The Sun. — London, England, 1845-08-15 00:00:00

4C CIDEN T ON THE LONDON :1.4 BIR MING II All RAILWAY. till'areiseterday ADJOURNED INQUEST. ult h ient?sra s ni f: e ea n , was resumed the inquiry into the death of Mr. before Mr. Thomas Wakley, Esq., M.P., at Tree Tavern, New-road, St. l'ancras, near the ter j of the London and Birmingham Railway. tl iss ° Hulse, the railway policeman, was recalled. He stated its tithe luggage train being three-quarters of an hour behind l en ,„.. a te on the morning of the accident, it of course remained to the time than usual the up-line. Has written instructions as fo ur t ime of starting. They were delivered to him about tot, to t enths since. Considers Captain Bruyers, superintend s his master. Is subject to fines for neglect of duty. 4;7 lescttie know of any per s on being fined iu consequence of the lnt, nor of any of the railway servants having received e i tot ;e io t n hat they would be dismissed. Has been in his present on the railway for a year and eight mouths, and during tiltrolit_leriod the time appointed for the starting of the luggage been has been altered several times. Its time of departure has 2a 42ade earlier. The Liverpool Mail should have arrived at basi n " te e past five o'clock on the morning of the accident. ti n ,g the last three months the Lggage train has some teren started to its time, and sometimes it has not—the dif half ee in th e time of starting varying from two minutes to nu ert a e a r hcor. Has known one luggage train to leave at a p astf -est six o'cleck. The time ot starting was a quarter se ter e ar "clock. That occurred some time ago. The clerks 'tketlthe time that the train starts. The time is registered ks s i o Y: It is n o t hi s d uty to ma k e any report in case of the th st „tieing late, un l ess some acc id en t had occurred. Believes i tsi. ,"!tt clerks on guard make a report. The starting of the the I , entirely under the control of Mr. Frost, the clerk. ti „ .. guard is bound to wait until he receives the invoice and the i o lu'el from the clerk. Mr. Frost holds the office called weigh t:, cl erk. Mr. Frost is under the control of Mr. Mills, the qniitendent of the gocds department. Did not see Mr. attendance on the mot ping of the accident. Has seen w oot a i l !la in attendance on the starting of the quarter-past four 4" 1 „ i uggage-train. He is present, perhaps, once or twice Cannot say under whose authority Mr. Mills acts. ttsi ss. i n Bruyers does not attend at the starting of the luggage lie has the general control of the railway. Has seen Bruyers at the station as early as nine o'clock in the morn -15. Recollects th a t w i t hi n th e last three months the train cidarted later, but does not recollect that it has once been an kti sa r d a half behind the time. The proper time for the b' etoe , of the Liverpool train is twenty-two minutes past five It essh ‘ . Ltt the morning. The engine was driven by Hums the Has known the engine to arrive as early as it did on Thereorntng o f t h e acc id en t, b u t that was some time back. the it :" no whistle to signify the arrival of the mail - train on k s •lng of the accident. the AKl•ev—And is there no one on the spot to p oint out i exp e , - l e ,u,f leaving a train on the up-line when a mail train kider e d 4l 7" "—The witness said that there was not. He con • Liv en , `''e accident was owing to the untimely arrival of the 'a ttl i t tti; l : r ° e l t nailstrain. He also said he was in error when he was no whistle. He heard the signal whistle in the Il s and the cutting. near the station. Saw the funnel of Re %J . l . ine a very few seconds after the whistle, but there was eelif;" to do anything to avoid the c.alisioti. There is no Passenger trains, but one is wrung to show the arrival theel mouth or goods trains. The bell for cattle or goods is at „ltith of the tunnel. Witness cannot always hear when it t hw lisa t ain Bruyers said, be resides at 65, in the Haymarket. general superintendent of the London and Birmingham driv er a y. Has no fixed time fur his duties. Humsvverth, the t, so ' had a book of instructions given to him. His arrival ttru,,,, e arle an hour is provided for by the fifth article of in net-Lens, which enjoins him to take a time table with him, hu i 3Oulate his speed according to it. The fifth article men tioos Nuithrnent consequent upon a breach of its regula es,' The time-keeper o f the train is the upper guard. The t h e e left Tring at 20 minutes pa-t four on the morning of tu t ; lt eeident. The strict time for starting is 21 minutes past thu s The engine arrived in town at three minutes past five ; tan, Performing the distance in forty-three minutes. The dis fe, ' m onl Tring to the spot where the accident occurred is it t i than thirty miles. The train arrived nine minutes before ki e „ s ra , ° . The proper time allowed to run thirty miles is sixty thetnutes, but three minutes are allowed for stoppage, so the distance is performed in fifty-eight minutes. br Ju ror—HasHumsworth, the driver, ever been fined for n itefore his time before this accident ? Witness—Yes, ?II 11 10 !: WAXLEy—Do you know this for certain ? Witness — I 1 eve he ha s , b u t cannot say for certain that he has been Ms sr, Ts a xtey—Was he reported to you ? Witness—Yes ; lil a ," as ten minutes before his time at Leighton, on the 24th tep4 t and came into collision with the goods train. He was e Lto me on that occasion. lVi t " w AeLEY—And you reported the fact to the Directors ? he 4 5 "-Yes ; there are directions given that in foggy weather the shall come farther than Chalk Farm-bridge , and t hat iilluistle shall be kept constantly going. ai r r e , worth was then called into the room, upon which 4 Wi th . WAxeey said it was his intention to have called him as %ul t ra!, but in consequence of the evidence just given . he he s% nit do so. If he (Humsworth) wished to call any wit he would have an opportunity of tieing so. It would be r h im to watch the proceedings, as there was a great deal yilr-eonsibility attached to him. Mtees, the Deputy Coroner, then read over Captain Itlidstoeearretienvgidence to Humsworth. the r• W AKLEY—It has been shown that the proper time for of the goods train was a quarter past four o'clock. ko rai ' not appear that there was anything to delay it on the g of the accident. t he y e % itueas here observed that he had already stated that Wilk naail contributed to delay it, as did also the fog. t ' WAeLey Dyou attribute blame to any person? Af tn : s a - -e w No.. ° ~A KLEy—Then what is there to he corrected? Here 4 0 : train 48 minutes behind its time, and another 19 minutes AN:, its time, and these facts must be attributable to some th• , Witness—The goods train was detained by the fog, she 71E mail by the delay of goods and the trouble of forming Itsd -a m• The length of the train was not so much as 350 th e l a ' Allowing 15 feet iu length for each of the 47 waggons, 4 0 - ,teu.s t s s u would be 235 yards. 'fhe guard of the train is Tagd to remain until he is instructed to leave by Mr. Frost. d a 'igna!s at the Camden Town Station are a red board by th;" an 't a red light at night. If the weather were foggy, 'lgnal could not be seen. The policeman has no in wetienhteorniss foggy. f 0 down to the tunnel with the light when the f or rnaworin handed in a statement of the time of his arrival thesome time ,past. It differed slightly from the one given in u l omir last witness. He in some instances admitted a greater rr of minutes before time than the foregoing statement tiented. ~,V44trptain Rruyers said, in reply to a question from the Co hut t i t that the engine-drivers generally carried watches, knew th e time by long practice, and also the speed th were going. Humsworth was never reported ,4,• ; 'or they his premature arrivals, nor was he punished. Mr. the superintendent of the locomotive department. t isi r „? no spec ified amount of fine for arriving before time. , tiv e rte a di scre ti onar y power. Witness does not engage the has „ - ' 8 ; th a t f a ll s w ithin Mr. Berry's department, and witness tb u , s - t ° eontrol w h a t ever over it. The book of instructions is to be revised and remodelled. t o e e r ii Waxtxv then asked Mr. Frost if he had any witnesses , lab:, appsared that he had the control of the train, which el ,"llid time when it was struck. if he had any statemen tio , re it would be listened to by the jury ; but he had a taißb.