The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-22 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
METROPOLITAN TERMINI.
The evidence taken before the Commission appointed
by royalty, in April last, to investigate the various pro-
jects, of which there were nineteen, for establishing rail-
way termini within or in the immediate vicinity of the me-
tropolis, and upon which the Commissioners based their
decisions, made appearance on Monday. The bulk of
the blue monster may be readily realised to the mind's
eye, by a synopsis significant of its contents. The mere
minutes of the mass of evidence alone monopolise 264
folios of space, the appendix appropriates to itself 44
more, while the index to its data takes credit for upwards
of 44. There is a witness for almost every letter in the
alphabet, consisting:of all conceivable railway characters
and connexions---carriers, engineers, house valuers, soli-
citors, secretaries, chairmen, directors, builders, clergy-
men, trustees, with superintendents, civil and military.
The following is the programme professional, consisting
in
Adams,
all
aroamfhsa:mol:l
jr.aßmoesb,etrrth,
svtaeleueerf F
of property.hshey
r .s,
uare.
Baxendale, Mr. Joseph, carrier.
Bevan, Charles James, Esq.
Bidder, Mr. George Parker, engineer.
Bircham, Francis Thomas, Esq.
Borth wick, Mr. Michael Andrews, engineer.
Burgoyne, Major-General Sir John Fox, K.C.B.
Burt, Mr. Henry Potter.
Chadwick, William, Esq., chairman of the Central
Terminus Company and Richmond Railway Company.
Chaplin, William J., Esq., chairman of the South
Western Railway Company.
Clephan, Mr. James.
Collier, Mr. Vincent John, secretary to the Regent's
Canal Company.
Corner, George Richard, Esq.
Creed, Richard, Esq., secretary to the London and
Birmingham Railway Company.
Dalrymple, Robert Farre, Esq.
Doull, Mr. Alexander, assistant engineer to the North
Kent Railway Company.
Ewards, Mr. Samuel Price, collector of Customs,
Southampton.
Farrell, Mr. Harry Burrard.
Fearon, Mr. John Peter.
Few, Mr. Charles, jun.
Fowler, Charles, Esq. architect.
Gibson, Rev. Timothy, clergyman of St. Matthew's,
Bethnal-green.
Giles, Mr. Frank.
Glyn, George Car, Escp, chairman of the London and
Birmingham Railway Company.
Goldsmid, Sir Isaac Lyon, Bart., chairman of the
North Kent Railway Company.
Gordon, General Sir James Willoughby, Bart., G.C.8.,
G.C.H.
Hague, Mr. Thomas, architect.
Hayward, Mr. Joseph (of Messrs. Pickford and Co.)
Higgins, Mr. James White, valuer of property.
Horne. Mr. Benjamin Worthy, carrier.
Home, James, Esq., deputy-chairman of the North
London Junction Company.
Horton, Rev. John, A.M., rector of St. George's,
Southwark.
Hosking, William, Esq., official referee of metropoli-
tan buildings.
How, Mr. John.
Hudson, George, Esq., M.P.
Humphery, Alderman John, M.P.
Jones, Richard Lambert. Esq.
Kelsey, Mr. Richard, surveyor to the city of London.
Locke, Joseph, Esq. engineer.
Martin, Albinus, Esq., superintendent and resident
engineer of the South-Western Railway.
Martin, John, Evq.
Miller, John, Esq., engineer.
Moreing, Mr. Henry, secretary of the Great Western
and Brentford line.
Page, Thomas, Esq., engineer.
Paine, Mr. John Davis, engineer.
Pearson, Charles, Esq., solicitor to the city of London.
Pennethorne, Mr. James, architect to the Commis-
sioners of Woods and Forests.
Pott, Mr. Charles (of Messrs. Putt).
Pound, Mr. Charles.
Pyne Mr. John.
Remington, George, Esq.
Itendel, James Meadows, Esq.
Rose, Mr. Henry.
Simpson, Thomas Bridge, Esq.
Smith, Mr. Frederick.
Statham, Mr. Thomas Henry.
Stephens, Mr. Charles.
Stephenson, Robert, Esq., engineer.
Stephens, Mr. William, solicitor.
Stormy, Mr. Herbert.
Stuter, Mr. Richard.
Tempany, Mr. Andrew John.
Tito, William, q.
Tyrrell, Timothy, Esq.
Vignoles, Charles, Esq., engineer.
Whittington, Mr. Benjamin, trustee of Finsbury-sq.
Whitman, Mr. Arthur, superintendent of the Black-
well Railway.
Wiltiams, Mr. Edward William, secretary of the
Thames Embankment Company.
