The Sun.
London, England, 1836-01-13 00:00:00

whiCh adiipi•e:d ifit6ded. gf irtiliV4 freina I,ondori
to Croydon, for which an Act had been already Cibidffied,
and inchlded in its route Croydon, Reigate, Horsham, and
s
Shoreham) was well calculated to ctiftust; L. 11.? advantage
dr Cheap and rapid communication, as extensively and
beneficially as the limit of the undertaking admitted, to
promote the welfare of that neighbourhood in particular,
io effect those objects with the least sacrifice of pri-
vate property:
A great titittito of plans were also handed about the
Hall, in order that each person might have a full oppor-
tmay Judging of the proposed line.
r. il Ait k A otmetvo4 that thereiweresd t
thoreketiLiffefrreonmi
routes described on the plan. it-4, Fished
Mr. Gibbs which line it was his intention to 2.l`e ?
Mr. GIBBS said that all the lines emanated from Giro}'-'

don. His object was to obtain a line that would be at.
tended with the least injury to the landed proprietors,
and that would be likely to meet with the least opposition
in Parliament. The line that it was his intention to adopt
was that one which passed through Merstham, and it
would avoid interfering with ornamental land. The route
of the line would be from the Croydon Canal in the line
of a small branch of the old tram road by the church, on
to Beggar's-bush. It would then pass up Smithambottom,
crossing the turnpike-road to Brighton at the Red Lion Inn,
about two miles beyond which place commenced the tunnel
through the Merstham range of hills. He found that
this line would be the least objectionable to the landed
proprietors: He had waited on the whole of them, and be
found only eight dissentients, all the others having given
their consent to the undertaking.—(Hear, hear.) He
would not have occasion to cut through ornamental pro-
perty, but principally through chalk, and other less valuable
land. Lord Monson and Sir William Jolliffe had given
their consent to the course that the railway was proposed
to take. In fact, it might be safely stated that no linecould
be found causing so little injury to landed proprietors as the
proposed one through Croydon and Merstham. The rail-
way would open a large field of communication from Kent
into Surrey, and, therefore, Croydon would become an open-
ing for a very large district. He would pledge himself that
the line presented to Parliament would be the line from
Croydon to Merstham. If, however, they should be unsuc-
cessful in obtaining the sanction of Pirliament to that line,
and another line should be adopted, the Company intended
to make a branch from Croydon to Lcatherhead, in order
that the inhabitants of the former town should not sustain
a disappointment.—(Cheers.)
Mr. HARMAN inquired if it was the intention of the Com-
pany to make the railway from London to Croydon, and for
which they had obtained a Bill some' time since ?
Mr. Gass said that the only difficulty the Company had
to complete that railway arose from their inability to arrange
with the Canal Company, and which Company were the
proprietors of the land from one end of the line to the
other. The Railway Company wished to have adjusted
the matter amicably, but the Canal, being a valuable pro-
perty, required a great many surveys and negotiations.
Mr. BURCHELL, the solicitor to the Company, said there
was a clause in the Act of Parliament, which prevented
the Company commencing the railway to Croydon till they
had settled with the Canal Company. He did not con-
sider a settlement would be made until the case had been
before a Jury.
Mr. JOHN DRUMMOND addressed the meeting at very
considerable length in favour of the railway, and described
the great advantages that railways must be to every branch
of the community. He concluded by proposing the first
resolution, for which see advertisement.
The resolution having been seconded,
Mr. WARRINGTON; who had spoken at a former part of
the meeting against the railway, again addressed the com-
pany, and contended that railways answered no good pur-
pose. They could merely convey passengers and light
goods, but heavy goods they could not convey above the
lines.

After some discussion between Mr. Warrington, Mr.
Harman, Mr. Drummond, and other gentlemen,
Mr. GJBBS stated, in answer to a question, that if Par-
liament did not grant a Bill for the Merstham line, he (Mr.
Gibbs) had the power to take any other line for which he
had given notice.
A GENTLEMAN, who said he represented another Com-
pany that proposed carrying a railway to Brighton, said it
was the intention of that Company to carry the railway to
Brighton from the termination of the Croydon railway ;
but the difficulty was how they could do so if that railway
was not commenced.

