The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-20 00:00:00

THE RAILWAY.

L OND ON—BRIGHTON—DIEPPE--PA RI S.
(From the Brighton Gazette.)
On Friday last the French Government steamer Le Papin
arrived in our roads, having on board the Mayor of Dieppe
and a party of French gentlemen (including one of the Direc-
tors) interested in the intended Railway communication be-
tween that place and Paris. The object of their voyage was to
ascertain in what time the passage between Brighton and
Dieppe could be performed. We understand that on this oc-
casion it occupied eight hours and twenty-three minutes, but
that they were perfectly satisfied that it might be done in a
much less time ; indeed, there is no doubt whatever—as we
are assured by those practically acquainted with these matters_
that it may be done in six hours. Assuming this calculation to
be correct, the who'e distance between London and Paris may,
when the line of Railway is complete on both sides of the
Channel, be travelled in the almost incredibly short space of
twelve hours—a prospect which is fraught with considerations
whose importance cannot be estimated at too high a rate. As
we said last week, a new era of prosperity is thus opened to
the town, and indeed to the nation ; for England, and not
Brighton alone, is interested in such a question as this.
We have received, very opportunely, the subjoined letter
from a friendly Correspondent, who lately left this place for

Paris :

TO THE EDITOR OF THE BRIGHTON GAZETTE.

Paris, Sept. 11th, 1838.
Dear Sir,—As you requested me to transmit to you the re-
sult of my inquiries respecting the railroad between Paris and
Dieppe, I beg to.state to you, in as brief language as I can,
the result of those inquiries. The object of my inquiry em-
braced two points-Ist, to a=certain how far the harbour of
Dieppe was capable of improvement, and if so, what proba-
bility there was of the French Government undcrtakirg those
improvements ;-2d, to procure the best information on the
prospect nod progress of the railroad from Paris to Dieppe,
having procured letters of introduction to Mons. Deslandes,
Maire de Dieppe, to Mons. Leborgne, a Director of toe Rail-
way between Dieppe and Rouen, and to Mons Mermed, the
Edi•or of the Vigie de Dieppe, a gentleman who took a pro.
ro'nent interest in procuring the passing of the all through
the Chamber of Deputies.
On presenting my letters to ere above gentlemen, tney
kir;dly gave me, after a ling interview, the fullest information;
and in answer to my first question, they informed me the
French Government were fully aware of the importance of
Dieppe Harbour, having some time ago appointed a Commis-
sion composed of the first engineers of France, to survey that
port and hilrbour—that during the late Session they made
their report, which was so favourable that the Chamber. of
Deputies, at the suggestion of the French Ministers, had
granted a sum of two millions of francs to carry the report
into execution ; the object being, by making some alteration at
ti e mouth and inside the harbour, to prevent the accumul.tion
of shingle, which at present obstructs the entrance, and by
such works to render the ha, boor accessible at all times and
periods (f the tide, and of sufficient depth to admit a seventy-
four gun ship ; which works are now in progress, as I ob-
served them when I entered the harbour.

To my second question they stated that Mons. Agnuard,
the Principal Director of both the P.iris and Rouen, and the
Rouen and Dieppe Railways, was taking very active proceed-
ings to prosecute both vigorously, having completed the pur •
chase of a considerable portion of the land necessary for the
first-named railway, and had already entered into contracts
for so much of the railway as reached from Paris to PonWise,
a distance of twenty-four miles, which he expected to have
opened for the public by next May, with every probability, be-
fore the close of next year, to have fifty miles completed and
open, the works having on several already commenced. They
were now also engaged in purchasing the land for the latter
railway, and as soon as sufficient has been purchased, con-
tracts will be forthwith entered into. Nor do they anticipa'e
any difficulty, either in completing the works, or in procaring
the necessary funds.
I cannot but acknowledge the kindness of the above gentle-
men, for the very full and unrestsrved information they gave
'me, and although I had no reason to doubt their inform=
tion, the whole has been fully verified since my arrival in
Paris; and I believe you will agree with me on the implurt-
ance of the above information to the town of Brighton, and

will rejoice 1411% me in the benefit the town will derive
the means of a regular and quick communication
throughout tlitt 7.mi with Paris and the penthern parts of
Prance and Italy. lam Orr, yaii will also coincide with me
th'OFC who have the tthinrigernent of Shore-
ham 1-larkk._g•: niit terthijili take the necessttty measures
to rem?er that harbour tiVan'tigeo'usi not only to the
public, but to themselves, as there effiticii be a doubt that
with a frequent and CQPsPint
c6mmunication betiteett the two
ports, with the advantages also of Paris and Dieppe and
the London and Brighton Railways, and increasing
trade for supplying' the London market with the .frui",
poultry, eggs, &c. of Normandy, which are now carrier,
priticiwily to Ramsgate, and the perishable fruits of Spain
and Portugal, would be c:Tried on through Shoreham liar.
bour.—l beg to remain, dear Sir,
Yours very truly,
INVESTIGATOR.

