The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-17 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR—As the subjet of railroads absorbs in a remarka-
ble manner public attention, and so strongly has the
stream set in upon the public 'hind, that advocate as I
am for their adoption, I think it behoves the Government
to be on its guard to protect from ruin those which the go-
vernment has already sanctioned, as well as others now
projected. Having for many years considered the subject of
railways though not professionally—having visited most
of those now in existence, and being intimately acquainted with
the geography of Great Britain, I flatter myself in being able
to form a tolerable judgment of the various main lines
now projected. With your permission, I will therefore offer
alew remarks on some of the prominent projections, which
may possibly be of some public use. With respect to the
Liverpool and Manchester line, little need be•said, because
its success is now beyond dispute. I consider, among those
now in progress, that the one of the greatest national im-
portance, and which will maintain the highest return, not
excepting the Liverpool, is the Great Western ; next to
this, the Birmingham and Grand Junction—the Great
North of England—the Great Northern—the Midland
Counties—and the Eastern Counties. And among the
minor ones may be mentioned the Brighton, Exeter,
and the Bath and Weymouth. To the last I have
devoted a good deal of attention ; and although, at
first sight, one would be apt to view it lightly, yet I am
persuaded, upon mature consideration, it will be found
to hold out greater public good than many more rc cently
projected. It is a material point that the preamble to a
Bill should be amply proved, and to do that in the present
case I think there will be little or no difficulty. It is well
known there are no coal mines in Dorsetshire, but in the ad-
joining County, Somerset, there are inexaustible fields of
that mineral. At present that necessary article is supplied
from the North of England or Wales, which renders the
price, owing to land carriage in the interior of the County
very considerably more than would be the case if the pro-
posed railway was effected, and if it can be proved that a
saving can thereby be obtained of 20 or 30 per cent., and
produce a reasonable remuneration to the subscribers, that
alone will materially prove the preamble, But there is ano-
ther consideration of still greater importance, as far as remu-
neration to the subscribers and public accommodation are con-
cerned. At present the gentry in Bath, Bristol, Cheltenham,
Gloucester, Worcester, &c., who are in the habit of frequenting
the sea-side, either go to South 'Wales or the coast of Devon,
and some few to the inferior places on the coast of Somer-
set. Now, if a railway should be made to Weymouth, ac-
knowledged to be the finest bay in England, and, I have
heard, only exceeded in Europe by the Bay of Naples—
and that passengers can be conveyed in three hours, at a
few shillings expense—l think it rational to conclude that
Weymouth (independent of the London visitors) would
become the Brighton of the West of England ; for what
person in his senses would prefer going to the other places
mentioned, to be double or treble the time in going, and
at double or treble the expense, to obtain very inferior
accommodation for bathing—to the truth of which those
who have visited the different places can testify. In
addition to these advantages, the proposed line will
not interfere with any line now projected, being as it
were midway between the Southampton and Exeter pro-
jections. This cannot be said of several that are now pro-
jected, among which stand prominently the one called the
South-western and the Cheltenham and Oxford. In my
view the great Western will amply supply, with trifling
branches, the wants and accommodations of both ; and there-
fore it does appear to me a wanton waste of property with-
out an adequate cause. When it is reflected on, that the
journey from Exeter to London by the great Western is
little more than 30 miles, and consequently only a saving
of about 10 minutes, what reasonable showing can be made
for making upwards of 100 miles of railway merely to ac-
complish so'trifling an object; for if a single railway be
made from Warminster (to which place a branch is pro-
posed to be made from the Weymouth) to Salisbury, and
from there to Winchester, it would gain nearly all the ob-
jects that appear to me would be accomplished by the pro-
posed South-west line ; and a line from Oxford to the great
Western would meet nearly all the objects proposed by the
Cheltenham and Oxford, and thus save perhaps the de-
struction of 400 or 500 acres of land without benefiting in
either case the subscribers. Let the subscribers send advo-
cates of these projects, examine the lines carefully, and I
feel persuaded they must come to nearly the same con-
clusion. These remarks are made, not to discourage rail-
ways, but to prevent as much as possible an useless outlay
of wealth, and thus render that which with prudence will
be a public benefit, on actual inquiry.
I remain, your's &c.
OBSERVER.

SPIRIT LICENSES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

hope you will excuse me writing you respecting
the remarks, contained in your paper of.tho 1 Ith inst., on
the Spirit Licenses.
I must confess that, when I read your paper, I was sur-
prised you did not understand our situation better ; for I
feel confident from having taken in yOur paper between
four and five years, that, if you understood our situation,
you would at once advocate our cause.
You say that the operation of this law is such as any
enlightened person would desire. Now, Sir, my opinion is,
that the operation of this law is such that every enlight-
ened person can find fault with ; for since this new law came
into operation, it has pressed heavily, and most unjustly, on
the Licensed Victualler.
I will give you one instance of the operation of this law.
I was at a public meeting of the Licensed Victuallers last
night (there may be some excuse for your not understand-
ing our situation, for actually the Licensed Victuallers
themselves do not understand their own situation), when
there was a statement made by a Licensed Victualler that
startled his hearers, and no doubt it will stimulate them
to exeftions in their own behalf.

