The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-31 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

f grounds, he would respettfulry appeal, both Individually
--e---- ; and collectively, directly and indirectly to them, to con-
EAST KENT.—EXTENSION FROM CANTER- tribute, as far as they conveniently could, a portion of
i
BURY TO DOVER: the capital necessary fur this great work. (Cheers.) It
was rather the nurnbertran the amount of their sub-
scriptions that would give encouragement to those dis-
A numerous and influential meeting of the inhabitants,
1 tent parties who were not unwilling to embark. Isrgely in
of Dover, convened upon a requisition to the mayor,'
the undertaking. He believed that the gentlemen 3iSO-
- held yesterday, at the Maison Dieu, for the purpose
rioted together at the East Kent board could not afford
I to compromise their characters and position in the &runty
of hearing the explanation 'of a deputation from the i
beying. parties to au uodertaldres Which would lar-
board of directors of the East Kent Railway Compeey,
ma.el reduce itself to a dessePiceeeBle alfortione therefore,
as to the merits. of the proposed extension of theilrvldinae it": ,
from Canterbury to Dover, so as to give another . .
direct through communication • betweeri London-nett
the meeting iiiiilsiricl- that wlilst the directors were
Dover, via- tlie North Kent line:- The:'maYer, Mr- very Careful in making proinisee there exertions would
W' 11 PaYn, presided, and amongst those present were far exceed their pledges. (Cheersi.) With respect to the
Lord Sondes and Mr. eaeleie, m.p., 'the chairman and
deputy chairman of the company ; Mr. Tootel probable return of the outlay on
the eorietruction of the
, Mr. works, it was impossible for any person who looked ,it
the enreings of the North Kent line from London to
T. R. Crompton, Mr. C. M. Lushiugton, M.P., Colonel-
Raines, Sir John Teiden, Mr. waiter, Mr.-_Cobb, • Strood not to come to the conclusion that the extension
Mr- Lake, directors of the company; mr. C. Fresbfield, from Strood to Dover must' yield the sbareheidsrs 10
the company's solicitor ; mr. cubits and Mr. Turner, per cent. per annum. Sir" -Charles Pox hal placed it at
the engineers •; Me. Holroyo, the secretary ; Sir Brook 8 per dent. .;
lint Sir ChsEes 'bad•not taken into c.elsi.
Bridges, Bart., Mr. Rice, aisle, Admire! D'Aeth, and a hat the direeters might. by judiciotreapplica-
large number of the resident gentry of the district,. deration ttion of th portion of the capital by
About 400 persons were present.
a !sar- nteetock, se
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the day, eels
hareholde d srs.: (Loudincrea cheerthse
.)dividends to the Oligi-
. .
said that the meeting, widen he was glad t., see so nu- Mr. E. R. RICE, M.P., 'roved the firet eesolution to
merously attended, was, he was sure they would all nel- the follOWirig effect :—`• That in the opinien of this meet-
mit, one of the utmost importance to the town and port ing the Just interests of the town and:pert of Dover and
of Dover, (Hear, and cheers.) They bad on three or the adjacent country urgently demand the extension of
four occasions been called together for the purpoee of the East Kent Railway from the city of Canterbury to
promoting to them the all-important object of a confirm- that town,
ous and direct line from Dover to London, and he trusted branches will not only supp'y the means of communica-
inasmuch as Seel line of railway with its
this would be the last time, and that the present project tion of which the inhabitants have been deprived, but
would, as be believed it would, be successful. (Hear) will restore to its natural direct- course the conti-
The details of the measure would be laid before them by nental and commercial traffic which has been so long
those who had the chief direction of it—viz., the dirac- diverted into the circuitous and indirect line of the South-
tors of the East Kent Railway Company ; and he had Eastern Railway Company by Reigate, Ashford, and
not the slighte.st doubt that the cell they were about Folkestone." He had always said that the construction
to make on the inhabitants of Dover fur assistance to of a railway from Canterbury to Dover was only a sues-
carry out a work, not only of great public, but na- Lion of time. The project had his hearty support, and he
tioual interest, would be responded to with all the thought thet the present meeting, the largest he had seen
energy and cordiality that it was possible to afford, on the subjec
(Cheers.) Amongst several gentlemen of influence which the infabitants of Dover took in promoting direct
whose presence they bad hoped to have he might railway k was a proof of the increasing interest
cornmunicati onwith eLondon ' - (Cheers.)
