326 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[September, 



was an increase of merchandise traffic of £754. The dividend recommended 

 was at the rate of 21 per cent per annum. 



The Newcastle and Darlington Railway Company's meeting was held on the 

 4th. It stated that £135,000 had been expended, that the works were pro- 

 gressing, that the line would be opened on the 1st of July in next year, and 

 completed 20 per cent below the engineer's estimate. A negociation for the 

 purchase of the West Durham Railway was authorized. 



The Sheffield and Rotheram Railway Company's meeting was held on the 

 12th. A falling off in the revenue of £900 was reported, and a saving of 

 £900, principally in coke, by working the locomotives in conjunction with 

 those of the North Midland Railway Company. Dividend recommended at 

 5 per cent per annum. Some altercation took place at the meeting as to the 

 Committee of the Company having forced the Company to take some car- 

 riage wheels, which were not wanted. The prospect of a junction with the 

 Sheffield and Manchester Company was stated not to be immediate. 



The Bolton and Preston Railway Company's report was that they had opened 

 the line to the junction on the 22nd of June, and that the contractors' ac- 

 counts had been closed. The Directors recommend a double line of rails to 

 be laid throughout the line. They report that they had leased their locomo- 

 tive power of the Manchester and Bolton Railway Company, and Lancaster 

 Railway Company. A kind of competition was going on with the North 

 Union Railway Company. 



The Great Western Railway Company's meeting was on the 17th at Bristol. 

 The dividend was a reduced one of 5 per cent per annum. The passenger 

 receipts had slightly diminished, and goods increased. The general expenses 

 had been diminished £5359. The buildings at the Bristol station, for the 

 merchandise department, and at Swinden for the engine department, were 

 represented as completed. The reconstruction of the permanent way I etween 

 London and Maidenhead is recommended, the timber being of too light a 

 scantling to be traversed by heavy engines at a high rate of speed. The 

 conclusion of the arrangements for the completion of the Cheltenham ami 

 Great Western Union line is reported. The arrangements for the joint 

 working of the Bristol and Glo'stei line are mentioned. The Oxford Railway 

 is reported to be laid out. a contract taken for its completion in eight 

 months; and it is to be laid with a double line of rails. A promise of co- 

 operation with the Devon and Cornwall Railway Company is given. 



A company has been brought forward called the Eastern Union Railway 

 Company, for the purpose of extending the Eastern Counties by two short 

 blanches, one to Bury St. Edmunds, of 13 miles in length, and one to Har- 

 wich of 5J miles in length ; and also to embank about 2000 acres in the river 

 Stour. The main line is proposed to proceed from Colchester by way of 

 Maningtree, Holbrook, Ipswich, Needham Market, Starmarket, Cotton, Diss. 

 Eye, Scole, and Long Stratton to Norwich. The gradients arc represented 

 as favourable, maximum 1 in 132, earthwork very light, no lofty embank- 

 ments, deep cuttings, or extensive viaducts. Cost estimated at £16,000 per 

 mile. 



The Devon and Cornwall Railway Company has received the promise of sup- 

 port from the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company, Bristol and Glo'ster 

 Railway Company, and Great Western Railway Company. A larj;e sum has 

 tbscribed in Cornwall, Lady Bassett having subscribed for £5000, and 

 given the land for two miles in length, Mr. Pendarves, M.P., having sub- 

 scribed for £5000, and Lord Wodehouse and others having taken shares for 

 their land. 



It will be perceived that among other new lines in progress are those from 

 York to Scarborough, and from Newport to Cambridge, and a branch tu 

 Harrow gate. 



The Biackwall Railway meeting was held on the 22nd. A deficiency in the 

 revenue account was reported, so as to make it inadequate to meet the ex- 

 penses ; the number of passengers had, however, nearly reached the former 

 number. A change was made in the Board— the chairman (Mr. Routh) and 

 half of the Board going out— the remaining five directors and live new mem- 

 bers constituting the new Board. 



The South-Eastern Railway. — At a special meeting of the shareholders on 

 Friday, July 21, the Directors obtained power to raise loans for the following 

 works. For the extension of the line from C'orbett's Lane to the Brick- 

 layer's Arms, a distance of about two miles, and forming a station at the 

 latter place, £177,777 ; this sum docs not include the whole cost of the 



branch : a portion of the expense is to be raised by the Croydou Railway. 

