The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-29 00:00:00

NOR

The. following memorial has hen forwarded to the
Treasury and its receipt acknowledged to the Mayor
of Norwich :

TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD JOHN RUSSELL, FIRST LORD

OF TIIE TREASURY, &C &C.

The Memoriql of the underdgned inhabitants of the
city of Norwich,—
Sheweth,---That Norwich is a corporate city, with a
council composed of 64 members, 48 of whom are coun-
cillors, elected by the burgesses in the eight wards into
which the city is divided, and 16 are aldermen, elected
by the councillors.
That we believe that the municipal system, properly
carried out, would confer incalculable benefit on the com-
munity, by training the people to self-government, and
affording opportunities to the citizens of uniting and
co-operating in the local assembly for the promotion of
the general good; but whilst we admire the theory we
can but grieve over the actual results of that system,
shown iu the corruption and demoralization arising out
of the municipal contests.
To this subject, which surpasses almost every other
in urgent importance, we most earnestly beg your Lord-
ship's serious attention.
We are sure your Lordship is unuware of the full
extent of the alarming mischief which this rapidly-
growing evil of bribery and corruption is causing
amongst the electoral constituencies. It is notorious
that in this city the relative position of political parties
in the town council entirely depends on the suffrages of
some hundreds of corrupt burgesses, who, without any
attempt at concealment, will vote for those candidates
(regardless of their personal fitness or political opinions)
who will give them the most money. These reckless,
profligate men decide who shall be the guardians of the
peace and morality of the city; and the most virtuous
and talented of the citizens has not the slightest chance
of their support if opposed by a corrupt partizan, how-
ever depraved or ignorant he may be, who will dole out
bribes amongst them.
We beg your Lordship to observe that the prevalence
of this evil is an admitted fact, and that in the last
municipal elections, which took place for this city on the
Ist of November, the system of bribery was carried on
in the most open and unblushing manner; and in one
ward, comprising 400 burgesses, it is said that the votes
of more than 120 electors were directly purchased by
money-bribes; and in many of the wards it is beyond
doubt that the only way to succeed is by corruption.
We lay before your Lordship an authentic report of
the proceedings at the last quarterly meeting of the town
council of this city, in perusing which your Lordship
will observe that no attempt was made to deny or dis-
prove the allegations here set forth, but that even some
gentlemen in her Majesty's commission of the peace, and
therefore under the most solemn obligations to protect
public morality, did not hesitate either to apologize for
or openly to avow a participation in this system of
bribery; and that in the instance of the ward already
reft.rred to, the persons so elected did not deny the jus-
tice of the accusation.

We beg further to assure your Lordship that so habi-
tuated have the public become to this baneful system,
that there are gentlemen in the Council universally re-
spected and esteemed who are notoriously returned by
the most corrupt means, but vxho nevertheless retain
their high standing, and speak of successes thus won as
indications of a change in public opinion. The Effect of
all this on the morality of the city we believe to be dis-
astrous in the extreme; but we do not charge this offence
upon any one party exclusively. We fear there are but
few active politicians innocent in this matter. But upon
public grounds we implore your Lordship to give your
immediate attention to the subject; for the demoraliza-
tion thus produced goes far to counteract all attempts to
improve the moral condition of the people.
We will now proceed respectfully to suggest to your
Lordships the means, and the only means, which, as
we think, the Legislature can ad( pt to check these
evils. And we wculd first beg your Lordship's atten-
tion,to the fact that the Municipal franchise is much
more limited even than the Parliamentary—the number
of registered burgesses for the city being 2,831, whilst
the number of Parliamentary electors is more than 5,000.
Your Lordship is aware that the municipal franchise
is.based upon householdership, tested by three years'
continuous residence and rating. Large numbers are
excluded from the register by e'efects in rating; but
much larger numbers, comprising the entire body of the
intelligent working classes, are disqualified by the sys-
tem of compound rating, as it is termed, by which. the
landlord being rated—to the exclusion of the tenant, for
dwelling-houses below 81. in some cases, but in all cases
below 61.—the tenant is deprived of the franchise, though
he may pay the rates as part of his rent to the landlord.
The effect of these provisions in the Municipal Act is,
that the entire body of working men, with very few ex-
ceptions,, are virtually excluded from the franchise;
whilst persons not superior to them in intelligence, in-
dustry, or virtue, are permitted to vote.
We press this subject with more earnestness on your
Lordship, as we believe you are now engaged in the
consideration of the promised measure for the amend-
ment of the representation. We would respectfully sug-
gest to your Lordship that if the provisions of an Act
passed in the last session, entitled " An Act to amend
the law for the registration of certain persons com-
monly known as compound householders, and to facili-
tate the exercise by such persons of their right to vote
in the election of borough Members to serve in Parka-
ment"—were extended to municipal elections, it would
go far to remedy the evil complained of, and would give
a reasonable and just extension of the franchise, from
which we confidently anticipate many moral advantages
would accrue. _ _ _