LONDON AND SOUTHAMPTON

RAILWAY.

riaNitivton,ydavy,amth,ep,sn
on ~,f,',J.,2 the L'm4on and Birmingham
also tl 6 d t gxf d by the Directors of this Company for a trip
• , to tiif, Wittehge4 statiort, near Murrell-green, preliminary to
daycd to the public fur the viiitilv distance, was
!he public opening 6f this p'o'rtion of the line, which will take
place about a week bona. .
The party start.d from Nine gilt a! at half-past one C/ciork.
and reache I the Woking station (23 miles) in forty minutes;
there they halted for a short time, and then proceeded at a
steadier pace along the new works. The country through
whinh the pass is very picturesque, and, owing to the great
preponderance of embankment over-cutting, the traveller has
a good panoramid view of it. One of the embankments is
near five miles in length, prObably the longest on any line of
railway. The party reached Winchgeld shortly after three
o'clock, and were met there by a large assemblage of the
neighbouring gentry and rustics. The presence of the fail' sex,
a band of music, and a fine day, made the scene a very gay
one. The Wittchfield station is an important one, being half
way to Southampton, and coming dose upon the great south-
western road, about seven Miles ffom Basingstoke. Here the
party stopped some time to inspect the works, which are all
• but finished, dilti then proceeded to dinner of the Wellesley
Arms, Murrell. green, where they were joined by Several of
the landed gentlemen of the neighbourhood, who have ndarly
ill been promoters of or well wishers to the undertaking.
Amongst the company were Sir Lowry Cole, Mr. Shaw
Lef,vre, M. P., Mr. Fyshe Palm,r, M. P., Mr. Bainbridge,
Lord George Beauelere, Major Brown, Sir Claudius Hunter,
11r. Burtress, Rev. Wsgrs. Warren and Harriett, &c. &c.
The Chairman of the Company, John Easthope, Esq.,
M. P., presided at a superb dinner, provided by Mr. Webb,
and the good cheer provoked some after dinner oratory,
wherein the speakers expressed themselves well pleased with
the progress of the work, which will in a few days enable them
to reach London in Art hour and a half, instead of four to five
hours, the time now occupied by the coaches or in posting.
The party broke up about eleven o'clock, and the Directors
returned to town by railway on the following day.

SOUTHAMPTON HARDCUR, DOCKS,
AND RAILWAY,

Til E ("ArVIBOUthRe --
that fresh testimony of the growing estimation of our Harbour
oltitnicipiisihnirAemAridovme Advertiser
eof
attubradpapyy.
to find
is afforded, by the resort of the Commercial Otearn and the
IlettinoUla PaOpation Companies' Steamers to this rill en
£heir passage to flondpn and the coasts of Spain and
Portugal.. Here is evidencd tif 1.6 flexibility of modern habits
of business, which do and will conform to fil4 o.lioltates of pru-
dence, economy, and common sense. When even hi aightly
considered, what can become more clear than that Southamp-
ton, abounding in natural resources for shipping, and being
nearly central between Edinburgh and Paris (a line drawn be-
tween which cities would rein through the heart of the two
kingdoms), must be the most convenient rendezvous for the
traveller, and be better calculated than any port that can be
mentioned, for the collection and distribution of merchandize?
The Diredtors of those Companies have, with the sagacity of
good merchants, duly atipttftlateti the convenience and com-
fort to passengers afforded by the poSition end other attractions
Hof Southampton ; and we cannot doubt that, in proportion as
his arrangement becomes known throughout Europe, the tel.
titles and convenience it affords will b:. acknowledged. The
Iberia, belonging to the Peninsular Company, called at this
port on Monday last, and the Trdneit, belonging to the Com-
mercial Company, will call on the 21st instant..—on the out-
ward passage. We cordially wish these enterprising Com-
panics all the success they can desire.

COMMENCEMENT OP THE SOUTHAMPTON DOCK COM-
PANY'S WORKS.—The Chairman, Contractor, and Engineer
of the Dock Company arrived in goitth-amtttort yesterday to
make their final arrangements for the commentertient of the
works, and we are happy to state they will be immediately
commenced. The Contractor is Mr. Burge, who contracted
for the execution of the St. Catharine's Docks, and from the
known ability and spirit of that gentleman, we may augur the
speedy formation of the first dock, Mid tetlSetplent realisation
of those great benefits to the town, which the eSidtAiltiment of
locks, especially when considered in connexion with the cam=
pletion of the railway, must inevitably produce.

THE RAILROAD. —The extension of the London and South-
mpton Railway to Hartley Row on Tuesday next is likely
to afford considerable stimulus to all travelling to the west.
We understand that the Herald coach between Exeter and
London will render the railway available immediately on its
being opened, and by so doing will save upwards of three hours
on each journey. The trains on the railway will start from
each termination four times a day, viz., down at 7f, 10, 3, and
54 o'clock; up, at 7, 101, 3, and 7 o'clock; completing the
3; miles in one hour and forty minutes.

The rising importance of Southampton as a packet port is
daily rendered more evident. Our advertising columns every
?reek present advertisements of additional vessels leaving this
port for foreign stations, or calling here on their route. The
Transit, a fine steam-r, belonging to the Commercial COM-.
pail, will leave Southampton for Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar,
and Malaga, on Friday next, taking out goods and passengers.
The same Company's fine vessels the Calpe and Kent leave
London on Sunday and Thursday for Weymouth, amid Wey-
mouth for London on Mondays arid Thursdays, calling at
Southampton and Ryde, and all intermediate places on the
coast.