The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-08 00:00:00

THE S U N, LONDON,

OPENING OF THE EASTERN
UNION RAILWAY TO NORWICH.
(FROM OUR OWN REPORTER.)
The last " instalment" of the Eastern Union was
thrown open to the public yesterday, and the friends
of that spirited undertaking have much cause to con-
gratulate themselves that after a vast expenditure of
money, and the loss of a good deal of time, at length
the first engine of the company has made its way
into the confines of the ancient city of Norwich. The
new portion of the line opened yesterday runs from
Burston to a spot in the town of Norwich closely
adjoining the Victoria Gardens—the Vauxhall
Gardens of the ancient city, running on into the
town, whereas the Eastern Counties terminates in the
suburbs. The new portion begins about three or
four miles on the western side of Diss, and is sixteen
miles in length. The purpose of this extension was
to bring the metropolis, Colchester, Ipswich, and
Bury into closer proximity by the present railway
communication with Norwich. We were informed
that the line is thirteen miles and a half shorter than
the old route from Norwich to the metropolis ; and
that almost an hour will be saved in the going to
and fro.
The line, of which Mr. Bruff is the engineer,
and the Messrs. Brassy contractors, may be termed
almost a surface line. The cuttings are very light,
and, indeed the only heavy works are a splendid
viaduct of great height over the Norfolk line close to
Norwich, and a viaduct, with six arches of forty feet,
over the Yare. The works seem well and substan-
tially executed, particularly the bridges, which are
remarkable for their solidity. The stations are only
in the course of erection, and at Norwich a temporary
edifice has been erected.
About midday two trains, filled with company,
and gaily decorated with flags and evergreens, started
for Stowmarket, one from Norwich and the other
from Ipswith. The weather was unfavourable, rain
f fling heavily during the greater part of the day,
.yet notwithstanding the trains were well filled, and
as they wound their way along were cheered by
the populace. Triumphal arches had been erected
at most of the stations, and rustic bands
greeted the visitors at many of them. At Stow-
market, the "halfway-house" between Ipswich
and Norwich, the trains converged. The
bells of the old church sent forth a merry peal
of congratulation, and the company partook of a very
respectable luncheon under the presidency of Mr.
Hart, one of the directors, who was supported by the
Mayor of Norwich, Mr. Bignold, and Mr. Cobbold,
M.P., the chairman of the line. As plates had been
laid for about a quarter of the company, the scramble
to get a mouthful when the word to fall to was given
was more vigorous than graceful, and the more
modest went away unsatisfied. The trains were then
amalgamated, comprising about thirty carriages, and
the train reached Norwich about six o'clock, where
the visitors were glad to find the weather slightly im-
proved.
In the evening a dinner, to which no less than 500
persons sat down, took place in St. Andrew's Hall,
which was presided over by the Mayor, who was
supported on his right by Mr. Cobbold, M.P., and on
his left by the Marquis of Douro. Among those
present we noticed Lord Orford, Mr. Hardcastle,
M.P., and a number of the directors of the company.
The usual loyal and constitutional toasts having
been done justice to,
The CHAIRMAN came to the toast of the even-
ing. In proposing it he said they had met to
celebrate the completion of a great undertaking—
(Cheers)—which had been presided over, from the
first, by the gentleman who sat on his right, whose
great skill and ability had brought it to that point
which they must all delight to contemplate. It would
be needless there to enter into any consideration why
a line, running along the high road from Colchester
to Norwich, by way of Ipswich, had been suffered
to lapse; but this he would say, that it was only
when that project was discontinued that Mr. Cob-
bold had put his shoulder to the wheel, and had, by
dint of much zeal and ability, carried the Eastern
Uunion Line in the most triumphant way into the
city of Norwich.—(Hear, and cheers.) He did
not wish to trouble them with statistics; but there
was one fact which he could not forbear mentioning
to the citizens of Norwich, assembled as they were in
their collective capacity. About four years ago,
when a diversion of the line from Diss to Attleborough
was talked about, a deputation from Norwich waited
upon the directors of the Eastern Union, and en-
treated them to carry the line to the Victoria Gardens,
in the city. They had done so—(Cheers) —and it
remained for the commercial enterprise of Norwich to
say whether they appreciated that good faith on the
part of the directors which had led them, at great
expense, and during a time of much monetary pressure,
to carry their line in the direction pointed out.—
(Hear, hear.) He called upon them to drink,with one
hearty acclaim of goodwill and welcome, the health
of Mr. Cobbold, M.P., the chairman of the Eastern
Union, and the Directors of the Eastern Uuion
Railway.
The toast was received with the warmest demon-
strations of applause.
Mr. COBEOLD, M P., said he little thought, in 1845,
when he paid his first railway visit to Norwich,
that he should receive that day so hearty a welcome.
The Eastern Counties line at that time undertook to
make a line by Colchester to Norwich—not along the
old coach road, but along the route chosen before
the Acts of Parliament were made, or railways
thought of—namely, along the old London road to
Colchester, the capital of Essex, and from
thence to Norwich. Such was the line, the
opening of which they had mot that day to
celebrate. They, therefore, could point back to an-
tiquity for the origin of their line, and say that it
traversed the road selected by Julius Caesar.—(Hear,
hear.) It was not well, however, to go back to this
old project, which was well received at the time it
was broached, when they bad to celebrate the achiev-
ment of that which had been found not only difficult
but impracticable, until taken up by the inhabitants
of the counties themselves. When they undertook
to make the present line they had, it was true,
made promises, all of which they had not been able
to perform. But at the time they made them
they did not take into their calculation that all the
countries of Europe would be revolutionised, that
there would be a panic in the monetary world, and
that they should have to experience a railway panic
and crisis conjoined.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.)
But he had been always taught from early life to
believe that if any undertaking deserved success it
was to be obtained by perseverance; and having been
surrounded by colleagues, who bad put him forward
in a way that he did not deserve, and obtained him
more credit than he deserved—(No, no)—who wished
to consult the wishes of the citizens of Norwich, they
felt it their duty to accede to their wishes, and had
therefore carried the line to its present terminus.
He did not say that a diversion from Diss to Attle-
borough would not, perhaps, have realised greater
profits, but his colleagues said, as they had pledged
themselves to come to Norwich, if the proposed di-
version was made they could not accede to it ; they
must, in that case, resign the offices they held. They
did not do so, however, and therefore they had
brought the line to a happy terminus in the city of
Norwich that day.—(Cheers) He was delighted to
find so many of his Norfolk and Suffolk friends present
together. The important part of the toast " Prospe-
rity to the Eastern Union Railway," was in their
hands. lie believed that it would prosper.—(Hear,
hear.) He thanked them for the reception they bad
given the directors.—(Cheers.)
The following toasts then followed in rapid succes-
sion :—" The Marquis of Douro and the Members for
Norwich," to which the Marquis returned thanks.
" The Sheriff of Norwich ;" " The Earl of Orford
and the Landowners."
The EARL said the directors had not much to thank
the landowners for. They had been well paid for
their land, and he trusted they would be remunerated
as well. Though a reviler of railways, he now,
though he originally opposed the line, gave it his
hearty support, believing that it was required by
the wants of the population, and that it would be
eminently beneficial to all classes. That great neces-
sary of life, coals, had been diminished by the aid
of the line one-third in the price and markets
hitherto inaccessible, had been brought together.
" Thee Directors of the Railway" followed (responded
to by Mr. Graydon, of York), who said the saving of
expense, besides the time gained in a journey from
Norwich to London, would be 4s, 6d. by the second
class.
" Mr. Hardcastle, M.P. for Colchester"—" The
Engineer and Contractors," &c. &c.
A ball subsequently took place at the Assembly
Rooms.
The dinner was provided by the Messrs. Durrant,
of the Norfolk Hotel, and, considering that they had
to cater for a greater number than was originally ex-
pected, the affair went off pretty well; though, we
must „confess, it was far form coming up to the
standard of the London Tavern or Freemasons'. The
win. was very (good. The ancient hall was gaily
decorated, anu an excellent band played very fa-
vourite airs during the evening.

