The Express.
London, England, 1852-11-01 00:00:00

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MOB WATIR AT LONUON BRIDOI.
Taus u..—lleralair. Aftiebess. 4b.111..
Tweasw—Noreibe. 41..00 Atbibbis. s►.

LONDON, MOND4 NOVEMBER 1.

Be far the moat important occurrence we have
had to record in railway affairs for some few years
past, is the mention of independent judgment ad-
verse to official propositions displayed by the share-
holders of the South-Western Itsilway Company at
the poll declared on Siturday. After an un-
accountable and irrational period of apathy and in-
difference to their own affairs, and of subjection to
their Boards, even obstinacy or insubordination by
railway proprietors would have been useful,— if only
to shake directors and officials in the usual self-compla-
cent and extravagant confidence they assert as to their
power over their constituents and employers. But so
reasonable and judicious, yet decided and decisive, a
resistance as that made by the South Western pro-
prietors is most encouraging ; it will in all probabi-
lity form a turning point in railway politics; as it
must, we presume, necessarily lead to a change in the
South Western administration.
The South Western Railway (a later enterprise
than the Great Western it is necessary to keep in
mind) was originally projected as a means of communi-
cation between Southampton, the chief commercial
port on the south west coast of England, and the great
naval yards at Gosport, and this metropolis; and a
sounder railway pot was never started. Gmdmily,
however, the line has been extended from South-
ampton to Dorchester, has run branches out to Salis-
bury and to Portsmouth—gone on a visiting tour to
Farnham, Godalming, and Guildford—rushed into
competition with the Great Western for the Windsor
traffic, and pushed forward to Waterloo-bridge on its
way to that of Loaders. In all, it now occupies nearly
243 miles; it pays, however, only a very moderate
dividend. Its main and its profitable territory is that
run through the count!), it originally supplied.
Except at Portsmouth, it is therein free from compe-
tition; and even at Portsmouth it is in peaceable
alliance, at equal fares to London, with the lirighton
and South Coast line. I:s chief feeder, Southampton,
is rapidly growing in commerce and wealth; its
docks are crowded ; its population is increasing, and
altogether its prospects aro brighter perhaps than
any other town in the South of England. To meet
the rising traffic from Southampton, the South Wes-
tern will in a few years have to lay
out considerable sums in providing it with
fitting accommodation. The development of
the traffic of its own districts was, therefore, pre-
eminently the true policy of the South Western
Railway. But in these days of renewed speculation,
that was much too sober • policy for such high-
notioned gentlemen as the South Western Directors ;
and, instead of attending to the business of the com-
pany, they began to revive an old scheme, which
also requires a word or two of explanation.
Looking simply at the map, no one can come to
the conclusion that the Great Western is the very beat
route to Exeter. The old coach road was by Basing.
stoke, Salisbury, and Yeovil; and almost direct. In
the rollicking days of 1846, • scheme was started to
construct a line from Basingstoke on the South
Western, and very much on the old road, to Exeter.
It received parliamentary assent; but adversity
teaching even railway directors prudence, it lapsed
into the South Western hands, went to sleep, and
the legislative powers for its construction have long
since expired. This substantially is the project the
South Western directors have lately sought to re-
vive ; not commencing, however, this time from Ba-
singstoke, but film Salisbury, to which, intermedi-
ately, a South Western extension has jutted out from
Bishopstoke, not Basingstoke.
Now, thisprojett (if ever carried out) would at
once bring the South Western into Scree collision, for
the Exeter traffic, with that most desperate of all rivals