 For the formation of a branch railway to Maidstone, a distance of 10 miles, 

 £149,300, to be constructed under the superintendence of Mr. Robert Ste- 

 phenson, and finished within 12 months after obtaining possession ot the land. 

 —For the formation'of a branch railway to Folkestone Harbour, and for the 

 purchase and formation of the harbour, £266,600; the sum of £18,000 is the 

 amount agreed to be paid for the purchase of the harbour: it comprises an 

 area of 10 or 12 acres. Mr. Cubitt, the engineer, stated that the largest 

 vessel that can now enter the harbour is 300 tons burthen, that is 250 re- 

 gister. The largest which it will be able to accommodate will be 300 tons, 

 and the number of small and large vessels about 80 to 100. A pier is to be 

 constructed 500 feet long, and which will be carried out 200 feet in 10 or 12 

 feet water. 



The London and Croydon Railway.— At a special meeting of the shareholders 

 on 25th July, the Directors obtained power to raise £70,000 for the formation 

 of the branch from near New Cross to the Bricklayers' Arms, being for 

 £60,000, one third the proposed cost ; the other two thirds to be raised by 

 the South-Eastern ; and £10,000 for reconstructing a portion of the present 

 line to unite it with the proposed branch. It is expected the branch will be 

 finished by next spring. 



Eastern Counties Railway.— The meeting of this company was held on the 

 24th. The report states that most of the contracts have been closed, and 

 that new contracts have been entered into to fill up with soil the Mount- 

 nessing and Shenfield timber viaducts, which it is expected will be effected in 

 six weeks. Orders have also been given to fill up the Lexdcn timber framing. 

 It is stated that this is not done from any apprehension as to the safety of 

 the viaducts, on the part of the Directors, hut on the part of the public. 

 Not the least settlement is, it is said, perceptible. The Directors express 

 their satisfaction with the progress of the traffic, and declared their inten- 

 tions of again prosecuting the application for the branch from Stratford to 

 the Thames. They also ask power to negotiate with other Companies for 

 the formation of extension lines. They express themselves favourable to 

 leasing the Northern and Eastern. A dividend was declared of 5s. on the 

 new shares and It. on the old shares. 



Bristol and Exeter Railway. — This meeting was held on the 23rd. The re- 

 port states the probability of an earlier opening to Exeter than had been 

 before promised, so as to open the line throughout on the 1st of July, 1844, 

 viz., a year before the period anticipated. The dividend was II. 8s. per share. 

 With regard to the proposed Devon and Cornwall Railway, the plan of as- 

 sistance is stated. The Bristol and Exeter to contribute £200,000. of the 

 proposed capital, the Great Western £150,000, and the Bristol aud Gloucester 

 £50,000, the rest of the capital, £800,000, to be raised from the public. The 

 tunnel on the Bristol and Exeter is the chief work remaining uncompleted. 

 With regard to this some delay had taken place, from the failure of a con- 

 tractor; but additional shafts have been commenced, and everything done to 

 expedite the work. About one-third of the whole length is excavated, and 

 the work is proceeding at 22 different faces, and will be in a short time at 28 

 if required. The stations are to be let in a few days. 



Birmingham and Gloster Railway. — The meeting of this Company was held 

 on the 25th. It intimated a slight increase in the receipts, and a diminution 

 in the expenditure to the extent of £2,363. The dividend declared was 12s. 

 per share. One chief feature in ihe proceedings was a long discussion as to 

 the disposition of the Great Western Railway to lease the line, and as to the 

 mode in which the negotiations had been and were to be conducted. Another 

 feature was the defeat of the Board in the election of Directors. The four 

 vacancies were filled up by the opposition, who carried the day with a large 

 majority, by means of the use of stamped proxies. 



Bristol and Glo'ster Railway. — This meeting was held on the 24th. The 

 report states that the branch at Bristol to join the Great \\ astern has been 

 contracted for. It is 1,100 yards in length, and will be completed in four 

 months. It states too that no arrangement has been made with the Great 

 Western as to the working oi the line. 



Birmingham aud Delhi/ Railway.— This meeting was held on the 25th. when 



a dividend of 5s. per share was declared. As the question of amalgation 



with the North Midland is to come before a special meeting, no feature of 



interest transpired. 



Union or Railway.— The Derhg Reporter states that " the committees ap- 