cause was called on at the Liverpool assiam, and the
cinsequence was the verdict went against the plaintiff.
It was afterwards ascertained that he was at Lough-
borough at the time, where the defendant resided; and
from this circumstance it was inferred that he purposely
kept out of the way.
Mr. Justice PATTESON granted a rule nisi.
Rule nisi accordingly.

SHERIFFS' COURT.—(THIS DAY).
(Before Mr. Undersheriff BURCHELL.)
CAUTION TO ATTORNEYS.—There were five causes
set down for trial, three of which were undefended,
no attorneys were in attendance, and the cases were
struck out.

AN ARITHMETICAL ERROR.—.A. young woman,
named Ann Smith, was brought before the Liverprol
magistrates on Tuesday, on charge of John Whittaker,
of York, who had sent her to Bridewell, for robbing him
of 1891., as appeared by the police sheet. As the pro-
secutor had left by the morning train the woman was
discharged, the magistrate remarking that it was a
serious thing to be so lightly dealt with. After the case
had been disposed of it turned out that the 189/. should
have been 11. Bs. 9d., the officer who booked the charge
against the woman having omitted to place the dots llt-
tween the figures.
LEAMINGTON, Nov. 7.—Among the more recent
arrivals at the Royal Spa is Mr. Sheridan Knowles,
who, it is rumoured, will probably become a resident of
this increasingly-popular town. Should this prove true,
it will indeed be a source of gratification to the intel-
loolual portion of the community.