° ` ay that it might be used against him afterwards. He if he could, show that delay was unavoidable, or that it 4 1 Part of the system of the railway. lei s :. Prost said that great difficulties often p-esented th Ikeei B o'ith regard to the luggage-trains, and rendered it im -111,. et o get up the train for the appointed time. of h; 1 n' AKLEY asked for the record of the time of starting 'uggage-train during the past month, and it was sent for. uf t maworth then expressed a sirendee call Wm. Finch, one , englee-drivers of the luggagein. t b /ist Willi s - } :in Finch was accordingly ealled and sworn—He stated wzs an engine-driver belonging to the London and ee rie Railway. Was present when the accident oc `i g t fi ' a nd was engaged in oiling the engine of th e g oods - train. th e t e o'clock witness remarked that the mail was nearly due ; b ,4t !i t ' jul d go off the line. He accordingly backed the engine ; 'ache ordered back on the line to have some waggons at °Nee'. The number of engines was 67. He obeyed the q,„ h " , arid went down as far as Chalk Farm-bridge, and there for e rP , e , d t A delay of three or four minutes then occurred be es; r collision took place. Did not see the engine until it ti, o - e e lose on his own. Heard the whistle, but there was no 4,, e , s t ° get out of the way. Has known Humsworth six or et us i Years, and has always known him as a good driver. Had s s , ic led the main rails about four times on the morning of the the intro' Cannot say who should be blamed for the delay of tki, e - sgage train. It had not more waggons than usual at titre.'" Has had as many as seventy or eighty waggons and !jou; engines to the luggage train. Has received no mstruc -14 tw with reference to his time. The rate allowed for goods ees ta ! n tY miles per hour. Has driven passengers. There are ts 4o ,M time s t o stop a t th e stations, and the engine must be j to that time. t0 R , 9 , 1 / 4 neprard, a stoker, was examined—ls stoker to the taiir e which Humsworth, the driver, was on—the Liverpool ei R4 at the time o f the accident. On leaving the tunnel, the th e 1 1 . 4 of r' all's right" was made by the policeman ; remembers es t enet distinctly. The engine was going at the rate of eight si to n Miles an h o ur when it struck. Could not see the red pals on account of the fog. When there is anything in the Itti o :in the line, they expect a signal at the mouth of the su e l a h r eply to the CORONER, Capt. Bruyers said the cost of an engine as No. 91 would be about 1,4001. •tru e ,t ar ge Walker, the foreman of the locomotive department at N s men-town, was ten called, and said the value of the engine m at least 1,0001.; the value of the tender 3001. of WAKLEY summed up. After going through the main de ur ea of the evidence, he said that there had been no evi trumol to explain the cause of the premature arrival of the ta b These arrivals were explained by Captain Bruyers dep e : i dangerous. The irregularity of the arrivals and *cled ur ea involved serious consideration, and the only that er was, not that an accident had taken place, but alt many more accidents had not occurred. The Coroner its th Yd to the difficulty which existed as respected the law 'Ale is ; e aseobserved that the parties most in peril in this tltiy,',, 4l Consequence of the accident, were Humsworth, the 84 0 ' 4 ' and James Frost, whose duty it was to forward the lug hes, train according to the instructions which he had. At the 'ls s „:19 1 e, he could not but observe upon the want of precise esus,," meta existed as respected instructions to the servants of the eith e r r lq , and the want of a system of fining the men for being h ot ihr.oe e st ar at l i y on or s. too late in their arrival at, or their departure at e jury retired at half-past three o'clock, and returned d ete ll u arter to fi ve th e f o ll o wing verdict :—" We find that the eass se a d e l , Charles Dean, died from an injury to his left leg, ttlie„ h uy accidental collision of trains on the London and Bir- I%10:'91a:ro, o Railway, near to Camden-town ; to the Company of that railway movedg in toe the de „ h lelonging taak of the d ecease d, an d that its value is 1,000!., and they deli s , e a deodand of the said engine to the extent of 1,000/. In rie„ 'mg this verdict, the jury express their opinion that the eon, a n regulations of the London and Birmingham Railway —Pan their • d ° at v et , Y. or the guidance of Fervants have been came eoe sid Y Inefficiently for some time past ; and further, the jury er that' the area of the Camden- town station, and the t of h • es s u y Withrtahies p t u e b r li e c l s a a ni fe d ty 7, are too much cramped consist. aoele °RC ESTER REGATTA.—The inhabitants of the regatta tit} of W orcester h ave b een thi s wee k en li vene d b y a Dar ts _, the attra c ti ons o f w hi c h ha v e d r awn peopl e f rom a ll wedet. the Country t o Worcester. The sailing matches on elvern commenced on Tuesday, and were continued on 'Port esd aY, but the continued rains materially damaged the ' cif. as the cur - rent was stronger than desirable for the dis- [ nautical k"1 A b ERTISEMENT.]—DR. DE DASSEL, OF VAN lett EN S LANs AND HOLLOWAY'S PlLLS.—Extract of a 'Mkr e e r nn John Knight, Esq., dated " Launceston, Ist of tiled 7 1 g ; 5 .-- ProfessorHolloway,—llear Sir, I am autho haii, 'I pr. de Da t ssel, of this colony, to inform you that, Ve tt ! w i tnessed here in several instances the extraordinary 41 M, ~a ; ° ' , Your pills he in consequence is induced to say that you le a Ke use of his name as attesting their efficacy. Signed, 4 4„ - „ n 'ght, Carr Villa, late proprietor of the Launceston 4 3'st ~. These pills act upon the foundation of the 1 414 1 - : thus curing the most deep-rooted complaints, even n,oll,: v e'Y other treatment has failed.—Sold at Professor Vtirlth;`4l's Establishment, 2 , 14, Strand ; and by all respectable' r ' s of medicine throughout the civilised wit/titl. at et" ° A La '" roue to ,D• y es tr Nro 1:0 111 °6 ' don i age op••' 50. .... % ,to, 3' 6.i 3 4 4 , ••' ;r -".. 'e11• 0 r ." 4 0 'Alt # jeir 1 a t 1 1 $`%;0 11 jic;i‘e of leclde r o t E IMNDON, FRI DA I EVEN ING, AUGUST 15, 18416. RAILWAYS and the PARLIAMENT. The Upper House appears inclined to give heart and hand in facilitatirg railway legislation. Lord Monteagle's suggestion, that Railway Bills should be canmenced in whichever House was ready to receive them, has been favourably received, and will probably he acted upon. The present system is absurd. All the Railway Bills were first submitted to the House of Commons, and having passed that branch of the Legislature, went to the House of Lords at such an advanced period of the session that nothing could exceed the " quick haste" employed to pass them all before the prorogation. A Contemporary says :—" An improvement on that would be to have but one Committee, composed jointly of Lords and Commons, to sit on the Bill, and of course but one investiga tion. That would save much time and expense."—lt is not likely that Parliament would agree to such an arrangement, albeit a very desirable one. Perhaps it may not be to late to establish three local Boards —in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh—with power to examine into the merits of, and necessity for, railway projects for Eng land, Ireland, and Scotland. This would confine Parliament to the strictly legislative proceedings on such projects. It would save the enormous expense of witnesses in London, and would secure for each project more definite and full investigation than it now poss;bly caa receive from Members of Parliament, who—with all due deference be it said—generally know very little about railway gauges, inclined plains, plants, traffic. bridges, viaducts, tunnels, embankments, and other matters of that sort. _ . . It is very desirable, if Parliamentary Committees are to sit in judgment ,upon railway projects, that they should examine and decide a ithout the intervention of lawyers. We have a high respect for the profession, but think its members sadly out of place when acting as the paid partisans of this or that railway proposer or objector before a Committee. The questions which railway committees have to inquire into involve matter of fact, and not of law. There is no occasion for the employ ment of counsel. The expense is enormous, and comes out of the fund which would be better employed in making the rail way. If the project be rejected, the immense fees paid to counsel come out of the pockets of those who have paid deposits on allotted shares. The Commission en the gauges, now sitting, have acted most properly in deciding not to hear legal men. To " make the worse appear the better reason" is the duty of these gen tlemen, and the investigation of truth is rarely aided by them. We venture to say that, had the Parliamentary Committees not beers obliged to hear counsel, they would have completed their business in less time and in a more satisfactory manner. A plain statement of the case, pro and con, and the examination of witnesses, would have been all that was necessary. The speeches of counsel did but confuse, and mystify, and darken the minds of plain men.