cels, (less paid out to agents for delivery) 25,826l.

2s. Merchandize, 98,8591. Os. 2d.; cattle, 7,1801. 13s.,

Interest on loans, balances, and calls in arrear,
Rent of lands and buildings, 3,6331. 10s. 5d.; less re-

pairs and charges, 1,2391. 12. 11d.,

£452,881 8 1

Report. The operations of the last half-year exhibited a great increase of traffic both in passengers and goods, and a considerable excess of receipts over the corresponding half-year of 1844, notwithstanding the large reductions which have since been made in the Company's fares and rates, amounting on an average of the passengers' fares of all classes, from 2.609d. per mile in 1844, to J.818d. in 1845; and on the average rates of goods of all classes per ton, from 2.816d. per mile in 1844, 10 2.636d. in 1835.

The total mileage of passengers is 38,758,260 in 1845, against 24,664,979 in 1844, being an increase of 57.143 per cent.

The total mileage of goods is 9,350,718 tons, against 6,929,875– heing an increase of 34.933 per cent. The receipt for the gross ordinary traffic for 1845, is £417,190

1844, is

405,76S

Increase,

41,422 The charge on the traffic for 1845, is

108,382 1844, is

92,823 Increase to charge,

£15,560 The chief increase of charge is in the locomotive department, arising from the additional work required from the engines, which amounted For the half-year of June, 1845, to

£43,161 Against the charge for 1844, of

32,603

Increase,

£10,558 But the Directors having made provision, as stated in their last report, for a supply of engines of greater power than those hitherto employed, and better calculated for the extended carrying business of the Company, although disappointed in their delivery as early as was expected, they contemplate a large prospective reduction of expense under this head in the course of next year, when these engines will. have been brought into work.

The Directors trust also, that the charge for maintenance of way will be progressively reduced under the operation of new contracts, which, owing to the improved state of the works, they have been enabled to make at lower prices than those previously subsisting. Vol. X, 3a0 SERIES–No. 5.-NOVEXBER, 1845.

26

The Great Western Railway. The capital investment of this Company for the main line to June 30th, 1845, was £6,746,533.

For the main road and branches, £6,717,043, or about $37,041,000.

The following is the Revenue account, from the 1st January to the 30th June, 1845. Expenditure.

£ S. d. Maintenance of way, stations and works,

26,489 17 8 Locomotive account, viz :-coal, coke, repairs, wages

to drivers, firemen, &c., oil, tallow, and all other incidental expenses,

47,990 8 4 Carrying account, viz :-Wages to guards and con

ductors, police, messengers and porters, clothing, repairs of carriages, oil, tallow, &c.,

34,765 96 General charges, viz :-Superintendents' and clerks'

salaries, advertising, printing, stationery, and sun-
dries, including traveling expenses,

15,014 14 1 Disbursements for repairs and alterations of stations, &c., and for insurance,

337 8 9 Compensation returns and allowances,

569 14 6 Government duty on gross receipts from passengers, 13,274 0 10 Rales and taxes,

12,634 16 0 General offices, for direction, salaries, and all office expenses,

2,290 13 S

£153,367 3 4 Amount chargeable to revenue for the renewal and depreciation of plant during this half-year,

5,000 0 0 Balance for the half-year, ending 30th June, 1845, 274,929 12 10

£433,296 16 2 Receipts.

£

d. Traffic in Passengers,

285,311 0 2 Carriages, horses, and dogs,

11,055 3 0 Expresses,

193 16 0 Mails, including further payment for services to 22nd June, 1844, under award

32,314 13 5 Merchandize, 87,5041. 14s. 11d. Less for compensation allowed for loss by fire, 2,8431. 23. 7d.,

84,661 12 4 Warehouse rent,

42 14 7 Parcels,

15,468 15 9 Rent from the Bristol and Gloucester Railway Com

pany, for use of the Bristol station, and of the line
between Standish and Gloucester,

34.404

34-457

32.630

30.475

!

Railways in Portugal.

Lisbon, Saturday, July 12. A council of Ministers was held the day before yesterday for the purpose of taking into consideration and announcing the decision of the Government upon the several railway projects for Portugal, which have been lately submitted. Their Majesties came up from Cintra expressly to preside at this council, and returned thither in the even

ing.

There were eleven different proposals before the Government, all from foreign Companies, with the exception of one Portuguese. One was French, and the remainder English. These were all independent of the contract already concluded with the Company dos Obras Publicos for the formation of a railway from Lisbon to Badajoz. Of these, the following have been definitely rejected :—The English Company, by Mr. Hyslop, for a railway north from Lisbon by Coimbra to Oporto, and thence to Corunna. The French Company, by Monsieur Jucan, for a railway, likewise north, from Lisbon, by Coimbra, to Oporto, and thence by Braganza into Spain. Two proposals by Mr. Benjamin Oliveira, of London, the chief of which was for a railway from the Caclihas, on the south side of the Tagus, immediately opposite to Lisbon, by Evora and Bega, to Seville, in Spain. Two proposals by an English Company for the formation of railways in the Alto-Douro, one on the north and the other on the south side of the river, embracing the principal towns on either side, and meeting at Torre de Moncorvo, from whence a single line was to pass into Salamanca, in Spain. The two remaining projects which were rejected were of minor iniportance, and were to proceed by routes which present no reasonable prospect of traffic to repay the outlay.

The following three projects were entertained, and though the Gov. ernment has not yet finally bound itself to accept them, they may perhaps be proceeded with two proposals by an English Company, by Mr. Clegg, one for the railway from Lisbon to a point between Campo Grande and Benifica (the terminus to be a little northward of the Passeio Publico, or public gardens, and thence by the coast as far as Cascaes, taking in the small intermediate sea-bathing towns, and to Cintra. The other of Mr. Clegg's proposals is to continue the preceding railway northward by Coimbra to Oporto, and thence by Braganza to Spain. The third and last proposal which has been entertained is one by an English Company, by General Bacon, for the formation of a railway from Lisbon through Alemtejo by Evora to Elvas and Badajoz. An inconvenience connected with the latter project is, that it interferes directly with the contract already concluded between the Government and the Company dos Obras Publicos, for the construction of a railway between the same termini of Lisbon and Badajoz, by a line very little different. The Government is not disposed to meet this difficulty by releasing the Company dos Obros Publicos from this part of its engagement, and holding it responsible for the execution of the other works which it has undertaken—the