The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-08-20 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

A Bedford paper says that it is in contemplation to form
a direct line from Manchester to London, via Bedford.
At a meeting of the Norwich and Brandon Railway on
Thul sday, it was agreed, by a large majority, to amalga-
mate that company with the Norwich and Yarmouth
Railway, on terms of equal standing.
The Sheffield, Ashton and Manchester Railway is now
open to Woodhead, two stations on the Sheffield side of
Glossop. The distance from Barnsley to Manchester is
thus reduced to about four hours travelling.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC.—The receipts of 20 Railway
Companies for the last four weeks are, in the aggregate,
greater by upwards of £50,000, than those of the corres-
ponding period of last year.

HARROGATE AND KNARESDOROUGH RAILWAY.—
At a meeting of shareholders in this proposed undertaking
held on Thursday last, it was resolved that the company
renew their application for an act next session.
GLASGOW. PAISLEY, KILMARNOCK, AND AYR RAIL-
WAY.—The half-yearly general meeting of this company
was held on Friday, at Glasgow. The net profit on the
half year was £17,561, and a dividend of 4 per cent. per
annum was declared.

On Monday last, the Preston and Wyre Railway Com-
pany, took to Fleetwood and back, upwards of 1,300 per-
sons, for sixpence each. Forty miles of railway travel-
ling for sixpence ! little more than ha(f a farthing per
mile! Low charges and many customers, will soon be-
gin to be appreciated by railway companies.
IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY PROPERTY.--The im-
provement in the market price of shares within the last
twelve months has been upwards of 50 per cent. Some
of the shares have improved in a much higher ratio.
Thus the Birmingham and Gloucester have risen above
110 per cent., the Sheffield and Manchester 140, and the
Preston and Wyre 160 per cent.

BLACKBURN, BURNLEY, AND ACCRINGTON EXTEN-
SION RAILWAY.-At a meeting of landowners, manu-
facturers, and others interested in the formation of this
proposed line recently held in Accrington, it was an-
nounced that the whole of the capital had been subscribed,
and that immediate application would be made for an act
of parliament.

TESTIMONIAL—At the meeting of the London and
Birmingham Railway the week before last, a handsome
candelabrum for six lights, and two large massive silver
salvers were presented to Mr. Creed, the secretary of the
company, together with a purse of 2100 guineas, from the
proprietors of the company, for the zeal and ability dis-
played by him during fourteen years in furthering the in-
terests of the company.

GREENWICH RAILWAY.—At a meeting of this compa-
ny last week a committee was appointed for the purpose
of reopening the negociations with the South Eastern and
Dover Company, in order to amalgamate the companies.
The receipts of the last half-year have reached to £23,416
9s. 7d., an increase of £lB7l 19s. 4d., compared with the
same period in 1843; but then it was justly remarked,
that while this was the case, there appeared also a very
large increase in expenditure.

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CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.—At a meeting
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been received from government relative to the mail ser-
vice proposed to be performed by the company. It ap.
pears that the directors ask £40,000 for carrying the
mails, being less than that for which the Government can
do it ; and Mr. Glyn expressed bis opinion that the com-
pany should maintain its position with firmness in requir-
ing that amount from the Government for the service.
LONDON TO BRUSSELS IN A DAY.—The journey from
London to Brussels can be accomplished regularly in one
day. The arrangements for this great object commenced
on Sunday week. The train left London for Dover at
half-past five a.m., arrivei at Dover at nine; the embar-
kation took place immediately, and the voyage to Ostend
was performed in little more than four hours and a half.
The passengers left Ostend at a quarter-past four o'clock,
and arrived in Brussels at a quarter-past nine the same
evening, the whole distance (238 miles) having been ac-
complished in 15 hours. The stoppage in Ostend
exceeded two hours.

WORKINGTON AND COCKERMOUPII RAILWAY.—On

Wednesday last a meeting was held in Workington, for
the purpose of establishing a railway between the above
towns, and although no prospectus has been issued, nor
any pains taken to make it public, there was more money
subscribed than will be required for the undertaking.
There was a slight misunderstanding, arising out of a
communication from Lord Lonsdale, who wishes the road
to be carried on the north side of the river instead of the
Workington side, but, no doubt when it is explained to
his lordship, it will be arranged to the satisfaction of all
parties. There is no doubt that when the road is con-
structed it will prove a profitable investment and a great
benefit to the two towns.
ASHTON, STALEY BRIDGE, AND LIVERPOOL BAIL-
WAY.—The first general meeting of the shareholders in
this line, under their act, was held at the office of Messrs.
Brackenbury and Lewis, solicitors, Manchester, onThurs-
day last, for the purpose of authorising the company to
sell and transfer the undertaking, and any share or inte-
rest therein, to the Manchester and Leeds Railway Com-
' pany, and for other business. There were about twenty
gentlemen present, and Mr. John Cheetham presided.
Mr. Burgess read the report. From this it appeared that
the line would be set our, the drawings, &c., made for the
letting of the works, and the whole line contracted for, in
two months from the present time. The report was fur-
ther to the effect, that under agreement between the sub-
scribers and the Manchester and Leeds Railway Company,
prior to the application for the act of incorporation, that
company was entitled, at any time within three years, to
require this company to sell, convey, and transfer all their
estate, right, and interest in the undertaking, and all the
property acquired, and all powers vested in them, to the
company named. Acting upon this agreement, thautecm--
under-
taking, had intimated their intention to purchase the a
taking, and this meeting was empowered to
unanimously received and approved.
reso-
lution authorising the sale and transfer.—The report
iea wasw s
d authorising the directors to sell
next unanimously passe
r reso ution was
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ner as might be agreed upon. Tr
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h
agreed to, appointing Mr. John ens aw, consulting
on with Mr. Forsyth, who
the undertaking as stated, at such time and in such man-
engineer, to act in conjunction
had been appointed by the new company.—The proceed-
ings then terminated.

