The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-17 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

OPENING OF THE GREAT NORTH OF ENG-
LAND, CLARENC E, AND HARTLEPOOL
JUNCTION.
HARTLEPOOL, TUESDAY.—The ceremony connected
with the opening of this important connecting link took
place yesterday. The line is only about eight miles in
length, but its importance can scarcely be inferred from
this fact. It commences at Thinford, about a mile below
the Ferryhill station of the Great North of England, with
which it forms a junction. It also forms a junction with
the Byers-green branch of the Clarence Railway, near
to the same place. It then proceeds in a south-easterly
direction, skirting the lower part of the village of Corn-
forth, onward to Coxhoe-bridge, where it passes under
the Durham and Stockton-road. Thence it proceeds to
Garmond's-way Lime Quarry and Colliery. From thence
it proceeds to New Trimsdon, passing by Wingate
Grange, and joins the Hartlepool Railway a little beyond
the village of Castle Eden. It thus forms the connecting
link between the York and Newcastle and Clarence
Railways, and affords the best and shortest medium for
the transit of the coal and iron of the western parts of
the county to the important port of Hartlepool. To
parties travelling from Hartlepool from the north, this
railway will be of great importance, as it effects a saving
in distance of upwards of seven miles over the old lines.
There can be no question that it will tend greatly to in-
crease the traffic of the port, and will induce many par-
ties to avail themselves of the facilities afforded for visit-
ing this truly beautiful and delightful locality. To the
admirer of the picturesque, few places possess greater
attractions than Hartlepool, while to the antiquarian it
presents features of deep and thrilling interest. The cost
of the line, exclusive of stations which have not yet been
erected, with a double line of rails, amounts to about
80,0001. It must be evident, therefore, that great economy
has been exercised in its construction, and that it has
been formed under very favourable circumstances, as it
has not cost above 10,000/. per mile.
Mr. George Hudson, on behalf of the Newcastle and
Darlington Railway Company, having agreed for the
purchase of this railway, together with the line, docks,
and other works belonging to the Hartlepool Dock and
Railway Company, this was the day appointed for that
gentleman entering upon possession.
Accordingly Mr. Hudson, together with several of the
directors of the York and Newcastle Railway, the Lord
Mayor of York, and a numerous party of friends, left
York shortly before twelve o'clock by a special train,
and arrived at the Ferry-hill station about half-past two.
Here they were met by a special train from Hartlepool,
containing the mayor and corporation of that town, and
the principal portion of the Hartlepool Dock and Rail-
way, and the Great North of England, Clarence, and
Hartlepool Junction Railway Companies. The weather
during the whole of the day had been of the most unfa-
vourable description, and at this period and during the
remainder of the trip the rain poured down in torrents,
while the wind blew a perfect:hurricane. There can no be
doubt that but for this circumstance the party assembled
to meet Mr. Hudson would have been considerably
larger, and the demonstrations of public rejoicing along
the line would have been greater. As soon as the two
trains had been united they proceeded to traverse the
line. From the hasty glance which could be obtained
while the train was passing the engineering difficulties
did not appear to be of great or extraordinary charac-
ter. There are a few rather heavy cuttings, and one or
two embankments, and at Garmondaway there is a
considerable decline. The scenery along the line is
not of a particularly striking character ; a great
portion of the land, if we may judge from the nume-
rous collieries and other public works with which
it is studded, being valuable not from the beauty of its
surface, but for the mineral treasures hidden beneath.
At Castle Eden, notwithstanding the inclemency of the
weather, a large concourse of people bad assembled to
meet the train, and its arrival was greeted with loud
cheering, firing of cannon, and other demonstrations of
rejoicing. After stopping to take up Rowland Burdon,
Esq., anal other gentlemen, the train proceeded at a rapid
rate, passing the far-famed Castle Eden Dean, to Hart-
lepool, where it arrived at half-past three o'clock, having
performed the entire distance, sixteen miles, including
stoppages, in rather more than thre'e-quarters of an hour.
Immediately on alighting, Mr. Hudson and his friends
proceeded to inspect the docks and other works which
had then become the property of the York and Newcastle
Railway Company, and after some time had been spent
is this manner they adjourned to the Town-hall, where
a highly congratulatory address was presented to the
former gentleman, by the Mayor and Corporation of
Hartlepool, on his taking possession of the dock and
railways. Mr. Hudson acknowledged the compliment
in suitable terms. Notwithstanding that the rain con-
tinued to pour down, and that he was lightly clad,
Mr. Hudson, with his usual activity and persevering
spirit, proceeded from the Town-hall to examine the
port and pier, and everything worthy of note in
Hartlepool.
THE DINNER.
At six o'clock about sixty gentlemen sat down to a
truly splendid dinner, in the long room of the King's
Head Inn, which was provided by Mr. Peter Wilson, the
landlord. There was every delicacy that could tempt
the appetite in profusion, and the wines were of the
choicest. quality. Mr. Hudson presided, and Mr. Harri-
son was in the vice-chair. Amongst the company we
recognised Messrs. W. Richardson (the Lord Mayor of
York), John Davis (town clerk of York), and Sir John
Simpson; Alderman Barber, Richard Nicholson, Alder-
man Cobb, Charles Hanson, Joseph Richardson, John
Close, all of York; Rowland Burdon, of Castle Eden;
the Mayor of Hartlepool, Rev. Taylor, vicar, and the
Rev. Hamilton, curate, of Hartlepool; Colonel Swin-
bnrne, ditto, Thomas Bolt, town clerk of ditto; J. P.
Denton, Thomas Rowell, ditto; T. fit. Grey, Norton;
Thomas Richardson, Castle Eden; W. Ord, Sunderland;
Captain Bingham, R. Wilson, N. Plews. Mackenzie,
comptroller of customs; William and Charles Davison,
Hartlepool; S. Robinson and John Burrell; William
Green, A. W. Hutchinson, J. and P. Foster, jun.; and
Ald. Haggett, of Durham, &c.
After the cloth had been removed, the CHAIRMAN
gave in succession " The Queen, " " The Queen
Dowager," " Prince Albert," and " The rest of the
Royal Family -" " The Army and Navy," which was
drank with loud cheers.
Colonel SWINBURNE, on behalf the army, responded
to the toast.
The CHAIRMAN next gave the "Health of the Bishop
and Clergy of the Diocese," and stated that, to show
how anxious the company with which he was connected,
was to do all in their power to promote the temporal and
spiritual welfare of the inhabitants of Hartlepool, it was
their intention to leave in the hands of the mayor and
vicar a sum of money to be distributed amongst the poor.
The Rev. TAYLOR returned thanks.
The CHAIRMAN next gave " The Health of the Mayor
and Corporation of Hartlepool. "—(Drunk with loud
cheers.)