We also most respectfully beg your Lordship to re-
consider your objections to the ballot. We believe that
the ballot, though it would not altogether prevent bri-
bery, would render it much more difficult, by depriving
the briber in most cases of any assurance that the cor-
rupted voter would fulfil his promise; and, moreover,
by concealing the actual numbers polled till after the
poll had finally closed, it would prevent the corruption
which usually occurs in the excitement of the last hour
or two before the closing of the poll.
We beg, therefore, to express our conviction that a
large extension of the franchise with the ballot, will ul-
timately be found the only means of checking corruption.
But if your Lordship should differ with us on these
points, we at all events beg your Lordship to direct an
inquiry to be made into the truth of the allegations con-
tained in this memorial, in regard to the prevalence of
bribery in the municipal contests of this city; and we
assure your Lordship that if a commission, similar to
that sent to St. Albans, were sent to this and other cor-
porate boroughs, it would be proved that success at elec
dons in a large proportion of these boroughs turns upon
the votes of a band of corrupt and profligate men, who
will sell their suffrages to the highest bidder.
We submit to your Lordship that this evil has now
become so flagrant and notorious, that measures must be
taken to repress or counteract it, otherwise the represen-
tative system, one of the chief excellences of our much-
praised Constitution, will become a scandal and a re-
proach, when other nations shall know that the prepon-
derance of any political party in our local councils, and
even in the House of Commons itself, is often contingent
on the successful demoralization of the people.
We, therefore, respectfully but earnestly beg your
Lordship, without delay, to cause an inquiry to be made
into these allegations; and if the same be proved, to pro-
pose to Parliament such measures as your Lordship
may think the exigency of the case requires.
We have the honour to be your Lordship's obedient
servants, &c. &c.
Signed by the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and several
members of the Corporation ; also by Mr. John 11.
Gurney and nearly 300 respectable citizens.

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR, JAN. 28.

There was no addition to the Royal dinner party
yesterday at the Castle.
The Queen walked in the Home Park and Slopes
this morning.
The Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the
younger members of the Royal Family, took walking
and pony exercise.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert went out shoot-
ing this morning, attended by Lieut.-General Sir E.
Bowater, Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps, Colonel the
Hon. Charles Grey, and Colonel F. H. Seymour.
The Earl of Carlisle, the Earl of Aberdeen, and
Lieut.-Colonel Francis Seymour, have been invited,
and are expected to arrive this afternoon.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived
at her residence, Clarence House, St. James's, yes-
terday morning, from Frogmore. Her Royal High-
nesa visited the Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester
House, Ficcadilly, and in the afternoon returned to
Frogmore.
The Hon. General Anson had an interview with
the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday, at his
official residence in Downing• street.
Sir J. Owen had an interview yesterday with Lord
John Russell.
The Commissioners for auditing the public ac-
counts, with their secretary, Mr. Bromley, attended
the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday, on the
half-yearly declaration of accounts.
The Earl of Carlisle left town after the Cabinet
Council yesterday afternoon, for Windsor Castle, on a
visit to her Majesty.

