RAILWAYS.

DIVIDENDS AND VALUE OF SHARES. •

The table below shows the position of thirty-four Railways in regard to dividend and market-price of shares. The dividends recently declared for the last half-year are contrasted with those for the same period of 1854; the third column gives the original cost of the shares; the fourth and fifth, their value now and at the same period last year, when there had been a re- cent dealing in the London market. In a few cases the dividend, or lack of dividend, for the past half-year, has not yet been announced.

Amount paid on Original Shares.

Aberdeen nil

Bristol and Exeter Si. 5s. ... 21. 2s. 6d. ... Caledonian 11. 103. ... 1/. ...

Chester and Holyhead nil

East An nil

Eastern Union nil ... 29 .... 311 Eastern unties 78.

East Lancashire 21. Edinburgh and Glas- gow 11. 10a. ... 11. 100 Edinburgh, Perth, and Great Northern 2/. 17s. 6d. ... 3/.

nil ... 108. 8d. ... 100 • • • 20 . • • 261 ... 100 Dundee Great Southern and Western of Ireland 2/. ... 21. 10s. ... 100 ... 911 ...1061

Great Western 11. 103. 11.5.. 100 . eft . 60 Lancashire and York-

shire 2/. ... 2/. 2.r. 6d. ... 100 ... 741 . , • 821 Lancaster and Carlisle 31. 178. 6d. ... 3/. 15.5. ... 50 ... 76 ... 73

London and Blackwell 48. 6d. ... 3s. 6d. ... 111.6.. 3d. ... 81 ... n London and Brighton V. 4.1. ... 21. 188. ... 100 ... 971 ... 971 London and North- Western 21. 108. ... 21. 128. 64. ... London and South-

Western 2/. 101. Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Midland 11. 17s. 6d. 1/. 178. 6d. Midland Great West- ern of Ireland 2/. 10s. Newcastle and Carlisle 21. 15s. Norfolk 11. 10s. North British nil North-Eastern - Ber- wick 21. 2/. 5s.

9, Leeds

North London Oxford, Worcester,

and Wolverhampton nil ... nil ... 100 ... 29 ... 231

Scottish Central 2/. 108. ... - ... 100 ... 991 -101 Scottish Midland 11. 10s. ... - ... 100 ... - ... 74

South-Eastern 11. 13.1. 4d. ... 21. 4s. 2d. ... 100 ... 58 ... 66/ Stockton & Darlington 41. 108. ... 41. 10s. ... 25 ... - ... 36

The above figures have every chequered character : while some important railways have increased their dividends, others have been diminished ; three have advanced from " nil " to small dividends. With respect to the market-value of shams, only six are at or above par,-the Great Southern and Western of Ireland, the Lancaster and.Oarlis.le, the London and North- Western, the Stockton and Darlington, the Scottish Central, and the Mid- land Great Western of Ireland ; the last sells at par in Ireland, but there has been no recent bargain in London.

Dividends for Out six IRMO= of 11361. 1555.

6..

100 100 100 50 100 20 100 100

Value in 'the Market on 27th Rebinary 1855. 18445.

... 20 ... 261

' 57 12 13 , 13 13 ... 11 9 ... 991 -1011 ... 231 241 . 681 701 100 100 100 100 50• .. - . . -

100 ... - 96

100 51 51 100 . . 28 291 100 74 77 50

York ... 15201 ... 151 11. 78. 6d. ... 11. 128. 6d. 100

21. . 21. . . 100