mention that Sir E. Dering, Sir N. Knatchbull, Mr. Mr. S. Frzezers abl d the. resolution, which
Deedes, and Mr. Oxenden were unavoidably prevented was carried unanirnoyuslyee
s pporte
attending, and had written letters expressing their re- Sir J. TYLDEN moved the next reirolutiois, viz. :
yat their inability to take part in the proceedings. (` That the proposed extension line will offer a secure and
Lord SONDES, the chairman of the East Kent Rail- direct rail way communication, connecting the Admiralty
way Company, said that he and his brother directors harbour of Dover and the principal forth garrisons, and
a I id, theeefore, entitled to public support as a
had great pleasure in attending on the present occasion, arsenals in the county of Kent with each other, and with
in order to afford any information that might be required other hkue_e_sstablishments in the kingdom and the metro-
in reference to the proposed measure. The bill had ,
been introduced into Parliament this Session by the national un ertaking. That the commissioners of rate
tion, f.L d-, on the motion of the late Duke of East Kent Company after great and careful considers- ways,u too_ whomur the subject was specially referred by the
tion, and he was happy to say with every prospect of
Wel-
success. The difficulties that presented themselves lington, in the year 1847, held such au ect to be
were many, but the earliest possible passing of the bill of 'the greatest importance,' and they object
acjcordingly
through Parliament was considered so exceedingly recommended that another line of railway Should be
important that application had been made for a suspen- constructed, ' without being dependent on the pre.
eion of the standing orders, in order that the-act might sent exposed portion of railway between Folkestone
'be obtained this session ; and the case was so strong, in and Dover, which to the late noble' lord warden and
a national point of view, that the request was complied other scientific men ever presented a cogent rea,son
with. He had received a letter from Sir Charles Fox, for advocating a direct inland railway." lie, inust, he
who was obliged to attend a meeting in the north of said, congratulate the meeting on the fair prospect which
England ; and as that letter very ably set forth the real they now had of a restoration of those advantages__
merits of the line, and the circumstances under which direct communication with London—which they had until
the bill had been introduced, he had great pleasure in a recent p wind enjoyed since the time of the Romans.
calling upon the secretary of the company to read it. He gave that prospect his cordial Support.
Admiral D'Azra seconded the resolution, which was
Mr. HOLROYD, the secretary, then read the letter,
also carried unanimously
which was as follows :
Sir B. BRYEG.&S moved the next resolution :—" That
this meeting, remembering that the numerous efforts
which have been made by landowners and others, sup-
ported by the inhabitants of this town, for securing the
completion of a direct line of railway between the metro-
polis and Dover, through Canterbury, have been in-
varisbly frustrated by the South-Eastern Railway Com-
pany, although that c ,mpany havegiven solemn pledges
to Parliament for the construction of a similar line,
view with satisfaction and confidence the present ap-
plication to Parliament by the East Kent Railway Com-
pany for the extension of their line to Dover." He said
he supported the resolution with the greatest pleasure,
because he was satisfied that the requirements of the
district and the interests-of the -country demanded the
construction of a direct line of railway communication
between London -and Dove r.
The Rev. S. ROBINS seconded thevesoltition, which
was also carried unanimously.
Mr. T. B. Bess moved—" That considering the
auspices under which the bill for the proposed extension
has been now introduced into Parliament, there is in the
opinion of this meeting every prospect of the sanction of
the Legislature being given to it during the present sea-
Rion, it cordially supported by the inhabitants of this
town and district. That this meeting, therefore,
pledges itself to afford to the undertakieg all the sup-
port in its power, expressing an earnest hope that it may
be completed with all possible expedition, and rendering
its thanks to the East Kent Company for promoting so
desirable and important a measure."
The motion having been seconded,: was carried nem.

" Spring-gardens, May 29, 1855.
"My dear Lord,—l regret exceedingly that circum-
stances of a peculiar nature (which I have explained to
Mr. Holroyd) place it out of my power to be present at the
meeting to be held at Dover to-morrow, for the purpose of
supporting the application to Parliament for an act for
extending the East Kent Railway from Canterbury to
Dover.
