The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-02-23 00:00:00

JUST ARRIVED,

MIDDLEWOOD'S FAMILY FRUIT WAREHOUSE,
Parker-street, two doors from Church-street,
TWO TO THREE HUNDRED DOZEN SHAD.
DACHS and FORBIDDEN FRUIT, in the greatest
perfection. The high estimation this Fruit is held in by the
most illustrious personages, not only as a superior Dessert
Fruit, but for its grateful and nutritious properties, warrant
J. M. in recommending it as superior to all other Fruits,
American Apples, the tine large Pine Flavour, or real New-
town Pippins cannot be
_purchased at this season, in the king-
dom, equal to those novF on sale as above. J. M. has just
received a quantity of fine Gamorine Plums,•which he will
sell at half the usual price. French Plums, Raisins, Almonds,
Pomegranets, new Tafilat Dates, Turkey Figs, large Spanish
Chesnuts, Walnuts, small Nuts, by the bag, or retail.; Saint
Michaels Oranges, Lemons, &c., per box, or retail : Shad-
dachs, Marmalades, Preserved Ginger, Limes, and Tamo-
rins. J. M. has on Sale Three to Four Hundred Baskets of
the best Faro Figs, weighing 81b. and upwards, at 3s. to
3s. 6d. each; Black and Green Grapes, &c. &c. The whole
is selected of the best quality, for family use.
A great variety of Bottled Fruits, for Tarts, will be Sold
at the London Prices.

For the convenience of families in the country, the choic-
est Shaddachs and Forbidden Fruit, for Desserts, will be
forwarded in packages ar 40s. each, and for Preserving Mar-
malade, &c., at 40s.—Cash orders duly attended to.

SHEFFIELD, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, AND MAN-
CHESTER RAILWAY.
REPORT TO THE GENERAL MEETING,
17th February, 1841.
TAURING the time which has elapsed since the General
Meeting in August, the Directors have been actively
engaged in forwarding the execution of the works then aa-
nounced as contracted for, which, with the Etherciw Viaduct,
now also under contract, completes the letting to Glossop.
Although extending over only eleven miles on the rails,
these works contain more than one-half of the earthwork of
the whale line, and the contractors are proceeding rapidly
with them, for the purpose of opening about eight miles to
the crossing of the Hyde and Mottram Turnpike Road in
September next, (which will accommodate the traffic of
Mottram, Godley, Hyde, Newton, Dukinfield, Stalybridge,
and Ashton,) and the remainder of the line to Glossop in
the spring of 1842. The tunnel works are steadily and satis-
factorily progressing, details of which, and of the state of
the whole of the works under contract, will be found in the
Report of the Engineer. •
The directors being anxious to give full information to the
shareholders upon all matters connected with this underta-
king, have caused an account to be taken by competent per-
sons of the present traffic between Manchester and Glossop,
and the intermediate places, and, after careful revision, they
have much pleasure in laying an abstract of it before the
meeting. In this statement they have excluded all traffic of
a doubtful character, such as the goods traffic of Ashton,
Staleybridge, Dukinfield, Godley, Newton, Hyde, and Shef-
field, the greater portion, if not the whole, of which must
ultimately come upon the line.
On the 31st of December, 1840, the outlay amounted to
£168,077 13s. 61d., as shewn in the annexed abstract of ac-
counts. For the completion of the contracts to Glossop.
tunnel works, management, payment for the purchase of
land, the Manchester station, and all incidental expenses, a
further sum of £318,020 is estimated to be required ; making
the total outlay on the Ist of May, 1842, £486,097 13s. 61d.
From that part of the line from Manchester to Glossop, then
ready for opening, a net annual income of £31,914 2s. 4d.
may be safely calculated upon, which will yield a profit of
61 per cent. per annum upon the whole expenditure then
incurred ; and it must not be forgotten that in this sum is
included nearly XlBO,OOO paid on account, and forming a
part of the estimated cost of the whole line.
The directors have frequently discussed the question of
commencing the eastern division of the line. They are con-
vinced that a very large thorough traffic would be com-
manded by the completion of the works on both sides of the
tunnel, and, until that was opened, running coaches over the
Summit Ridge ; but the contracts already entered into have
absorbed, and required even more, than the whole of their
available funds.
The directors cannot omit to congratulate the shareholders
upon the successful termination of the legal proceedings, by
the decision of the Court of Exchequer, in favour of the
company upon all the points raised at the trial of the actions
at the Liverpool Assizes. There is little doubt that many
wealthy shareholders, not parties to those actions, held back
the amount due from them awaiting their decision. This,
combined with the large amount owing by the parties against
whom actions had been brought, and the commercial de-
pression of the country, compelled the directors to exact
from the shareholders who had the means, and the inclina-
tion to pay, frequent and heavy calls ; and they assure those
shareholders that they did this with great reluctance, and
that prompt and vigorous measures will now be adopted for
obtaining payment of all recoverable arrears.
Desirous of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the proprie-
tary, the directors have carefully examined the share list,
and concluded to recommend for forfeiture 219 shares, upon
which an average of ..C9 14s. 14d. per share has been paid.
To the holders of these shares the requisite notices have been
given, and it remains with the meeting to determine upon
confirming their forfeiture.
The investigation of the share list is a work of considerable
time and labour; but the directors feel confident than when
it is effectually weeded there will remain a sound and re-
sponsible proprietary, fully equal to carry so large a portion
of the line into profitable operation, as will enable the com-
pany to avail itself of the clause in its act of parliament which
empowers it to obtain money on loan, and thus afford relief
to the shareholders in the payment of future calls ; and that
eventually the doubtful shares will get into such hands as
will ensure the successful completion of this great national
undertaking.

ABSTRACT OF TRAFFIC.
Present passenger traffic between
Manchester and Glossop and
the intermediate places.. £21,122 8 0
Prospective traffic, ditto

£42,244 16 0
Present traffic in general merchandise and coal 10,932 1 1

Deduct 40 per cent. expenses of working

53,176 17 1
21,270 14 9