▁J unction ▁to ▁discuss ▁am alg am ation , ▁but ▁was ▁re buff ed ▁by ▁the ▁W J R . ▁Over ▁the ▁three ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁years ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁the ▁divid end ▁on ▁the ▁C & W ' s ▁shares ▁( nom inal ▁value ▁£ 2 0 ) ▁amount ed ▁to ▁ 2 5 s   3 d ; ▁a ▁return ▁of ▁ 1 . 8 % ▁a ▁year . ▁In ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁the ▁C & W ' s ▁traffic ▁was ▁decl ining , ▁the ▁direct ors ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁recommend ▁a ▁half - year ▁divid end ▁any ▁greater ▁than ▁two ▁sh ill ings ▁( 1 % ▁a ▁year ) ▁and ▁some ▁share hold ers ▁thought ▁even ▁this ▁impr udent ▁as ▁it ▁left ▁almost ▁nothing ▁in ▁the ▁cont ing ency ▁fund . ▁The ▁market ▁price ▁for ▁C & W ▁shares ▁was ▁reported ▁to ▁be ▁£ 8   1 2 s . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁an ▁attempt ▁by ▁the ▁former ▁chairman ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁direct ors ▁revealed ▁t ensions ▁between ▁those ▁who ▁felt ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁being ▁run ▁by ▁and ▁for ▁' the ▁coal ▁interest ', ▁and ▁the ▁mine - own ers ▁who ▁thought ▁not ▁enough ▁was ▁being ▁done ▁to ▁assist ▁them . ▁The ▁F let ch ers ▁had ▁recently ▁opened ▁a ▁new ▁mine ▁at ▁Cross bar row ▁( west ▁of ▁Bridge foot ); ▁coal ▁raised ▁there ▁was ▁now ▁being