The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-07 00:00:00

WEST LONDON RAILWAY.
The usual half-yearly meeting of this company
took place yesterday at the London Tavern.
H. H. Grounds, Esq, the chairman of the company,
took the chair shortly after one o'clock ; and the usual
preliminary proceedings having been gone through,
W. Tuomsorf, Esq., the secretary of the company,
read the following report :
" In conformity with the expressed wishes of the
proprietors, the directors, since the last meeting, have
endeavoured, by continued negotiation, to prevail upon
the London and North-Western Company to fulfil the
engagements they. have entered into with this company,
and at once to bring the line into full operation for the
conveyance both of passengers and goods.
" The further correspondence on this subject having
led to no beneficial results, the directors determined
to obtain an interview with the directors of the London
and North-Western Company, believing that if an op-
portunity were afforded for personal explanations, it
might lead to a better understanding, and that some
satisfactory arrangement might be come to.
" A meeting accordingly took place on the 15th ult.
between the directors of this company and a committee
of the directors of the London and North-Western Com-
pany, when, after considerable discussion, the West Lon-
don directors were informed that the London and North-
Western Company will not work the line for passengers, as
they are convinced there would be no passenger-traffic
upon it, and that they will not stop any of their
through trains, for the accommodation of passengers,
at the junction of the two lines—that the goods traffic
increasing ; and that every
upon the line is rapidly
facility and encouragement will be given for the further
increase of that traffic; that they have no present inten-
tion of making the extension line to the Thames, as
they have ascertained it would not pay them for
the outlay ; and they have reason to believe the
Great Western Company have arrived at the same con-
clusion respecting it—that they will not pay any com-
pensation to this company, as they do not admit they
have been guilty of any breach of covenant.
" The London and North-Western Company have
hitherto declined to work the line for passenger traffic,
on the ground that they could not do so with profit to
themselves, until the extension line to the Thames
was formed, but as their declarations to this effect
were always accompanied by an assurance that no
delay should take place in carrying the extension
lineinto effect, the directors were content to let
the matter rest upon that understanding, at the same
time reserving tilt right of this company to claim com-
pensation for the delay. It now, however, appears that
the London and North-Western Company have not only
abandoned all intention of making the extension line, but
that they positively refuse to work the existing line at
all for passenger traffic.
" This is a subject which vitally affects the interests of
this company, the passenger traffic upon the line having
always been considered by the proprietors as one of their
chief sources of income.
To show how completely erroneous is the opinion
expressed by the London and North-Western directors
at the late conference, that no passengers would use the
line, even if trains were placed upon it for their accom-
modation, it is only necessary to call attention to the
tact of the very large and increasing population of the
districts the line was intended to accommodate; and
taking into account the character, as well as the great
extent of this population, there would necessarily be, i‘
proper facilities and accommodation were afforded, a
very large passenger traffic upon the line; but no mea-
sures have yet been taken t.) test and develop this
traffic, and it is therefore somewhat unreasonable to
assume that none would exist.
With respect to the formation of the Thames ex-
tension line, the directors admit that the London and
North-Western Company are under no legal obligation
to this company, but as regards the working of the ex-
isting line for passenger traffic, the directors are advised
that the lessees are bound, legally and equitably, to
work it as well for passengers as for goods; and that
this obligation extends not only to the traffic to and from
ho London and North-Western Railway, but to and
from the Great Western Railway also.
" The directors regret exceedingly the determination
which has been come to by the London and North-
Western Company ; and they find the difficulties of their
own position very much increased by it. In the altered
circumstances they thought it advisable to consult the
principal shareholders in the company as to the proper
course to be pursued, and a meeting was held for the
purpose ; but they found so great a difference of opinice
existing amongst them, that they have considered it
best to leave the subject to the decision of a general
meeting.
" The goods traffic on the railway appears to be slowly
and steadily increasing, and no doubt can be entertainer:
that if proper facilities are given by the lessees for the
further increase of this traffic, it will become of consi-
derable importance; at present, however, it is quirt,
insignificant as a source of income.
" The increase in the traffic upon the railway has pro
duced a corresponding increase in the traffic upon tilt
Kensington Canal ; the increased traffic has, however, been
principally in one direction, viz , from the canal to the
railway, and not as might have been expected from the
railway to the canal, the respective quantities conveyed
:luring the last half-year having been in the former
direction 10,067 tons, and in the latter 1,905 tons.
thereby showing that the canal has been rather a feeder
to the railway, than the railway to the canal, which wonlo
scarcely have been the case if proper facilities had beet,
afforded by the lessees for the conveyance of goods by
the West London line to the river. The tonnage on th,
canal for the half-year ending the 30th of June last,
%as is the aggregate 31 500 tons, the gross receipts
from which amounted to 3601. 0,7. 2d."
From a statement of the receipts and disbursements of
the company, it appeared that the present assets of the
company were 5,0881. lls. 7d., that their liabilities were
3,1501., and that the available balance was 1,164/. 6s. Bd.
The CHAIRMAN then rose to move the adoption of
the report. He said—Most of the gentlemen present
are, I believe, already acquainted with nearly every-
thing that has occurred since our last general meet-
ing, and it will therefore be unnecessary for me to
trouble you at any length. You have heard from the
report which has been read that, after trying in vain
every other means to induce the London and North-
Western Company to fulfil their engagements to us,
we determined to have a personal conference with
their directors, a course which was suggested by
yourselves at the last meeting. The conference was
neld, and its result seriously disappointed us. We
were met with great courtesy, but a firm refusal was
given to all our applications. We called upon them
to carry out their contract with us fully and fairly,
according to their original intention, and to the un-
derstanding of all parties at the time it was entered
into. We told them that understanding clearly and
undoubtedly was, that they were immediately to work
the line for passengers and goods in such manner as
to make it productive of income to all classes of
shareholders in this company ; and that they were
to make the extension line to the Thames as soon as
Parliamentary powers could be obtained for the pur-
pose. We reminded them of the repeated promises
which had been made to us that the whole of this

