The Sun.
London, England, 1838-06-01 00:00:00

OPEN ING

OF THE
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY,

The first portion of this stupendous and important
undertaking having been completed to Maidenhead, (a
distance of nearly twenty-four miles from London by rail-
way, and twenty-seven by the road,) an experimental trip,
was yesterday made by the Directors and a large party of
their friends, including several Members of both Houses of
Parliament, and scientific gentlemen. This Railway may
well claim for itself the title of " Great," for it throws
completely into the shade all those lines already opened to
the public, whether we regard the magnitude of the scale
upon which the arrangements have been made, the power
and speed of the engines provided, or the extent of the
traffic which it contemplates, from the immediate connec-
tion between its Bristol terminus and the United States of
America. At the station at Paddington, an area of seve-
ral acres has been purchased by the Company, and upon
this very extensive offices and sheds are in progress of erec-
tion. The booking-offices, reception and waiting rooms for the
different classes of passengers, arc nearly completed, and the
whole presents a very neat, and we may add (without meaning
to disparage the magnificent erections of other similar esta-
blishments) a business-like appearance. Immediately be-
hind the offices is the depot for the carriages and engines,
the whole of which is covered in, the roof being supported
by double rows of cast iron pillars, and here the gigantic
scale upon which the whole of the details have been exe-
cuted first presents itself. The rails, which in all the other
lines yet open to the public are four feet eight inches apart,
are here seven feet wide—they are laid upon longitudinal
bearers of Kyanized wood, and these latter are further
secured by transverse pieces, dovetailed in at short inter-
vals. There are four descriptions of carriages, all of which
are about twelve feet in height, from the rails to the top.
The extra first class reminds U 3 more of the comfortable
state-cabin of one of our first class river steamers than
almost any thing else we can liken it to. It is fitted up
along the sides with large plate-glass windows, command-
ing a most extensive view of the surrounding country,
and will accommodate about eighteen or twenty persons.
Here are luxurious couches, cushions, and sofas, upon which
one may recline at full length—nay even tables at which
those whose appetites are too much excited to wait
the expiration of a three hours' transit from London
to Bristol may enjoy themselves, or read, or play
at chess—the whole forming a combination of expe-
dition and comfort which we think it ivould puzzle
the next generation to surpass. The first class proper (if
we may so term them for distinction sake) are of nearly a
similar construction with those of the London and Birming-
ham and Grand Junction railways. From their greater
width they can accommodate eight persons in each com-
partment, or twenty-four in each carriage. We observed
that they were provided with sun-blinds, the want of which
has been very generally complained of on other lines, and
they are so capacious and lofty that the tallest person may
stand erect in them ; and this remark applies to all the
other carriages. The second and third classes, the former
enclosed and the latter- open, differ very little, except
in their greater size, from the same description of
vehicles used on the other lines. The engines to draw
these immense moving houses are of corresponding size
and power, and with the tenders weigh upwards of twenty
tons each. The company which included several ladies
began to arrive at 10 o'clock, and at eleven precisely the
signal being given, the train, containing nearly 200 persons,
started amid the cheers and acclamations of a vast con-
course of spectators. The engine selected for the first party
is called " the North Star," built by Stevenson and Co. of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and fully realized the expectations of
the enterprizing proprietors. The line, after crossing the
Hobbaynes and Wharnclifie canals, by two splendid viaducts
of eight arches each, proceeds nearly due west, leaving Ken-
sall-green and 'Wormwood Scrubs on the right, and the pic-
turesque little village of Acton on the left, to the first sta-
tion at Ealing, which was decorated with a variety of flags
and banners. The train was here received with hearty cheers
from the assembled multitudes, and by a salute of ordnance
from one of the embankments, but the booming of the cannon,
and the shouts of the " astonished natives" were speedily
lost in the distance as the flying. cavalcade swept by. The
route was then by Hanwell, Southall, and Drayton,
through a beautifully wooded and fertile district, and tha
sudden transition from the smoke, and dust, and noise of
London, to the quiet glades and umbrageous thickets of
the park-like country we were then traversing, appeared
more like the work of magic thefl the result of the ingenuity
and labour of man. Crossing the Paddington Grand
Junction Canal, and the Thorney Head and Colne streams,
the train reaches the Langley station, from whence the
lofty towers of Windsor Castle, with its leafy forests and
verdant lawns, become visible, forming, for several miles,
a very beautiful and striking feature in the landscape.
After leaving the Langley station the line crosses the road
to Slough, within a few hundred yards of the Crown Inn,
and here it was the intention of the Company to have
formed a station, but owing to the extraordinary opposition
of some parties connected with Eton College, who objected
we presume to the schoolmaster going abroad at a railway
pace, the project was given up, except for taking up and
setting down passengers. The present temporary terminus
of the line is at Maidenhead, where it crosses the great
Western turnpike road at an elevation of about forty feet,
and the train reached this point at forty-seven minutes past
eleven, giving an average speed of 28 miles per hour.
It must be observed, however, that the engineer was di-
rected to proceed with caution, in consequence of works
going on at two or three points, and that the full power of
the engine was not put on during the entire journey. A
second train started at twelve o'clock, and accomplished
the journey in forty-four minutes, giving an average speed
of thirty-two miles per hour. Alter viewing the works and
buildings 'at this terminus, which are of a very extensive
nature, the company proceeded to Salt-hill, where-a very
excellent and substantial repast was provided by the Di-
rectors, to which all parties appeared to do ample justice.
It was served up in a large marquee pitched in the pleasure
grounds opposite Botham's inn ; the pillars and awnings
were very elegantly decorated with laurels, evergreens,
banners, &c. The chair was taken by Mr. Simms, the
Chairman of the Company, supported on his right and left
by several of the distinguished persons present.
After dinner the CHAIRMAN, in a very appropriate man-
ner, proposed the health of the Queen, with a wish that
her Majesty and many of her loving and loyal subjects
might shortly become their customers.
The toast was drank with throe times three, and all the
honours.
Mr. DmvETT, M.P. for Exeter, proposed the health
of the Chairman and Directors of the Great Western
Railway.—(Loud cheers.) It was unnecessary fir hint
to expatiate upon the obligations the Company owed
to these gentlemen, for they were sufficiently obvious
in the gratifying result of that day's experiment. The un-
dertaking with which they were connected might justly
claim the admiration of the world. It was a work that
would enable them to bring the great continent of America
within reach of the people of England by a speedy and
certain communication, and would enable persons to book
themselves in London for New York with greater certainty
and facility than could be done twenty years ago for Edin-
burgh.—(Hear, hear.) He felt that he was only giving
effect to the desire of the company in proposing the health
of these gentlemen, and he gave it with hearty wishes for
the success of the great undertaking that had been so
auspiciously commenced that day. The toast was drank
with much cheering.
The CHAIRMAN briefly returned thanks on behalf of
himself and the Directors.