It would take days to dilute, and editions de die in
diem, to give the matter amassed in it even moderement. '
Thinking that a generalisation of the contents would be '
most contributive of interest, the majority of the evi-
dence as to specific schemes having for the most part lost
its primitive pertinency, we have epitomised the most
popular portions of it into paragraphs. The Commis- '
sioners, it may be mentioned, were Viscount Canning,
Lord Dalhousie, the Lord Mayor, Sir Charles Herries,
and Sir Frederick Smith ; and their report, which we
gave some months ago, was the result of a continuous
incubation of two months, from the 15th of April to the
10th of June. This report embodied an unambiguous
objurgation of all schemes, having for their object an
approach to the metropolis upon its northern frontier,
the adjudication of the Commissioners ne regarded all
schemes from the south being of a diametrically different
character, the verata qucestio with the Commission being
whether the extension of railways into the centre of the
metropolis is calculated to afford such additional con-
veyance or benefit to the public as will compensate for
the sacrifice of property, the interruption of important
thoroughfares, and interference with plans of improve-
ment. On the general questions their conclusions were
four-fold, viz., "1. That on the north of the Thames no '
railway now before Parliament, or projected, be per- '
milted to come within the limits described in their in-
structions. 2. That if at any time hereafter it should
be deemed advisable to admit railways within those li-
mits, this should be done in conformity with some uni- '
form plan, carefully laid down under the authority of her
Majesty's Government, and sanctioned by the wisdom
of Parliament; and that under no circumstances, should
the thoroughfares of the metropolis and the property and
comfort of its inhabitants be surrendered to separate
schemes, brought forward at different times, and without
reference to each other. 3. That on the south of the
Thames, either the North Kent Railway be permitted to
have its terminus in Union-street, and to join the termi-
nus of the South-Western Railway at Waterloo-bridge;
or that the South-Eastern Railway be permitted to extend
to Waterloo-bridge; according as one or other of these
lines may, upon a comparison of their general merits,
receive the sanction of Parliament, and subject, in either
case, to the conditions which are pointed out in the
report. 4. That the extension of the South-Western
Railway to London-bridge be permitted, subject to the
conditions pointed out in the report. 5. That a com-
munication between the railways approaching London
on the north and south sides of the river, and a con-
nexion between them and the docks being desirable, this
should be effected by a railway encircling the metropolis,
crossing the Thames at some point west of Vauxhall-
bridge, and not coining within the limits of the inquiry
on the north side of the river."
It remains, therefore, to be seen whether from the
tenor of the evidence, and upon the mere ground of
propertied rights, interference with plans of improve-
ment and "impediments to important thoroughfares,"
which important thoroughfares the railways would also
be themselves, and in the face, upon the other hand, of
new facilities for quick transit to great centres by an un-
broken bracketing of railways north and south, east and
west, combined with the moral, local, sanatory, civil, and
municipal improvements shown by the evidence to have
been already effected by the carrying of railways into
densely peopled districts, the Commissioners were
justified in their sweeping condemnation of all schemes
proposing either to pierce or encircle London's centre.
We glean from a first perusal the following particulars
of interest:—
THE BLAQKWALL.—There is a large passenger
traffic on this line coming up from Gravesend, from
Grays, Erith, Dartford, Crayford, and Foot's Cray.
These are mostly farmers and others who come on the
line on account of the proximity of the station in Fen-
church-street to the Corn Market, in Mark-lane. The
total cost of the line has been 300,0001. a mile, including
the carrying stock. Exclusive of the carrying stock,
250,0001. a mile. The passenger traffic on this line has
ilncreased
,2070-ohoa lf
pe
rb
se
et
nwse e
wn
etrh year
ee
carried
1842 and
0h
this 1845.
line
; In
1845, 3,200,000. The traffic is still increasing. The
average price of property on it, including all the cost of
acquiring it, from 40,0001. to 50,000/. an acre. It is
doubtful whether the Blackwall Company would not
have gained the object at a cheaper rate by forming a
new street from the Minories to Fenchurch- street, in-
stead of extending the railroad. Omnibuses now go to
the terminus, and would have gone to the Minories for
the same money. This line has now become the high
road into North Kent. The greatly increased traffic is
attributed to the extension to Fenchureh-street, as they
are now enabled to compete with the London-bridge
wharfs. The extension from the Minories to Fenchurch-
street, a distance of 415 yards, cost 250,000/. Mr
Pennethorne, the carrier, doubts whether the increased'
number of passengers is caused by this extension. It is
not intended to extend this line further westward. The
portion of the property purchased for this railway, and
not required for the line, afterwards resold at a largely
increased rate. The houses of the poor taken down on
each side have been rebuilt with great improvements.
A better class of houses in every instance built. There
are many instances
where land purchased for this lino
and subsequently resold, close up to the railway, at
a higher price than before the line was made. The
drainage of the district has been improved by the
formation of this line. The whole district has been
materially improved thereby. Streets and new rows
of houses have been built close up to the line. Mr.
Pennethorne disapproves of the extension of this line from
the Minories to Fenchurch-street, and thinks no rail-
way ought to be allowed to cross so large a street as the
Minories. The opinion is confined to railways upon
I Railwaysess obj ec tcon-
structed tt
keen
below
so
obtained
ei
na eneddv
,levelefoli
rmoewffp
irttdhoheyeenegiu
agnr rege onutunthsndi dsi
aren.line from Stepney
to Fenchurch-street, to accommodate the increased
traffic anticipated. An addition of twelve feet is con-
sidered sufficient. Very little property required beyond
the power granted by a former Act. A considerable
trtt amounte i
sof e
xEpaesetteerdn Ch
by
u nt
ht iee s
hahnd et
iNe
ho r twhiet rhn
tahned
ha:
ttee
rr