The Sun.
London, England, 1833-09-26 00:00:00

RAIL ROADS.

The Officers of the Rifle Brigade quartered here are
contrihuting very much to the pleasure and entertainment
of the inhabitants, and of our numerous visiters. They
performed at the theatre last evening the much admired
play The School for Scandal, to the great delight of a
very crowded house ; and this evening they give a ball and
supper to the same party.

FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The theories of steam navigation and of
inland communication by railroads and locomotives,
were formerly held in something like contempt, but
practical experience, like truth, which rubs out the
rust of prejudice, has proved the extraordinary ad-
vantages to be derived from the universal applica-
tion of these superb results of science—these mag-
nificent illustrations of human design which, to future
ages, will he the peculiar mark of the early period of
the nineteenth century.
The writer, Sir, is prepared to show how, in a
variety of respects, the structure of the steam ship,
with its particular requisites, the construction of iron
or railroads, and the locomotive engine, are object,
of national benefit in the abundant use of the ma-
terial applicable to those purposes—that, in fact, all
classes of persons derive more or less good from
their establishment. The uses to which they are
applied are now so common that it is only necessary
to point out to what place they may be advantage-
ously extended, and immediately capital and science
flow there in one united stream to afford and derive
the great benefits which are eventually the certain
results.

The inhabitants of these towns must certainly
reel much indebted to you for the notice contained
n your article on railroads inserted in The Sun of
he 20th instant. To prove that you are not wide
of the mark in estimating the rapid progress of the
system, we are not without proposed lines of public
railroads in this county—of private, we have already
several. We might also refer to an article in the
Cambrian, a Swansea newspaper of extensive:circu-
lation, which simultaneously avows the same senti-
ments as yourself with respect to the gradual pro-
gression of this means of communication, and gives
us an outline of one of those gigantic undertakings,
which now so much excite the consideration of
our great capitalists, and the holders of mineral
property all over the country.
You observe, " If the Birmingham Raiksay open
to the inhabitants of London the trade and manu•
factures of the midland and northern counties, the
Bristol Railway brings the metropolis into imme-
diate contact with all the west of England, Wales,
and the south of Ireland. * * Nor will the
western railway stop at Bristol ; its utility will be-
come so apparent that the line will be extended to
Exeter, and thence to the great depots of our navy
and commerce in the west, Devonport" and Ply-
mouth. You were pleased to name Devonpoit
alone, I have presumed to add the name of the sister
town Plymouth, as it is to the trade of Plymouth
I desire to call the attention of your numerous
readers, more especially those in the west.
Some years ago there were frequent intimations
of the intention of the East India Company to make
this place a trading place for their produce, for
which purpose there are now the most extensive
conveniences. It has been stared, and I believe
very truly, that the losses of the Company, and,
par consequence, to the country, in the navigation
of the English Channel anti the Thames, are as
great as all the other losses of the Company at sea;
and that, for this reason, it was considered to be de-
sirable to load and unload their large ships at this
port. At the time referred to, any idea of a rail-
road reaching from Plymouth to London would have
been looked upon as the hallucination of " some
poor wight, fit inmate for St. Lukes." Even now
one might scarce dare to urge certain opinions were
it not that the desire to do service overcomes the
dread of exciting ridicule. When, however, it is
' apparent that railroads are approaching our very
thresholds, it is at least worth speculating upon what
may be the results. In doing this, we may be led
to adopt conclusions, biassed probably by our wishes.
These are matters for the correction of such as
really feel interested in the subject of these re-
marks. In arguing the same, the public may attain
to something like correct conclusions on the im-
mensely important changes which are evidently on
the eve of transpiring.
It is all-evident that London will ere long be the
central point of a large series of railroads—to the
establishment of which it is not improbable the great
city may owe the extension of its existence as the
metropolis of Britain—the principal seat of com-
merce and the arts. The railroads will in no small
degree make up those deficiencies in the trade of
London which must result from the falling off of its
shipping interests. That London must yield large
portions of its maritime commerce to the out ports
will follow as a matter of course on the general
adoption of railroads. In competition with the
dangerous navigation of the English Channel (of
which the fatal effects of the late storm are an
apt though melancholy illustration) will be put
the safer and more expeditious rout by railway to
some port, as Plymouth for instance, where the
open sea may be gained in a few hours. Why
Liverpool should reap the greater portion of the
depreciation of the London shipping interests, or
the change of location of the London merchants, is
not so readily accounted for. The navigation of
the coast, and the egress and regress from and to
the Mersey, are fraught with almost as much danger
as are the narrow Straits of Dover, arid the sands
at the confluence of the Thames and Medway. As
much may be stated with respect to the ports of
Bristol and Gloucester, and the confluence of the
Severn and Avon. Plymouth is, beyond compari-
son, the very best outlet to the great Atlantic. Its
bold shores and safe anchorage, with its island
beacon the Eddystone, render it also the most ac-
cessible at all times. It has been usual to speak of
Plymouth as a naval depot merely. The surprising
stimulus which trade has received at Plymouth
since the commencement of peace is much com-
mented on, and is only to be accounted for by the
extensive improvements of the town and its vicinity
—the erection of the breakwater, and the establish-
ment of various factories in the neighbourhood. It
is but fair to add to this, that, during the last twenty
years, an accession of several spirited individuals has
given a fresh tone to the mercantile concerns of the
port. Plymouth, Devonporr, and Stonehouse, have
a united population of nearly 100,000 soils. It
is worthy of remark, that in 1821 there were
only 21,000 inhabitants, and that in 1831
there were 31,000 in Plymouth only ; that the
town is still increasing in size, in trade,
and in resources. The commercial marine of
the port has increased in a manifold degree during
the peace, and can be further extended to any and
every purpose that might be required. There
are private yards in which vessels of the largest
description may be constructed, so thin, in fact, the
mercantile importance of the port of Plymouth is at
least as great as the political importance of Devon-
port. Thus a vast amount of commercial and Go-
vernment influence is concentrated on this spot,
which is decidedly the best situation for land com-
munication, from the sea to the metropolis, of any
place in the United Kingdom ; and, therefore, with
the certain consequences which must result from the
general establishment of railroads, is a quarter to
which the attention of capitalists and that of the
large trading companies of the empire might be
profitably applied.
Even without the advantages of a railroad com-
munication, Plymouth affords great facility of being
made a more considerable entrepot for merchandize.
There are now the most abundant means of form-
ing extensive establishments. By the recent dis-
posal, by Government, of that mass of stores and
offices, and the long frontage of quays, formerly
side the Naval Victualling Establishment, Lambhay, ad-
joining Sutton Pool, and by the recent clearing of
the sites of several lime-stone quarries on the water
y ami otoife of
df the t
very
al
lines harbour,
v steam-packet
e r )s of
moderates terms.eat o n r Tts
most etpl
rigcooipb nrii e r lises are to be
obit
hhterausednae trffesor
rpodf t
r ed
isi g
spirit
to
Plymouth e
larger class steamers. Large vessels can always
command the s • ervice of steamers to tow them into
and out of the harbour. The easy rate of freight,
to and from London, Bristol, Liverpool, and other
ports—the low rate of the rent, and the very mode-
rate charges for port and harbour dues, are citcum-