—Railway Express. GREAT EMBARRASSMENT AMONG SPECULATORS. The totall% unexpected amalgamation of the Hud dersfield, Ilidifax, and Bradford Union Railway with the Manchester and Leeds Railway Company has had the most extraordinary and unhappy effect on great numbers of speculators in shares in Leeds and the neighbouring towns. According to the fatal system which prevails so extensively, of persons selling shares without possessing them, on the speculation of being able to buy them at a lower price before the time comes for their delivery, a vast number of these shares bad been sold in the market, no less, it is said, than eighty thousand. The number of shares originally announced in the prospectus of this railway was only fifteen thousand, and the number which the committee have actually to allot, according to the agreement with the Manchester and Leeds, is only seven thousand five hundred. As soon as the arrange ment with the latter Company was known, the shares sprung up from 30s. to 101., 12/., and even 151., partly owing to the real value of the shares as stock of the Mancester and Leeds Company, and partly from the rush into the market of those who had previously sold shares, to obtain them for delivery. The consequence has been the absolute inability of those who had pre viously sold on speculation to fulfil their bargains ; and this inability is all but univer•al both among brokers and their clients. Under these extraordinary circumstances the members of the Lee,is Stock Exchange met on Thursday, and adopted the following resolutions : " That no buyer of shares in any projected railway where the scrip was not issued at the date of the con tract shall be allowed to buy in such shares against the seller; but that the members of the Exchange be required to do their utmost to effect a just and amicable arrange ment with each other of any contracts for such shares in which they have been engaged, and be bound to abide by the decision of the Committee of management as to the mode of such arrangement. That no dealings be here after permitted in shares of which the scrip is not issued, with the exception of such transactions as may be entered into with the express view of promoting the settlement of transactions now open." It is believed that it will be agreed to receive about 51. per share, instead of the market price. In the Leeds Association of Sharebrokers, we understand that it has been determined to repudiate altogether the bargains in this railway, on the alleged ground that the Committee have not fulfilled the expectations held out in their pro spectus as to the number of shares to be allotted to the public. All bargains in shares where the scrip has not been issued being illegal, payment cannot be enforced by law ; but we need not say what the effect of the re pudiation must be on the parties. In at least one other town of the West Riding the same state of things exists as in Leeds. The Huddersfield, Halifax, and Bradford Union not being thought likely to succeed, the shares were sold (or beared, in the phrase of the speculators) to an immense extent ; and the consequences are of the most disastrous character.—Leeds Mercury. RAILWAY PROJECTS —THE MANCHESTER AND SOUTHAMPTON. Among the railway projects of the day none is of more importance to the borough of Cheltenham than the projec ted line from Manchester to Southampton, advertised in ourcolumns this week. " The Manchester and Southamp ton," or more correctly the Cheltenham and Southampton, is designed fir a direct communication between the increasing port of Southampton, southward, and the manufacturing dis•ricts of the Midland Counties, north ward, making Cheltenham the point at which it will unite with the Birmingham and Gloucester line. At whichever point of view we look at this project, whether as one of national or local importance, whether in re spect of the probability of its Parliamentary success, or the certainty of its financial success when carried into completion, it offers advantages to the investment of capital equal or superior to any of the lines by which the country is intersected. Looking at the map of England we find the only mode of transit from Southampton to the north is by the circuitous route of the South Western to London, and thence by the London and Birming ham to Manchester and Liverpool, while Cheltenham is onlj reached by the doubly circuitous route of the South Western and the Great Western. By this line a direct communication will be made with these important inland capitals, the line running via Marlborough, Swindon, and Cirencester, direct to Cheltenham, and carried thence partly on the Birmingham and Gloucester and Grand Junction lines to Manchester and Liverpool. On the importance of a direct communication with Southampton, it is only necessary to mention, that it is the packet-station fur the port of Havre, the Peninsular, and the East and West India passenger traffic ; a ready means of reaching which is of peculiar importance to a fashionable inland watering-place like Cheltenham. The port of Southampton i . sclf is rapidly growing into im portance—the exports,' which ten years ago were only sixty or seventy thousand pounds annually, have now reached thri e millions, and would, in the opinion of competent judgei, immediately rise to ten millions on the completion of a direct communication with the source of supply ; its imports are also very considerable, and its passenger traffic to and from foreign countries amounts to between forty and fifty thousand annually. It is needless to say, that a great portion of this immense traffic Would be directed through the proposed line. To prove that this line has a cert tinty of being com pleted, it is only necessary to say, that the proprietors of the northern lines are deeply interested in its formation; to the Birmingham and Gloucester Company, the Grand Juticti(4), the Derby and Midland, the North Stafford shire, and other northern lines, the formation of the Southampton extension would bring an immensely in creased traffic. Already we understand the applications fur shares are unprecedentedly numerous, and the only thing want( d to ensure its success, is that amount of local support which its own merits will command. At Southampton, the scheme is looked upon as of vital con sequence ; an announcement is this day published wherein the town council of the borough has passed an unanimous vote of approval, and a requisition, with 500 resident signatures, has been presented to the mayor, for a public meeting, to stamp on the undertaking the sanc tion of public approval. The same feeling will, no doubt, be exhibited in Cheltenham, which, as a resort for the traveller and valetudinarian, must be especially in terested in procuring a ready communication with this outport of the East and West India traffic.—Cheltenham Examiner. SCOTCH RAILWAYS. The various lines lately projected to pass into and through Ayrshire will, in all likelihood, obtain the sanc tion of the ensuing Parliament. The Provisional Di rectors of the Caledonian Extension met a deputation of the Ayrshire and Caledonian Junction at Edinburgh, on the 6th inst., when the former resolved to carry out, in its integrity, their proposed line from Lanark to Ayr, with a branch from Muirkirk to Abbington ; and con sidering the importance of the Ayrshire Junction, as affording the Caledonian Extension a connexion with Kilmarnock, the directors offered, if required, to work that line at the lowest rates of charge, and instructed their engineer to adapt the Caledonian Extension line, as far as possible, both in line an,' levels, to the Ayrshire Junction. The Provisional Directors of the Kilmarnock and Ayr Direct, and of the Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan lines have been in correspondence about fixing upon a central terminus at Kilmarnock ; and their respective engineers have been instructed, if pos sible, to unite both lines there with the Ayrshire and Caledonian Junction—so that Kilmarnock, which was despised and rejected at the formation of the Glasgow and Ayr line, in all probability is to become the radius 01 railways in Ayrshire. The projected line from Ayr to Portpatrii k is deservedly popular, and shares are ac cordingly at a considerable premium. CLONMEL, AUG. 13._ FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) —I beg leave to inform you, thA the weather since Saturday evening has been very fine—this day is beautifully so. If it continues so for ten days the wheat will be generally cutting here, and the crop will be an abundant one. By reference to one of my former letters, you will find that I was right as re garded the quantity in the hands of factors and millers. A field of wheat in the suburbs of this town is being cut down this . day. We never had so good a crop of barley, oats, and pot D INNER TO THE SONS OF BURNS.—We learn from the Inverness Co,' ier that the inhabitants of that city gave a grand dinner on Wednesday week to the sons of Burns, who are at present on a tour in the Highlands. Upwards of ninety gentlemen sat down to dinner at the Caledonian Hotel, and the evening was passed in the true spiz it of old Highland hos pitality. The honoured guests were presented with the free dom of the city. RUNNING MATCH ON WATERLOO-BRlDGE.Yes terday morning the 120 yards' race between Warne and Til ling came off, over the stipulated distance, on Waterloo bridge. The stakes were 101. At the start Warne took the lead, but was quickly passed by his opponent, ivho won easily by suoiard. RELATIVE CLOSING PRICES OF RAILWAY SHARES IN THE PRINCIPAL CITIES AND TOWNS IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND. Dublin. 