was held this afternoon, Mr. Geo.
Jones, Chairman of the Company, presiding.
Mr. FLETCHER, the secretary, read the Directors' report as
follows : •

•
" The revenue of the United Bristol and Gloucester and
Birmingham and Gloucester Railways, for the half-year end-
ing on the 30th of June last, was commuted on the 7th' of
May for the sum of 26.0004 as'announced to the proprietary
by circular, dated on that day. The proportion of this sum
claimed and obtained-for the Shareholders of the Bristol and
Gloucester line is 4,730/., which, after deducting the income-
tax, will yield a dividend of 16s. 110. on every share' on
which the sum of 50/. has been paid up, and 10s. 2d. on every
share on which the sum of 30/. has been paid up; beside in-
terest at the rate of per cent. per annum on the new stock,
from the periods of its payment to the 30th June last. The
agreement made on ,the Bth of February last, between
the Birmingham . and Gloucester Railway Company
and tke Bristol and Gloucester Railway Company
of the one part, and the Midland Railway Company of the
other part, and confirmed by the Proprietors of this Company,
at a special general meeting convened for that purpose on the
7th March last, has been ratified by the Proprietors of the
said three Companies, and a Bill to carry it out will be intro-
duced into Parliament next session. The arrangement be-
tween the three Companies is in the meantime carried on
under the agreement, and the Proprietors will receive from
the Midland Railway Company 61. per cent. peron_unj
itheetm-IvinT---fdru'rctoe mkt -I no/Trauranfon, Esqs., have
withdrawn from the direction ; and Samuel Beale and Abel
Peyton, Esqs., have been appointed to succeed them."
Mr. C. B. FRIPP said, tut as it was of the greatest import-
ance to the commercial posperity of Bristol, he wished to be
informed whether the Milland Counties, who would have,the
control of the Bristol and Gloucester line, had made such ar-
rangements as would sectre a uniformity of gauge, as it was
the only means of- ensuring the city of Bristol a commercial
intercourse with the•Midimd Counties in a proper and per-
manent manner.

The CHAIRMAN said h( was not in a situation to answer
the question officially. Upon the point in question, he
only was acquainted will what was generally stated out
of doors, that it was intended to make the line uni-
form between Bristol tad I3inningham. The tranship-
ment of 'goods at GlatNster prevented a great quantity
of the manufactures c the Midland Counties being
brought to the poll 0 Bristol. He (the Chairman)
would be very glad to tee the wide gauge brought into
operation generally ; bt as the Midland Counties were
all on the narrow ghge, it had, he believed, been
thought advisable that a uniform narrow gauge must
be adopted. For his ow, part, he had no doubt of the
superiority of the wide huge over the narow gauge, and
he could hope to see thatprinciple adopted generally ; but
they were obliged to yiektit present in that respect to cir-
cumstances. •He did nofspeak officially, but he believed
that it was the intention of the Midland Company to pre-
serve the narrow gauge, athe most conducive to their pre-
sent. interests. Mr. Josell Saunders, • the secretary of the
Midland Company, was, blvever, present, and would be
enab!ed to give the infornition officially.
Mr: SAuNretits said it ras the intention of the Midland
Company to make one Iniferra gauge throughout, from
Gloucester to Bristol, and Birmingham—that gauge being
the narrow gauge.. If thelivere to adopt any other, he was
afraid the traffic they ant
,gated would be brought to the
port of Bristol from the Mind and Northern counties would
not be what they could w , without the adoption of one
uniform gauge.
The report having bee adopted, and six per cent de-
dared,
The CHAIRMAN said th vidends, from July last, would