The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-18 00:00:00

A meeting took place at the Thatched House
Tavern, St. James's-street, on Saturday last, for the
purpose of taking into consideration the best mode of
securing to Ireland, generally, the advantages of rail-
way communication. Mr. Bermingham, who had been
deputed by the General Irish Railway Committee, at-
tended for the purpose of submitting certaid propositions
for the consideration of the Gentlemen assembled,
among whom were Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci, the
Knight of Kerry, Mr. E. Tennent, M.P., Mr. J.
Grattan, M.P., Mr. J. Ellis, M.P., Mr. N. A. Vigors,
M.P., Mr. Eneas Macdonnel, &c.
On the motion of Mr. BERMINGHAM, Mr. ELLIS,
M.P., for Newry, was called to the Chair, and Mr.
STEPHENS appointed Secretary.
Mr. BERMINGHAM said the present meeting had
assembled to consider one of the most important sub-
jects connected with the prosperity of the empire at
large, but more especially that part of it with which
he was connected—he meant Ireland. He had taken
a prominent part in the proceedings of the General Irish
Railway Committee,during its sittings in Dublin, and it had
been deemed advisable that he should come over to
London to state the views of the different parties inte-
rested in carrying out Railways in Ireland before the
Government plan had been finally adopted, He stood
in a very peculiar position when coming forward to
oppose a grant of 2/ millions of money to be conferred
upon a labouring population at all times in great want
of employment, aggravated at the present moment
by the storm which had occasianed much additional
destitution and distress. He wished, however, to show
that the money could be much more judiciously ex-
pended—that there were parties who were ready to
execute certain lines of Railroad in Ireland with every
prospect of a fair remuneration, and he would then
leave it to the capitalists of England, from whom
eventually the money must come, to decide which
plan was the most judicious and feasible.—( Hear, hear.)
In 1836 several companies were in the field in Ireland,
and various lines were marked out, and he (Mr. B.)
had been in communication on the subject with the Mar-
quis of Lansdowne, who stated that it was his intention
to move the appointment of a Select Committee to exa-
mine and report upon the lines that ought to be carried
into effect. In the mean time the Dublin and Kilkenny
Railway Company got their Bill, as did the Dublin and
__....eat the I Drogheda Company, after immense opposition. The
. se. ate interests of tbA ' line in whieh he (Mr. B.) felt the greatest interest was
d tile sarti. I'''. that from Dublin to Galway, to be carried in the first
instance to Athlone, it having been positively stated at
that time that the Government was fully resolved to
improve tlee navigation of the Shannon. The effect of
opening a Railway to Athlone would have been
to give a steam communication by it and the Shannon
to seventeen counties, having a population, according
to the census of 182.1 of 13., millions of inhabitants.
The sum estimated by her 'Majesty's Commissioners for
carrying these improvements of the Shannon into effect,
by openiee a steam comminunication from Leitrim to
Lough Dcrg, (a shore line of eOO miles) was 200,0001.
Now it was well known that the able engineers, Mr.
Bald, the two Messrs. Stevenson, and Mr. Vignolles,
had ch cured that there never was so good a line as that
from Dublin to Athlone, the most important port in that
part of the kingdom. The sum required to complete
the 80 miles need not exceed 800,0004 Although the
Commissioners stated that it would not be a remuner-
ating line he (Mr. B.) differed entirely from them, and
the best proof of the estimation in which it was held was,
that a sum of .100,000/. had been subscribed in shares
to promote the undertaking. He contended that that
was substantial ground for believing that the line would
be a remunerating one to the parties whose capital
had been embarked in it.—(Hear, and loud cheers.)
It was the great arterial line of the country from
whence branches could diverge to Cork, Kilkenny, Gal-
way, Clew Bay, or Valencia, whichever of these ports
would be subsequently adopted as a packet station.