6% 6 1 4 7% 2 11% 235. 6d.1 2 3 4 RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY. The half-) early general treetit.g of the Proprietors of his company was held, pursuant to the Act of Parlia ment, at the Bristol Railway-static n, yesterday, for the general purpeses of business. Mr. C. Russell, M.P., tuck the chair at one o'clock. The attendance of Proprietors was very numerous, the large room in which the meeting was held being com pletely filled. Aug.l3. I e notice covening the meeting having been read by Th Mr. Saunders, n Secretary to the cempany, The CHAIRMAN said, that at the last half-yearly meeting of the Proprietors the Directors submitted to them the various schemes they had in contemplation for the protection of their own interests, and for affording more extensive accommodation to the publie, and it was most satisfactory to the Directors that all those schemes had been practically carried out.—(Hear.) The Cornish line was the only one in which they had taken any active interest which had not passed into law ; and that pro ject might rather be regarded as having been postponed than as having been defeated. The Cornish line had received the sanction of the House of Commons, but was ejected by the Lords, under circumstances which justified the belief that the general scheme met their approval, and that their assent was with held from it only in order that it might undergo some modification and improvement. The South \Vales and the Monmouth and Hereford lines were considered undertakings of such great national importance that the Legislature departed from its usual course to sanction them, though it was found necessary to postpone that portion of the project rclat ng to the passage of the Se vern. He (the Chairman) believed that the mode in which Mr. Brunel proposed to pass that river would have effected a substantial improvement in its navigation; but the Board of Admiralty thought otherwise, and it was therefore nt cessary to postpone the further consideration of this portion of the plan. He hoped, however, that before the next session of Parliament the Directors of the Great Western Company, with the assistance of Mr. Brunel, would be prepared to recommend some plan for connecting the great western railways with the impor tant principality of Wales, which might meet the objec tions to the former proposition. The Oxford and Wol verhampton and the Oxford and Rugby lines had involved the Great Western Company in a somewhat severe contest with the Birmingham Railway Company; but he wished it to be distinctly understood that the Great Western Company had not been the firat to adopt mea sures of hostility and aggression. —(Hear, hear.) The success which had attended the lines of railway projected by the Great Western Company was, in his opinion, and as had been stated in the House of Commons, mainly attributable to their adaptation to the wants of the districts through which they passed. Ile could assure them it would never be the policy or the purpose of the Great Western Railway Company to strain the principle of competition, either for their own undue aggrandisement, or for the wanton injury of their neighbours.—(Hear, hear.) The success which had attended the various schemes they had submitted to Parliament had rendered it necessary for the Directors to consider to what extent end in what mode the capital of the Company should be increased. The Directors . , taking a prospective view of their financial position for the four years from 1845 to 1848, found that they would require, during that period, about 1,600,0001. for the new works in contemplation, and about 600,0001. to pay the debentures and loan ' notes which would fall due within that time. That amount, 2,200,000/ a was nearly equal to one-half of their present share capital ; and the Directors had, there fore, thought it advisable to issue new shares, in the ratio of one-half new share to the holders of each whole old share. Ten per cent. only would be called for immediately on the new shares, and the remainder of the " calls,' he hoped, would not be required until 1847, and 1848, by which time many of the new works would be completed, and the receipts of the Company would be - proportionably increased. The proprietors must regard with satisfaction the steady progressive increase which had taken place in the receipts of the Company, notwithstanding the reduction of their charges upon passengers and merchandise. The projected line of railway from Oxford to Worcester would necessarily give rise to two - other schemes—a railway from Oxford to Cheltenham, a distance of about 20 miles, and a line from Worcester to Port Dynllaen, which would afford the most direct line of communication with Ireland. The Directors had desired Mr. Brunel to survey that part of the country, and be (the Chairman) was convinced the proprietors would arm them with power to render any aid and assistance to companies formed with the object of carrying out those lines which they might consider advisable. The hon. gentleman then called on the secretary to read the report. The SECRETARY then read the report as follows : The Directors present on this occasion the usual accounts of ine.trne and expenditure for the information of the Pro prietors, which they trust will be considered as satisfactory evidence of the progressive prosperity of their affairs. The line from Kemble to Gloucester was opened for public use on the 12th May last ; and the revenue account, therefore, comprehends the receipts over that portion of line during the interval to the 30th June. The rent for the use of the Bristol station by the Bristol and Gloucester Raikkay Company from the Bth July last, and for their use of the line between Stone house and Gloucester from the 12th of May, are included in the same account ; while the interest of money for the period antecedent to the opening from Kemble to Gloucester is carried to the credit of the Company, in diminution of that which has been paid during the construction of the works. The arbitration which was pending to determine the com pensation receivable for the conveyance of mails up to the 22d of June, 1844, has been closed by an award which has brought to the credit of revenue a further sum for that service. The Postmaster-General has thought fit to require another (being the third arbitration) in respect of the mail services performed by this Company since that date. - X. s. d. I The total receipts to the 30th of June are 433,296 16 2 The expenditure for the same period Leaving a balance of ........£274,929 12 It) During the last half-year two calls have been made upon the Proprietors, which entitle them to a dividend upon an in creased capital of 408,0561. After defraying the interest on money borrowed, and the rent of the Bristol and Exeter Rail way, the nett income will admit of a dividend of 41. per cent being paid on the whole capital called up—viz., on 4,080,656/., and the Directors recommend that such dividend be now de clared payable on the Ist of September next. The amount of it will absorb 163,226/. 4s. 9d., and leave a balance of 1,6961. ss. 7d. to be carried to the next account. During the last half-year considerable reductions have been made both in the fares of passengers and charges on merchan dise, which, before an increased traffic can be attracted on the line and developed, will naturally have had some influence in diminishing the receipts of the Company. The Directors, how • ever, feel with confidence that the result will eventually justify the steps they have taken, and that the future revenue will be improved by the lower rates of charge. The Directors derive great satisfaction from being enabled to record in this report the success of their several important ap plications to Parliament during the recent session. The royal assent has been given to Bills for snaking the following lines, viz.:— The Berks and Hants Railway ; The Oxford and Rugby Railway ; The Monmouth and Hereford Hailway ; The Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway ; The Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway ; The South Wales Railway. It is intended at a general meeting, convened immediately after the half-yearly meeting, to apply for the sanction of the Proprietors to a purchase of the three first-mentioned rail ways, so as to form one complete amalgamation of them with the Great Western Rail Nay Company, in the same manner as was heretofore arranged with the Oxford Railway. Steps will then be forthwith taken for constructing those lines under the exclusive management and control of this Board of Directors. The Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway, and the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway will be held by this Company permanently under Lease—upon a guaranteed rent with contingent advantages to their Shareholders, under agreements which will hereafter be submitted for the formal approval of a general meeting of this Company. The South Wales Railway Company has been assisted by a contribution