Mr. W. VoLLuss (the Mayor) returned thanks. He
said that was one of the proudest days he had ever seen.
He recollected that about fourteen years ago Hartlepool
was only a poor insignificant fishing village, but even then
it possessed charms for him; the best of feeling existed
amongst the inhabitants, but there was not a particle of
trade in the town. The Dock and Railway Company were
the first to commence the work of improvement, and mich
had been the effect that a trade of immense extent had
sprung up, which had raised Hartlepool from a mere fish-
ing village to the rank of an important and flourishing
port.—(Applause.) Possibly it might be urged that the
Dock and Railway Company had reached its full limit of
prosperity, and he was willing to allow that, in his
opinion, he did not think it could have progressed much
beyond its present state. For the last twelve months it
had rather retrogaded than otherwise. What they
wanted was a communication with the manufacturing
districts of the country, and this they had obtained by
the connexion which had been formed with the York
and Newcastle Railway Company.—(Applause.) And
now it would appear strange to him if that port did not
assume a proud position amongst the ports of this
country--(Applause.)
The CHAIRMAN then proposed the health of Mr. Row-
land Burden, and the directors of the Hartlepool Dock
and Railway Company.—(hear.) The toast was one that
did not require much in its favour from him. The
directors had strongly recommended themselves to the
good opinion of every one with whom they had been
in any way associated, by the manner in which
they had conducted the various works entrusted to
their management, and especially by their con-
duct upon a recent occasion. It had been deemed
a wise policy upon their part to place that railway
under the management of another company, and he for
one perfectly concurred in the course they had pursued.
—(Cheers.) His experience satisfied him most fully
that these works could not be conducted on a small scale,
for it rarely happened that undertakings of this descrip-
tion,avhen thus worked, yielded that remuneration to
the shareholders and accommodation required by th
public, and which could only be afforded when worked
upon a large scale.--(Hear, hear.) The Duke of Wel-
lington had said that England could not conduct a small
war, and he (i.ir. Hudson) was of opinion:that they could
not conduct their works upon a small or insignificant
scale.—(Applause.) With respect to the Hartlepool
Dock and Railway Company, he felt bound to say that
he had not sought them in this transaction ; they had
come to him; but having received a proposition from
them, and having well considered that proposition, and
feeling that it would prove advantageous to the company
with which he was connected, as well as to the public,
were it adopted, he did not hesitate in agreeing to it,
and arrangements were entered into for the purchase of
the dock and railway.—(Applause.) They would also
do him the justice of saying that he entered fairly into
that agreement.—(Applause. On the other hand, he
must be permitted to bear RE testimony to the fair, can-
did, and honourable manner in which the negotiations
were conducted by the gentlemen with whom he had
treated.—(Applause,) Upon one occasion a slight mis-
understanding arose, and he could not forget the hand-
some manner in which that misunderstanding was after-
wards explained.—(Applause.) The toast was drunk
with loud cheers.

