The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-14 00:00:00

GREAT NORTH OF ENGLAND.

DAnLinaToN, TUSSDAY.—To-day the half-yearly general
meeting of the Proprietors was held at the Company's
Offices, Mr. H. Wilkinson, the Chairman of the Directors,
presiding.

" The Directors' report announced that the gross receipts
for the half year ending December 31, 1844, amount to
54,048/. 65., which, compared with the corresponding half
year, shows an increase of 15,481/. 7s. Bd., of which the pas-
senger traffic has given 8,051/. 65., the merchandise 1,157/.
6s. 10d.,4the mails 983/. Os. 11d., and the coalsp,B29/. 14s. 4d.,
&c. The balance, after defraying the expensns, amounts to
31,783/. 6s. Bd., out of which the Directors recommend that a
dividend be declared, at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum
(that is, for the half-year, 34 on every 100/. share, and 10s.lon
every 40/. share), clear of income-tax, and be made payable
on the 4th of March. This will amount to 23,820/., leaving
a reserve fund of 7,964/. 6s. Bd. The object which the
Directors had in view in leasing their coal dues for three
years (of which the first year expired on the 30th of No-
vember last), namely, to promote the permanent extension
of that trade, seems likely ,to be fully realised ; the number
of tons of coal and coke carried up the line during the half
year, being 82,469, against 41,097 tons in the correspond-
ing period of the year before, and with every prospect
of a still further increase. The Proprietors are already
aware that the Great North of England Directors
entered into an arrangement with the Newcastle
and Darlington Junction Company to work the line
of the latter Company—the Great North of England
Company finding locomotive power, carriages, waggons, &c.,
the necessary surveys of the proposed branch lines to Har-
rogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, and Boroughbridge, as well
as to Richmond, have been made, and all the necessary
steps taken, in compliance with the standing orders of both
Houses of Parliament. The lines are not of an extensive
character, and, from the great accommodation they offer to
the public, at well as from their being legitimate branches
of an existing railway, the Directors confidently anticipate
a favourable report from the Board of Trade. Acting on
this impression, the Directors have thought it advisable to
enter into a contract for 5,000 tons of iron rails, at 74 15s.
per ton, a price considerably below that at which they could
now be bought. Some overtures have been exchanged be-
tween the Great North of England Company and the Leeds
and Thirsk Company, with a view t, elfect an amicable
arrangement ; but the engineering difficulties of the Leeds
and Thirsk projected Railway presented so great an
obstacle, that your Directors did not deem it consistent
with the interests of the Shareholders of the Great North of
England Company to identify them with works of so ex-
traordinary a character, more especially as they believed
that a better line to Leeds could be made by an extension
of their proposed branches from Knaresborough, in the di-
rection of Spofforth and Wetherby ; and they are happy to
announce to the Shareholders that their engineer has
surveyed a line, shorter in distance, much less expensive
in construction, and capable of completion in leas time
than that selected by the Leeds and Thirsk Company. Your
Directors have, in connexion with the Stockton and Dar-
lington Railway Company, proposed to enter into a joint
guarantee of five per cent. on the capital required for the
COnatfliCtiCll of about eight mile§ of railway, kora ididdleg.