only from this Company as Subscribers to their capital under the resolution of the last half-yearly meeting, but without any lease or engagement to work it. In addition to these measures, all of vital importance to the future welfare of this Company, the Directors may mention that the Bill for securing the lease and possession of the West London Railway to the Great Western and the London and Birmingham Railway Companies jointly, in equal moieties, has also been passed during the same Session. The Directors consider that the time has at length arrived when, upon a careful review of the engagements contracted by this Company in the shape of loans for the completion, as well of the Cheltenham anti the Oxford Railways, as of the Great Western, regard being also had to the prospective wants fur the new lines just sanctioned by Parliament, provision may be advantageously made by the creation of additional Shares. It seems obviously the interest of the Proprietors in any such operation to keep steadily in view the maintenance at least of the present rate of dividend on the subscribed capital, and the Directors confidently entertain the opinion that, exercising prudent caution in that respect, a new subscription may be no i raised to the amount of one -half of the p resent shares n this Company. For such purposes they recommend that the sum of 2,325,0001. be capitalised in 93,000 quarter shares of 251. each ; and that the other be made rateably to each Proprietor who may be registered upon the books on the 6th September next, of one half t he amount held by him in shares, viz.:—two quarter shares in respect of the 1001. share—one quarter share in respect of the 501. share—two quarter shares in respect of five 20/. shares. The Directors should be empowered to arrange equitably between any Proprietors holding less than five of the fifth shares of 20/. each, so as to distribute among them the fair value of any fractional parts of the new share ; and in the event of re fusal, or neglect, to accept and pay upon the quarter shares, within a prescribed time, authority sho uld be given to dispose of such shares for the benefit of the Company. They propose that a deposit of 21. 10s. on each quarter share, should be made payable on the Bth October, and that no further call should be made for at least six months. The whole sum will probably be required within four years, and the Directors will call for it as may be found expedient. The same dividend will be paid from time to time, rateably with other shares, on the amount of deposit or calls which may have been paid up, but not upon the nominal amount of the new shares. The re-purchase has been made of the moiety of the line between Gloucester and Cheltenham, and the amount claimed has been paid or invested u nder the provisions of the Acts of Parliament relating thereto, within the time prescribed ; but the Directors have not th ou g ht it desirable yet to complete the line into Cheltenham , o r to build the station there, in conse quence of the new railway contemplated between that town and the Oxford and Worcester Railway, at Shipton under Wych wood, which would probably render the intermediate outlay on any buildings unprofitable, at all events until the future plans can be more distinctly defined. The Directors have been obliged to forego for the present all the advantages of giving an improved station, and accommodation for traffic, at Gloucester, in consequence of a legal question having been raised as to the right of this Company to the land bought for that express pur pose ; and in the meantime this Company are merely in pos session of the premises under a temporary arrangement with the Birmingham and . Gloucester Railway Company. In the next session it will be necessary not only to promote the line referred to between Shipton under W) chwood and Cheltenham, but also to connect the Monmouth and Hereford Railway with the . Swindon line at Gloucester. These two measures are essential to complete the chain of direct commu nication between the railways constructed by this Company and the whole western districts of South Wales, Monmouthshire, and Herefordshire, through Cheltenham and Gloucester. Arrangements have been made with two local Companies to apply to Parliament for Bills to carry eut those lines, for which purpose Alr. Brunel has been appointed the engineer. NAMES OF RAILWAYS. I Lon, Aberdeen Arbroath and Forfar Ditto Half Shares . Armagh, Colr., & Portrush Belfast and Ballymena Belfast and County Down Birknhd, Lan. & Ches, Joe. Birmingham and Glo'ster Do. New ( iss. at 7 1 ,1 dis.) Ditto Half Shares . Birminghm & Oxfrd. Junc. Blckburn, Chrly, & N. Un. Blackburn, Darwn, & Boltn Bolton, Wigan, & Liverpl. Brighton, Lewes, and Hast Bristol and Exeter Ditto New Bristol and Gloucester . Caledonian . Ditto Extension Cambridge and Lincoln Chester and Birkenhead Ditto New Shares Ditto Half Shares Chester and Holyhead Cheltenham and Oxford Chichester and Brighton Churnet Valley Clydesdale Junction Cork and Bandon Cork and Killarney Cork and Waterford Cork and Youghal Coventry and Leicester Cornwall . Diss, Beccles, and Yannoth Direct Northern Direct Norwich . ...... Dublin and Belfast Junet. Dublin, Belfast, & Colraine Dublin and Galway Dundalk and Enniskillen Dundee and Arbroath Ditto New...... Dundee and Perth . Eastern Counties Do. New . Do. Perp., 5 pr Cnt., No. 1 Do. ditto No. 2 East Dereham & Norwich Eastern Union Ditto Extension Edinbgh, Glas., and Dum Edinburgh and Glasgow Do. Quarter Shares Do. New Quarter Shares Edinb., Leith, and Granton Ditto Pref. 5 per Cent. Edinburgh and Northern Edinburgh and Peebleshire Edinburgh and Perth Ely and Bedford Enniskillen and Sligo Exeter, Yeovil, & Dora str Garnkirk and Glasgow Glasgow and Ayr Do. Quarter Shares....•• Glasgow and Greenock Ditto New Ditto Preference Glasgow, Dmfries, and Car. Goole and Doncaster Grand Junction. Ditto Half Shares Ditto Quarter Shares Ditto New Quarters Ditto Eighths Grand Union Great Grimsby & Sheffield Gt Sothrn & Warn (Irelnd) - Ditto Extension ... Great Munster ... .•• Great Northern of Scotlnd Great Northern of Englnd Do. New, Shares Do. New, 301. Shares Great Western Ditto Half Shares Ditto Fifths _ _ Farehm, & Ports. Harwich . Hudrsfld & Man. R. & Canl Huddersfield and Sheffield Hull and Gainsborough Hull and Selby Ditto Half Shares. Ditto Quarter Shares Inverness and Elgin ... Kendal and Windermere.. Kingstown and Bray Killarney Junctions Lancaster and Carlisle..... Leeds and Bradford Leeds and Dewsbury Leeds and Thirsk Leeds and W. Riding June Leicester and Birmingham Leicester and Bedford Limerick and Waterford Limrck, Ennis,& RH. June Lincoln, York, and Leeds Liverpool and Manchester Ditto Half Shares Ditto Quarter Shares Livrpl, Ormskirk, & Prestn London and Birmingham. Ditto Thirds . Ditto Quarters London and Blackwall Lon. & Man.(Remington's) London and Brighton Do. Cnsolidated Eighths London and Croydon. Ditto New Do. Guarantd. 5 per cent London and Greenwich Do. Prefrnc. or Privilege London & South Western Do. New Cons. Eighths Do. New, 501. Shares Do. New, 401. Shares London and York ........ London and Windsor Londe, Salisbury, & Yeov Londonderry and Coleraine Londonderry & Enniskillen Lynn and Ely Lynn and Dereham ...... Manchester and Leeds Ditto Half Shares . Ditto Quarter Shares Ditto Sixteenths Manchester & Birminghm Ditto Quarter Shares Do. New Quarter Shares Manchestr, Bolton, & Bury Manchstr, Bury, & Rosend Manchstr, Buxtn, & Matlk Midland Ditto Fifths Ditto New Do. Cons. Birm. & Derby Midland Gt Westrn (Irish) Do. Extension to Sligo Nwcastl & Darhngtn Junc Do. New (Brandling) Newcastle and Berwick Newcastle and Carlisle Newport and Abergavenny Newry and Enniskillen Newark and Sheffield North British . Ditto Half Shares Northern and Eastern Do. Scrip (iss. at 5 dis.) Do. Quarter Shares North Kent North Staffordshire North Eastern North Union (A), Ditto (B) North Wales Mineral Ditto New Shares . North Western North Wales Norwich and Brandon Ditto New Not., Belvoir, and Granthm Nottingham and Boston ... Nott., Erewsh Val. & Man. Nottingham and Mansfield Oxford and Birming. Junc Oxford and Worcester Perth and Inverness Portsmouth Direct Preston and Wyre . Ditto Half Shares . Do. Pref. 5 per Ct. Guar. Do. Pref. 5 per Ct. & div. Richmnd and W. End June. Rugby, Worcester, & Tring Scottish Central ....... Scottish Midland Sheffield and Manchester Ditto Quarter Shares • Ditto ditto (No. 2) Ditto ditto (No. 3) Sheffield and Lincoln Shrewsb., Wor., and Crewe Shrews.,Wolv.,Dudly,&Bir Shrewsbry & Trnt V al. Un. Shrewsb,Herefd,&N.Wals Slamannan South Devon . South Midland South Eastern and Dover Do. New (iss. 321.) No. I Do. (iss. 33/.68.8d.) „ 2 Do (iss. 30/.) ~ 3 Staines and Richmond , Staffordshire & Shropshire Stirling and Dunfermline.. South Wales... Trent Valley Do. and Holyhead Junc West London, Old Shares West End & Southrn Coun Wexford and Carlow Warwick and Cheltenham Waterford and Kilkenny Watrfd,Wexfd,Wick&Dub W akfld, Pontefrct, & Goole Wakefield and Hat rogate Warwick and London West Lancashire Worcester and Tring Whitehaven and Furness Do. New Half*Shares Welsh Midland West Cornwall West Yorkshire . Wilts, Somrst. & Weymth Yarmouth and Norwich Ditto New York and Carlisle York and North Midland Ditto Half Shares Do. Scarborough Branch Ditto Selby Ditto Extension. Liver- Klon. I pool. .14. Aug.l4. 