The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

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APRIL 11, 1846.

Stopford,' dining all the operatimis on-the Nibs% of Syria,
including the capture of St. Jean D'Acre.
The Horatio, 44, progresses favourably with her con-
version to a steam guard-ship. She has been found in
excellent condition, her timbers and plankings being per-
fectly sound ; her topsidei, which had been stripped for
the formation of new and fewer -ports, are re•planked,
rnd her decks are now being opened for the reception of
her engines and boilers.
The Tribune, tender to the Blazer steam surveying
vessel, having completed her refit, has returned -to her
station 'at Harwick.

The Tribune, a new 26-gun frigate of the Vestal class,
is ordered to be laid down here. She is to be of precisely
the same dimensions as the Alarm, recently launched at
this dockyard, and as the Diamond, now building here,
whose dimensions have been pieviously given.
The Brilliant, 22, Captain B. B. Watson, C. 8., is
taking her guns on board, and will haul out of the basin
next week. She still wants from fifty to sixty hands to
complete her complement. Some fifteen or sixteen, whom
Captain Watson had clothed from head to foot, had the
base ingratitude to cut and run the other day while on
shore on a few days' leave. The followi.*Uthe armament
of the Brilliant, viz.:—On the main decki six 68-pounders
and ten long 32-pounders ; on the 'spar deck, foue
32-pounder carronades and two 56-pounders, 88 cwt.
each (on pivots), one of which is fitted on the forecastle,
the other abaft the mizen mast.

Orders have been received here for the Warspite, 50,
Captain Provo P. Wallis, arrived at Plymouth from the
Mediterranean, to be paid off into ordinary at Chatham,
where she will be surveyed, and, if found fit, will be re-
fitted for commission.

The Worcester, Chichester, and Conquestador, 50-gun
frigates, continue their fittings for commission.
The Cornwall is ready, but it is thought will not be
commissioned at present.
In harbour— Trafalgar, 120, flag-ship ; Ocean, 80,
Raven, and Wildfire and African steam-vessels.

PRICE 5I).

