The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-24 00:00:00

THE CITY RAILWAY TERMINUS COMPANY.

On Tuesday the attention of the Court of Common
Council was particularly called to the following memo-
rial, of the undersigned directors of the City Railway
Terminus Company :

" That their company was established to carry into exe-
cution a project recommended bythe Improvement Com-
mittee of your Council, in the month of December, 1845,
again recommended by the Fleet-valley Improvement
Committee, in January, 1852, and on both occasions ap-
proved by the,COurt of CommonCommonCouncil. .
"Your memorialists learned, with regret, in Decem-
ber laif, that the Iniprolement Committee had entered
a dissent against the company's bill in Parliament, in con-
seqUence of its provisions not embracing the entire improve-
ment§ originally proposed, but though their desire to ex-
tend their • undertaking in this respect was 3 matter of
public notoriety, your memorialists restricted the opera-
tions of the company, in its commencement, to the con-
struction of the railway north of Holborn-valley, for reasons
which they have already explained to the Improvement
Committee, and to afford an opportunity of removing the ob-
jections of those members and officers of the Corporation
who, in 1846, expressed a decided opinion, that although
railways might be allowed to enter the precincts of the
City, yet there was a line of demarcation that should not
be overstepped—a line nearly coincident with the limits of
the railway described in the plans at present submitted to
Parliament.

" Your memorialists readily availed themselves of the
invitation of the Improvement Committee to submit to
them explanations, to remove whatever doubts appeared
to embarrass their minds, and they beg to refer the Com-
mon Council to that communication. The deputation
of directors further assured the committee, that they
would be ready to offer any additional explanation which
the committee ini,ght desire,k.tolear up any points un-
noticed in tho-directore communication ; but .when the de-
putation expressed their desire to enter into negotiations
with the committee respecting the means by which the pro-
posed public improvements were to be carried into effect,
the chairman of the committee informed the deputation,
that the committee was not authorised to enter into any
negotiation with the company, and must not be taken
to express any views respecting the undertaking. To
obviate any undue haste in dealing with interests of such
importance, to allow ample time to correct effectually ad-
verse impressions, should they still be entertained, and for
adjusting differences of opinion by amicable negotiation,
the company's solicitor undertook to have the second read-
ing of the bill postponed (which has since been done) to the
14th of March next • but the committee having proceeded
to a report, without this company being favoured with
any further opportunity of communicating with them,
your memorialists now beg to submit to the Common
Council such explanations of the project as they trust will
correct any mis-apprehension still existing, and they at
the same time announce their assurance, that they are pre-
pared to acquiesce in whatever provisions may be reason-
ably suggested in the bill to insure ,the best execution of
the present limited plan, and to guarantee its extension to
the whole design as soon as its details and the terms of co-
operation are settled and sanctioned by the Corporation.
"It is now objected to this company's project, that the
Royal Railway Commission, in 1816, recommended that
no railway then projected north of the Thames should be
permitted to come within the boundary line of the Edg-
ware-road, from Oxford-street to the New-road, and of the
New-road and City-road to Finsbury-square, and of
Bishopsgate-street, but that a railway round the metropolis
would be preferable ; first, with a view to external defence,
because it would be better to convey troops and stores
round the , outside than through a populous part of the
metropolis ; secondly, because railway viaducts in crowded
situations are calculated to impede that improvement ;
thirdly, because goods and passenger stations in
narrow and crowded streets might cause obstruction to
the thoroughfares. Whether these objections applied
to the company's project, when they were at that
time suggested, need not now be discussed ; but it may
be confidently asserted, that they cannot now have the
slightest weight ; for, first, the circular railway, viz., the
East and West India Docks and Willesden Junctions, is
nearly constructed, and will, it is hoped, be completed in
time for the military purposes for which it may be required,:
and it may be here observed that the conveyance of passen-
gers in a circle several miles broad around London will at
no time facilitate their speedy arrival at its centre ;
secondly, the projected railway, as shown in the model
open for public inspection at the company's offices, is much
below the level of the streets, and stands distinguished
from all other lines by the peculiarity of being constructed
in the only part of London where the viaduct over the
railway is of itself the greatest direct improvement
which the citizens and inhabitants of London have
long desired to see accomplished. Thirdly, the Royal
Commissioners never appear to have contemplated the dif-
ference betwqpn frequent small twins, at intervals of a few
minutes each, conveying comparitively but few passengers,
and the enormous trains, which reach London at long inter-
vals, bearing the traffic and passengers of several hundred
miles, which would remain at the existing stations, sending
in only a portion for this particular locality, and that,
probably, by successive trains. But the arrangements pro-
poised by the company are not even open to objection with
the greatest extension of traffic. The stations would be at
the sides of • nne of the longest itnd: widest streets in the ,
kingdom, with inlets and outlets in eve direction, and
much traffic which now encumbers the streets, would be
received into markets and warehouses at the sides of the
railway, beneath the street, and redistributed by the same

