The Sun.
London, England, 1830-10-29 00:00:00

EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW - UNION RAIL-
" WAY BY CUMBERLAND.
FROM the Advertisements which have
lately appeared recommendatory of a NEW LINE
of RAILWAY between EDINBURGH and GLASGOW,
suggested by Mr. Grainger, Civil Engineer, the public
may be led to suppose that the North, or Level Line of
Railway, which it was some time ago resolved to form
from the Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway, eastwards, by
Cumberland, to the Union Canal, and the plan of con-
verting the latter into a ,Railway, and making a branch to
Leith, so as to form a complete and direct Railroad,,
twern the Eastern and West.' n Capitals, is superseded or
abandoned : it is therefore necessary,to state that such is
not the case; the scheme bat_ been long and carefully
considered, and the line possesses so many peculiar advan-
tages that no doubt retneine as to its superiority to any
other that can be proposed.
This track was first brought before the public in the
year 1789, and after a minute survey of the whole country
between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and plans of the, whole
possible lines of communication had been made, it was
recommended as decidedly and incomparably the best,
both by that accurate Surveyor, Mr. Ainslie, and by Mr.
Rennie, the celebrated Engineer. Since thst,airne it has
been examined and surveyed again and again, and re-
peatedly declared to be unquestionably the only eligible
lint for an improved opening for all the purposes of com-
merce and trade. Accordingly the eastern part of it was
chosen fur the Union Canal; and more recently the Gran-
kirk And Glasgow Railway has been made along eight
miles of its western termination. Fifteen miles of road-
way are thus only left to he acquired and formed ; and the
pioposed improvement and conversion of the Union Canal
into a Railway, a simple expedient, and new exemplified
in some of the Canals in England, has only, to be effected,
to complete a continuous and level Railway between
Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Leith. This will be accom-
plished at less than one-half or even the estimated expense
of forming any other Railway of the kind, and also in less
titan half the time. .Wlst is of more consequence, the
road will not only be the most practicable and cheapest,
but it will bo the best, being level from end to end,._.
whereas the others that are proposed, being to cross a part
of the country rising to a height of above eight hundred
feet, must of necessity consist of a series of ascents and
descents, or tunnels, or both, and these are more prejudicial
to a Railway than to a common road. It is evident also
that from the elevation of the south lines they could not
Le approached with facility by the mineral produce of the
districts they traverse, or, if tunnelled, they would be still
less accessible, except at either end ; while, on the other
hand, the north, or level line, forms the trough of the
whole country lying between Glasgow and Edinburgh,
into which commodities of every kind could he delivered
or receiver! at any point, by the roads already existing,l
and by inclined planes, or others that may be made.
The difference of distance against the North or Level
Line is alleged to be from two to three miles; but by the'
alterations to be made on the course of the Canal in form-
ing it into a Railway, this difference will be greatly di-
minished, if not 'altogether removed ; and although it
existed, the rate of travelling by steam. power is so rapid,
that two or three minutes would be all the loss of time.
This is surely not worth consideration, especially when it
is recollected that a level road is obtained, and that a much
greater loss of time, or a waste•of horse or steam-power,
would ensue in ascending the declivities on the high lines
of road. •
KING and BUCHANAN,
Glasgow, Oct. 23, 1830. Agents for the Survey.
Norr.._Applieations for Shares are received, and in-
by Messrs. King and Bu-
eqhuairnianes,74szvenrerult—cheinsoGu.leatsrgetoz,
Edinburgh, by Messrs. Brothel a
as formerly announced ; in
and Kennedy, 59, Nor-
thumberland-street; Messrs. M'Millan and Grant, 25,
York-place ; and Adam M'Cheyne, Esq., W.S., 56,
Queen .street ; sod in London, by Mr. Myres, 1, Castle-
street, Leicester-square; and Spottiewoede and Robert-
son, Esquires, 16, Great George-street, Westminster. .