Mr: BURCHELL, as solicitor for the London and Croydon
Railway, said he was happy to hear the statement made by
the last speaker, because it convinced him that the London
and Croydon Railway would not only have the Brighton
traffic, but the trade between Dover and that part of the
country.—(Hear, hear.) The meeting might rely that the
London and Croydon Railway would be carried into effect,
and therefore the difficulty which the last speaker enter-
tained would be got over. The Company were possessed
of a very large capital, and were resolved to carry their
plan into operation. The Company proposed making
branches to the East and West end of London, and Which
would furnish a greater accommodation to the public than
any of the other railways which had been projected._

A GENTLEMAN asked if manure would be allowed to be
brought down the railway ?
Mr. BURCUELL answered in the affirmative.
The GENTLEMAN inquired if there would be any altera-
tion in the charge for tonnage ?
Mr. BURCHELL said the tonnage world be much lower.

Air. GIBBS observed that the schedule of dues wouldbe
regulated by Parliament, and they always considered the
interest of the agriculturist. Chalk, manure, or other things
used in agriculture, would not be charged more than a
penny or three half-pence per mile. A clause was also
always inserted in. Railway Bills, that there should be
" turn-outs"--railways turning out of the main line for the
convenience of the farmer to have a carriage turned on his
land.
The resolution was then carried.

Mr. RUSSELL alluded to the late meeting at Dorking,
and said that a great many of those persons who attended
that meeting had since altered their opinions, and were in
favour of the line intended to pass through Croydon.
Mr. BLAKE said that a different body of men constituted
the second meeting that was held, and were totally opposed
to the first.

Mr. DRUMMOND then proposed the next resolution,
which was supported by several gentlemen, and carried
amid loud cheers.

The remaining resolution was next carried, and thanks
having been voted to the Chnirman, the meeting separated.

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.

The ordinary meeting of this Society was held yesterday
evening, at its rooms in Regent-street, Sir John Barrow,
President, in the Chair. A considerable audience was pre-
sent, on account of its being previously known that the
Royal premium would be presented to Captain Back, for
his discoveries in his recent expedition ; and amongst the
company were Sir John Franklin, Dr. Richardson, Colonel
Galindo, Dr. Hancock, and other distinguished travellers.
Captain MACONOCHIE announced that a communication
had been received from Mr. Schornburck, now engaged in
an expedition in the interior of Guiana, which would be
read at an ensuing meeting. He also read an interesting
paper from Lieut. Burnes, on the maritime communications
of India, by the natives of Cutch, elucidatory as well of the
antiquity of the country, as of its present condition.
Sir JOHN BARROW stated that it was with peculiar plea-
sure he had to communicate to Captain Back the decision
of the Council, which had awarded to him the Royal pre-
mium for the present season, for the advancement of Geogra-
phical discovery. In doing so, he could not but express his
own satisfaction at his enterprising conduct, as on occount of
his being previously associated in the expedition of Sir John
Franklin, he was fully aware of the difficulties, privations,
and sufferings, which he would have to encounter. In offer-
ing his services on the last occasion, he was convinced that
it was not for the sake of attaining popularity, but that
it was dictated by pure humanity, for the sake of his fellow-
countrymen. In his late expedition, Captain Back had pro-
bably traversed ground which had never before been trod on
foot by civilized man, as his excursion extended to very
considerable distances beyond any of the stations occupied
by the Hudson's Bay Company. He had, in a paper
which had lately been read, detailed his simple and affecting,
narrative, but in it he had determined, with greater precision
than before, several interesting and important points in the
position of the Slave Lake, the course of a large and im-
portant river which he had traced to the sea, and a point
forming a chain which maintained a connection with what
had been discovered five or six times before by Hearne and
others. In his own opinion the recent observations of
Captain Back had determined that there was a communica-
tion between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and verified
the conclusions which had been made by Captain Cook,
and several other illustrious modern navigators. It might
be conceived that this communication would he found
between the point of Cape Turnagain and the Hecla
and Fury Straits. He would further state, as a most
extraordinary case, confirmatory of the same, that in-
formation had been received this day, that the whole
of the six ships which had been enclosed in the ice in
the Northern Seas had become liberated, and that one of
them had drifted a distance of upwards of six hundred
miles, plainly denoting the existence of a current. If such
had been accomplished by a merchant vessel, he did not
fear for the security of a British man-of-war. He con-
cluded with reading the resolutions-of the Council, award-
ing the annual premium to Captain Back, for his disco-
veries from the great Slave Lake to the borders of the
Arctic Sea, including the course of*a largo river hitherto
unknown, and presented the same amidst the most en-
thusiastic applause of the meeting.

Captain iiAcx, in rcply, expressed his acknowledgmepcs