been ordered
THE COAST GUARD.—Returns have
guard,mtoe bne, madeboatmen,
afttmh
eeb
nyirt
ahmne
dbs
eeervxoetrfraal
chiefm inspectingen
boatmen,e m plo commandersemployed
din commissioned
bwyh
the h
Lave o
rds serveof d
thein tAh
de
mr ei
r3a' al lt
yn afvr
oyma nc di v hi l ai
avnes bwe ehno a
havepp o in treed-
their
be oo aats
districts, stating age and service, and distinguishing those
coast
their appointment from the Treasury or Board of
Customs; this is to be done for the purpose of ascertaining
the number of men who can be made available in case of an
emergency, as those men appointed by the Admiralty having
served in the navy, are well drilled to the great gun exer-
cise, and have obtained certificates of good conduct and of
being efficient seamen, from the commanders they served
under in the navy. Similar returns are to be made by the
officers commanding revenue vessels with respect to their
crews, and also of all boatmen employed in the service of the
Board of Customs. Orders have been issued to the various
chief,officers commanding stations, to have their boats' crews
drilled in the great gun, small arms, and sword exercises,
on every occasion that they can be spared from their other
duties. It is stated, that should the services of the coast
guard be required, they will garrison the towers and bat- '
teries along the coast, and assist the dockyard brigades to
man floating batteries and gun-boats.
MANSION-HOUSE.—Yesterday the Court of Alder..
men, the Recorder, the Sheriffs, and their ladies, as well as
several private friends of the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress,
were entertained at the Mansion-house. Covers were laid
in the long parlour for 70, but owing to indisposition the
Lady Mayoress was unable to be present on this occasion.
On Friday the Lord Mayor will, according to ancient custom,
receive at dinner the master, wardens, and court of assis-
tants of the Fruiterers Company, together with the deputy
and common council of Coleman-street (144 lordship's ward).

AMERICAN RAILWAYS' •
(From vv Catkin's " Trip to the United States.")
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 26, 1851.
The Am: r:csn nilway system is the Aucksrioan rail-
way system; original,
SO far as the realisation of the
same idea by separate agencies can be so, and in con-
sonance wish the age and limited surplus means of the
country, and the genius of its people.
The moment that the opening of the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway had solved the question of prac-
ticability of working locomotive engines with profit and
success, the United States took up the new enterprise
with an almost prophetic z,al. While the English Par-
liament was throwing out the London and Birmingham,
and other railway Bills, in 1834-5, on the ground of
fancied residential damage to some three or four land-
owners, several hundred miles of railway
had been got
to work, and a thousand miles more were projected, in
the older states of the Union. Since that period the
construction of railways in the United States has pro-
ceeded with great rapidity, monetary difficulties alone
checking their progress from time to time, in this as in
all other countties.

