The Sun.
London, England, 1838-07-20 00:00:00

It therefore deeply concerns the public, whose weifire i, :n_
separably connected with all -that tends to improve the int,. _
nal resources, or to maintain the commercial and manufactur-
ing superiority of these countries, that such works should b.
promoted ; and, consequently, every encowaipment,
tent with the regard due to other interests. should be gives:
to capitalists,. who may be willing to undertake them.
proposition should be submitted to a competent and duly eon
stituted tribunal ; and, if aoprovA, should be adopted rcie
stamped a; national enterprises. As such. they should r
tected from all unnecessary expere,e—from extrava,4aa
mends for compensation—from vexatious
the ruinous competition of other Con:panies. To tL,.t. e5t,..,•
they have a strong claim on the protemioo of tu•,
But, on the other hand, the ptHi: inere.st would • r,quire
that they should be bound by such conditiolis. and held sub-
ject to such well-considered regulations and effective control
as shall secure to the country at large the full benefit and ec.
commodation of this admirable system.

The practice hitherto followed in England has been almost
the very reverse of that which we here recommend. No pre.
liminary steps are taken on behalf of the public, to ascertain
whether the proposed Railroad be well adapted to its specific
object, or calculated to form a part of a more general sys eat.
The best and the worst devised schemes are entertained alike,
being equally exposed to opposition, and left equally unpro-
tected against the difficulties which interested parties may
raise up against them. Nay, a Railway Bill may be passed,
or it may be rejected ; but the fate of the project merely
proves the number and influence of its respective supporters
or opponents. Its failure or success is no test whatever of its
merits, as a measure of general utility ; for that consideration
forms a very small part of the inquiry before Parliament.
The principal points which, on application for an Act, the
Projectors of a Railroad are required to establish before Par-
liament are these :

Ist. That the probable traffic be sufficient to justify such an
establishment.

2d. That the project for effecting. the given object be so
planned as to produce good unt chanical mutts.
3d. That adequate funds be secured for carrying it into
execution.

4th. That private property be not unduly interfered with.
Of these, the second alone bears reference to the future
efficiency of the work ; and even this confines the attention of
Parliament to one only of the many important questions in
which the interests and accommodation of the public are in-
volved. It also relates to a subject so professional in its
nature, that it is not to be expected that a Parliamentary
Committee, constituted as such tribunals generally are, should
be competent to examine or decide upon it.
Should the parties succeed in obtaining a favourable Re-
port, they are usually empowered to proceed, and to hold the
work as any other description of private property, subject to
little or no external regulation or controul. Hence they are
enabled to establish a monopoly, in the most extensive scrise,
and to keep the intercourse of the country entirely at their
command. The rate of speed, the choke of hours for depart-
ing, the number of journeys in the day, rest at their discre-
tion ; and as they have the unlimited right of fixing the
charges for the conveyance both of passengers and goods, they
then have an opportunity of repaying themselves, not only fur
the legitimate cost of constructing and maintaining the Rail-
way, but for all the heavy expenditure incurred, either through
their own extravagance, or in consequence of the various im-
positions practised upon them. Thus, every item of unneces-
sary expense falls eventually upon the public.
Sanguine anticipations have been formed of the advantages,
already enumerated, of rapidity, facility, frequency, and cc°.
nomy, which this mode of communication is unquestionahly
calculated to affords ' But it will depend greatly upon the will
of the Railway Companies, as at present constituted, to what
extent such expectations shall be realised.
With respect to the first of those advantages, that of rapi-
dity, it is known that as the speed increases, the expenses in-
crease in so high a proportion, that it may be apprehended
there will be a strong temptation to bring down the velocity to
a rate not much exceeding the best public conveyances which
the Railway will have superseded.
Next, as to facility of communication, the existence of sepa-
rate Companies along the same line, without a provision to
regulate a.id enforce their cooperation, may be productive of
the greatest inconvenience ; and it is already exemplified in
the most important line ia the kingdom—that from London
to Liverpool. It is a matter of notoriety, that a junction of
the two lines, near Birmingham, might readily have been
effected, and by that means the inconvenience and delay of
transferring goods and passengers avoided.
It has been avowed by certain Companies, that it is their
intention not to run their carriages on a Sunday. If they
exercise such a power, it will be tantamount to locking the
turnpike-gates on common roads ; for although most Acts
allow individuals to run their own carriages, and even their
own locomotives on railways, this privilege is only allowed
subject to the approval and regulations of the Company.
Scarcely under any circumstances does it appear to us that arm
individual could take advantage of such permission; but it is
evident, that while accompanied by the condition we have
named, it becomes wbolly inoperative, as a remedy for any in-
convenient regulation Which a Company may think it right to
enforce.