"I regret it the more because I should have a personal
satisfaction in explaining to the meeting the precise cir-
cumstances to which the bill for the Dover Extension owes
its origin.
"Your lordship will remember that I had occasion to
see Lord Hardinge on the subject of the bill now before
Parliament for obtaining the release of the 50,5501. At
that interview his lordshp, after explaining his readiness
to support the object of the measure by every means in his
power, added, ' But why do you not go to Dover ?' My
reply was, that if the Government desired it, I had no
doubt that the East Kent Railway Company would be
ready to make an application to Parliament for the re-
quisite powers, provided the Government would afford the
support necessary to enable them to overcome the diffi-
culties which, under the peculiaecircumstances of the case,
they must naturally expect to encounter.
" Having received his lordship's assurance of the most
cordial co-operation, I communicated the result of my in-
terview to Mr. Cl arles Freshfield, who thereupon pre-
pared the letter which your lordship, as chairman of the
East Kent Railway Company, wrote to Lord Palmerston,
offering to bring in the bill provided the Government
would consent to give a gnaraetee upon the capital re-
quired for constructing this extension, upon which, in a
national point of view, so much 'value had been placid by
all the military and naval authorities.
" The proposal, as your lordship knows, was favourably
entertained by the highest officers of the Government ;
but, ultimately, considerations of policy, which are quite
intelligible, intervened to prevent their support being
given in a pecuniary form.
" The interest, however, already felt and expressed in
the undertaking, and the appreciation of the great impor-
tance attributed by those most competent to judge of the
earliest possible completion of a safe inland line to Dover,
have increased with the progress of the bill ; and if proof
were wanting to justify your lordship in giving to the
meeting a strong assurance of the intention of the Govern-
ment to give to this measure their full and entire support
in ell its stages, it is to be found in the fact that Mr. Mac-
&co egor's motion, strenuously supported by the South-
Eastern Railway Company, for postponing the third read-
ing of a bill of less moment connected with the East Kent
Railway, was, on the 22d inst., rejected in the House of
Commons by 99 rotes against 2L
" With regard to the capital, there can, in myopinion, be
no further difficulty, inasmuch as the East Kent Railway
Company can well, and with perfect safety, afford to giant
any terms to the holders of the shares in the new capital of
500,0001. that may be found necessary to induce capitalists
to embark in that which will add such vast additional
pecuniary value to the original stock.
" The line between Strood and Canterbury will un-
doubtedly yield a good return upon the money expended
on its construction. How much greater, therefore, must
the income necessarily be. when, by extension to Dover
Harbour, a purely local line will be converted into a
through one, commanding the great continental traffic.
"I now proceed to show that this will be one of the
most profitable railway properties in England.
" The railway from Strocei to. Dover will be the prolon-
gation of the present North Kent Railway, which is by far
the most productive portion of the South-Eastern Com-
pany's property; and from careful estimates it is shown
that the receipts of this extension will greatly exceed the
general average of the 289 miles of railway now belonging
to the South-Eastern Railway Company.
" Now, the total sum received by the South-Eastern
Railway Company for the year 1851 is given in the official
reports at 898,3011., being rather more than 3,100/. per
mile per annum on the whole 289 miles ;.and the working
expenses for the same period at 375,9541., or rather less
than 42 per cent.
" Now, if we take this average receipt only of 3,1001. a
mile on 46 miles (the distance between Strood and Dover),
we arrive at a total of 142,600/. ; and if from this we de-
duct 42 per cent, for expenses, we still have a net annual
profit of 82,6681., or about 7 per cent. on the whole share
capital of 1,200,0001., or, taking one-third of it to be raised
in debenture, bearing 5 per cent. interest, about 8 per cent.
" In giving the above statement, I am fully aware that
I have taken too low an estimate of_ the company's re-
ceipts; because the average receipts of the St,uth-Eastern
system generally affords no fair criterion of the receipts on
46 miles of railway, in extension of the North Kent, which
is known to be the most productive of the whole South-
Eastern mileage. I have taken the average gross receipts
per mile upon the whole South-Eastern system at 3,10 a,
which includes the unremunerative branches ; whereas the
half-year's report of the South-Eastern Company shows a
return on the North Kent line at the rate of 5,8131. per
mile per annum, notwithstanding the competition with
the river steam-boats and Tilbury Railway at Gravesend.