1% 3% . _ 1 % 10% :y 8 - :IA - :% I -;% 4% - 2% 21s. 6d. 14 1 4 26% 42e. 6d. P 3 4 4 54 57 23 1 4 24 1 4 1 % PI 7X 4 94 84 301 h 6% p .75 133 314 2 1 / s 2 31 1 / 8 31/, pl 3% 40 2% 7 214 2 1 4 p 31,4 5 461 A 5 1 0 19 2 /3 2% 3% 2234 Man cheater. lAug.l4. 10 3' 25 York. lAug.l4. Bristol. lAug.l4. 97 11% - %P 1 3 / 4 5 3 , 4 15 3 / 4 14X 15% - 3% 6 6% 30 1 % 63 10% 8 - 27% 26 IA 23 1 ,4 935. 9d. 3914 714 130 161 1204 2 15-16' 3% ....... 3% 3% 8 129/ 16 , 12 675. 4% 3 3' 463k5 2:Ti g 565. 6d. Hull. lAug.l4. 10% Hudders field. lAng.l4. !Sheffield.' Glasgow. 1Aug.14.1 Aug.l3. 3% 5% 10% 10 1 4 575. 3M 3% lAug.l4. 3% 9s. p. 614 - 14% 15 6 16 14 20+.p 425. p 18 p 5% 108. 73% 144 1478. 6d. 28s. pl 4/. 19s. 7 3-16 31 1 , 30s. p 75.6d.p - -3/. Ils. 60s. p 157 T. 6d, 5% 24% 41s. pl 418. pl - 312 3% 43 , 4 p 4/1356 18s6dI 234 58 3 ;,i 21. 14s. 345. 8 9 1,4 I 21s. gi% 1414 107% 12% 51. 1 355. 2 2y le4 It may Ito rigit re to mention that the Directors have suggested t he prop ty of forming a branch railway to Witney from the C 'fold, Worcester, and Wolverhampton line, so as to give to bat town a direct communication with the Stafford shire coal d istricts, as well as with all the manufacturing:and shipping to , ns in the north of England. An eaten: von of that railway beyond Worcester, through North Wales. to the coast of Carnarvonshire, as a means of affording to PA eland the very best metropolitan communication, is, however, Ir 2 y 'far the most important of the subjects for the consideration tr. I the Proprietors. The Directors recommend that the sanctic n of the Company should be given at this meet ing to th.s pros :lotion of that railway, tending so materially to enhance the vi due of the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolver hampton bite, -as a means of drawing more distant traffic to the Great Westert , besides rendering the whole scheme a great national uncietrtaking, well deserving the warm support of both. Houses of Par. lament. The Direct( .rs have not been unmindful of the pledge given by them last yet .r to the Board of Trade, in respect of some line of improved cot alnunication between the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway, and the cities of Bath and Bristol ; and they have insizact-ed Mr. Brunel to make a careful inspection and survey of the intermediate country, in order to report in what manner t Ivey can most advantageously carry out the pledge so giveril an d futifil the enactments in the Bill, as well for the public advantaA as for the interest of the two Companies. Macy a ppli e gaionq have been made by projectors of new lines throughout the country for the support and assistance of the Great Westa.n Railway, to which the Directors have given their beat a ttention. They think, however, that it is not expedient td ;viler at this time more specifically to any other intended railways, whether brought under their notiee by other parties, or „suggested by themselves. The Proprietors may feel assured that. the utmost caution and circumspection wilt be observed in bringing forward and encouraging any new scheme, and that due..regard to public accommodation on the one hand, and to the it. terests of this Company confided to their charge on the other, shall determine their future course. The usual financial accouni.s are appended to this report. C. RUSSELL, Chairman. Mr. CAVE wished do know wL'ether the Directors had made such regulations as would eu.'hle the servants of the Company to attend their respective vlaces of religious worship on the Sabbath-day ? The CHAIRMAN said the Directors were most de iirous, t,s far as it was possible to do so, to afford their servants an opportunity of attending divine service cn the Lord's day. The departure of the trains was so arranged as to encroach as little as possible upon the hours of divine worship. He feared no further arrangement could be made on this subject, for railways had now engrossed almost entirely the means of communication ; and, if they were prohibited from carrying on their operations on the Sunday, they would stop all communication on that day between different parts of the country.—(Hear, hear.) He begged to remind Mr. Cave that the Com pony was required, by Act of Parliament, to run the mail trains and cheap trains on Sunday. Mr. CAVE asked if the Directors of the Great Wes tern Railway Company would extend the principle it seemed they had adopted to all lines under their control ? _ _ _ The CarAzirmAN said they certainly would do so. The Rev. Mr. NicuoLsoN wished to know to what extent the Great Western Railway Company was sub jected to the provisions of a recent Act of Parliament, known as Mr. Gladstone's Act ? Mr. SAUNDERS said the effect cf Mr. Gladstone's Act would undoubtedly be to render the Company, after a lapse of twenty years, liable to a revision of their rates and tolls, provided they were then in the receipt of more than ten per cent. interest on their capital. That Act also gave the Government the right of purchasing the railway . out and out, if their interest exceeded ten per cent. But a revision of their charges could not be made unless the Government guaranteed them for ever after warls interest at the rate of ten per cent. upon their capital. Mr. L. HEvworITH suggested that, although the pre sent station of the railway at Paddington was very valu able, they ought to penetrate still further (if it were possible to do so) into the centre of the metropolis, and establish a terminus there. He thought Hungerford bridge a very likely situation, as it was probable that point would be fixed upon for the termini of many other rail ways. The CHAIRMAN said, this question had already re ceived the attention of the Directors ; but, it was no easy matter to obtain a passage through the metropolis of Great Britain.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped, however, that some plan might eventually be adopted which would meet the views of the Hon. Proprietor. Mr. L. HEYWORTH then moved the adoption of the report, which, after a few words from 1)r. GORE, WES agreed to. Resolutions to the following effect, carrying out the recommendations of the repo:. t, were then put by the CHAIRMAN, and agreed to unanimously:— " That a dividend of 4 per cent. be declared for the half-year ending the 30th of July last, and that such dividend be made payable on the Ist of September next. " That, in pursuance of the powers granted to the , Company by Act of Parliament, an add itional capital of 2.325,000/. be raised by the creation of new shares of 251. each, to be offered rateahly to each proprietor regis • tend on the books on the 6th of September next ; and that two of such shares be appropriated to each pro prietor for every 1001. stock he holds in the Company, and so on in proportion. That a deposit of V. 10s. on each new share be made payable on the Bth of October next. " That the Directors be empowered to take all neces sary measures for applying to Parliament, in the next session, for Bills for the construction of certain railroads in connexion with the Great Western Railway, to effect arrangements with landholders, &c." Mr. L. iIEYWORTH moved, that the cordial thanks of the meeting be given to the Directors, for their able and indefatigable exertions. The resolation was seconded, and carried amid loud applause. • The CHAIRMAN briefly returned thanks on behalf of the Directors, and then said that he had now to dis charge a most gratifying duty, at the unanimous re quest of his brother Directors. They considered they could not more appropriately close the proceedings of this, the most prosperous day they had yet experienced, than by offering some testimonial of their gratitude and respect to one to whom the prosperity of their affairs was in a great measure attributable.—(llear, hear.) In February last the thanks of the proprietors were voted to Mr. Saunders, their able cretary, and the Directors were requested to consider the pro priety of awarding to that gentleman some substantial memorial of the high sense entertained by the Company of his valuable services. That gentleman had rendered services to the Company in almost every way—in their negotiations with public bodies and private individuals, in their recent discussions with officers of the Govern ment, in their financial affairs, and in connexion with their Parliamentary and even legal proceedings, besides discharging the important duties attaching to his office as Secretary and superintendent of the line. It was suggested, in the first instance, that, in order to mark their high sense of Mr. Saunders's indefatigable services, he should be presented with a certain number of reserved shares ; but a technical difficulty prevented the adoption of that suggestion. The Directors had, however, determined to recommend an analogous mode of proceeding ; viz., that Mr. Saunders should be pre sented with a number of the shares, the premium upon • which would amount to the value of those reserved shares it had in the first instance been proposed to allot to him. The Hon. Chairman then moved, that 300 of the reserved one-fifth shares at par should be transferred to tfr. Saunders, in testimony of the deep sense enter tained by the Company of his eminent services. Mr. CROSTHWAITE seconded the proposition, which was carried unanimously. Mr. SAUNDERS returned thanks in appropriate terms, and said that this gift was far more munificent than he had merited by any services he had rendered to the Cum pany.