Lastly, as to economy; it may, without fear of contradic-
tion, bo state.), that the practice hitherto f, Mowed leads ne-
cessarily to the highest possible rates of charge. The ex-
penses, which are generally excessive, of obtaining the sanc-
tion of Parliament, the exorbitant payments frequently ex-
torted as compensation, or to buy off a vexatious opposition ;
the superfluous and wasteful profusion often displayed in the
construction of the work itself; all concur to demand a large
return from the public; which the proprietors, as carriers,
being unrestricted as to the rates of charge, will not fail to
enforce. And they will the less scruple to do so, because
competition, the usual remedy against a di,regird of the pub-
lic accommodation, would be ruinous, and can, in such cases,
be rarely resorted to.

We ventured, in our first Report, to point out the proballe
consequences of confi,ling such unrestricted powo rs to private
and irresponsible individuals ; as regards the convey ince of
the mails, these have already begun to manifest themselves ;
but they are trifling when compared with the serious evi.s
which, we fear, must inevitably result from such improvidert
concessions. We believe that Railway travelling will con-
tinue to maintain a superiority over that which it has super-
seded; but there is reason to fear that it will be fur below
what they country might have derived under better regula
tions; when this is perceived and understood, the satisfaction
hich is now felt will gave way to discontent and complaint,
and retrospective legislation wilt supply but zt partial and imper-
fect remedy.

It might be well to look to the proceedings of other
countries, in reference to this important matter. In France
the main lines have been laid- ,out under the immediate direc-
tion of the Government, and the conditions made known, on
which private Companies will be empowered to construct and
work them. America, as might be expected, from its sepa-
rate and independent jurisdictions, has proceeded less syste-
matically; but the several States have, in general, become
shareholders to a large amount, and have thus acquired great
influence in the direction of the Railway:: undertaken within
their respective limits.
In England clinic, the main lines of communication have
been committed to the direction of individuals, almost unc,m-
ditionally, and without control. We believe this has arisen,
in a great measure, from the suddenness with which tl.is in-
vention burst upon the country, and the imperfect view which
has as yet been taken of its extraordinary power, as well as of
the extent to which the public interests are involved in its just
application and management.
But to whatever cause this may be attrileuted, we have
deemed it our duty, before closing our Report, to urge tiles,:
important considerations on public attention, in the earnest
hope, that hi Ireland, where the ground is yet untrodden,
every precaution may be taken, and every measure adopted,
which can contribute, on the one hand, to the encouragement
of the capitalist, and, on the other, to secure to the country
the full and entire benefit which the Railway system is capable
of afraditig.
We humbly submit this, our Second and final Report, to
your Majesti's consideration.

• T. DRUMMOND (L. s.)
J. F. BURGOYNE, (L. s.)
PETER BARLOW, (L. s.)
- RICHARD GRIFFITH, (L. s.)
Dublin, 1301 Jul-, 1838.
HARRY D. JONES, Sccre:ary.

DEAFNESS.—Every "point relating to this exten-
sively prevaLmt infirmity in the sense of hearing is au admirably eluci-
dated and vxplrined in Mr. Stevenson's justly popular Treatise on the
subject, in which the essence of twenty-fnur Lectures is compressed and
.for the benefit of unprofessional readers, constituting the
most entercsting and instruetive_work titiserto published, the' we tor.
tlially join the highly respecta e and e o ltelviewors and literary
description of persons afflicted
Editors, its calling the atten
with any of the various diseases of the ear, to its valuable contents,—.
(See Advertisement.)
NATIONAL LOAN FUND ASSURANCE SOCIETY.
—lt will be seen by our Parliamentary report•that a 13111 to give addl.
Coital facilities to this Company in the transaction of their business, has
passed the House of Commons by a consider:std.! majority, notwthstand.
ing it was opposed by the President of the Board of Trade. The Society,
in fact, is working its way in public estimation, and deservedly so, tbr
when its principles are clearly understood by the productive ()lasses of
the community, it cannot fail to prevent ilch misery, suffering, and
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world, is, or at least ought tbe groat"- • 6ose who hays. A
comfortable support for the nt ct have no certain fund on which
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within the reach of those who cannot avail themselves of
the advantages of common life insurances". For instance, a
person who insure.; to secure a certain sum at his death may from a Va-
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year, he Etures at GO the option of having an annuity of ail, 11 a. 4d
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their ntighbours will el)deiSvixttr to Make its in Inciples generally known.
—En"' 4cl'f4s,
eiylo mean-ter, from . Havre to London, came
Slicto in a fog, near Shakspeare Cliff, yesterday mornioz, sit
pustsigsrs were safely landed, most of whom latiot:.i,,,kd
the Tally-Ho teach. The Bev. Dr. Chalivi,:„. iy,, great cballipioa of
the Chu re% of Scotland, was one zi.f, hq,•l4,...se.ngera. The Oyde got Or
the rocks about one•o'ekecti, --:itit's;,4oi having sust.n tied any serious, slsitoage,
and rocee.dssa lilik; i. 44,44,—Dover Chronicle of .:fottAtlas.k.: