The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-16 00:00:00

NORTH METROPOLITAN.

Yesterday an adjourned meeting of this company was
held at their offices, 47, Parliament-street, Westminster
—Mr. W. Malins in the chair. The secretary having
read the notice calling the meeting,
The CHAIRMAN said that they were aware that the ad-
journment to that day from the 31st ult. had been made
in expectation that terms might be, in the interval, ar-
ranged between themselves and the Great Western
Company; but, as they all knew, the fight of the gauges
which had raged for so long a time, had just reached its
climax, and been brought to a settlement within the
last few days. That circumstance had so entirely occu-
pied the attention of the Great 'Western officials, that
it had been found impossible to bring them to a con-
sideration of terms with this company. The directors
had, therefore, to regret, that all they could now do was
to again adjourn this meeting for fourteen days. He
might mention that the North Metropolitan Railway
was a subject which occupied a good dal of public
attention, and the usefulness of which was every day
becoming more and more appreciated ; and, as it was
their design to connect the various termini, he hoped
that they might be instrumental in promoting among
the various companies a better spirit and understanding,
by which railway property might be saved from the ruin
which seemed impending over it. He had no doubt that
it was one of the most valuable species of property in the
country, and could be made highly remunerative, if they
would only require equal fares, leaving the public the
choice of routes. He had, however, to inform them
that negotiations were at present pending, not only with
the Great Western, but also vsith tiie- other companies,
and he hoped to be able, it their next meeting, to an-
nounce to them the results. He should now propose an
adjournment of 14 days.
Mr. BIIRTNELL seconded the motion, and the pro.
ceedings were concluded in the usual manner.

TO TEE PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS
OF TEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

(From the Belfast Mercantile Journal.)
GENTLEMEN,—I take advantage of your position, as
the officers of a most influential body of merchants, and
your personal standing as leading members of our com-
munity to urge on you the necessity of not relaxing in
your exertions to promote the extension of our inland
communication. lam fully aware that your attention
has been directed to this object, and that you have not
spared personal expense and personal labour in endea-
vouring to effect the various plans for the purpose
alluded to ; excuse me, however, if, taking advantage of
your known views, I make you the medium of calling on
the Belfast people for renewed exertion. I have to
thank the proprietor of this journal for affording suffi-
cient space for my communication on a question that he
has himself adverted to from time to time during the last
twelve months.

Circumstances have turned my attention lately to the
state of this country, and I have had the advantage of
communicating freely with a gentleman, whose acquire-
ments admirably fit him for judging of what is going on
around him. Our conclusion is—and I am happy to
know it is based on solid facts—that, with a very few
exception, every part of this island is, as if awaking from
a long slumber, and that progress, founded on self-
reliance, is the general characteristic. Indeed, this is
admitted by all, except a few degenerate Irishmen who
wish to batten on misfortune, and whose occupation is
gone whenever our countrymen take the high stand
amongst men that their talents, if they only choose to
use them, fit them for assuming. William Dargan and
the Exhibition are both means towards this great end.
It is gratifying to know that, as individuals, our great
manufacturers have contributed such admirable fabrics
to the National Exhibition. For this they deserve our
best thanks. But we must not pause here ;we must
enlist the same parties in a great effort for carrying out
improvements on such a scale as to keep Belfast in its
present relative position with regard to other ports of
Ireland.