means.
"The Corporation, recognising those views, have not
merely discredited the Royal Commissioners' report,
in twice approving the company's project, but equally
with the Government, have entirely disregarded it,
by permitting bills to pass through Parliament, with-
out opposition, which allow the traffic of the London
and North-Western, and the Great Western, • and the
Eastern Counties Railways, of the New Tilbury, the Dock
Junction, and the North oolwich lines, to be conveyed
altogether by a narrow railway to a narrow station in the
heart of the narrowest streets and lanes in one of the most
crowded districts of the city. A bill for another, com-
mencing under circumstances totally opposite, and most
favourable, which will relieve the city of till's obstruction,
cannot, then, call for opposition, but rather for the zealous
support of the city of London. (Cheers.)
" In recent times, the chief cities of England have been
endeavouring to correct the evils arising from the bygone
idea of keeping termini at a distance from the heart of
their cities. The Town Council of Birmingham has

co-operated to construct great stations, and- to cant
great lines through the centre of the town. The Royal
Commissioners themselves seem to have doubted the

soundness of their own conclusions when they suggested
that, if railways should be ultimately allowed within the
circle, they prescribed it should be in continuation of street
improvements, in a manner which the company desires to
effect by its bill, and that the costs should be borne in just
proportions hetweenthe localities to be benefited and the rail-
way companies. This the directors have endeavoured to ad-
just with the advice and assistance of an architect, whose re-
port ()xi the subject they beg to submit to the consideration
of the Common Council. It
will explain the details of
the project, and elucidate the advantages which the Cor-
poration and the citizens would derive from the extensive
railway works and grand street improvements, approved
equally by themselves and the country, and advocated by
the public press. The directors of this company are not
railway speculators, but for the most part men of business,
connected with the city of London, either by corporate
or commercial ties, who, having carefully examined into
the project, accepted their trust at the hands of a large
body of their fellow-citizens. 'Being convinced of the
advantages it would secure to the city of London, the direc-
tors desire to proceed, with all deference to the Corporation,
in the manner most conducive to its interests, consistently
with the obligations they owe to their shareholders, whom
they are bound to protect, and hitherto they have been
guided by what they believed to be the views and wishes of
the Corporation of London ; the directors have pledged
themselves to the shareholders not to enter into any contest
with the City, and though they have thereby divested
their undertaking of an ordinary railway character, and
deprived themselves of much present support, which they
believe would otherwise have been accorded different mone-
tary and railway interests, they have secured a large and
sufficient subscription contrast, and whenever the Corpo-
ration may relieve them of the existing state of doubt and
suspense regarding its own intentions, they feel sure of pro-
curing whatever capital maybe required of them, as a
company, to meet any engagements which the City may de-
sire them to undertake. The Common Council, however, will
perceive, that a project of such detail, and so extensive as that
proposal was, must necessarily be the subject of much ne-
gotiation, carried on on both sides in a cordial spirit of co-
operation, with an earnest desire to arrive at a successful
issue, and that the directors trust that the Common Coun-
cil, adhering to their former views, will adopt the mea-
sures by which they may be speedily realised.. Your me.
of their
me-
morialists,
presentor ial i s tsbi
Tor
thate etshpee ceieaml
py
asneye
being then eianrel
eyrp passinge re
t,e d may be
better able to sustain its ground in these negotiations,
whilst the work which they would then be enabled to un-
dertake, cannot retard, but must facilitate and expedite
the improvements already commenced, as well as those in
immediate contemplation, instead of a short section of a
street, for years in a state of ruin and waste, being still
left untouched, an impulse would be given to secure the
completion of works tenfold greater in the time, which may
otherwise pass away in prolonged and unprofitable dispute.
Should the Common Council, however, now recede from
its former opinions, abandon all idea of further improve-
ments,bn but
dnirreweatnrid psi irretrievably commit itself to a Course which
will evil
of Holborn-
valley, the directors will remit their trust into the hands
of the shareholders, leaving it to them to adopt their own
course, whether they dissolved the company, or, connect-
ing themselves with powerful and independent interests,
pursue a policy differing from that by which the directors
have been guided. Such of your memorialists as are con-
nected with the Corporation will regret the loss of an op-
portunity of effecting long-desired improvements, under
the most advantageous circumstances, and by the co-opera-
tion of a company recognising the superior authority, and
offering to work in due subordination of the control of the
Corporation ; but they will be freed from the respon-
sibility of leaving the City open to the attacks of those who
maybe disposed to enter into a contest with it, and of those
who may by the force of powerful private and public in-
terests, repudiating alike the assistance and authority of
the Corporation, surmount its opposition. Should such a
contest arise, it would not be forgotten that your memo-
rialists placed the interests of their company in the hands
of the Common Council, and sought its co-operation with-
out avail. But your memorialists rather rely with con-
fidence on the wisdom of the Common Council to uphold
all our consistency, and to adopt the course which will
show that improvement in the city of London is not
synonymous with the maintenance of existing evils—but
that it keeps pace with the increasing demands of society,
to afford free access to its markets, facilities for trade, and
the greatest measure of convenience far its inhabitants, and
the public at large.
" Your memorialists, therefore, pray that the Common.
Council will be pleased to take measures to afford-the re-
quisite co-operation and support of We city of London, to
ensure the bill now before Parliament passing into a
with such modifications as the COMM= Council may deem