Tlir., BROAD AND NARROW
&UGES.
TO THE PROPRIETOR 6- OF THE GREAT
WESTERN RAILWAY.
Brother Shareholders,—The uncertainty and jeopardy
in which our interests are placed by the report of the
Gauge Commissioners induce me to submit a few words
of peaceful caution to you, which, I believe, it is for our
common interest 'to ponder. well upon. •
And, first, I.vvould revive a question which has been
often mooted among us—whether, as Great Western
proprietors, we have been benefited by adopting the
broad guage ; whether, in fact, the gratification of being
singular among railways has not cost us, at least two
per cent. per annum for some years past ? Narrow
gauge lines of a corresponding age and amount of traffic
to our own, have long divided ten per cent. among their
proprietors •, they have been enabled even to accelerate
the march of their prosperity Wmaking reductions in
their fares in a greater ratio than ourselves.
We Greal Western shareholders, notwithstanding the
increase of our traffic,, seem to have made a halt bpth at
an eight per cent. dividend, and at a reduction 'of fares.
It is the belief, I know, of not a few of us, that we
pgtimnhe
gainsdsoaseuat a great
irenr engineer
sacrifice,
g e ,wmi
publice ghtwoaa
oil
have
tdeh.
lforihkAi
es
isovti our o
matters
eccentrict
awn
il failed
nshttteooa rbnesbdst s.
secure
rhi
elne
nahpnmuuybmacl
kioociumnri
s
against us: I do not mean the great public, who, I do
not believe, interest themselves about the matter, but
the official public who have been sitting in judgment on
our case.
A time now appears to have arrived when we are
enabled to correct our mistake; and I would state some
reasons why I,think it is for our interest, as sharehol-
ders, to retrace our steps, and rather swim with the cur-
rent than against it.
If our system were as superior as Mr Brunel boasts it
to be, why has it,...not. spread more ? The gauge. has
been surely a perfect free-trade question; were its ex-
cellencies so immensely superior, like all superlative
things, it would have made greater way. How is it to
be explained, that there are existing at the present mo-
ment in this country, so many as 1,901 miles of narrow
and so few as 274 miles of broad gauge; and that out of
projected lines in 1845 8,000 miles were to be narrow
and only 651 broad? And how is it, that in America
and the continent of Europe, whence engineers have con-
tinually come to ascertain the results of our experience,
not one mile of broad or seven-feet gauge has been laid?
Surely, if our own dividends did not convince us, these
facts ought, of the mercantile absurdity of our eccentric
gauge.
~W e adopted it with our eyes open, and against the
warnings of others. Our line has cost us more to make
and work than it would have done had it been like other
railways. We ourselves have paid for our whim dearly
indeed, end are likely to continue to do so, at the rate,
at least, of' two per cent. per annum, as far as we can see
into futurity. It is needless to go into figures to prove'
this. It is not to be denied that we are receiving only
an annual 8 per cent. and that only on a little more
than half our capital expended, instead of a 10 per cent.
dividend, which we should receive, if the Great Western
had Leen like the other railways of the country.
We are losers not only by the superior cost of the
construction and working of our line, but have been cut
off from that profit which, in all probability, would have
flowed upon our line from other lines. They have been
deterred from approaching us. Mr. Brunel told us
years ago it was our business and interest to
have nothing to do with other lines ; that our course
was insulation. Certainly his broad gauge has fulfilled
his prophecy—and to our loss. But now he cannot
maintain that position. Our insulation is to end. We
are to be united on all sides with other lines; but it is to
be a union not of harmony but of disagreement. Our
hand, like Ishmael's, is to be against everybody, and
everybody's against us. The contest may be very ex-
citing to Mr. Brunel and the lawyers; but I think the
piping will be rather cost", to us, the paymasters. The
progress of our 8 per cent. dividend, instead of being
forward, will, I fear, be like that of the crab—back-
wards. On whose behalf are we to fight this game ?
The public? So far as the public is represented by the
Government, it will be a contest against the public. The
Board of Trade condemns our eccentric system. Her
Majesty's Commissioners recommend its positive con
traction—even its annihilation. Who will dare to say
that we shareholders are to gain by maintaining it under
these hostile circumstances? No one. It can be only
for the satisfaction of our engineer: and it is too pre-
posterous to suppose that we are to sustain the battle for
e;,; sake—even if we assume that he wishes us to do so,
of which I am by no means sure.
Our peculiar system has already brought us to a
positive difficulty. We are authoratively told we are
not to extend it. We must either bow to authority or
contend against it ? Has the experience Of the past,
without contention, been so very encouraging that fee
have really anything worth fighting for? If it could be
shown that we made greater profits than the narrow
guage companies—and it would require much greater
profits to make a man belli4erent—the question might
be worth entertaining. On the contrary the fact, perhaps,
shows that we are worse off than narrow guage lines in
corresponding circumstances. Our worse will become
worst, if, besides managing our own line, we have to con-
tend with others, and thus encourage rivals to run side by
side of us, who, if they chose to adopt the atmospheric
system, on the general gauge of the country, will beat us
hollow on our chief point of strength—speed.
Shall we then acquiesce in the recommendations of
the Commissioners ? Most decidedly, say I.
The Commissioners estimate that the cost of changing
the broad into narrow gauge lines would not much
exceed 1,000,0001. ; and recommended that some equit-
able means should be found of producing uniformity of
gauge. It is quite clear that we have now an opportu
nity offered us of redeeming the error we first commit-
ted. Let us meet and tell Sir Robert Peel that we are
willing to aid in carrying out the Commissioners' report
—that if equitable means are found, we will become a
narrow gauge line. Let us petition Parliament to fur-
nish these equitable means. There would be no diffi-
culty in effecting an arrangement, which would greatly,
improve our position, agree with official advice, and not
cost the public one shilling.
We cannot be blind to the apathy of our rivals, the
London and Birmingham and South Western Railways,
on this question. The best thing for their interests, de-
cidedly, is that we remain a broad gauge line. To avoid
the evils of breaks of gauge, they will just come side by
side with us and carry off our traffic. And think you
the Legislature will listen to our remonstrances ? The
answer will be, " You were offered uniformity once on
reasonable terms—you preferred your insulated position
and its consequences. The public have complained of
these consequences, and here are other Companies ready
to obviate them." Our answer, then, must be ad min-
ricoi•diam, and we shall have to beseech for leave to lay
down narrow gauge at our own cost.
If we are obstinate in our first folly, and now delay to
reject the terms held out, the worse our prospects will
become. A million is a sum within possible realization ;
but increase it to three or four, and the offer is less
likely to be made, and we shall be compelled to provide
a remedy for ourselves.
Brother Shareholders, let us meet and discuss this
question. Our affairs are now at a critical juncture:
Shall we work for our eccentric gauge, and the evils of
a break of gauge, for discord with other companies, and
decreasing dividends ? (Sr for a national uniformity of
gauge, concord_ with, other companies, and increasing
dividends?