An examination of a map of our island shows our geo-
graphical position to be this—Nature has given us an
open sea communication with Great Britain and an ad-
mirable bay, running pretty deep into the land, so that
Belfast is the centre of a circle, out of which something
approaching a quadrant has been cut ; but her trade is
not so confined ; she has, from facilities of inland con-
veyance, been found the most convenient seaport for the
general trade of Ulster. Our map further shows us that
we are, in some measure, blocked up by a great inland
sea, around which our supplies have to be carried by
Portadown on the south, and Antrim on the north.
Until the extension of railways made a change, our
communication with the interior was kept up by means
of the Lagan Navigation, the Ulster Canal, and land car-
riage. Of late years it has been greatly facilitated by
the railway to Armagh in one direction, and the Bally-
mena in another; and had matters continued unchanged,
swuepewrioourldadhvaavnetahad n
ges
others
occasion to fea
hershadtooffferr. injury
from
i3uta
newatathtee
of things has commenced. The Newry Canal has been
improved, and made as convenient as possible ; and,
combined with the improvements of Newry harbour, and
the facilities of steam communication with Liverpool, it
is now a most important means of supplying the country.
In the meantime, the act of 1843, under which the Lagan
Navigation was to receive very extensive improvements,
remains a dead letter, and Belfast importers are induced
to send vessels to another port, because it has better in-
land communications.
Railways, also, with which Belfast has no connection,
are pushing out their arms to every direction, and by
this means, as the map shows, our position is becoming
every day more isolated. or example, the Dundalk
and Enniskillen line, and the Enniskillen and Derry
line, cut us off from all intercourse, commercially at .
least, with the north-west coasts of Ulster, and they do
more : they offer an inducemant to the counties of
Derry, Donegal, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Cavan,
and Armagh, to send their produce and receive their
supplies either from Derry or Dundalk. Indeed, I do
not see on what principle the inhabitants of those dis-
tricts will come to Belfast, unless the superior capital of
our merchants enable them to undersell the traders
of other towns, an advantage that cannot long exist, for
there is nothing that transports itself to where it is re-
quired so easily as money. I believe lam not exagge-
rating the danger of our position, for it seems an easy
matter, when a great railway line of communication thus
opens the country, for the enterprising projectors to open
a few branch lines, or even a few good roads, to turn
into it a traffic that formerly passed through Belfast. In
fact, Belfast is about to lose her position as a place of
entrepot, on which a considerable part of her importance
has hitherto depended.
It is not my wish to express any sentiment of jealousy
towards our neighbours ; so far from it nothing gives
me more pleasure than to see Irishmen, as a body,
making an exertion. I have no mean feeling thatwould
raise Belfast at the expense of other towns ; but, as a
townsman, I regret that a golden harvest has not been
short-sightedtheerrpoorlis policy.
the past, and I hope that you and our other public
functionaries will make a 'renewed exertion to extend
Trehaepreedis insticlol consequence
by
yce exertion,o fcr
our inland communications. Let the Lagan Navigation
en-
deavour to open out a trade across Lough Neagh, by
ownt ret ri, eway of Antrim. Let the Ulster company give every
facility to the transmission of goods to Portadown and
be made efficient. Let the Ballymena Company
eup
da ns t t yhd
they
haveaywwi
Quill
already
Belfast
ee Ifast
Armagh ; but, most of all, let them throw out branches
to facilitate the trade to Cavan, Monaghan, Tyrone,
effort to push their line towards Cavan. Let them again
bring in a bill, and persevere till they succeed, for
important supplies. They have the same power of
diverting trade to Belfast that the other lines alluded to
taphnoedsisreFsliesin eaanisndagtihthei
so ntToehbtihse that must
supportedmadeou r mostabny
the public in their efforts.
In eonclusion, I have further to observe, that I think
every facility should be given to the transmission of
coals into the interior, and here our harbour corporation
could give great aid. By a report in the News-Letter, it
appears they anticipate an excess of income over 1852,
of 3,5031. Now, they charge, lam told, 7d. to Bd. per
ton on coals. Why not make a reduction here on what
is carried inland—say, for instance, on proof being given
by a railway or canal company, that they have carried
100 tons of coals, landed at Belfast, to Portadown,
Armagh, or Newtownards, let 4d. per ton be repaid on
such certificate, and by this simple process a very large
supply will be secured. tly to bs
A rapid transmission of our mails is IF"
be done in sea-
desired. The Tdegraph. shows what can
to discover
going vessels ; but your attention is required
a few hours'
the best stations, so as to bring us within
travelling of Liverpool.—l am, gentlemen, your obedient
TRADER.
servant,
1 Belfast, 12th September, 1852.
card

---------
ADMIRAL WEMYSS.—It is said that Admiral Wt,eimsycsos,
for many years member of Parliament for Fifeshire, is
seriously indisposed at his shooting quarters in Glenesk,
Forfarshire.
MONUMENT TO TITIAN AT VENICE.—There is a
novelty in Venice this year. anGdsthwat
Dis,AtßhweEmNo_nuomnensat .
that has been raised to Titian in the Church of Sta.
Maria Gloriosa de Fiori, where he the
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production of Luigi Za,ndornenichi and Pietro Zando-
menichi, his son. It occupies the entire breadth of the
aisle on the south, immediately opposite the monument
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