Mr. R. B. WARD, of Bristol, expressed the great plea-
sure he f It in proposing the health of the Members of both
Houses of Parliament, through whose kind assistance and
co-operation they had obtained the Bill which had enabled
them to carry the present great undertaking into effect.—
(Cheers.)

Mr. GUEST, M.P., having been called upon, returned
thanks, and proposed the health of Mr. Brunel, the engi-
neer of the Company, to whose exertions and skill they
were all so much indebted. When he looked at the vast-
ness and extent of the design he acknowledged, as all must,
that it was no ordinary undertaking. Mr. Brunel had
stepped out of the ordinary track, and he believed no other
man would have had the courage to do so.—(Cheers.) He
was quite sure that time would only confirm and mature the
calculations of Mr. Brunel, and show that they were well
founds 1. So far as he (Mr. Guest) was able to judge,
and he had some little experience in works of that nature,
Mr. Brunet's plans had been executed in the best and most
judicious manner, and he hoped his skill and enterprise
would meet the success it so richly deserved.—(Applause.)
Mr. BRUNEL returned thanks. He had no personal va-
nity to gratify in the success of the experiment—he looked
to posterity for his reward, if the attempt merited it. He
could not omit acknowledging his obligations to the Direc-
tors for the confidence they had placed in him, and he was
happy to find that the result had justified that confidence.
Mr. HAYTER, M.P., proposed the health of the Chair-
man of the Bristol Board of Directors, Mr. Bright.
Although they had brilliant prospects at that end of theline,
they must not forget the exertions that had been making
at the other terminus.—(Hear, hear.) In alluding to this
subject, he begged to express the gratifieation it gave him at
being a participator in the solemnity of the day, These
were the triumphs of peace—they were distinct from the
anarchy and the expenditure of war.—(Cheers.) Here
was a mighty work developing itself before them, which
would immortalize all those connected with it.--(Loudap-
plaute.) When other monuments of the industry and In-
genuity of man had perished, he hoped the Great Western
Railway would endure, and that upon it would be inscribed