The large number of capitalists who had subscribed
their money for the lines to Athlone and Kilkenny was
the most satisfactory proof of the estimation in which
these projects were held. Again, an Act of Parliament
had been obtained for a line from Dublin to Drogheda,
upon which the shares bad been regularly paid up, and
which was now actually in operation. The people of
Belfast were prepared to form a line to meet the
t oar. He cou:d assure them that it there was one singe,
Dro,gliecla line, and thus there would be three great lines
F 's by which his conduct had been governed, that
b 't,ould be well understood—if there was one north, south, and west, executed. The Irish Railway
l' •cd with what he had done, it was that of Committee had instructed him to say, that if the Ge-
n
"our and dignity of the Crown, the vernment would advance a sum of 3 per cent. for every
u -errs and dignity of the higher or- 10 per cent, subscribed by the shareholders, these three
ci • security of property and cog- great lines would be completed. The French were
n -dent upon convincing the acting upon the principle of forming a great trunk
i ss arc mixed up with line from Paris to Havre in the first instance, being
t •hat this principle well aware that the branches would be subse-
a -led the desti- quently formed. He contended, that for one mil-
t '‘, for our
- e firm lion of money they could, by connecting Dublin
d with Athlone, have three hundred miles of steam
communication. There were parties ready to pay
f down 500,000/. of that sum, and if the Chancellor
E of the Exchequer would only advance the other half,
1 at Stock Exchange interest, the line would be at once
4 completed.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. B. then referred to the
1 manner in which the money granted to the Board of
1 Public Works in Ireland was expended, and explained
why sums stated in the return, amounting to 290,000/.,
' had not been repaid. One of the principal defaulters
was the Grand Canal Company, which had done every-
thing in its power to oppose the progress of im-
-1 provement in Ireland by railway. He contended
that if proper security was taken in the first
•t instance, money advanced for the construction of
t railways or the public works would be punctually re-
f'
paid. He thought the security offered by the Railway
tl
1 Companies which were now projected in Ireland was the
1: most ample and satisfactory that could be required.
tl Mr. B. then referred to the canal communication in
tl Sweden, which opened the traffic from the Baltic to the
ci North Sea, With the advantages which nature had
tc conferred upon Ireland in position and the number and
ar extent of her bays, they might naturally conclude that
the whole or the greater part of the Russian and Ame-
le rican trade would pass through Ireland. After apolo-
)f gizing for detaining the meeting so long, Mr. Berming-
.0. ham concluded by moving a resolution to the effect that
r% it was expedient that Ireland should possess the advan-
tages of railway communication, and pointing out the
sq. three lines north, south, and west, which ought to form
he
the trunk lines,
us
Mr. Honsatew seconded the resolution, and contended
ne
that the lines already selected by private companies were
Pi
ei far superior to those recommended by the Commissioners.
se He had been induced to become a large shareholder in
b(
the Dublin and Kilkenny line, from the favourable na-
at ture of the evidence tendered before the Parliamentary
Committee, and he trusted an opportunity would be a-
ds
is! forded the Company of establishing its superiority before
le the Government plan was decidedly adopted.
a The KNIGHT OF KERRY said he and his Noble
ne
Friend (Lord Fitzgerald) had only seen the advertise-
all
ment calling. the meeting half an hour previously, and
ot
had been induced to attend. It did not appear to them,
le
tic however, to contain a fair representation or the landed
proprietary of Ireland, and ho regretted much that par-
bt tics who had so deep an interest in the welfare of that
rest country had not been induced to attend the discussion
e
st of so vitally important a question.—(Hear, hear.) He
is . lamented exceedingly that there appeared every possi-
er bility that the application for a grant of public money to
he orginate the main lines in Ireland was likely to be de-
L feated from the want of due exertion on the part of
1,31 Irish landed proprietors' to come to some common Un-
'h derstanding, founded upon an accurate and general Bur-
ial vey of the country. He did not come there to prefer a
.11
'I complaint against the Railway Commissioners, althoagh
the district with which ne was connected had been just
ne
as unfairly treated as any other portion of the country,
although it had been the first to suggest the plan of a
tul
steam communication with the United States. After
Ti alluding to the competition as to where packet stations
ip should be fixed on the western coast of Ireland, which
le he said could only be impartially decided on by the
es people of the United States, the Right Hon. Gent.
n. concluded by recommending the meeting to adjourn
Eel until an opportunity would b afforded other landed pro-
TI prietors connected with Ireland to take part in the dis-
ci cussion, by which means any proposition emanating from
S
it would have more weight with the Legislature.
