The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-17 00:00:00

ceeded in obtaining the consent of Parliament to a grant
of 620,0001. out of 'the Consolidated Fund for facili'Ating
the completion of three Irish railways. To one of those
railways there had been allotted a sum of 480,0001., and
nobody could doubt but that the money had been wisely
ePPlied. Lord Clarendon, the late Lord-Lieutenant of
Ireland, 'while assisting at the festival by which the
°Pening of the Midland Great Western Railway of
Ireland, which was one of those three lines, hod been
celebrated--Lord Clarendon coagratulated himself on
the aid he had been able to give to the promoters of the
Undertaking, and expressed his satisfaction at its perfect
anceess. It appeared from a report which had been
Presented to the House last session, that there had been
for of late years a sum of more than 8,000,000/.
i°r the improvement of the communications in England,
and that a sum of 2,450,000/. had been expended in Ire-
land', while in the Highlands of Scotland there had not
been expended one farthing. Of the sum expended in
Ireland not less than 973,00 e/. had been devoted to the
construction of railways; and a great part of that sum
had been repaid, and the whole of it would, he had no
doubt, be ultimately returned. In the year 1846 the
Rouse had passed an Act for the construction of a rail-
waLY which would facilitate the communication between
Oban and Glasgow; but that project was one of a very
incomplete and unsatisfactory character, and the cense-
9fence was that it had altogether failed. Instead
. forming a complete railway communication
between Oban and Glasgow—that was to say,
;cd" a distance of 80 miles—it would merely
form a railway communication for a distance
of 45 or 46 miles to Loch Lomond, along which the
traffic was to be carried by steam navigation. He be-
lieved that what was wanted was a complete system of
tails Way communication, which would develope the traffic
of the Western Highlands. But that was an undertak-
ing beyond the resources of the proprietors of the dis-
trict. Before the passing of the Act of 1846, surveys
had been made from which it appeared that the expense
of constructing the 45 miles of railway to Loch Lomond
would amount to 265,000/. It had since been estimated
that the cost of constructing the 80 miles of railway
from Oban to Glasgow would amount to nearly 500,0001.
Of that sum the proprietors of the district were pre-
Pared to provide two-fifths, provided the Government
!tete prepared to advance, by way of loan, the remain-
tcg•three-fiftbs, and they would offer the undertaking as
ty for the repayment of that loan. Now, he thoght
that was a modest demand, and one to which the Go.
teernment might be expected to give a favourable consi-
deration. He did not ask them to pledge themselves on
that occasion to adopt the proposal; he would leave it
,;!' them to appoint an officer of their own to inquire
:uto the feasibility and the expediency of the
pro-
: pro-
Jdt and then they might take the course they should
etu advisable' in the matter. He had been told that
eWith an outlay
ofbetween 100/. and 2001. they might
d ohtetre
t such information on the subject as would enable
them to determine whether or not they ought to agree
th that resolution. He should only state, in conclusion,
De:!,,the inhabitants of the district in question possessed
tvitrattr claims on the favour of the Legislature, anti
existed` more patient and peaceable people had never
s(Hear.)
MACGREGOR was in principle opposed to
‘O,IIIR Public money to advance private works. no matter
47., their nature. But there were circumstances con-
tp2ett with the Western Highlands which should at-
hZit a share of the attention of that House. Ireland
LO been said to have received large sums, and he did
eel
pit them ; but Ireland was always largely re -
Precrue_ tell in the government of the country ; whilst
et h''ad had only her Lord Advocate, who spent most
,14.,.11 time in London, and was to a great extent unac-
Winted with the wants of the:country. It should also
°r preetabered on the present occasion that three-fourths
11,h" Public revenue of Scotland was paid into the Eag-
let% •Exchequer, while the remaining one-fourth was
eetlllent to defray the military and civil expenses of the
try, as also the expenses of collecting the revenue.
%ewas aware that if this matter was taken up by the
cse ernment the landed proprietors in that district would
attztleribute largely ; and he believed the line, if con-
sed eterft would have as good a traffic as the London
s.-Wfehton.
STRICKLAND protested against the under-
isim'cgaltogether. The principle of advancing public
rie,s'-eY,for private projects had already gone toe tar. He
asr,e," be told that private property in the Highlands
lu be improved; but were such means justifiable to
orted to .for that purpose?—(Hear, hear.) It had
NI: said that already 10,000,000/. of money had been
telt'lleed to improve private interests. But he should pro-
ts eitstgainst such. What right had any [lon. Gentleman
las7PlY for a grant of public money to improve his own
ajte property? He might be answered that the sums
1,,,,,‘1 be paid by mortgage; but even in that way they
)(4 not be paid in 20, in 30, or it might be in 40
to te *---(Hear, hear.) As to Lord George Bentinok's
%, It% for promoting railways in Ireland, he should
tit? if ever there was a country in the world which had
tied‘ins to relief of the kind it was Ireland at that pe-
Ssfe and yet the House was reluctantly compelled to
(es the advance which that Noble Lord applied for.—
itt ;ll', hear.) At presented there existed no such claim
ttermetere did in the case of Lord Bentinek, and he should
ore oppose the application.—(Hear, hear.)
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
d assure the Hon. and Learned Gentleman the
int eba nbsel_ for Newark that he had not mistaken the feel-
theN— the Rowel or of the country when he assumed
meta would be considerable sympathy with the inhabi-
t% of the Western Highlands; and if he (the Chan-
aloqei ,fhthe Exchequer) saw there were any means by
eow•uts advantage of that portion of her Majesty's
the last could be legitimately secured, he should be
tit Pere who would throw:obstacles in the way of
pt on
the 0„68%lt proposition. But when he had to consider
nitielaTltien raised by the Hon. and Learned Geneeman,
Nte connected as he was with that part of the
ti ttY a
rive
that
before the House, and who from his posi-
,loo, h:Lat House was eminently entitled to considera-
eliereee" Was bound to say that Hon. and Learned Gen-
tis es.k,,ad failed to establish his pos.ition.—(Hear.)