The fine aqueduct which supplies Lisbon with
water, and which was recently stopped by the army
of Don Miguel, may be justly considered one of the
most magnificent monuments of modern construction
in Europe, and in point of magnitude is not inferior
to any aqueduct the ancients have left us. That
part which is situated in the valley of Alcantara,
about a mile from Lisbon, is an admirable structure,
consisting of thirty-five arches, by which the purest
water is conveyed ever a deep vale formed by two
opposite mountains. The total height of the main
arch from the ground to the summit is two hundred
and sixty-three feet ten inches. The breadth of the
principal arch one hundred and seven feet eight
inches. The thickness of the piers in general is
twenty-three feet eight. The arches on each side
the principal one diminish in breadth, as the piers
on which they rest decrease in height, according to
the declivity of the hills. In building the aqueduct
much judgment was employed, but it weuld contri-
bute to the beauty of the structure if the curves
were similar, instead of which fort: teen of them are
Gothic or pointed arches in a range; the rest are
semicircular. No part of is has failed. Over the
arches there runs a yanked corridor, nine feet six
inches high, by five broad (internally). A passage
also runs through the centre of it for the persons
who constantiy attend to keep it in order. There
are two thoroughfares for foot passengers; that is,
one on each side the corridor. They are five feet
wide, and have stone parapets.
The honour of executing this noble and useful
structure, was reserved for John V., who laid the
founclation'in 1713; nineteen years after, the whole
was completed. The city of Lisbon, in testimony
of their gratitude, raised an arch to his memory,
which bears this inscription
" Joann,s V., Lusitanorum. Rex. Justus-Pius. Aug.
Felix.
vprieraxo.ip P.P.
to.e.:tvi Lu
jul3cstr.aesitania. in
Firmata.
p. Proflaicgea.tisS. tab) I:lffii tac.uiVtaitriibbuuss.. Glo-
Imo..viN. autuardae.vigPeenrtei7Aes.nnAorquumas..
slpna.
Urbem. In.
tw3Phi uheo
ui
acid:lnoue
e.
oes
aqueduct,
muun
dcmme nptaashionuesa:.
es.ax.oppwpe.
superintended
e the
Q.O.c
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Optimo. Principi. et Publicae. Utilitatis. Auctori. Hoc.
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defrayedDeo.construction
tnphscetcbr by architect
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of one rei upon every pound of meat sold in the
capital.

From the remains of some walls which have been
ound, it is supposed the Romans who inhabited Lu-
sitania attempted to build an aqueduct in the place
where the present one is raised.

THE LATE AIR. AND MRS. HARGRAVE,
Os' DUBLIN.--A few days after the melancholy event by
which this amiable lady and gentleman, with their young
and interesting family, were lost near Swansea, an attempt
was made, with the assistance of a steamer from Liver-
pool, to raise the yacht in which they perished, in the
hope of thus recovering the bodies of the children, who
were supposed to have been asleep in the cabin when the
accident occurred. As the masts of the yacht had all the
time remained visible above the water, sanguine hopes of
success were entertained ; but when operations were com-
menced, and the ropes strained, the deck in which some of
the graPplings were hooked gave way, and the attempt
was abandoned. Since then, however, the bodies of four
of the little sufferers (three girls and a boy) have been
found, but those of Mr. Hargrave and of the eldest of the
young ladies on board, are still missing. The body of one
of the seamen has also been found.—lrish Paper.
LIVERPOOL COTTON-MARKET, TUESDAY.
—There is scarcely any business transacting in the cotton-
market; not more than 200 bags have been sold to-day.
Prices continue, of course, merely nominal. The public
sale fixed for Friday is expected to determine prices.