THURSDAY EVENING. NOVEMBER B, 1849.

LICENSED VICTUALLERS' PRO-
TECTION SOCIETY.
The friends and supporters of this society celebrated
the 16th anniversary of its establishment last evening,
by a dinner, at the Freemasons' Tavern, in Great
Queen•street, Lincoln's Inn-fields.
Henry James Hoare, of the eminent brewery firm
of lloare and Co., presided, and was supported by
many influential men connected with the trade.
The tables covered the whole length and breadth
of the large and elegant hall, and as each was filled
with guests there could not have been less than 400
persons present. After enjoying a most excellent
and bountiful entertainment, which redounded much
to the well-earned reputation of Messrs. Bacon, as
caterers on great occasions such as this, the usual
loyal and patriotic toasts were drunk with much en-
thusiasm, allusion being particularly made to the
unfortunate and lamented illness of the Queen
Dowager, who, it was hoped, would soon be restored
to health and to that sphere of usefulness in which
she had hitherto moved ; and also to the late visit of
the Prince of Wales to the City, the warmth of
whose reception, on making his first bow to the Cor-
poration, it was thought augured well for the loyalty
of the citizens.
The CHAIRMAN, in giving the toast of the evening,
said—He would only detain them a very short time
while he made a very few observations upon the
importance of the institution, the 16th anniversary of
which they were then celebrating. It was founded in
1833 by a few members of the trade, and its import-
ance and usefulness were proved by its having re-
ceived the constant and warm support of a great
number of members, both in town and country.—
(Cheers.) The subscription was so small that the
society was open to all in the- t:ade, and he was glad
to see that so many had identified themselves with it.
He would mention two things which showed fully
the success which had attended its operations—
first, the total suppression of all public :informers,
which they would agree with him were a great
public nuisance (Cheers) and, secondly, their
successful opposition to the retail and private
spirit Bill, which, if its promoters had
succeeded in passing, would have been materially de-
trimental to the interests of the licensed victuallers.—
(Cheers.) There were many other advantages of a
minor character attached to the society, such, for
instance,
,as protecting the licensed victualler from
theft, fraud, and petty prosecutions, to all of which
they were unfortunately liable.—(Cheers.) He would
not dilate further upon the usefulness of the institu-
tion, and would conclude simply by saying that he
was sure they would always find among the brewers
warm supporters and ardent friends.—(Cheers.) The
toast which he had to give was,' The Licensed Vic-
tuallers' Protection Society, and success to it."
The toast was drunk with much enthusiasm.

The SECRETARY then read the report, which he
said was a most successful one as far as the society's
funds were concerned, for it showed that the subscrip-
tions amounted to more than had ever yet been re-
ceived. The following were among the principal
donors and subscribers :—The Chairman, 20 gs. ; the
firm of Hoare and Co., 10 gs. ; Barclay and Perkins,
10 gs.; George and Charles Orme, 5 gs.; Truman,
Hanbury, Buxton, and Co., 10 gs. ; Whitbread, 10
gs.; Henry Meux, 10 gs. ; Dingwall, Porter, and
Co., 10 gs.; Calvert, 10 gs.; Reid, 10 gs.; Combe
and Delafield, 10 gs. ; and Elliot, 10 gs. The total
amount was 3641. Bs. (The reading of the list was
received with loud cheers.)
Mr. D. WIRE, the Under-Sheriff, proposed the
health of the Chairman, wig() had so admirably fulfilled
the duties of his office that evening.—(Cheers.) He
was a member of one of those distinguished commer-
cial concerns upon which a very great deal of the
prosperity of the country depended—a firm which
had been established now for more than half a cen-
tury, and had justly won the esteem and confidence
of all connected with it; a firm whose commercial
connexions were not limited to the metropolis, or even
to this country alone, but which extended its ramifi-
cations to the colonies of this great empire; and
while it sent the productions of England to distant
parts of the earth, it was the means of importing back
the luxuries and productions of other lands, thus
tending in a certain extent to make up the sum of our
commercial greatness, and establishing us as the first
commercial nation on the face of the earth.—(Cheers.)
He would ask them, with confidence, to drink " the
health of their excellent Chairman, and success to the
firm," and, as they said in the City, "might it flourish,
root and branch, for ever."

The toast was received with the greatest applause.
The CHAIRMAN very briefly returned thanks.
Among the other toasts were " the Trustees and
Committee ;" " the Treasurer and Secretary ;" " The
Press, coupled with the name of 111 r. Scott, the editor
of the Morning Advertiser ;" " The Governors, &c.,
of the Licensed Victuallers' Society." The festivities
wound up, as an act of gallantry, with a toast to the
health of the ladies, the enthusiasm of the company
insisting upon quaffing a bumper and giving vent to
their feeling in a " hip, hip, hurrah !"
The guests were enlivened et intervals with glees,
duets, and songs, by Mr. Ransford, his son, and other
professionals.