SHEFFIELD ANDLROTHERHAMRAILWAY.—This meet-
ing was held on Wednesday. From the statement of ac-
counts it appears that the net receipts from June 1 to
June 30 were £9,142 18s. 10d., and the expenses
£5556 lls. 6d., leaving a balance of £3586 7s. 4d. appli-
cable for a dividend amongst the shareholders. The
amount received on the Sheffield and Rotherham line was
£5380 ss. Bd., and from the North Midland line
£3762 13s. 2d., making the above amount £9142 ISs.lod.
A dividend of 41 per cent. was declared.
THE RAILWAYS AND CANALS TO BIRMINGHAM AND
LIVERPOOL.—it was stated by Captain Iluish, in his
evidene before the railway committee, while explaining
why the Grand Junction Railway was exposed to greater
canal competition than the London and Birmingham, that
the canal which competes with the latter is 149 miles in
length, and has no fewer than 172 locks, whereas the
Grand Junction Railway is situated between two canals,
one of which is shorter than the railway, and has only 66
locks. The other canal is 18 or 20 miles longer than the
railway. The two canals compete with each other and
the railway.
PRESTON AND LIVERPOOL NEW RAILWAY,—This
line will, as we have before stated, join the North Union
line at Farington, opposite the junction of the Blackburn
and Preston railway. The line will proceed in a south-
west direction to the east of Farington Moss, through
Ulnes Walton to Croston, near to which it will pass on
the west side. It will then pass Rufford and Burscough
on the east side, and it is intended to touch upon the east
side of Ormskirk. From Ormskirk a branch is to be
made to Southport. Leaving Aughton and Lydiate con-
siderably to the west, the line at present is marked to run
through Maghull, and passing midway between Bootle
and Walton-on-the-hill, will enter Liverpool at the north
end. The line is very direct, and, as compared with the
route via Parkside, will be a saving of eleven miles be-
tween Preston and Liverpool.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY.—This Com-
pany held its 18th half-yearly meeting on Thursday last,
at the Bristol terminus ; Mr. C. Russell, M.P., chairman
of the directors, presiding, supported by Viscount Bar-
rington, and a numerous body of directors and proprie-
tors.—The Chairman referred to the topics in the report,
and stated that since the last meeting the Bristol and
Exeter line had been completed, also the branch line to
Oxford, within the time and estimates of Mr. Brunel,
their engineer. The proportion of the expenditure to the
receipts was 34 per cent. less than in the corresponding
period last year, so that they could increase the present
dividend from 4 to 31 per cent. The schools at the
central establishment at Swindon were opened in May
last, and a large number of the servants' children were
receiving a useful and religious education. The church
was also rapidly progressing. He had opposed at first
the Railway Regulations Bill, but the modifications since
made had rendered it less objectionable ; and though still
in some points unsound, the company would see it use-
fully and justly carried out.—Mr. Saunders read the re-
port. It noticed the increased revenue, the total on all
the company's lines being for the half-year £369,904, and
the expenditure (including duties and rates) £2.17,235.
There was an actual reduction of expenditure, although
an extra average distance of 20 miles had been worked.
The disposable amount, after deductions, was £133,243,
equal to 31 per cent. on the paid capital, and leaving a
balance in hand of £1,702. A call would be made in
January towards the liquidation of borrowed money.
The Cheltenham and Oxford lines had been legally amal-
gamated, with power to raise money on debentures.
Twenty miles of line between Exeter and Newton (South
Devon line) would be ready next summer. The bill for
the Newbury line had been rejected from the opposition
of the landowners, and the rival South Western line had
also been thrown out, coupled with an opinion of the
Lords that the Great Western presented the greatest pub-
lic advantages. The directors would therefore renew
their application next session, as also for a line to unite
the Northern ones at Rugby, and the prolongation of the
Trowbridge and Bradford branch to Frome, Salisbury,
and Devizes. The University authorities and others had
given their consent to the former. The line by Trow-
bridge, &c., to Frome, and through Warminster to Salis-
bury, would bring a large manufacturing district in con-
nection with the metropolis, by means of the Great Wes-
tern. The traffic would yield 6 per cent., and it would
be called " The Wilts and Somerset Railway."—The
report was approved of, and the dividend of 32 per cent.
agreed to. The directors were empowered to carry out
the proposed extensions.—Mr. Crossthwnite, of Liver-
pool, proposed that a subscription be set on foot by the
proprietors, for the purpose of presenting a testimonial
to Mr. Saunders, the secretary, in appreciation of his
services to the company during the past seven years.—
The proposition was responded to with acclamation, and
tne meeting broke up.