The Sun.
London, England, 1836-02-25 00:00:00

THE RAILWAYS.

(From the Morning Advertiser.)
The sc,und and judicious measures of Government have
xcited a very great sensation among the railway pro-
:eters. Those connected with the Stock Exchange have
eft the shock as that of an earthquake, and have been de-
messed in proportion to their demerits. In the meantime
,oth parties, those who are interested in promoting new
railways and tbose who desire to give a monopoly for those
railways alree.dy formed, are coming before Parliament. On
Tuesday night the monopolists, who are backed by the
Duke of Cumberland in the Upper, and Colonel Sibthorp
in the Lower House, presented a petition, " praying the
House closely to examine into the circumstances and
merits of the numerous railway projects ;" and also on the
same night Mr. Handley presented the feAlowing petition,
which may be considered as stating the case of those rail-
ways which are unopposed, unconnected with the Stock
Exchange, and having a definite and certain, instead of a
merely speculative object :
" To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled.
" The humble petition of James Dixon, of Preston, in the
county of Lancaster, Solicitor, and Thomas Lord and William
Spencer Nortlihouse, of Manchester-buildings, Westminster,
Parliamentary agents,
" Sheweth,—That your petitioners represent certain suitors
to your Honourable House for leave to bring in a Bill for the
purpose of causing a railway to be made between Preston and
the Stone Quarries at Longridge, both in the said county.
" That your petitioners have observed that your Honourable
House has referred to a Select Committee the consideration of
-what measures ought to be taken with reference to the pending
schemes for the making of railways.
" That your petitioners feel perfectly assured that your
Hon. House does not intend to interfere with the exercise of
private judgment in the investment of capital, which your pe-
titioners humbly conceive to be one of the best recognised
and most sacred of the rights of property; but your peti-
tioners believe that your Hon. House seeks only to prevent
frauds and delusions being practised on the public ; schemes
of little or no public utility from being made the means of stock
jobbing ; rival Railways having the same termini from being
carried= without sufficient reason ; the lands of a large mi
mority of dissenting owners, occupiers, and lessees, from being
invaded, or such owners, occupiers, and lessees, being put to
the trouble and expense of opposing Bills in Parliament; and
in fine to prevent injustice, fraudulent speculation, and ruin to
the unwary.
‘. That your petitioners humbly conceive, that your Hon.
House does not intend to cause unnecessary delay and expense
to suitors for Railways, who do not embark in such under-
takings for temporary speculation, but as permanent invest-
ments (the great majority of whom possess property in the
. immediate neighbourhood); who are not opposed, but warmly
encouraged, by the owners, occupiers, and lessees, of the
whole line of road, who propose to save those owners, oc-
cupiers, and lessees, from the expense of repairing roads to
which hey are at present subjected; who have a substantial
and certain traffic which already exists, and is not speculative
or imaginary ; who propose to greatly lessen the expense acarriage,
carriage, whie they as greatly promote its facilities, and who
have no rival Railway terminating at the same point to con-
tend against.
" That your petitioners humbly represent that the suitors for
the Preston and Longridge Railway are persons living on the
spot ; that four-fifths of the Shares to complete the contract
have been taken by owners and occupiers in the immediate
neighbourhood, for permanent investment, and that there are
now many applications for the same purpose, and from the
same place. That the object of the said Railway is to bring
steno from quarries at Longridge, seven miles from Preston
(for which there has long been a great demand), at half the
present cost. That they propose to considerably lessen to
the owners, occupiers, and lessees along the line, the expense
of making and repairing the roads, to which they are at pre-
sent subjected. That out of the one hundred and three owners,
possessing four hundred and tifty.six closes of land, there arc
but three dissentients, possessing only seventeen closes (the
few neutrals being Trustees who arc individually favourable) ;
that all the occupiers and lessees have assented ; that public
meetings have been called, where every opportunity for oppo-
sition was afforded, but none was made ; that evidence has
already been received by a Committee appointed by year Hon.
House of the public utility of such Railway, and that all the
standing orders of your Hon. House have been fully complied
nith. _ .

.......
" Under these circumstances your petitioners humbly solicit
that your Hon. House will cause no additional delay or expense
to Bills for Railways which are unopposed, definite in their
object, of manifest public utility, having no rivals, contracted
for in the neighbourhood, and called for by the almost unani-
mous voice of the owners, occupiers, and lenses, along the whole
line which they traverse.
" And your petitioners will ever pray, Bce.
(Signed) "JAMES DIXON.
"T. LORD.
" W. S. NORTHHOUSE."