among others the name of Robert Bright, of Bristol.—
(Immense cheering.)
Mr. BRIGHT was sure the honour they had conferred
upon him was owing more to the situation he held than
from any merits of his own. On behalf of the Bristol Com-
mittee, he begged to return them his best acknowledgments,
and although they had not made such progress at the
Bristol end, most of those present must be aware of the
difficulties they had to encounter. These would soon, he
trusted, be surmounted, when they would be most happy to
have the company of the gentlemen who had passed so fa-
vourable a verdict on the portion already completed.
If their apparent progress had not been very great, still
they had not been altogether idle in Bristol, for they had
laid a railroad of 3,000 miles in continuation of the Great
Western, and their railroad was laid upon the ocean.—
(Immense cheering.) It was only yesterday that he had
formed one of many hundreds who had viewed with delight
and admiration that extraordinary production of British
naval skill and science, the Greet Western steam-ship,
which had brought New York almost to the Bristol ter-
minus of their line ; and ere 14 days had passed, he trusted
that her crowded passengers would bear the gratifying re-
sult of that day's proceedings to every part of the United
States.—(Great applause.) The time was at length come
when the problem of the speedy and certain passage from
England to America was solved, and all could already pro-
phecy that the great tide of passengers must be through
the Great Western Railway.—( Hear, and cheers.) He
th eG or fot
Great
e Western
States begged to
and pop
the rose to
sea-borne
t
continuation
of
Railway.—(Tremendous cheering.) The toast was drank
with great enthusiasm.
The CHAIRMAN proposed the health of' Mr. Stephenson,
the engineer, which he prefaced with some very judicious
complimentary observations upon the obligations which the
public were under to that gentleman. He hoped Mr. Ste-
phenson's fame would endure as long as the Great Western
Railway, and they had just heard Mr. Hayter prophecy
that that would last for ever.—(Hear, and laughter.)
Mr. Sergeant MEREWETIIER proposed the next toast,
which was, " Mr. Ricketts, and the Directors of the Bris-
tol and Exeter Railway."—(Cheers.)
Mr. TYRRELL, Recorder of Tiverton, proposed, " the
Chairman and Directors of the Taff Vale Railway." He
rejoiced to find that they went hand in hand with the Great
Western, and Bristol and Exeter Railways, and that in feel-
ings and interests they were one Company.--(Hear, hear.)
He had lived long enough in the world to recollect the
time when there were 22 mails due from Holyhead, and
they now knew by practical experience that they could go
from London to New York, and half way back again
during the time that, twenty years ago, they were
waiting the arrival of letters sixty miles off.—(Hear, hear.)
The Taff Vale Railway was within an hour's sail of Uphill,
twenty miles below Bristol, on the line of the Bristol and
Exeter Railway, and brought them thirty miles into the
mining districts of Wales.
Mr. GUEST returned thanks—The Company he was
connected with little thought that a small railway in South
Wales would be remembered in so large a concern, and he
would feel much pleasure in reporting their good wishes.
The next toast was " Mr. Hyatt, Chairman of the Chel-
tenham and Great Western Railway Company."
Mr. HYATT returned thanks.
Mr. DIVETT feared that he was obtruding upon the time
of the company, but he could not help thinking that they
had been guilty of a great omission to-day in not having pro-
posed the health of a body of gentlemen who had been
mainly instrumental in carrying into effect the grand expe-
riment of forming a continuation across the Atlantic'-of the
Great Western Railway. He alluded to the Directors of
the Great Western Steam-ship Company. He believed
that it was owing in a great measure to the exertions, and
skill, and determination evinced by Mr. Guppy and tire
other gentlemen,that the experiment had been brought to
a successful issue.—(Cheers.)
Mr. GUPPY observed that the experiment was first pro-1
posed at a festive entertainment while watching the pro. 4
gress of the Great Western Railway Bill before Parlia-li
ment.--( Hear, hear.) It was after dinner, on one of those 1{
occasions when they had been in attendance at the House
of Commons, that the proposal was made of building the
vessel which had just completed her successful voyage.—
[A gentleman at the other end of the table exclaimed—
.' in vino veritas.] If there was any truth in that obser-
vation the Greet Western steam ship had given them an
excellent practical illustration of it.—(Cheers and laughter.)
He would conclude by wishing—" Success to the Great
Western Railway."
Mr. PETER MAZE, Chairman of the Great Western
Steam Ship Company, being called upon, returned thanks.
After some other toasts bad been drank the company
proceeded to the carriages, and the trains reached the
station at Paddington, a distance of twenty-one miles and
two chains, in thirty-five minutes, including a short stoppage
in crossing the Thames Junction Railway, I2ing at the
rate offorty miles an hour!