Mr. RowLAN; B[JRDON returned thanks on behalf of
himself and the directors of the Hartlepool Dock and
Railway Company, for the honour done them. It was
true, as had been stated by the mayor, that that com-
pany had been the means of raising Hartlepool from the
condition of a mere fishing village to that of a port of
considerable importance, and they had done this in pur-
suance of that English principle which had been referred
to by Mr. Hudson—namely, in furtherance of their own
interests, and the accommodation of the public at large.
—(Applause.) The directors, however, had felt latterly
that they had arrived at a point beyond which they
would not be able to raise the value of the shares, and
that they should not be able to advance the interests of
the undertaking so much as could be done if the manage-
ment was confided to other and abler hands. Under
these circumstances they applied to Mr. Hudson. They
felt in applying to him they were applying to one who,
by his great talents, his energy, and his large and
extensive connexion with other companies, was able
to do much more for the railways of this country
than could be effected by any other individual.—
(Applause.) They were met in a liberal and honouzable

• a!
ado an excellent
spirit, and the result was, that they m.
bargain, and at the nine time that the; c?nferrcd a
tdson
great benefit upon the country.—(Applause.)
Ilt
had earned fur himself a high T,sition in the rajwaY
world, end he did not know of any other individual who
would be able to direct sueccasfullv so many under-
takiugs as he was engaged in.—(Appir.use.) Most per-
sons fancied that they could manago their own concerns
best, but it had been found that wherever he obtained
possession of any railway he had brought a system of
management to bear upon it which 1t had never known
before, and he felt assured that his possession of that
undertaking would tend greatly to benefit that important
port.—(Applause.) In conclusion, he gave the health of
Mr. Hudson, their Chairman.— (Cheers and applause.)
The toast was drunk with three times three.
The CHAIRMAN briefly returned thanks for the com-
pliment, and concluded by proposing the health of Mr.
W. Ord, and prosperity to the town and trade of Sun-
derland.—(Applause.)

Mr. ORD responded to the toast, and gave prosperity
to the port and trade of Hartlepool.
Mr. THOMAS ROWELL, one of the principal merchants,
responded to the toast, and to show the increase which
had taken place in the trade of the port, he stated tha
he recollected the time when having ventured to import
a cargo of timber into the town it was prognosticated
that he should be ruined—that is would never be con-
sumed. Last year, however, instead of importing one
cargo, between 5,000 and 6,000 tons of timber had been
brought into the port.—(Applause.) Instead of Hartle-
pool being a fishing port, upwards of 5,000 vessels had
entered the port last year, and this year they had cleared
no less than 900 bound to almost every part of the world.
—(Applause.) Traders of all sizes could enter their
port with perfect safety—from the stately East Indiaman
of 900 tons burden, whose keel ran no danger in their
road, and at the present time there were 150 vessels in
the dock, possessing a tonnage of 22,000 tons, ready to
clear out.—(Applause.) This did not look like a retro-
grading trade, but it showed that the port would shortly
become the first and most important upon the east coast.