In 1832, the United States had 129 miles of railway
open for traffic ; in 1840,
3
3,855 miles. It is estimated areth3a9t9thmerilees;and i n
now ,
in
1845,185
1851,
J 0,129 miles in operation,
construction. The andtotaloutl 7,560 milesayhas in
been 302 course,s9o, of
dollars; or, after deducting h
the unopened lines,
an averagete money expended upon
cost per mile of about
5,5001. sterling, including 'equipments."
The number of miles of railway
the United Kingdom,accordinges.
to open for traffic in
6,621, and 551 miles more were ere in
course
th e last
cif
wn
The total expenditure 242,000,0001. ; giving an
average of about 35,000/, peurcilinile, including stations
and stock, or 6i times as m
the railways of the United States. as the average cost of
This extraordinary difference of cost would seem, at
first sight, difficult to account for; especially as two
great items of expenditure, iron
in the United States than in and labour, are dearer
England.
In the first place, however, it
must
be remembered,
that whereas the greater portion of the the English rail-
ways are double, nearly the whole of
rail-
ways are single, tracks. Then the sums paid
efor
c aln
eod.lo
England, of necessity high in an old and populous
country, have been magnified and exaggerated in all con-
ceivable ways; the railway companies
having
four to five times the real value of the propertypaid from
they
have taken. In the United States, on the contrary,much
in
of the land taken has cost the co
Panics absolutely no-
thing; and, from all that I have learned, I believe that
the average cost of the land for the whole mileage con-
structed cannot have exceeded 2001 per mile. In Eng-
land, I have little doubt that it has exceeded 5,000/. pe
mile: in both cases I include station land. Parliamentary
expenses, too, which in England have probably averaged
6001. per mile, in the United States have cost next to
nothing.
But, after all, the excessive cost in our case
smaller cost in the case of the United States, has and the
' haspro-
ceeded rather from the different spirit and temper in
which the railways were conceived by their
promoters,
and treated by the Legislature and the public, in the
two countries, than from any other cause.
In England, railways have never been popular, except
in times of excitement, and when shares were at a
pre-
mium. At the outset they were rather forced upon the
country than received with welcome. Every conceivable
impediment was thrown in their way on the road to Par-
liament, and every harsh restriction which could impede
their after construction was there adopted against them.
Of late years the wisdom of the Legislature has been exhi-
bited in the sanction of Acts of Parliament, ostensibly
designed to promote the convenience of the public and
of private owners; but really having the effect of en-
hancing the cost, disfiguring the construction, and les-
sening the capacity and safety of the railways. For
example, the Act for the regulation of railways provides
that every turnpike road bridge shall have a clear span
of 35 feet, and a clear headway of 16 feet; and that
every public road bridge shall have a clear span of 25
feet, and a clear headway of 15 feet. According to this
Act, framed by the Railway Board, a road is a road—
no matter whether it be used all day long, or only
passed over once a month by a milk cart; and the result
is, that splendid bridges, costing on the average perhaps
3,5001.' each--the cost of a mile of ordinary railway in
America—are now standing by the hundred on English
railways, over roads almost obliterated, and of the
covered surface of which, when travelled over at all, not
one-fifth part is aver made use of. The same absurdity
attaches to all other works affecting roads, water-ways,
and the occupation of land. And thus a vast amount of
national capital has been wasted, and the gradients of
many lines have been rendered steeper than they need
otherwise have been. I know of one bridge, for an un-
important road on a branch line in England, which has
cost 20,0001. I have travelled for a hundred miles
ahead on American lines without seeing a single over-
bridge; and I have seen a railway in Indiana and Mi-
chigan, of 200 miles in length, which, including stations,
working stock and all, will not, when finished, have cost
more than the difference between the sum which Mr.
Stephenson originally estimated for the great bridge
over the Menai, and that which the Admiralty, in their
desire to keep a minute navigation in statu quo, com-
pelled him ultimately to expend.
In the United States, railways have been looked upon
almost universally as involving the public advantage,
and not as mere private speculations; and therefore the
Federal
Government, the separate governments of each
state, the counties, and even the cities and towns, have,
in their combined and corporate capacities, vied with
private capitalists in urging forward an enterprise so
necessary for the progress of the country. Money has
been borrowed on state and city security; States have
become stockholders; Government land has been con-
ceded to promoters—and indeed every effort has been
made, and is still making, to complete the railway sys-
tem of the Republic. In the mean time, facilities of the
most
extreme nature for the construction of railways
have been accorded by
public feeling.. Not alone
through the finest , square of the
New York, as well as the thronged
that city, but through the thoroughfares of Philadelphia,
aristocratic
business
quarter
streets
oo
ff
