The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-12 00:00:00

PERTH AND INVERNESS RAILWAY.

( From the Inverness Advertiser.)
MEETING AT GRANTOWN.

The meeting of the gentlemen of Strathspey, to adopt
measures for the promotion of this undertaking, took
place at Grantown on Tuesday as advertised ; but in
consequence of the death of the proprietor of this exten-
sive district of country—the Earl of Seafield--it was
thought that it would be more respectful and becoming
for the tenantry on the estate, and other resident in-
habitants, to adjourn than to proceed to business.
Under the influence of this feeling many gentlemen who
intended to be present kept away ; but on the doors of
the Court-house being thrown open at one o'clock p.m.,
a large assemblage pressed in, evincing an eagerness
that a strong expression of interest in the object of the
meeting should be made on the very earliest opportunity.
Among those present we noticed—Mr. Cumming,
Benanach, late Provost of Inverness ; the Rev. James
Stewart, minister of Abernethy ; Dr. Edward, Gran-
town ; Mr. Ogilvie, banker, Grantown ; Mr. Fleming,
banker there ; Mr. Stewart, Dalvey ; Mr. Fraser,
Auchernach ; Mr. J. -Gordon, Grantown ; Mr. Grant,
Ballifurth ; Mr. Shaw, Achgowrish ; Mr. J. Grant,
Grantown ; Mr. Cumming, Mullochard ; Major Cruick-
shank ; Mr. F. Mackintosh, Grantown ; Mr. A. Gill,
ditto ; Rev. Mr. Clark, ditto ; Mr. Donald Grant,
writer, do. ; Mr. Smith, ditto ; Mr. Grant, Rothiemoon ;
Mr. Macgregor, Balmeanach ; Mr. A. Macpherson,
Grantown ; Mr. J. Grant, jun., ditto ; Mr. Grant,
Mr. Macgreggor, Burnside ; Mr. Calder, Grantown ;
Mr. John Robertson, Lethandry ; Mr. Grant, Tulloch-
gorm ; Mr.Macqueen, Grantown ; Mr. John Robertson,
Craggan ; Mr. Allan, Easter Duthell ; Mr. John Cruick-
shanks, Dreggie ; Mr. Cumming, jun., Delnahartnich ;
Mr. A. Macqueen, Gallovie ; Mr. R. Dunbar, Gran-
town ; Mr. Grant, Delahapple • Mr. Fraser, Achna-
gonalan ; Mr. Charles Grant, Advie ; Mr. Grant, Dal-
chroy ; Mr. Gordon, Ballintomb ; Mr. A. Cameron,
Aitenlea ' • Mr. Grant, Chraggan ; Mr. D. M'Donald,
Gorton ; Mr. A. Clark, Laggan ; Mr. A. Macdonald,
Dreggie ; Mr. Bain, Grantown • Mr. D. Anderson,
Achernach ; Mr. D. Harvey, merchant, Grantown ; Mr.
Sim, merchant, ditto, &c. Provost Cumming was called
to the chair, and explained generally the object of the
meeting, which was to express their interest in the pro-
posed direct line of railway betwixt Perth and Inverness,
and to take active measures for its promotion ; but as
within the last few days an event had occurred which
deprived most of the gentlemen present of a kind and in-
dulgent landlord, whose death would be universally regret.
ted, but more especially felt as a severe loss in the district
of Strathspey, he (the Chairman) thought it would bestac-
cord with their own feelings, and be more respectful to the
memory of the deceased and to the noble family of Grant,
that the meeting should not enter upon business, but
adjourn to a future day. Dr. Edward thereupon moved
that in consequence of the lamented death of the Earl of
Seafield, and from respect to his memory, the meeting
adjourn to a day after his lordship's funeral, to be fixed
and announced in the newspapers by the committee for-
merly appointed to arrange the details of the business
for which this meeting was convened. The Rev. Mr.
Stewart, in seconding the motion, again spoke more at
large on the character of the deceased Earl, who was
endeared to his friends and tenantry by a long series of
acts of benevolence, and of tender solicitude for their
welfare. The motion was unanimously agreed to, and
thanks being voted to the chairman for his conduct in
the chair, the meeting dispersed.