Several other toasts were afterwards drunk, and about
half-past ten o'clock Mr. Hudson and the whole of the
company rose and left the room. A special train was in
readiness at the station which conveyed Mr. Hudson and
his friends the same evening to York, whilst a second
train was placed at the disposal of those gentlemen who
had come from Newcastle and the other intermediate
towns upon the northern portion of the line.

PARISH OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.
A meeting of the Vestry of the parish of St. Clement
Danes was held on Thursday for the purpose of fixing
the rate of assessment for the support of the pocr of the
parish for the third quarter of the current year. Mr.
IL Judkins, die senior churchwarden, was called to the
chair.

Mr. STEELE, the vestry-clerk, having read over the
minutes of the last vestry, which were confirmed, ob-
served that at that meeting it was supposed that some
difficulty might arise with respect to the sum due to the
Commissioners of Police. He was now happy to be able
to inform the vestry that he, along with the churchwar-
dens, had waited on the Messrs. Twinings, who, without
any difficulty, advanced the money.
The CHAIRMAN said, that since that time the money
had been paid.—(Hear, hear.) The object of the pre-
sent vestry was simply to fix the rate of assessment for
the quarter.
Mr. FOWLER, the clerk to the board of guardians, said
he was instructed, on behalf of the board, to state that
the sum estimated as necessary to meet the expenditure
of the quarter would be about 1,8001. for the support of
the poor, and 300/. for the county rate.
The CHAIRMAN said the warrant from the board of
guardians had not yet been received. The expenditure,
however, for the quarter was estimated at 1,800/., which
was rather above the average. But when the high price
of provisions was considered, and that, in administering
relief to the poor, where a shilling formerly sufficed.
eighteenpence would now be required, the vestry would
see the necessity of making ample provision.—(llear.)
Mr. BELLAMY then moved that a rate of eigbtpencc in
the pound be granted.
Mr. OVENDEN seconded the motion.
A PARISHIONER—That will produce 2,480/.
The CHAIRMAN—Yes ; but we have to provide for the
police and county rate out of it.
The PARISHIONER imagined that the increased amount
of employment recently afforded in the parish would have
met the late increase in the price of provisions.
The CHAIRMAN was not aware that employment had
increased ; on the contrary, he believed that there was a
scarcity of employment, as well as the evil of a high price
of food.—(Hear, hear.)
After some observations to a similar effect, the rate
was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. PETERS said, before the vestry separated, he re-
gretted to be obliged to bring under their notice a mat-
ter of a personal nature, not that he cared much about
it, as it affected himself, but in order that such occur-
rences might be prevented for the future. Some weeks
ago, in consequence of some damage done to a wall ad-
joining his house, the matter came under the cognisance
of the district surveyor, under the Metropolitan Build-
ing Act ; and, much to his annoyance and astonishment,
instead of receiving the notice in the way prescribed by
the Act the notice requiring him to pull: down the wall
was affixed to his street-door by the parish beadle. He
contended that such a thing might prove most injurious
to the credit of a tradesman, for the passer-by, without
a perusal, could not distinguish between it and a notice
of outlawry.
Mr. STEELE admitted that the beadle had acted in the
matter under his direction ; but he hell no otherobject
in view than to carry out the purposes of the Act in the
most effectual manner.
Mr. PETERS contended that the 113th clause of the
Act only required the affixing of the notice to the door,
in the case of being unable to find out the owner or oc-
cupier of the property concerned.
Several of the parishioners remarked that there was
much justice in Mr. Peters' complaint, and that the stop
complained of should not be resorted to, except under
the contingency contemplated in the Act.
The CHAIRMAN was sorry to think that Mr. Peters, or
any other parishioner, should have been so annoyed, but
he was quite sure that no offence was intended by the
vestry-clerk, who had only endeavoured to carry out the
instructions of the Act.
Mr. PETERS having expressed himself satisfied, a vote
of thanks was passed to the Chairman, and the vestry
adjourned.

