The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-08-16 00:00:00

the early and entire-am:

lificent docks of Birkenhead.

swe propel
xtisfy,.-the propriet

by fopiomote the trade eLthe
xs that the increase will be

The proprietors are aware-than early in the year Parlia-
ment passed_ resolutions suspending all legislation, for
leasing or amalgamating railways or canals during the•
present session; and that consequently the bills introduced.
for the purpose of ,leasing the undertaking to the London
Western Company were suspended. The
it, under the seals of the-*

vides that, on t

) companies, however .pro-
passing. of lie leasing bill, the dividend
hall take effect from the Ist of January

)f four per ce

in the Present
dividend paid
be provided fc
or otherwise.

;ar, and that the difference between the
the meantime-and the four per cent.shßil
n'the act, either in the form of dividend

The following-bills, am(
pany were introduced int,
tees Bill; the- Dock Warehons(
Shrewsbury ant: Chester Bill;. tl
the Warrington-ar.d Altrincham BiT

Stunenl

affecting thy:- com-
The Dock Trns-

e Company's BM.i the
he Great Western; Bill

The Dock Trustees consented to strike out of their bill
he power to levy tolls,. being the only part of the bill to
which this company objected; and, after a contest in coin-

mittee of the HOuse of Commons, the Dock and Warehouse
Company agreed to withdraw the clauses containing the
power to use the lines and, stations of this company ; on
which your directors -withdrew their opposition.
The Shrewsbury and Chester Company withdrew their
bill at the last hour, rather than have their running powers
submitted to.the searching investigation whichl,,they; are
aware this company will prosecute whenever they again
appear in Parliament.
The Great Western Bill, which, as originally introduced,
proposed to: lay down the broad gauge from Wolverhamp-
ton to Birlmnhead, to obtain running powers,. and4o con-
struct a station at BirkenhPwl, was finally submitted to
Parliament in the form. of a facility bill, with. Tower to
erect a station. at Birkenhead, and, in this forma a severe
contest took.place, this. company objecting to .the powers
sought, especially to that part which proposed.,to give that
company power to erect a station at Birk.-aahead. The
bill was ;sown out.

The powers granted. to the Warrington. ancl,Altrincham
Company are accompanied by conditions which render
them meth less objectionable than originally proposed.
The act provides that, in fixing the rates, regard shall be
had to the cost of the respective lines, and.; that the arbi-
trator may fix higher rates to be paid for: the use of this
company's line than are authorized in, its own act ; and
that the. Warrington and Altrincham. Company shall not
erect a-station. on any portion of this company's lines.
On4hese conditions your directors, withdrew their oppo-
tiort, protesting, nevertheless, against the injustice of the
principle embodied in the bill.
From. these statements the proprietors .will perceive that
no inconsiderable portion of the tiine,of the directors and
the funds of the company have been taxed. in defending
their property against these renewed attack's; and it is no
relief:th this company to know that Other companies having
fadvantageons positions in the country have been harrassed
in, the same way by companies whose-speculations have not
realized the flattering dividends.which their shareholders
were led€ to expect.
The following directors retire- from. office by rotation,
and are eligible for re-election r—Mr. James Bancroft, Mr.
Isaac Taylor, Mr. John Rogers, Mr. Henry t Hope ; and
Mr. H. C. Beloe, one of the• auditors,; retires, and is eligible,
for re-election. •

The directors recommend that a dividend be declared of
es.2d. per £27105. share.; 65..3d. per £3l share ; and 4s. eid..
per £22 share, being after the rate of per cent. per an-_
num, and that the samo be payable on the 20th instant.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report,
adverted to various items in the accounts, and said, the
directors were not sure that they were not justified in
proposing a dividend of 21- per cent. instead of 2 per cent.,
still leaving a surplus to meet the contingencies, arising
rom the litigation with the Shrewsbury and Chester Com-
pany. The proprietors would see that there had been a
large increase du the receipts of the company during the
past half-year ; and if there were no reduction. in the 'ex-
pense of litigation, they would continue that dividend at
Christmas,. and, perhaps, increase it to 2i per cent., out of
their own proper earnings.

In answer to a Shareholder, the CitintxAN stated that
the claim of the Birkenhead and Cheshire Railway against
the Shrewsbury and Chester amounted to £14,000.
After some observations from Mr. lEvntE and other
shareholders,

The CHAIRMAN said, with regard to the traffic on the
lbw, he was of opinion that from this half-year to the cor-
responding half-year in 1854 the gross amount would not
be less than £120,000. The adoption of the report was
carried unanimously.

In reply to some'observations, the CHAIRMAN said the
whole of the Holyhead traffic now passed over the Che-
shire junction of the Birkenhead line; and if anything
went in another direction it was accounted for.

The directors were re,elected, with the exception of Mr.
Isaac Taylor, for whom Mr. Titherington was substituted,
Mr. H. C Beloe was reappointed auditor.

The dividend, as recommended in the report, was adop-
ted, and a vote of thanks terminated the proceedings.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

MONDAY EVENING, AUGrST 15,

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
PLYMOUTH, MONDAY.—The Faith, screw-steamer,
arrived here this morning. She left Fernando Po, 26th
July ; Sierra Leone, 27th ; Bathurst, 30th ; Teneriffe,
Bth Aug. She brings £4,000 worth of gold dust, and a
general cargo. The Hope, mail steamer, arrived at
Madeira on the Bth, and sailed the same day all well.
Business in general was pretty active. The vine crops
at Madeira and Teneriffe have totally failed, and at Cape
de Verds
PARIS.—The military fete of Sunday passed off bril-
liantly. --•