MEETING AT PITLOCHRY.
An important meeting in behalf of this undertaking
was held at Sdeuard's Hotel, Pitlochry, on Saturday
last—James P. Macinroy, Esq., of Lude, in the chair.
Many of the local proprietors being at the time absent
from the district, could not attend, and from the back-
ward state of the hay harvest, a number of the tenants
were unable to be present ; but at the meeting were the
following gentlemen, who expressed a deep interest in
behalf of the proposed railway, and took a part in the
proceedings, which were throughout characterised by
great zeal and spirit :—the chairman, Mr. Macinroy of
Lude, who also represented his brother, Major William
Macinroy of Shierglass ; Robert Robertson, Esq., of
younger of Auchleeks ; Archibald Ferguson, Esq., of
Duinfallandy ; Rev. Alex. R. Irvine, minister of Blair ;
Dr. Irvine, Pitlochry ; Archibald Mitchelson, Esq.,
Strathgairy ; Sir Robert Menzies of Castle Menzies,
Bart. ; Mr. Robert Murray, farmer, Strathgroy ; Mr.
A. Conachar, Mains of Pitlochry; Mr. M‘Beath, Orchil ;
Mr. Mitchell, banker, Pitlochry; Mr. M‘Naughten,
banker there; Mr. M‘Gilliewie, banker there; Mr.
West, Blair-Athole ; Mr. Palm, Fonab Cottage ; Mr.
Ballantine, accountant, Pitlochry ; Mr. Hope, flesher ;
Mr. P. Fraser, corn merchant ; and a large number of
the feuars, merchants, distillers, and other inhabitants of
Pitlochry and its neighbourhood.
The CHAIRMAN read a letter from Mr. Butter of Fas-
cally, the Lord of the Manor, who is now in England,
expressive of his regret at not being able to be present,
but shewing that he took a warm interest in the object
of the meeting, and a letter in similar and equally strong
language from H. B. Stewart, Esq., of Balnakellie, apo-
logising for his necessary absence.
Sir Robert Menzies produced a paper, subscribed by
a number of the tenants of Strathtummel, who volun-
tarily came forward to express, in the strongest terms,
their opinion of the great importance of the proposed
railway to the country, and regretting their inability
from the state of their farming operations, that they
could not be present at the meeting.
After some pertinent remarks by the Chairman on the
objects of the meeting, who stated that from its com-
plexion, it was obviously to him a business-like meeting,
and indicated very clearly the deep interest felt by both
landlords and tenants in the district for having the
benefits of railway communication secured to themselves
at the earliest possible date, and extended also to the
country north of them, with whom they were desirous
to come into nearerpersonal intercourse, and from whoa
a very large traffic would unquestionably pass south-
wards, the first resolution, declaratory of the advantages
to the district of the proposed railway betwixt Perth and
Inverness, was moved by Robert Robertson, Esq., yr.
of Auchleeks. After briefly adverting to the uses in
general of railways, he showed, that if the line in com-
petition with the Perth and Inverness were to be made
to its exclusion, it would entail an increased round of
many miles travelling to every passenger and parcel
from the North of Scotland, and would deprive the dis-
trict of Athole of all participation in the lucrative sheep
and cattle, and fish traffic, which he had no doubt would
proceed from the northern counties ; and would force the
gentlemen of Athole to have a short and unsupported
line of their own, which would be much more expensive
to construct and keep up than one of a longer and more
public character.
ARCHIBALD DirrainsoN, Esq., Strathgarry, said as a
tenant farmer, he had much pleasure in seconding the
motion, and in assuring the promoters of this measure,
that they might rest satisfied that the tenantry would
enter with enthusiasm into the scheme, and give it every
encouragement by affording their lands and every con-
venience at their command on the most liberal terms.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
The Rev. Mr. IRVINE, Minister of Blair, in moving
the second resolution, to the effect that this direct line,
which is that of the old military road to the north, is of
national importance, and deserving especially of the sup-
port of the landlords and tenants along it—entered more
at large into statistical and historical details. He
showed very clearly its superiority to a line round
by Aberdeen, which was a most unnecessary deflec-
tion from a straight routeof the important traffic already
existing, and yet to be developed in the north, and
not having even the pretext of fewer engineering dif-
ficulties in its favour. He dwelt also on the necessity
of expedition being used to secure the formation of the
direct route, in which both the public and the local
inhabitants were most interested, as if the other was
once made a long time would ensue ere its deficiencies
could be supplied. The coast route was also exposed to
the competition of steamers and of sea-bornlitraffic gene-
rally, which might so increase as to reduce to nothing
the fair return, which the carrying trade of the country
ought to yield. Then with regard to the seeming mag-
nitude and cost of the undertaking, he hoped that al-
though removed as we were from the great central marts
of commerce and mercantile speculation, we would not
be much influenced by such bugbears as this. He (the
Rev. Mr. Irvine) remembered that when it was first
proposed to put tolls and turnpikes on the great High-
land road, the measure was talked of as fraught with the
utmost danger, and that it would bring ruin on such a
poor country as the Highlands ! Now, on this very
same road, we have two four-horsed coaches, besides
carriers running every day, and innumerable private con •
veyances ! In fact, there could be no greater loss to a
country than the want of a good turnpike road ; and in
like manner we shall have the gratitude and praise of
posterity if we push on now and secure by one great
effort the advantages of having our communication with
other parts of the empire opened up by means of a great
central and direct line of railway. And who knows how
soon it may be needed even in a national point of view
The rumours of war now afloat demonstrate the un-
settled state of the Continent, and we ought to be so
far " fore-armed" that we could send troops to any of
our Northern garrisons or districts on a moment's no-
tice, and by the shortest possible route. The more
facilities we establish also for intercourse, the less will
become the cost of the interchange of commodities; and
this was of especial consequence with regard to the main
articles of daily and universal consumpt, such as food
and fuel. It is quite obvious how important it would be
to the community, could the transit of all such articles
be diminished to a half or a third its present cost. And,
in fact, if it, be true that this summer, there has been
less travelling on the Highland road, notwithstanding
our fine Athole scenery, what is this but a proof that
people are getting so accustomed to cheap railway
travelling, that they go round by our coast steamers in
preference to being cooped up in close coaches, exact-
ing much higher fares ? Then this is eminently a joint
landlord's and tenant's question. In good times, when
prices are high, they may not grudge high rates for
the transit of their live stock and farm produce. But
when the rainy day comes, and when prices fall, it may
make all the difference to them between a fair remunera-
tive profit and ruin, that they can or cannot get their
stock to market expeditiously and at a low cost. In
the estimates for our railway I hear much stress is
laid on the land being got cheap,. and on agreements
beino• concluded before the Act is passed. There is
no fear of a want of traffic, but the disproportion
between the original cost of construction and the
returns may be so great that the latter, though never so
good, may fail of yielding a high per centage to the
shareholders. In the case of the Scottish Central Rail-
waythe acquisition Iha v e b e e
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Whatever clas benefits, the landed interest undoubtedly
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