Among the feats of the day it was stated that Mr.
Guppy had walked across the tops of the carriages from
one end of the train to the other, when going at full speed ;
and Mr. Waring, of Bristol, exhibited a cover very neatly
franked by Mr. Greene, the Member for Lancaster, while
travelling at the rate of 40 miles an hour. The greater
portion of the line already opened is almost level with the
country through which it passes—there are no tunnels, and
very little cuttings or embankments. The steepest gradient
is only four feet in a mile, and the smallest curves have a
radius of more than two miles—the consequence is that
with their immense engines, and the great diameter of the
• .• • a greater power at command than
wheels, there is always
is required—the asthmatic action of the piston is
obviated, and the wear and tear very much reduced. This
Company will possess the advantage of having a very large
traffic at on early period, from the circumstance of the line
running nearly parallel with the Great Western turnpike
and the Uxbridge roads, and running into them at the
termini. We have ascertained that the average number of
vehicles passing daily on these roads is as follows :
Colebrook. Hanivell. Total.
Stage Coaches ,
Post Chaises and Private Carriages 105
Phaetons and Gig,
Mounted Saddle Horses
Spring Carts ..
Stage Carts
icr
es coaches,evia Staines,
staines, performingttill
ll 19th journies
Great,
59 ... 47
Stage Wa,gons .
To the foregoing must be added the 10 Taunton,
daily,Bridgewater,
and
Exeter
Western Railway is opened.
There arc also 27 stage coaches running to and from
Bristol and Bath, performing .54 daily journies, exclusive of
the 20 journies performed daily by the coaches which pass
through Bath to and from London and Bristol.
So that there are in fact, by stage coaches, in direct corn-
cat
pn t
munication with London, 163 daily journics performed—
and between Bath and Bristol .54 journies, making a total
of 197 journics performed daily by stage coaches, the pas-
sengers of which will come on the Great Western Railway,
without reckoning any V those running less than an average
(f 15 miles at the London end if the road.
We understand that the line for upwards of seventy
miles is almost level, and no tunnel occurs for nearly one
hundred miles from London. The result of the experiment
was highly satisfactory to all parties, and there is no doubt
from the trial of yesterday that an average speed of forty
miles per hour can be accomplished with ease. The line to
Maidenhead will be opened to the public on Monday next,
the 4th of June, when we doubt not that many thousands
will avail themselves of the opportunity of enjoying as
delightful a trip as we participated in yesterday.

moNEY and COMMERCIAL MARKET.

(Irrom the Morning Papers of this day.)
lutes.—People are anxiously waiting for some definite information
respecting the proceedings of the Committee on Joint Stock Banks,
and more particularly with reference to the renewal of the Bank of Ire-
land charter. It is known that a deputation from Drogheda have had
several interviews with Mr. Spring Rice for the purpose of remonstrat-
ing against the renewal; and, if public report may be credited, the-e
gentlemen have succeeded to some extent in the object of their mission,
and have obtained a pledge from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that
the exclusive privileges of the bank for issuing notes,
which at present
extends to a circuit of fifty miles round Dublin, shall in the forth-
coming charter be restricted to that place and five miles round it.
with respect to a monopoly weighing so prejudicially upon a.b_
lin above all, it would appear that the absence of any ener-
getic representations from thence may be accounted for from
the sensitive apprehensions of the trading and other classes lest
any steps taken by them against the Bank might be visited upon them, to
the prejudice, if not ruin, of their credit, by the agents of that establish-
ment, in whose power more or less so large a portion cf them are en.
aware how similar feelings known to actuate so infinitely more
are
powerful a coin •
thralled.
and capitalists here towards the Bank
mutiny of traders
This explanation will be perfectly intelligible to all who are
of England.

There seems no sufficient cause why Dublin and its vicinity should
continue subject to a monopoly from which Drogheda and other places
are, or are to be, exempt. The dobt of ‘2,500,0001. due by Go-
vernment to the Bank of Ireland is no valid ground for the re.
newel of the charter in whole or in part which has expired.
The Bank reaps more than an adequate advantage from
that employment of its capital in the shape of 4 per cent. interest,whilst Government could easily raise the amount necessary in the
market at an moment at 3i per cent. or less, and pay off' the debt.
It apprehended however that no op'position will be offered in the
Joint Stock Bank Committee to the intended renewal by the Govern_
Y
mcnt, since there is but one Member on that Committee at all
conversant with the subject. of banking,' and he a leading member of a
Joint-Stock Bank in Ireland, understood to be under certain obligations
to the Bank of Ireland during a late crisis, upon an understanding that
the renewali of the bank charter was not to be opposed by him. All
i this, f t is not justtee, will be at least coasistent with the whole financial
policy of Mr. Spring Bice It is a course of patching and expedients,
without one manly or statesmanlike view of the subject.

-----
Colonel Gore Langton paired off on Monday night
against Sir George Grey's resolution, with Mr. Dottin, M. P. for
Southampton.
Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the
East India House, when John Bird, Esq.. was provisionally appointed
a Member of Council at Madras, and Harry Borradaile, Esc; , of the
Bombay Civil Service, was appointed a member of the Indian Law Com-
mission,