should be done, and we called upon them, as a matter
of common justice to us, to carry into effect their
original intentions. We were, however, unable to obtain
from them any assurance that they would do so; on the
contrary, they told us, as you have heard, that the
extension line would not be made, and that under no
circumstances would they work the line for passenger
traffic, or stop any of their through trains at the point
of junction of the two lines. With respect to the
extension line, they told us circumstances had
changed, that they had re-considered the subject, and
on making fresh calculations they found it would not
repay them for its cost, if made. We regret this
determination, entertaining as we do a very different
opinion of the value and importance of the extension
line ; and we think if the London and North-Western
Company did not intend to carry it into effect, it
would have been much better if they had not taken the
measure out of the hands of our proprietors, who had

at the time subscribed the full amount of capital re,

quired to make it. As regards passenger traffic we are
still firmly of opinion that it would be very large if
the line were properly worked. The population in its
immediate vicinity is immense, and is besides essen-
tially a travelling population, but why don't they try
by actual experiment whether there would be any
passenger traffic or not; it might very easily be done,
but they have never yet placed a passenger carriage
on the line, and therefore it is mere matter of opinion
on their parts. Suppose Kensington or Hammer-
smith were placed at the other end of the line instead
of where they now are, do you think they would not
then stop their trains at the junction ? Why,
they would be but too glad, in that case,
to make it a first-class station, and atop
every one of their trains at it. Why, then,
should they not stop their trains at the
junction now ? It is not only Kensington and Ham-
mersmith that would be accommodated, but other
equally important districts. This, gentlemen, is not
a question affecting ourselves only, but the public
residing in the districts I have referred to have great
cause to complain of not having that accommodation
given to them which the line was intended to afford;
and we are somewhat surprised that they have not
already taken some decided steps in the matter. It
was asserted by Captain Huish, at the late conference,
that every encouragement has been given to the in-
crease of the goods traffic upon the line ; but we are
unable to discover in what way this has been done.
It was admitted by Captain Huish that a saving of
more than 2s. a ton is effected to the London and
North-Western Company by every ton of goods sent
over the West London Railway, and intended for
the river,—why then are a larger amount of goods
not sent by that route ? The North-Western Com-
pany are the sole carriers upon their own line, and
can send the goods by whatever route they please—at
all events the small quantity of 1,905 tons having
been sent over the line, from the North-Western
Railway during the last half-year, does not look much
like encouragement.
Mr. LovEness, in seconding the adoption of the re-
port, addressed the meeting at considerable length,
and after adverting to the negotiations that had taken
place between the company and the London and
North-Western Company, deprecated in strong
terms the course that had been adopted by the latter
company.
After some discussion the report was received and
adopted, and ordered to be printed and circulated
among the proprietary.
. .
A. resolution was then moved and adopted requesting