IRRIGATION AND THE PRESER-
VATION OF MANURE.
At the recent annual meeting of the Stewponey Agri-
cultural Society, Mr. Whitmore, the President, adverted
to several interesting experiments which he had com-
menced :—" I am carrying the new plan (the four feet
deep drainage) into effect to a great extent on my own
estate, and my mode of applying it is open to all of you
for examination, and I hope it may be found useful.—
(Hear, hear.) lam also at present carrying on largely
a system of irrigation conducted upon the most improved
principles, from which I expect great results. It is right
that I should mention that I have tried irrigation before
without success, nay, even with injury ; but then I had
never found out the way of applying it properly ; and
now that I have got hold of the proper mode, I have no
doubt that I shall be amply repaid. Taught by former
failures, now, when I desire to practice any improved
mode of husbandry, I look to that part of England where
it is carried on ; I am ready to admit that a great deal
of information may be got from books ; but you may
read to all eternity without becoming practically ac-
quainted with the matter; if you are to have a practical
knowledge of the process, you must go and learn it
where it is practised.—(Hear.) Accordingly I went to
Kent to acquire my knowledge of deep draining, and I
went for irrigation to the water-mills of Dorsetshire,
which are very beautiful works, and no one desirous of
putting the plan in practise but will be repaid by seeing
now it is carried on there. lam also of opinion that in
carrying improvements into effect it is necessary to have
some party who has been engaged in them where they
are carried on; accordingly, I have brought workmen to
effect the improvements on my estate, and when the plan
is fully in operation, and I have instances of it to show
the members of the Stewponey Society, I shall then con-
sider that I have been of some use.—(Hear, hear,)
With regard to the manufacture and storing of manure
I have tried the system referred to in the report,
namely, box feeding, but on a small scale. lam
convinced that it is an immense improvement
on the usual plan of making and preserving
manures. In box feeding the animal is in no degree in-
jured, nor its health in the least impaired, though, per-
haps, it might look brighter in the eye when fed other-
wise. You are aware that there is a cavity below the
box which is fitted up with a grating., and becomes filled
with the dung. Now, although I have left that for six
months without emptying, the animal has thriven and
experienced no ill effect, nor shown a single symptom of
disease. It is tree the labourers who took it out felt it a
little; it made their eyes water and their noses sneeze,
but no greater harm. I think it must be apparent that
this dung, not having been dried by the sun, nor watered
by the rain, but all its solid and liquid parts retained,
must be vastly more efficacious than that collected on the
old system. What is the usual system of manufacturing
manure? The turning a few poor miserable animals into
the strawyard, and when the straw is rotten you call that
manure. It is nothing of the kind. I have seen straw ac-
tually thrown into th streets, to be converted into some-
thing black and dirty, and then it was called manure.
This is absurd, and I contend that a most material point
in farming is the proper preparation and preservation of
manure. There is an immense field open, lam certain,
to those farmers who will take pains to apply themselves
to the proper cultivation of the land, and you will do
best in the application of improved processes to seek for
information in those parts where they are now actually
practised. The cost of applying irrigation I find to be
from 121. to 15/. an acre ; but what is the result ? Sup-
pose my improvements in this way to be at all compar-
able to those in the rest of England, I shall obtain a bite
of grass in the month of March, when it is nowhere
else to be had, and I shall have an extra ton of hay to
the acre, so that land that formerly let at 40s. per acre will
be richly worth SOs. I think also that where agriculture
is carried on to a high pitch, a system of double manu-
ring goes on, and, provided your land is clean where
that takes place, very large crops will be yielded.

Hops.—The change of opinion upon the duty is as
remarkable as the vicissitudes of the weather. Last
week we reported a small diminution in the amount. It
is our duty this week to name a larger sum than we
have yet announced. Who is in the right we are at an
utter loss to ''()mess, but a most extraordinary difference
prevails. A high duty backer, who is a large dealer,
sends us the following average :—Canterbury, 45,000/. ;
Rochester, 66,000/, ; Sussex, 63,0001, ; Worcester,
30,0001. ; Farnham, 16,000/. ; Kingdom, 4,0001. Total,
224,0001.—Kentish Gazette.
SAYE-ALL.—AIr. Budd, of Swansea, has taken out
a patent for the application, in the manufacture of iron,
of clinkers produced in the combustion of coal, and here-
tofore regarded as useless.—The .Budder.