The fact above alluded to is this : a person that lives at
the sign of the Dove and Rainbow, Parliament-street, in
this town, stated that he went into the above house during
the last year ; before he went to the house, the amount
charged for a spirit license was six guineas, when the 501. per
cent. was added the first time he was called upon to pay
his license, the charge made (and he paid it) was fifteen
guineas ; the reason assigned was that the house was
rented at 501. a year. There are many other instances in
this town, and the system is to be followed up, so that any
man leaving his house that pays six guineas a year for his
spirit license, the incoming tenant must pay fifteen guineas
for precisely the same license. I ask, Sir, after the above
statement, if the operation of this law is such as any en-

lightened person would desire.
I am not of opinion the taking off the 501. per cent.
would be of that advantage the petitioners expect, although
at the present time it would be a great relief until a com-
plete revision of the spirit laws could take place, which
must, I am convinced, and that at no distant period, be the

case.
What an act of injustice it is upon the individual above
alluded to, to pay fifteen guineas for his retail license, when
the highest rate charged to any dram-shop keeper in this
town, for precisely the same, viz., a retail spirit license,
amounts to only twelve guineas, and the quantity sold by
the dram-shop keeper in one day (Saturday) is more than
the person above alluded to sells in one year ! Then I have
no hesitation in saying the tax on spirits ought in justice to
be charged by consumption of the article.
I could give you many more instances of injustice to
the Licensed Victualler, but Ithink I have said enough,
at this time, to convince you that the operation of this law
is bad, and have no doubt from the liberality of your re-
marks generally, you will advocate the cause of an injured
class of individuals. It will be a great satisfaction for me
to read in your paper your opinion on the subject above
alluded to, and if my remarks meet with your considera-
tion, my object will be gained. I am, Sir, yours very
respectfully,

A FOUR YEARS' SUBSCRIBER, AND
LICENSED VICTUALLER.
Nottingham, March 15, 1836.

SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.)

(FROM LLOYD'S.)
DEAL, MARCII 16.—Wind W. S. W.—Arrived the Com-
merce, —, from Charleston ; Montpelier, Allen, from ditto,
with decks swept, having been on her beam ends. Sailed the
whole of the homeward bound. Arrived from the River the
Ganges, Broadhurst, for Madras ; Perseverance, Smith, for
St. Helena; Eliza Ann, Brugess, foi. Baltimore ; Jane,
Cushen, for St. Thomas's ; Sandwich, Forster, for Berbice ;
Somerset, Murray, for Jamaica; Eliza, Davison' for New
York ; Britannia, Mitchell, for Cadiz ; Mazeppa, Martin, for
Lisbon ; Achilles, Darwin, for the Mauritius ; Adeline,
Guthrie, for Bombay ; Castle Huntly, Jolly, for ditto ; and
Patriot, Farren, for the ape of Good Hope. The Runny-
mede, for Sidney, is riding on the Black Duff, with less of
anchor and cable, as reported.
BRISTOL, MARCH 16.—Arrived the Albert, Henry, Alicata.
CLYDE, MARCH 16.—Arrived the Arcadian, Auld, Savannah.
MARGATE, MARCH 16.—Arrived off port the Sultana, Scott,
from St. Michaels.
PORTSMOUTH, MARCH W.—Wi d
W.
FALMOUTH, MARCH 15.—Wind W., strong gales and
squally.—Arrived the Mameluke, Mason, from Sunderland to
Bordeaux—cargo shifted.
TORBAY, MARcti 15.—The whole of last night it has blown
a very heavy gale, at intervals increased to a hurricane, from
W. N. W. to W. S.W. Several pieces of ash and elm timber
have picked up and landed here, belonging to the John Eaton,
from Teignmouth to Falmouth, lost about six weeks since.

The Christian, from Ballina to Liverpool, is on shore on
the east bank of Kilkana Bar, but expected to be got off.
The fienriette, of St. Maio, from Ferrol, was totally lost
with her cargo, off Bourbon, previous to the 11th December.

Lord Ashburton has reduced his rents in Essex con-
siderably, according to the circumstances of his various tenants.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, MARCH 16.

The SPEAKER entered the House at a few minutes to Four
o'Clock, but there being only thirty-thiee Members present at
that hour, the House was adjourned till to-morrow.