the Great Westeru. And as the latter is already, by
'branch from Reading, at Basingstoke, some 30 miles
only from Southampton, the Gent Western would
assuredly retaliate lay pushing in, if it could, to
Southampton ; and at that great port there would
be war to the knife between the South and Great
Western, Just as there is already betimes the Great
Western and North Western at Birminsasm and on
the Mersey. Such was, literally, the yeg pigment
=the &Nth Western directors MI prepared
eimedtssats.
They had—kr railway dimities and amide
always haveeleese es web oceorome—imanlibwoord lessees,
and apc red as as
blackbairrisi Mr kmenebosswidnareni--wridedel who plenty surd
—would sell tale had ; they Weld net lake
Age
shares, but it should p at N agriadtaral
prices." Next, the to en the line would And
half the capital, and 4 pee east for it
the South-Western Company prides the wok and
taking their chance of any pelt reweilahe beyond
that 4 per cent. There were, too, cases who
would take the contracts temptingly chsap—lawyere
who would promote the bill fur seat to
nothing, and engineers who positively world lay the
line out for nothing. Aid by every imalw it ether
rail. it would, the Chasm pearled. NTno SOL a
mile a week ; and that, he paved by Overee, would
pagercent. Folk ea the capital reteired.
were tiro isseptimi baits. To then was
added alarms eel tsars. f the t3outloWeelses
don't strike first, the Great Western will, Miser seid.
If the South-Weetemo don't make this extender to
Exeter, the Great Willem will compete rOA Nosy,
there were people beak wag* to anon, by s sew
has for the Exeter balk Aid then, when would
the South-Western be P Already, this dreaded and
dreadful enemvits,
...1.19......e5ens of ita ally and de-
pendant, the mid WeynAliZire,
their heels at .mny sal '
do in all debar prdi en kw Is IsfAst.
Neither one nor other set at herb hew-
p
ever, paella The Bon& rim
have shown their sense by rehileg to be =skill;
fals• *Rh cc to be &jbbed by still Wear kers.
They have sleeked to mist &Or ern holm and
00•11111% NA set to put their horde gnaw eat than
they sea bow Shun safely in seek. They have
=Lathe advise and reemmendathr el their
the Board will, el esareeAdai that hint.
They hive Weed the add& le their proper par-
ties by weiseriag their obese of the au-
thority hod mewed.
The lard et the Wafture Railway Com-
pany deserves • • 'wrathy or 'upset For year
after your it pardweirmly sainted all Amp la its ,
comporties ; it adheeed le.other se Wit had wee 1
riliki ladelwadelli 64 mar 694166 leo th. ash. II
sr the proprietary to administer the alitirs,,
a the empany ; by its obstinacy mg sublawee
k rendered the half-yearly moss of
habitualdisentsr ; when COUSfied Id 6 ea*
Wit. MIS vaesosiss, it jocn_Peien the ihrehoiders out
of the fell and honeurable porknome et lb pro-
mise; mod in noshing the newly elected directors it
tweled thwrima:sealing to Mr. Mosenscit's accoont,
la laytbiar a mpg er dignified mesa. Aid
yet it was a heed witheet any high *lmmo beat.
the, kr the company hue him rembeed nelorbee kr
the defalcatioas of its ewer* end without wend
ja=mt, ss this its erewsbi Anse avid the
of ite shwelmidwe demendffillin
This example of weiderrb and el eneewehl re-
sistmose. too, to direcesiel pepertione—llde adding
of adage into their owe heads by as
Mr. OLT, foretold it weak as to—grel=eia
the present juncture, when He public aml mph-
tore an threatened with ell sorb of Injuries@ weal-
gemetionn Ake* we deem_ preparation heti
or the pat af de Italie mod oiareheidets le resist
wrieeepreposed =dam The thee hand, wadi-
ho ifs hie est embed. wheu a wider sad laver
view of these q wetter will be taken ; what a
esinpreheethe tiewidweeks of the • intereib
will direct rellry==, whilst yet
they have the dosed know the examph
new set them by of the South Walesa.

Des= or BARON VON GAOZRN.—A journal sw-
eeties@ the death et Beres less d• Osirsre, who played
ea nagortset pert at tin Congress et Va a sa, sad made
himself smartest@ ita his aleminalass dales* Al-
oes Ise Gams 7.