The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-19 00:00:00

WORSHIP-STREET.

SPECIAL RAIL
MEETING.
and Corn-
A meeting of the Committee of the bevel
wall Railway was held on Wednesday last, ILI 14th
instant, at Truro; present Sir R. H. Vivian, 8a,!.,
M. P., in the Chair, Sir C. Lemon, Bart., M.P. ; Messrs.
E. W. W. Pendarves, M. P., J. E. Vivian, M. P., Michael
Williams, Treffry, Enys, Paynter, W. M. Tweedy,
Reynolds, R. R. Broad, Ellis, and Bond (Secretary), with
Captain Mooracm, the engineer, and Mr. Smith, solicitor.
The especial object of the meeting was to receive the Re-
port of Captain Mocrsom, the engineer employed t 3 sur-
vey the contemplated line of railway through Devon and
Cornwall. After the ordinary preliminaries, Captain
Moorsom was requested to read the document in question.
'1 no Report, which is of considerable length, and goes
greatly into detail, sets out by stating the several argu-
ments in favour of and against different lines for a rail-
way between Exeter, Plymouth, and Falmouth. Capp.
Moorsom thinks that the neighbourhood of Lidford is
probably the most westerly point to which a Devon and
Cornwall trunk line could be carried with advantage.
The route which Capt. Moors= lays down as the most
preferable, starts from Falmouth, goes near Chacewater
to Truro, along the vale of Ladock to St. Austell, by
Lanivet, a little to the north of Bodmin. by Blisiaml,
within three miles of Camelford, to Alternun and Louncec.
ten ; from thence along the valley of the Lyd to Lidfoid,
and parallel with the Tavistock and Okehampton 'road to
Okehampton, and, crossing that road at Zeal, tries the
course cf the Holiacomb and Spreyton waters into the
vale of the Greedy, and, passing within a mile of Credi-
ton, joins the Bristol and Exeter Railway two miles on the
London side of Exeter. The Cornish line may be said to
commence at Lidford, at which point a southerly line di-
verges to Tavistock and Plymouth.
The total length of the passenger line from Falmouth
to Exeter, as described by him to be the most favourable,
is somewhat more than 105 f miles. Capt. Moorsom does
not advert to the features of any extension line towards
Peezance, because he did not understand that point to come
within his present instructions, but he had, notwith-
standing, examined the country, and it is probable that
at some future time, when the main project is mo:e ad-
vanced, an advantageous connection with the existing
Redruth and Hayle line might be effected, as it is evident
that a very considerable local traffic exists throughout the
district over which a line would run. Capt. Moorsom
next proceeds to consider the manner in which the line
may be most advantageously graded, formed, and worked.
He urges the importance of keeping the cost of construc-
tion as low as possible, which may be best done by not
endeavouring to form the railway theoretically perfect in
the first instance. The question of successful result is
involved, mat in the absolute returns of traffic, but in a
comparison of the gross outlay with those returns. As
applied to Devon and Cornwall, if a railway were com-
pleted and set to work between Falmouth and Exeter,
upon a total outlay of 1,000,000/ , the returns, under or-
dinary management, would produce a net revenue as high
as any of the first-class railways (except, perhaps, the
Grand Junction) now at work; but if the outlay were
made to details that sum, it teems equally improbable that
the fair interest of money would fur many years accrue to
the proprietors. It is clear, therefore, that to he a success-
fed lice to the proprietors, the Devon and Cornwall Rai'-
way must be a e!-.eip fin
The Report then goes into the question of the speed
required upon the railway, and shows that the loss of time
in the present roads through Cornwall, has not hitherto
been deemed such as to call for any new roads on that ac-
count, and arguing upon this fact assumes then that a
speed of nearly double the rate of tire present stage coach
traveling would be sufficient, and recommends that the
mad and any other fast train should not exceed 20 miles
per hour, and that the mixed trains should not exceed
from 10 to 17 miles including stoppages in both cases.
Thus the tot& time consumed in the journey between
Falmouth and Exeter, would be less than 5A- hours by
the fat trains, and seven hows by the slower trains,
and the mean time of fart-running trains would he 23
mil's per hour; while, for any extraordinary Government
despatches, the journey might be made in four hours or
less. For these counties, because of their united traffic,
Capt. Moorsom thinks both high grades and single lines,
furnished with proper signals, and managed with proper
skill and foresight, may with perfect safety be adopted,
without involving any serious impediment to their
working properties. Ile adapts a quarter of a mile as the
minimum radius of curvature along the general line, with
a maximum grade of one in sixty. He shows, from pre-
sent ex eerienee of daily work performed on the London
and 131imiighant, the Man: nester and Leeds, and the Bir-
mingham and Gloucester R tits;eya, that trains such as the
traffic of these counties requires, anti travelling at the
above-st.ted speeds upon these gradients, arc quite within
Vic capability of the locomotive poser of the praaent day,
and that the iecrease of expenditure in consequence will
not exceed 2,4001. per annum beyond what it would be ii
the railway were made as theoretically pQrfect as those. of
the first class. Thus the annual expenditure for the cal-
culated t•allie will be about 91,0901, The total amount
which will be expended in cord, r to open the railway to the
public is 1,331,8391. Tais sum includes works, consisting
of fences and drains, e trthwork, masonry, tunnels, and
peemanent way, with contlngeacieo and manage-
ment on the same ; and also, stations, land, and
compels working stock, and Parliamentary and
other preliminary expenses. Out of the eb :ye
sum the works would a meant to 1,135,1621. The
portion freer Lidford to Tavistock to 51,3801. in ad-
diti supposes that a single line of railway will, in
the first lest ince, be constructed for the entire distance,
but that land is taken and bridges constructed with refit•
rence to a double line being eventually made, and that, in
the meantime, passing pieces are made at each station, and
able sidings not exceeding intervals of five miles between
the stations. He believes that any pr totted Cornishman•
who examines his csti nestas a ill concur in opinion that he
ial put the rates too high. In point of time the railway
might be executed in two years, but he has put double that
time owing to monetary considerations.
In conclusion, Captain Moorsom says—l may refer
you to the sections to show you that there is no work in
the whole lice which is not within the compass of ordinary
design, and of ordinary execution, while the material
throughout is incomparably the best that I have seen and
examined anywhere. And under the fact thus shown that
you can have the advantages of railway communication
attended with prospects of fair remuneration to those who
embark in it,—under the presumption that your manage-
cleat will be characterised by foresight and prudence, I can
oely remind s'au to show your oven confidence in the under-
taking before you upon atrmgers, by subscribing
_a
large proportion of the r,:•ctuiiite capital,.to which l shall
(wider such proviso) contr,:ette
my mete,
the firm belief
al investment
that in so doing I make a fair ant::
`-eir opinion as to
The Committee were unanimous in a- ess drawn
the able and clear manner in which the Report -vie
UP, accompanied as it was by the various plans, seetion„,
and,iarecencese exhibiting altogether the applieshilitv of,
the present locomotive power to the construction of a
railway through this county.
The -Sub-Committee were then requested to prepare ai
Report for the next county meeting, to be convened an