‘;hancellor of the Exchequer) did not mean to
" deshould assist -Me e-, ten as a rule that the State not pre-
•uterPrises or advance capital for the improvement of
to t't°
L operty. The Hon. Baronet opposite seemed
„sent get that capital so advanced was not alone repaid,
4althl repaid with excellent interest.—(llear, hear.)
hiehgt the instances, which might be easily adduced, in
be State had made advances in furtherance of
he reeiNrks, he was aware that in principle it should
`erteielted with caution, and never applied but under
Z:re conditions. He was ready to admit there
t Jiust,tsnees in which it might not only be expedient,
ttott,fiable to make these advances. He would not
kliltiertolllto any lengthened investigation of the propo-
tZile r.°lle whose loss he would ever deplore. But he
ire ee'tnind the House that it ought not to be looked
ittAtirci a Mere statistical proposition, but one brought
ehoojettt a moment of great emergency, and as such
)11,11t ti iasnot be mixed up in the common category.
ah._etie4 took that measure of the late Lord George
tcitteee' of which he (the Chancellor of the Ea-
t-4111%e was a warm supporter, as a precedent for
the c`nt proposition, he should also remember that
eschleeescheme formerly propounded by that lamented
retee-4,, n there were to be foend some matters of ini-
4cts Which- did not appear in the present pro-
te_
8
„gere w,ear, hear.) In the case the Irish railway
ser, nes
ti posed a large advance of public money
'
but there was also this important condi
se-Ae-Z:OY, that there should be a previous outlay
Zote„''uo State should be called upon to advance any
le.tii'r--(Hear, hear.) It was clearly understood that
tote the
of the capital employed Wa3 to be laid out he-
-141; toe State should be called upon to advance the re-
two-thirds•
Vok as securitye that if the State advanced 2001.
1441 he could not ascertain
of 3001—(Hear, hear.)
I that there had been any out-
in the present instance.
Ilk
STUART—My proposition
)44 be advanced by the n is, that two-fifths
proprietors before the G -
ent were called upon.
in a'pos'i.k.;tion
Sthe : CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
comeaeidbien.
-See if the proprietors had sueserre?gd two•hiths of
fos:aPita'l, they would then be.
tht
under
shh:yriorthneottitel
,Q„ &valise and state their case, gut n
tpetii,,eircumstances he did not know sehteot
leeteower
77:
tee omm end an advance; for as
oh, "es of money,and then calling on the
f "es
him to be putting t)ta , such appeared to
t't 41° hor
kiskone see—(lean) If there had been a great outlay
11:10102 On a great public work in a district of the
th which afforded
e prospect of remuneration use.
advancing
circumstances the Government would be justi-
're btrancin money. But at present nothing whet-
-1114. be been done.g
It. was acknowledged there had
seclitUtler ;u even a survey of the place; and the Hon.
Lfeesecito‘r Glasgow, who seconded the present motion,
k:hey had no maps or plans..
etfrect ''OGREGOR— What I said was, that a few
°II% 8 should be expended ,in this way before this
Th was t4 eotiCalled upon.
theree,. A•NCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER admitted
11:1; NC: a survey from Loch Lomond to Oban, but
tti?btht to the extent of some fifty miles. He
ilii,"eatin—,,,ere should be a survey of the whole before any
11/41;4 hie Was made, He should repeat, if he saw
ettastnee 64 a proposition in which assistance would
tr rut% • -e interests of a suffering community, he would
61, it; b
81
See %i,, tit the present was not a case ot that kind.
kt,,,11180 remind Hurt. Gentlemen there was an
Itoptlts- F,llkt which was legitimately available for under-
,t 11°,1" is kind. The Loan Commissioners for public
ha,„"Y %et; 4,fland that might he applied, in case the se-
'Oeh_vreest,e legitimate and the object proper. Now, if
titsght if were an important work for the country, he
bd tiliou'lon. Gentlemen put themselves in a position
'45 se.4oeie„. IPPIy to the Commissioners of Public Works
N-4,011, that assistance which they now sought frees
NI lie doubted not the construction of the line
ip semi, but the Government was also bound to
tlPlee'otit 4, Population of the district. He could Fissure
an,;" Learned Ft iend it gave him great pain to
toftldPreposition brought forward by him; but he
ittet te he
to receive any memorial from the projec-
ts .11 e too
tit is! hew undertaking, and it the claims were legei-
Cues. "Id be happy to give it all the assistance in
1041% 44 (hear, hear.)
tkhei:ist d• ICE believt d it was the duty of Government
ogia istriets which were in a position to develope
,ill)l,,c)st efi.4ources, which, in the present salinecae could
iogottialtY, ec,toally done, by the construction of of
:11t ban ''''',°,vever, he should say the preliminaries
so not °seta take before a plying to that House.
4 414 e wlthsta d- n
tlt), ot tin n Ing, he hoped her Majesty's Ministecs
tea set their faces against the project, as it was
I A. o°At Worthy of the deepest consideration.
111^--Zeree !SE-LL supported the motion of his
tlidtoenn.
Friend, who, he thought, had made
)e. 't to entitle the project to the consideration
hth.t• lidemtra Ministers. ik,
8,
`4O teeieB should admit that. the
,present,
tee wog one of great diffieutty to he dealt with,
ere • • • as all such
*eh which it was imposslble to lay doe '•
441,141(1 be 1-loweVer, he could not see what advantage
to th
etiwsY o Highland; to have the present pro-
constructed. He thought their only hope