The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-10-06 00:00:00

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CHESTER AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY.
The half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors of the
Chester and Birkenhead railway was held, pursuant to the
act of incorpation, on Friday, at eleven o'clock, in the Cla-
rendon-rooms. The following shareholders were present :
Messrs. Forbery, Bentham, Jackson, Hamilton, Lowerby,
Dixon, Millington, White, John Jones, John Jackson, Gre-
gory, Henman, Edwards, Marshall, Harrison, Thos. Jack-
son, Coward, Wilson, Seger, Mulleneux, R. H. Jones, Mar-
shall, and Claxton.

On the motion of Mr. HEALING, Mr. Forbery was voted
to the chair.

The SECRETARY read the following report of the directors :
" The directors have much gratification in being able, on
this occasion, to congratulate the proprietors on the Chester
and Birkenhead Railway being now open to the public, an
event which, considering the the trying seasons through
which the contractors have struggled, was not generally an-
ticipated.

It is, perhaps, a yet deeper cause of congratulation that,
although trains of double the weight and length of those
which may ordinarily be calculated upon have several times
gone over the line, at the usual velocity, it has stood the test
without accident to either the passengers or carriages.
" The works are not yet completed, but the line is in a
more matured state for passengers than railways at their
opening are usually found to be, whilst the company are well
supplied with engines and carriages to meet the traffic as it
increases.

" The directors consider it would be premature to form any
estimate of the future traffic from the experience afforded by
so recent an opening. Some little time must necessarily
elapse before the traffic, even in passengers, can be diverted
from its former channels, or the additional facilities of this
railway be sufficiently developed to produce any material
increase in its amount ; but the arrangements made with
coach proprietors for conducting the travelling beyond
Chester, the opening of the Chester and Crewe line, and
other measures in contemplation, must necessarily lead to the
most satisfactory and profitable results.
"The directors purposely abstain from entering into any
further detail at present, trusting that the proprietors have
sufficient confidence in them, to be assured that every thing
will be done that they can accomplish to further the interests
of the railway.
" The directors abstain also from general railway topics,
such as the rejection or modification of bills introduced
during the last session of an unfavourable tendency to rail-
way establishments, further than to remark, that a just spirit
seems to pervade the legislature, who, whilst they will so far
interfere as to shield the public from the injurious effects of
improper management, will, on the other hand, not permit
the prejudice and selfishness of those connected with rival
modes of conveyance to fetter railway companies, and de-
stroy their public utility or private advantage."
The SECRETARY also read a statement of the receipts and
disbursements up to the 31st of August. The total amount
received up to the 29th of February was £308,276 lls 2d.
By total disbursements to that date, £298,965 lOs 10d, which
made the balance in hand at that date, £9,311 Os 4d. The
amount received on calls from Feb. 29th to August 31st was
£76,275 ; to amount received on loan, £24,890 ; to interest
per bankers and shareholders (less charges), £lO2l 3s 7d;
making the total amount received £111,497 3s 11d. The
expenditure from Feb. 29th to August 31st, by acts of par-
liament, treasurer's office, engineering, law charges and
stamps, direction, juries, works, land and compensation,
iron rails, &c., interest on loan, &c., coach building, engines,
Birkenhead station, Monk's Ferry, deputation and travelling
expenses, and advertising and printing,) was £89,078 18s.
Balance in banker's hands, £22,398 6s 5d ; do. in treasurer's
hands, £l9 19s 6d.
The Rev. Mr. FOLLETT moved that the report be adopted,
which was accordingly done.
Mr. HEALING suggested the propriety of putting trains
on the lines between the hours of eleven and four.
The CHAIRMAN said the subject was already under consi-
deration, and, that when the work was more advanced, the
company would he enabled to do so.
A SHAREHOLDER suggested the propriety of having
market trains on the line on Tuesdays and Fridays, instead
of, as at present, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The CHAIRMAN observed that this subject was also under
consideration.

The SECRETARY then read a list of the daily receipts since
the opening of the line. The total number of passengers was
2408, and the total amount of receipts £3lB 16s. 9d.
A lengthened desultory conversation then took place rela-
tive to the reduction of the fares. It was the opinion of the
meeting that it was not advisable to make any reduction at
present; the concern was but in its infancy, and it should
be allowed to have a fair trial.

It was stated that the company had made a purchase of
Monk's Ferry, for which £25,000 had been paid ; and that
they also held, in fee simple, the lease of Woodside Ferry,
the receipts of which, since it had fallen into their hands,
had very considerably increased, and was now paying a hand-
some per centage.

A conversation took place relative to the amount paid to
the directors, in compensation for their services in attending
board meetings, &c. It appeared that, at present, a certain
sum (.£650) is equally divided amongst the twelve directors,
whether they perform any service or not : thus the men who
do all the work get no better remunerated than those who
do nothing. The result of the subject was, the adoption of
a motion to remunerate each director with a guinea for each
attendance.
The meeting then separated.