—(" No, no," and cheers.) The proceedings of the half•yearly meeting then ter minated. A special general meeting of the Proprietors was then held, according to previous notice, for the purpose of considering and determining whether authority shall be given, and upon what terms and conditions, for this Company to purchase, and hold the Berks and Hants Railway, the Oxford and Rugby Railway, and the Mon mouth and Hereford Railway, or either of them, and to use, exercise, and enjoy all the rights, powers, and pri vileges conferred on the said companies, severally incor porated by Act of Parliament, fur making the said rail ways ; and also to order and direct such steps to be taken in reference thereto as may seem to the said special ge neral meeting to be right and expedient. Mr. C. Russell, M.P., took the chair, and put a reso lution, authorising the Directors of the Great Western Hallway to purchase and hold the above mentioned rail ways, upon such terms and conditions as might be agreed upon by the said Directors and the Directors of those ' Companies respectively. The resolution was agreed to without any observation, as was also a resolution authorising the Directors of the Great Western Railway, in the event of the purchase of any or all of the above lines, to act as directors of those lines. On the motion of Mr. CROSTHWAITE, a vote of thanks was given to the •Chairman, who briefly acknowledged the compliment, and the meeting then separated. LONDON AND SOUTH ESSEX. A meeting of the inhabitants has just been held at Rochford, to take into consideration the merits of this line, which pro poses to supply South Essex with railway facilities, and to open a communication between London and the coast by a line from the Stepney station of the Blackwall Railway, to the port of Burnham, on the river Crouch, with branches to Grays, Til bury, Southend, Barking, Rochford, Ockenden, and the agri cultural towns in the district. Mr. A. Holt White touk the chair. Mr. Tite, the architect, in the absence of Mr. Locke, the engineer of the line, and Mr. Tyerman, the solicitor to the Company, accompanied by Mr. Flower, architect, of Southend, attended fur the purpose of explaining the project. Mr. TITE opened the proceedings by statint , that an Act had been passed for extending a branch of the Blackwall Railway to the Eastern Counties brie at Stratford, and about a quarter of mile from the Stepney station it was proposed that this South Essex line should branch off. It would then cross the Regent's Canal, and about a mile and a half further the river Lea ; it would then pass through West Ham and Plaistow, close to the town of Barking; then keeping midway between the high road and a the n river, a as near as they could eastwa rd, close to The g l e h o ine then branch was thrown off to T ilbur y Fort. continued midway between the Sirthe T. B. ennan , South Ockendon, near linotv n as It l then3elhus, w hose support the y confidently hoped to re ceive.continued between Brentwood and the Thain f es, d apnadsstinoguclnioerd upon tho fßa t y l l i e e ig h h i , g r a oa i tl in at t n a ea p r oi l n i t oe n k e le a y r Wic •k or Spa, and co ntinued in a straigh south t course by Canewdon o the Crouch ; a branch turning on the other side t o f Plutnberow M ount, would pass Rochford a little on the east, and contnue in that direction to Southend. The gradients were extremely favourable, there were no tunnels, no formidable cuttings, Rochford would be 37 miles from Fenehurch-street, and Southend 40 miles. The line would form a new and a shorter route than at present to the continent ; vessels might conveniently step and unload at Crouch, and then send their cargoes by rail to Blackwall, instead of having to go up the Thames and encounter the na vigation of the Pool. The distance by this line, from the coast to Hull, would be 200 miles, to Rotterdam 173, to Antwerp - 169, to Ostentl9B, to Dunkirk 77, to Calais 75, to MarlOto 42. The present distance to Hull from the Pool was' 262, to Rotterdam 214, to Antwerp 210, to Osend 139, to Dunkirk 118, and to Calais 111. The Crouch at kor water was deep enough for the navigation of the largest col liers, hut it was said that an improved access at the mouth of: the river would be an advantage. The committee had;., however, been informed by pilots, and at the Trinity Board,. that such an objection only arose from the want of a good' ei,t4enel being buoyed off. The river being now used otii; by ships of unimportant burden, no pains had been taken resuenting it. It was not intended to have docks; but, as the s,liore was steep on this side, by continuing the line into 15 it'et of water, by means of a pier, colliers might tranship their coals into waggons adapted to the rails, and which would also travel upon the ordinary road without on. loading, which system had been also proposel on the London and York line ; such waggons could be taken off the line at a point the most convenient. The Provisional Com mittee depended a great deal upon the traL'lo of coals from this branch to the east of London, thus avoiding many of the pre sent heavy charges, and also the delays so constantly occasioned to vessels on the Thames. As he had before sk;id, the line crossed the river Lea and the Regent's canal, and at convenient points ; coals might be supplied by these means to ti:e parts north of the line. With regard to Barking, there was a con siderable fishing trade carried on; there were a great mAny populous villages down the line to that point, the inhabitants which would, to a great extent, take advantage of railway' communication. From the Crouch there were great facilities for communication with many parts of the Continent, and that river being by rail only 40 miles from London, an express train might gain in an hour that point on the coast at present only attainable by a- very long and circuitous voyage. To Ostead and other places there would be a considerable saving of time, though the distance might not be shorter. He need hardly say that the terminus being in Fenchurch-street was a great advan tage to an agricultural district; nothing could be more con venient than a station there. Mr. JAMES GILES moved and Mr. KELWORTH seconded the first resolution in favour of the line, which was put and carried unanimously. Mr. TYERMAN adverted to the great benefit to the agricul tural interest that must ensue, by affording a quick and cheap conveyance of the agricultural produce, in which this county so richly abounded. At Crouch there would to a commodious place for embarkation and debarkatien. After some observations from Messrs. Rankin, Keyes, Comfort, Taber, Lucas, Giles, Baker, and others, thanks were given to the deputation for their attendance and explanations. TILE RICHMOND RAILWAY.--The royal assent hav ing been given to the Act empowering a Company to make a railway from Richmond to the Falcon-bridge, Battersea, where it. is intended,to join the South-Western Railway, surveyors have for several days past been ac tively engaged in marking out the line, and estimating the value of the various properties through which this line will pass. According to present arrangements , , the railwsy will be commenced in the Broadway, Richmond, where a handsome terminus will be erected. It will then run nearly parallel with the Richmond- road, as far as East Sheen, leaving Kew a mile-and-a-half dis tant on the left. It will afterwards cross Barnes- - common, having a station as near to the high-read leading to llammersmith-bridge as convenient, and run ning alongside the Upper Richmond-road, will cross Put ney high-street by a cutting of from twelve to eighteen feet in d,pth, over which a bridge will be thrown to continue the old thoroughfare. This cutting will be continued to North-fields, Wandsworth, where a viaduct will be commenced and cart ied across the road leading from Wandsworth to Putney, through a row of houses, called Point Pleasant, across some marshy land to an extensive osier bed. here the excavation will have to be carried eighteen feet deep before a foundation can be obtained liar the viaduct, and in consequence of the tides overflowing this part, it will be the most difficult undertaking on the whole line. Continuing the viaduct, a double-arched bridge will cross the Wandle, after which the works, meeting with little engineering diffi culty, will be rapidly continued to their termination at Falcon-bridge, Battersea, where men are already at work. There will be stations at Putney and Wands worth, and the whole line will be opened on the Ist of May next. MANCHESTER AND SOUTHAMPTON RAILWAY.