Baltimore, and many lesser cities, are rails laid down
connecting the lines outside with the heart of the dense
population. And thus, forela all practical purposes, th,e,
objects attempted in En
and " metropolitan termini,"-bti by those "city extensiqns
many dividends, are here so
h twaihnieedh,
not to
admit, but at least at an
Then, at the crossing public and all other roads, in-
stead of the expensive of
•
i insignificant outlaypeorffeswampedtien capital.
ridge
or ornamental lodge (with
two little less ornamental policemen, one by day and one
by night),—a mere
even of a gate, andopening across the line, destitute
not a soul to watch it, is left to
admit of a passage; and with
the , safety of a sovereign people
is provided for simplyvsithuy the
he inscription—" Look out for
t
erection of a great board
on two high poles
the locomotive when the bell ring
s.
But apart from the
absence of legislative impedi-
ments, and in addition to the indulgence of the public in
permitting its comfort,
trenched upon,—the co t and even safety, to be thus
of American lines has been
brought down by the snecessity of making a little capital
go a great way, and by the sacrifice of many of the ele-
ments of permanent endurance which attach to our rail-
ways. We have deemed
final improvement in t the invention of railways a
the means of locomotion, and we
have, therefore, constructede
"for ever" of brick and our works to last for the
mortar. We have made our
rails strong enough for
our drainage capacious any possible weight of engine;
flood; our euttin 8 enough to remove any conceiv-
ablewhich defy the chance g$
embankments ye:th slopes
slips; our bridges firm enough
for many time's the weight
them; and our tunnels that can ever come upon
of such magnitude—oovn a solidity worthy of works
" faces," seen onl h
our
by
forgetting their huge stone
y
engine-drivers, but equal to
the architecture of the catacombs. Then our display of
ornament; our paint, fancy
our Elizabethan architect iron-work, and plantations;
all testimonies of the spirit
and triumphal arches,—are
who esteem it a public duty of some of our countrymen,
their country, without yto romote the fine arts, of
sideration as dividend. reference to so mercenary a eon-
In America, the answer t
a young country, and 0 all this is that " they are
tical and essential." must
be satisfied' with the prac-
railways for work, and Theyt tell you, also, that they want
the rails strong enough, and the t
if the roadway is sound,
not care if the line be a. the gradients good, they do
fencing rough, or the
alingle, the bridge of piles, the
that our desire for ~ Slopes unsoiled. They say, too,
im-
p while their nonce" is a bar to future im-
will do," leaves the door plan of putting up with " what
with the exception of a few of for invention. Thus,
the older railways were et. the New England lines,
e fiat bar track; that ias, wt fillhit,. unballasted, and laid as
nailed on to longi udinal sleeper's thin'
flat bar of iron
fast on this road; and 4. snake h • The cars cannot rue
the bar under the wheels eads," the starting np of
This kind of track has, ~however" frequent accidents.
superseded by a well-ballasted rea,dbeen to a great extent
verse sleepers, and solid flat-botto 9 laid with good trans-
-72 lbs. to the yard. These rails creed rails of from 56 to
down to the sleepers, or have a either simply spiked
chair at the joints, the intermediwrought or cast iron
cured by 3 inch spikes only. The
sleepers being se-
, most in vogue is made from a Nee wrought iron chair
eight inches by six, cut on each aide of half-inch plate,
receive the thin, flat, bottom flange e, and turned up to
four spike-holes. of the rail, and has
On many of the newer lines there are works as fine
and as permanent as our own; and
the difficult works, tested by their eOn all these railways
of admiration. The terminal statioconomy, are worthy
costly, and always capacious, and 4118, too, are often
tools equal or superior to ours in all e workshops have
Although daily wages are higher p.ractical respects.
in the States than
with us, I imagine that the work of
construction is done
as cheaply. In a recent contract, made
country where the average of prices is part of the
not disturbed by
any transient or permanent causes, th
earthwork in embankments, Bd. per®
_ e prices were, for
cube yard; earth-
work in common excavations, ed. u
cutting, sa. 3d. per cube yard per cube yard • rock
y , masonry '
295. 2d. per
cube yard ; cleaning and grubbing, 3,9'
e d. pert Ss •
fencing, 6s. 3d. per rod of 16 fee..
b• The Michigany
Central Company have let the lifting and reh iht
with gravel of 21 miles of their old fiat bar a sting
per cube yard, the company find track at 6d.
Power and '
waggons.
Some of the railway enterprises new .
inhand in the
States are truly grand conceptions. To make arailwr!y
where population exists is one thing, but to make one in
order to call forth a population is another.
—The " Pacific Railroad," which is the he
innin of an
iron way from Sr. Louis to the Pacific gOcean, and the
"Illinois Central Railroad," which is the northern link( of
a complete connexion between the great lakes and the
Gulf of Mexico, are instances of how fa
r enterprise in
America can look ahead, and by anticipating, ensure the
laden, and the
progress of population, cultivation of otherwise
inaccessible tracts of country. To aid both these great
enterprises, the Federal Government have granted to the
states through which the intended lines and their pro-
, spectiee extensions are to pass, alternate sections of land,