ere, E YDENIIAM COLLEGE, LONDON. N. A. Vi'; Mr. BERMINGHAM expressed his readiness to adopt
tv :rd...d in this institution on Saturday, April 13, before a q., M.P., in the Chair. The honours vier
any suggestion that would meet the convenience of the
e
.
hrge ass:in:o:ly of ladies and gentlemen. It was stated in
gentlemen present.
the lila-yearly Report that the College was thriving, and Mr. Surrn believed if the Knight of Kerry was in
that dutio; the present session there had been 175 entries possession of the views of the meeting he would cor-
tex the various classes. It was also announced that the dialler support them. The state of the question was
unique collection of. preparations illustrative of gun-shot this—they had on one side the proposition of Lord
wounds, obtained by the Professor of Surgery, Mr. Alcock, Morpeth to Parliament., which was very strenuously
during the military campaigns in Spain, was deposited in opposed ; and on the other, the proposition of the rail-
the Museum of the College. way proprietors, who had projected, and had in some
SUSCEPTIBILITY OF HORSES.—That the cases actually commenced, other lines of railway, which
horse is a very sensitive creature, or rather, perhaps, we followed the street lines of traffic of the country, and
. should s:-.y very susceptible of excitement, admits of proofs which they undertook' to. complete by private specula-
ii, rnaey ways, particularly in regard to the racer. Ralston, tion alone,- or with the aid of a grant of money from
once the property of the late Mr. Mytton, from whom he
Government. The question for the meeting was,
passoti into the hands of the late Mr. Beardsworth, and is
now in America, was apt to break into a sweat whilst pre-
which of these propositions should be adopted, and
paring to start, and so of many other racers which have if the latter, it was proposed that petitions
, fallen under our notice. Brutandorf, if he heard the tinkle should be presented to Parliament, to obtain
1 of the smith's hammer, would tremble, and be soon covered a Select Committee of the Houses of Lords and Corn-
vvini per-piration, under the impression that his plates mons, to report upon the lines which ought to be
were 14.,1nt.,,- to Lc put en ; and this horse, very floe in
for ,n, tall in possession of superior power and speed,
r:,peA!edly lost his races owing to the fearful impressions
which came, on him. He tore away from the starting
adopted, and the terms and conditions upon which they
ought to be promoted by the Government. It was
also proposed
Ireland
a general, Railway Act sh.o.uld. be
post, and expended his powers improperly; no jockey could
i
hold him together, nor take a pull at him, and therefore passe.d for , whice . would prevent the injurious
consequences to the public of a monopoly by private
he was vanquished more than once by nags of an inferior companies as to the hours of travelling, the fares for
a •-• •pti cs,flonT___ The Sportsman. passengers, and merchandize, &c. A petition founded
' THREE PERSONS DitowNED.-...Yesterday af- upon these two principles could scarcely be objected to
terroon, between five and six o'clock, the following fatal
..and raelancliol accident by the Right Hon. Gentleman (the Knight of Kerry)
occurred on the river. It appears or any gentleman who was interested in the prosperity
that. fall_ , •Y ,
,v;„. e Young men, named John Knight, George King, of the country. It was unnecessary to point out the
ier"rda`lacl"9ll,, and William Brookes, had hired a boat manifest injustice anti impolicy of establishing. a Govern-
for
Tficia etwiestminster, and had been up the river to ment Railway in one part of the country, and allowing
,Meadows
on
theirlen they had reached as far as Wandsworth Railways to be established by private companies in
boat athwart a
moored. The
sank
named e dantdhe
cipitatcd into toe rivernstallo
-and were seen no wore.
but, being intoxibocaaatretgdie:
.elung to the chain cable, and was
Knight, stated that his companions i
~, b return, they unfortunately rowed the other parts. He could assure
upset, and they were pre- :
Brookes
wsawsadmr a short distance,
were all
senniteod. Knight , who, appeared to have some-
eeet, that both English and
i subscriked from the first to
ieffect. He was prepared to procsa'er.
, they had ample funds to carry out these
the barge. i - • ;
intoxicated. I trusted that opportunity would
f F •
thel Knight. o Kerry,
Irish capital
on the su -
_ capital was liberally
before
yertohespe railways into
re
rar.liament that
projects, and he
be afforded them.
jhaanuelidothat was
lying.
I