------ -
London, March 30, 18406. NT: Q F YOURSELVES.

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Allow me, through the medium of your exten-
sive)), circulated paper, to protest against the imposition
—furl 'can call it nothing else—of demanding money
from parties wishingt, to see, over St. Paul's Cathedral*
and which ought to be open free to the public. Only
let the party once enter within the door of that sacred
temple, when he is at once addressed by a gentleman—
no doubt brought up in Brasenose College—who de-
mands 2d. ; well, that is paid ; then there is 6d. or Is.
to see the chapel : after looking about him for some
time, the party naturally enough wishes to soar a little
higher ; he meets with another gentleman, who demands
Is. 6d. more : he walks up to the gallery surrounding
the dome, and wishes to enter within the ball beneath
the cross ; but here again these modern Shylocks must
have their pound of flesh, and Is. 6d. is again demanded;
after this be must pay 2d. to see the clock.
Now, Mr. Editor, ought such things so to be ? I
humbly submit they should not.
The insertion of the above would oblige Sir, yours
obediently, A STRANGER.

WIGAN ELECTION COMMITTEE.
Several witnesses, principally publicans, were examined
and cross• examined on Thursday, but nothing was elicited
by which a direct agency could be proved.
The Committee then unanimously decided that the
Hon. James Lindsay had been duly elected a burgess
to serve in the present Parliament for the borough of
Wigan.
The Committee then adjourned.
The resolution will be reported to the House at its
meeting after the Easter recess.

1846.—Th0 following is the House List of Governors
and Directors of the Bank of England for the year ensuing,
viz.:—

FOR 00VF.RNORS.
John Benjamin Heath, Esq Governor.
William R. Robinson, Esq., 'Deputy-Governor.
FOR ntnEcrons.
Arthur Edward Campbell, Esq. John Horsley Palmer, Esq.
William Cotton, Esq. James Mattison, Esq.
Bonamy Dobree, Esq.
Chas. Pascoe Grenfell, Esq. Christopher lea e,
'l';e3scott, Esq.
Thomson Hankev, jun., Esq. Henry James
..
Sir John Henry reili:.,,,Rart.
John Gellibrand Hubbard, Esq. David Powell, .h.sq,
William Little, Esq. Sir John Rae Reid Bart.
James Malcolmson, F.,9. Thomas Chas. Smith, Esq.
Hum hre St. John Mildmay, I'V'in
~ . Thompson, Esq., Alt
Thomas Tooke, jun Esq.
Esqp. y
~,0
James Morris, Es Thomas Matthias Weguelin,
i.
Sheffield Neave,-Esq.
George Wards Norman, Esq. Esq.
Francis Wilson, Esq;
. The election for Governor and Deputy-Governor will be
held at the Bank on Tuesday, the 14th of April, and for Di-
rectors on Wednesday, the 15th of April, from ten o'clock in
the forenoon till four o'clock 1n the afternoon. ---'l'-4.....