—It iS intended to begin near the Southampton Docks, and thence by Redbridge on Southampton Water, Romsey, Stockbridge, Andover, Ludgershall, Marlborough, Swin don, Cricklade, and Cirencester, to Cheltenham, where it is to join the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. The effect will be to reduce the distance front' South ampton and Birmingham sixty-four miles, to Manchester and Liverpool seventy-seven, and to Chester eighty three, besides which it will save fifteen miles between Swindon and Cheltenham, and eighteen between Ciren cester and Cheltenham. One of the most interesting facts in connexion with Southampton, and one of the most pregnant proofs of the vast benefits which may accrue from railway accommodiation, is the vast increase of the trade of Southampton ; for whereas the exports of Southampton in 1832 were only of the declared value of 62,1631, in 1845 they will exceed 3,000,000/, while the number of passengers embarking and disembarking for foreign ports is 10,000 in each year. The connexion of this hoe with the port of Southampton will of course create a most valuable traffic, but there is also a considerable local traffic between the towns of Andover, Stockbridge, Rowe), Redbridge, and other towns in West Hemp shire with Southampton, which is now the great port of that district, and which with its increasing resources is calculated to become the port for a great part of the south of England. The great obstacle at present to ves sels unloading goods at Southampton is, that they can not obtain return cargoes ; but the present line will give them Recess to those districts which will provide the re cpiisite supply, and so greatly extend the trade of the 1)01 t.--I?ailway Retold. BRIGHTON, LEWES, AND HASTINGS (HASTINGS, RYE ! AND ASHFORD EXTENSION).—On Friday the Brighton and Hastings Ashford Extension Bill received the royal assent. The confirmation of the fact received here on Saturday oc casioned a most lively feeling of congratulation in the breasts of every one connected with the trade and prosperity of the borough. The joy of the inhabitants was expressed in every outward form, the town band paraded the streets, the church bells were rung, boys and men . huzzaed, and the tradesmen met and toasted " Success to the Rail way" at railway speed. By the passing of this Act of extension the full hopes and wishes of the inhabitants are constmonated. A new era is about to dawn on us. By the completion of this line, direct communication will be opened with the whole of the pleasure towns of Kent. From the progress of the works between this place and Brighton there is little doubt that the line will be opened by March next as far as Bopeep. The completion of the remainder of the line to Ashford will rest with the South-Eastern Company, the Bill with all it powers as obtained by the Brighton and Hastings Company being handed over to them. The Act expressly provides that the tunnels into the Priory and the whole line shall be commenced simultaneously, that the line shall be completed Is ithin three years after the passing of the Act, and that if it is not completed in that time no interest shall be payable on any part of the South-Eastern capital until it is completed. This is an assurance of a speedy realisation of our hopes. By it Rye harbour, which will be doubtless much improved by the expenditure of 10,0001., will be made avail able to us ; and ultimately we may entertain hopes of seeing' permanent harbour here. —Brighton Guardian. CHELTENHAM AND OXFORD.,—The committee of this un dertaking met on Saturday, at Cheltenham, when Mr. Brunel gave a detailed account of his survey of the line. Captain C. B. I indsay was appointed Secretary. It was announced that the deposits on the proposed capital (360,0001.) had been paid to the amount of 80,0001., had been invested in Exchequer bills, and that the plans and sections were in a state of for• w ardness. CHELMSFORD AND BURY.—This Company have deter mined to extend their line to Thetford, so as to give the nearest and most direct communication between London and Nor wich, a ithout diverting the traffic from its old course. CALEDONIAN.—Last week, on the commencement of the works, orders were given by Mr. Wilson, superintendent of the work, for the erection of a number comfortable houses at Evanhead, far the accommodation of the workmen employed on the line, which are nearly finished. NORTH SOMERSET.—A contemplated line of railroad. designated " Ploughman's line," is occupying a good deal cf public attention in North Somerset. It is proposed to make a line intersecting the country nearly midway from north to south, forming a junction with the Great Western at a convenient point between the cities of Bath and Bristol (say at Keynsliam) , . and another with the Bristol and Exeter l at eovil, penetrating Alendip at or near Marsbury Dip, and traversing centrally the Alendip coal fields. The ad vantages of this, over any other of the contemplated lines are, that whilst it will afford a sufficiently easy route to the metropolis, it will open a direct way to the manufacturing dis tricts, and the northern parts of the kingdom and South Wales; and all will furnish a cheap channel of transport for the bulky treasures of the Mendip mines southward, to an unlimited ex tent.—Hampshire paper. WELSH MIDLAND..--SVTVeyS are now being made be tween Leominster and Kidderminster, and between Kid derminster and Birmingham, with the view of effecting a direct communication between the mineral districts of South Wales and the manufacturing town of the midland and northern counties, that portion of the line between Leominster and Kidderminster being already determined on, and it being the intention of the Wel: h Midland to carry out the continua tion from Kidderminster to Birmingham in case no similar line shall be projected by some other company acting in co-opera tion with them. Mr. Charles Lawrence has been elected chairman of the Grand Junction in the place of Mr. Moss, and Mr. Robertson Gladstone deputy chairman. The Manchester and Birmingham have it in contemplation to construct a branch from their main line at Knutaford to' the salt mines of Cheshire, affording accommodation to Stock port and Ashton, and supplying coal from the coal-field of Poynton. A new station is about to be erected on the Eastern Counties line, at Hatfield Peverel, near Witham. The Directors of the Grand Junction have determined on making a further reduction in their fares. The fares will be for travelling by select or express trains twopence farthi acedper mile. The fare for first-class passengers is to be red be five farthings per mile; and the third class one penny per mile. twopence per mile ; the charge for second- clas s formation of the ing throughout the whole South- Western Railway, is proceed . ary as__A ay next. SALIsBu RY BRANCH branch lineo t' t T o l THE Salisbury,OU T HW from E S T t r e .._h. extent of the line with the utmost expedition. l, It is confi dentlyvery active progress ; The anticliated it will be opened ee a bcr.ai strong tyn'ehar G rea t fer e o ff am o h r ot t heui w n il e l be made to get this Western line, on preparations line opened to Bath as early as the line to Bishopstoke. The liberal wages offered to induce men to labour on the works is likely to prove inconvenient to some of the agriculturists in andth the o it t i. e r saidsid sid e f or r h f a t t t h b the vicinity during the harvest.— Hampshire paper. WISBECII.—A meeting was held at Wisbech on Friday, to determine upon the most advantageous measures to be taken for securing railway communication between Wisbech and the metropolis and the manufacturing districts. The meeting was very fully attended. The Mayor stated the object of the meeting. Several speakers followed, and in the end a Committee was appointed to carry out the views of the re quisitionits. LYNN AND ELY.—This Company propose to extend their line from Wisbech to Spalding, in Lincolnshire, with the view of affording to the port of Great Yarmouth, the city of Nor wich, and the ports of Lynn and Wisbech, a direct line of com munication with the Northern and Midland districts. p ar o y r p ti o o r n t o a f er t o h s e a N t V h h e i p teh er ar nt Ju to nc w tio o n rk ß in a g il t w on a , y, is ex e r pe nd e i t n e g d f t r o oT b n e haAti op ened for the conveyance of goods and passengers before the close of the present ear.—Cumberland Pacquet. CANTERBURY AND OVER RAILWAY.—The Directors of this Company have determined on extending their line to Herne Bay. The necessary surveys and estimates are nearly completed. RAILWAY STATION AT Lzwes.—The Friars at Lewes, which has been from time immemorial the resort of the judges while on Circuit, has been purchased with a view to transform it into the station for the Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings line.