The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-23 00:00:00

sees, and which would fit him, in due time, and we
all hoped it might be a distant time, for the dis-
charge of those most arduous and responsible duties
to which he might hereafter be called.
After the other loyal toasts,

The CHAIRMAN proposed the toast of the even-
ing," The prosperity of the Wrexham, Mold, and
Connah's Quay Railway." He dwelt at some length
on the question of railway locomotion. This great
invention had, he said, done wonderful things for
our country, and not only for ours, but through Eng-
land, for the World. Besides, it was a gratifying recol-
lection to us, although an operation performed in some
degree at our own cost, that we had been practically
the pioneers of the railway system to the whole of
Europe, whence it was finding its way into Asia and
to the most remote parts of the world. Mr. Gladstone
then alluded to the vast improvement which had
taken place in the details of this invention since its
first introduction ; going back to the period when the
Liverpool and Manchester Railway was opened 32
years ago, he believed he might say with accuracy,
that since that time the speed of railway travelling
had been doubled, and the cost of railway transit had
been halved. (Hear, hear.) And if that were true, it
was only saying, in other words, that vast as was
the invention given to the world, the railway sys-
tem had been multiplied fourfold since two and thirty
years ago it made its first appearance amongst us.
It was a most curious and instructive history. No
doubt if we had to do the thing over again we might
do it better; but it was hardly to be expected
that wisdom should spring ready-formed from
the mind of the man as the fabled goddess Pallas
sprang from the brain of her father. (Hear, hear.)
As an illustration of the progress made he might
mention one circumstance. When a Board of Trade
commission was instituted to inquire into the merits
of the various lines projected at that time for the
purpose of opening railway communication between
England and Scotland, the contest between the pro-
moters of the several schemes was one of great im-
portance. There was a general agreement that such
a project was necessary, but people were also quite
agreed that it was utterly impossible that there
could be more than one line constructed. The
scheme called the Caledonian line obtained the
victory, but utterly impossible seemed the idea of
constructing a railway through the wild country
between Lancaster and Carlisle. That line would
not have been made if some southern com-
pany, who had an interest in opening the com -
munication, had not come forward with large sub-
scriptions towards the cost ; but now instead of
one line there were no less than five railways by
which any traveller might proceed from England
into Scotland, and the Lancashire and Carlisle, con-
structed under such hopeless circumstances, had
proved one of the most profitable railwayinvestments
in the kingdom. (Hear, hear.) But while the great
districts of the country had been opened up, there
remained, perhaps, the most profitable portion of
the railway system to be developed—viz., the gra-
dual development of those minor schemes which were
to address themselves especially to meeting the local
wants of particular districts. He considered the
present scheme one of those most likely to he pro-
fitable in developing the mineral riches of Den-
bighshire and Flintshire. He found that of the
total annual production of 84 million tons of coal
in the United Kingdom, North Wales stood in
the return for only one million and a quarter
of tons, and he ventered to prophecy that in ten
years time the proportion would be very much
larger as proper facilities for traffic were deve-
loped. (Hear, hear.) Although it was supposed
that their coal-beds in North Wales had been nearly
worked out, they had found below the main seam
a large and most valuable supply of cannel. In-
deed, the specimens from Luswood were considered
to be the very finest specimens of coal shown in the
International Exhibition. (Hear, hear.) This was
the ground upon which the railway had to work,
and he called upon the company with confidence to
drink its success. (Hear.)
The Mayor of WREXHAM proposed "The Health
of the President of the Assembly, the Right Hon.
W. E. Gladstone, M.P." He was sure they ought
to feel highly honoured in having so distinguished
a guest. They participated at Wrexham in the
admiration with which the whole country had
watched his official career as a member of the
House of Commons, and approved of those mea-
sures which had not only tended to forward our
own prosperity but also to cement our friendship
with other nations. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. GLADSTONE, in reply, simply repeated the
expression of his gratitude for the reception he had
met with. He made no allusion whatever to
America or other public topics.
" The Health of the County and Borough Mem-
bers for Denbighshire and Flintshire" was acknow-
ledged by Mr. T. MAINWARING and Sir J.HANMER,
and the latter proposed " Mrs. Gladstone and the
Ladies present," which was enthusiastically
honoured.

The CHAIRMAN, in replying on behalf of Mrs.
Gladstone, said that all the natives of Wales were
admitted by the whole world to be conspicuous for
faithful affection to their country, and he need not
say any more of her than that he believed and
trusted in that respect she was worthy to be ranked
among the natives of the principality. (Cheers.)
The remaining toasts were, " The Railway
Directors," "The Visitors, coupling with it the
names of the Mayors of Chester and Oswestry,"
" The Mayor and Corporation," " The Agricultural
and Mining Districts," " The ,Council," " The
Solicitors," " The Engineers," " The Contractors to
the Company," and " The Press."
At the close of the banquet Mr. Gladstone left by
train for London.