"I therefore think your lordship can have no hesitation
in assuring the meeting that the enterprise is one in which
capitalists may, with good profit and perfect safety, em-
, bark their money.

Mr. J. KNIkKER proposed, and Mr. V. ASTLEY se
conded, a resolution for the appointment of a committee
for the purpose of giving effect to the last resolution by
co-operating with the ' directors Of the East tent Rail-
way CoMpany, and rendermethem every posisible assist-
ance they may require from the town of Dover and its
vicinity, With power to add to their ntimber„ 4c.
Lord SONDES then tnovel, and Mr. J. SADLEIR,
M.P., seconded, the thanks of the meeting tO.the mayor
for convening the common hall, and-for presiding over its
deliberations.
The resolution was carried by acclamation, and, the
Mayor haviper returned thanks, the meeting broke up.
The letter of Sir Charles Fox, given above, was exceed
ingly well received, and several portions loudly cheered.
It was thought that Sir:Charles, with his characteristic,
caution, had understated the prospective dividends of
the company, and that the calculations, upon the esti-
mated.cost, show a net balance of more than 10 per
cent.—calculations based upon the cvell-ascertained re-
sults of the working of the :North Kent. line—viz., an
increase of baffle irom 3,748/. per mile per annum for
the first half-year afkr the opening of the railway to
5,813/. per mile per annum for the past half-year.

"I have the honour to be,
"Your lordship's very faithful sarvant,
"The Right Hon. the Lord Sondes," &c. CHARLES Fox
Mr. &MUIR, M.P., the deputy chairman of the com-
pany, then proceeded to address the meeting. He said
he had much pleasure in addressing to so important a
public meeting the views he had long entertained on
the subject to consider which they had been called to-
gether. In doing so there was a difficulty of somewhat
a peculiar character which met him at the outset—not
from any doubt as to the merits or importance of an
undertaking which had for its object the perfecting of
direct railway communication between Canterbury and
Dover, but a difficulty altogether apart from the con-
struction of the proposed railway ; for he must say it
was somewhat embarrassing that, while called upon to
explain the merits of a great commercial project, be could
not recognise any objector in the field, nor did he clearly
know what objections he had to remove. He was begin-
ning to think that the gentlemen discharging the im-
portant office of carrying out the preliminaries. of the
meeting had fallen into a slight mistake, and that they
should have managed to coax into the meeting some in-
genious sceptic, fruitful in reasons, to prove that a direct
communication between Dover and Canterbury would
be very prejudicial to the port and town of Dover itself.
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) The support which the pro-
posed line had received from Government had been
very fully pointed out in Sir Charles Fox's letter, and
superadded to that were the distinctly-expreped convic-
tions of the official guardians of our naval and military
forces that the completion of the line from Canterbury
to Dover would be of the greatest possible national ser-
vice ; and it was from a consideration of these facts that
the East Kent Company bad been stimulated to use
their best exertions to promote the bill during the pre-
sentdg
hg,rwe greatly to
session. In saying this lie must frankly state that
but that
thepti es
s el completion
i advantages
as
0f
uitnodfwerothuaelddninasottirt only
oicntsaltbheranodeufit,
it would at the same time enhance the value
and importance of their railway communication
between Strood and Canterbury. Be begged
the meeting to understand that the arrangements
for the extension of the line from Canterbury to Dover
did not depend on the inhabitants of Dover suboscorielboinpl:
very largely to the Parliamentary contract. It would
he unreasonable to depend at this moment
hy 000 on
tl the
da haved i vo
stance . t
re -
kindness of the district for any large portion of the 500,
quired to carry out the works ; but they
kindness to consider that those parties who
such under-
taking possessed facilities and means forpromoting
attached great importance to the moral support
which persons of influence in a district through which it
was proposed to carry a railway gave to it ; and it was
on this broad ground that he appealed to the meeting to
I afford their support to tshecprojected line ; and if they,
upon'exarnination Were a isfied that the project would
not only be one ofgreat local advantage, but one entitled
to their sympathy and support on public and national