RAILWAY ARRANGEMENTS.
The dividend of the South-Western Railway for the past half-year is to be 31. 58. ; for the preceding half-year it was 21. 15s.; making a distribution for the year of 6 per cent.
The meeting of the Brighton Railway Company was held on Thursday. The tone generally was of a congratulatory character. During the past year the increase of receipts was 57,0001., and the expenditure had been augmented by 21,0001.-37 per cent on the receipts. No less than 51,0001. was spent in 1856 for renewals and replacements—the Brighton Company now keep their lines in thorough repair out of revenue. In 1848 the receipts were 4,53,0001.; in 1856, they had swelled to 776,000/. The Directors have examined the 8000 accounts of their constituency—all were found correct. A dividend of 34 per cent for the half-year was declared.
At the half-yearly meeting of the London and Westminster Bank, last week, a dividend and bonus were declared amounting to 9 per cent for the six months, and making 17 per cent for the year. The prosperity of the bank was reported to be still increasing. The amount of deposits is now 11,458,4611.: on the 1st July it was 11,170,0101. The rest or surplus fund has now attained the maximum fixed some time since by the proprietors-150,0001.; but taking into consideration the large augmentation in the deposits, the Directors advise that the rest should now be permitted to be increased gradually to 250,0001. : the matter stands over for decision at the next half-yearly meeting.
At a special meeting of the proprietors of the Bank of London, on Monday, a dividend at the rate of 5 per cent per annum was declared for the past six months : profits have not been high of late, owing to the particular circumstances of the times. Customers' balances now amount to 1,256,624/. on the 1st July last they were rather more-1,363,841/.
The Directors of the Bank of England have presented a bonus of 10 per cent on their salaries to all their clerks.
The English and Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company have declared a dividend at the rate of 6 per cent per annum.
The recent operations of the Australian Agricultural Company having resulted in a loss, there will be no dividend for the last half-year.
Government and the East India Company are willing to pay to the European and Indian Junction Telegraph Company, from the date of the completion of the telegraph, 12,000/. per annum for twenty-five years, or so much of that suns as shall be necessary to make up a dividend of 6 per cent. When the profits shall amount to 12 per cent, the Government and India House are to have the power of reducing the charges for messages.
The exports of coals during the last month were 318,930 tons, against 223,878 tons in December 18..5.5.
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