• Mr. Ilarker, the toast-master, owing to the large-
ness of the company and the enthusiasm which pre-
vailed, had a rather arduous and difficult duty to
discharge, but, nevertheless, he acquitted himself with
his usual tact and ability.

A HOME FOR KOSSUTH.
TO LORI) DUDLEY STUART.
My Lord,—With feelings of deep sympathy I read
this morning in the Daily News an interesting letter,
entitled "A Home for Kossuth." With generous
confidence the writer appeals to the mothers, the
wives, and the daughters of England; and surely
that appeal will be responded to. Granting, even for
a moment, that, amid their commercial undertakings,
Englishmen should so far forget their high descent—
descent, I mean, from freemen, as to be lukewarm—
assuredly the gentler half of our British race will
remember their vocation, to welcome the stranger and
comfort the afflicted—above all, the suffering sons of
freedom. No matter whence they come, it is enough
that they are suffering in the holiest of all causes, and
that they need the shelter of a British home.
Permit me, my Lord, to congratulate you per-
sonally on the position you have taken, and on the
influence you have shed around during this awful
exhibition of continental tyranny and continental
cruelty.
The high bearing of your conduct is before the
world, and your own silent reflections will know the
peace of well-doing. I would scarcely have pre-
sumed to address your Lordship had I not remem-
bered that I was the mother of one of the noblest men
—one whose name cannot be unknown to your Lord-
ship or to any Englishman ; and, as the mother of
Thomas Drummond, I rejoice to feel that though
years have fallen upon me my heart beats as warmly,
yea, as fervently for the cause of violated, outraged
humanity, as ever did that of my distingnished son ;
and at this moment do the hearts of Britain's most
upright and gifted children.

Dly Lord, may the God of all righteousness bestow
his blessing on your further labours, for I do not, I
cannot suppose that they are at an end ; no, I firmly
trust that the blood of the martyrs of freedom will
nourish the seeds of liberty, and darken the cloud of
retribution, which, in the strength of religious faith,
I seem to behold rising from the blood-stained soil of
Hungary.
I have the honour to remain, my Lord, with the
highest respect, your Lordship's most obedient,
E. DRUMMOND.

Sbandwick- place, Edinburgh, Oct. 22, 1849.
[We are happy to recognise in the writer of the
above admirable and eloquent letter the venerated
mother of Thomas Drummond, who had laboured
for the welfare of Ireland until death with a seal
surpassing that of the children of her own soil.]—
Dublin Evening Post.:

ATIIENXWM, UPPER-STEBET, ISM NGTOII.
A lecture, exhibiting the multitudinous applications of
gutta percha, was delivered last evening to a numerous
and respectable audience, by Mr.T. 13. Smithies. The lec-
ture was interspersed with numerous experiments, show
ing the peculiar properties possessed by the juice of the
percha tree. The most novel and interesting was that of
joining pieces of tubing together, which was effected in
a few momenta simply by the aid of a little hot water.
It was stated that gutta percha tubing had been manu-
factured in lengths of 400 feet without a single joint;
that it possessed most remarkable strength, and resisted
the action of frost much longer than metal. In addition
to being a valuable medium for the conveyance of water,
chemicals, &c., it possesses in a very high degree the
power of conducting sound. Several speaking tubes, for
enabling the deaf to hear sermons in churches, &c., were
shown, and considerable amusement afforded by persons
sending whispered messages through tubes 100 feet
in length, to which answers were instanta-
neously returned. The application of gutta percha
sheet for splints in cases of fracture, club feet,
&c., was explained. One important improvement was
shown in the manufacture of boots and shoes, whereby
solid gutta percha soles are secured to the upper leather,
and the necessity for the use of either naptha or solution
entirely avoided. Shoe soles, mill bands, buckets, life
buoys, sou'• wester hats,,bowls, mngs, inkstands, sheet-
ing; fine tissue, cord, picture-frames, speaking trumpets,
pen trays, stethescopes, flasks, clothes' lines, window
blind cords, thread, balk, soap dishes, flutes, electric
telegraph wire, with an endless variety of beautiful
mouldings in imitation of carved oak, rosewood, &c.,
were exhibited. The lecture was listened to with much
attention, and the company received both amusement
and instruction. They testified their approval by a vote
of thanks to the talented lecturer. We rejoice in the
continued prosperity of this deserving institution. Its
numerous classes are in operation, and the list of lec-
tures for the season contains subjects, both literary and
scientific, of the most interesting kind. " Milton and
his Prose," by the Rev. F. Neller, was announced for
Monday next. Believing that the "immortal bard" is
not sufficiently known, or properly appreciated, we hope
that the attendance will be large.
The Marquis of Lansdowne (Lord President of
the Privy Council, left town yesterday for Paris.