The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-19 00:00:00

REPEAL OF THE MA.IT-TAX.

The protectionists will be compelled to summder
the sliding scale of food-prices to a fair competition
with the
making about measures to compensate them for their
Wide world, and hence the noise they are
less. Among
other devices, they aro urgino.
reveal of the malt-tax. Of all the measures' of the
re-
lief; either for this or any other class, that could have
been named, this appears to us the' most
It would rob the revenue of no less a sum than five
millions a year, and not a single individual would
feel the benefit of it. Taxes upon luxuries, and es-
pecially those luxuries classed under the head of
stimulants, are paid cheerfully ; and we do not hear
of either the brewer, the seller, or the drinker of
beer wishing the article to be Cheaper. And why
should they ? for, to make up this amount of revenue,
they would have to contribute the same amount in

some other shape far more burthenseme. The
effect upon society would be, neither to benefit the
grower of barley, the brewer, or seller, or drinker of
beer, but would promote more excess, by making
the article cheaper. The only way in which such a
measure could ever have benefitted the agriculturists,
was by increasing the consumption of malt, and con-
sequently advancing the price of barley. But even
with corn-laws in operation it could not have done
this to any great extent ; for the use of land is always
varied to produce most of that which fetches by com-
parison the highest price. And with a repeal of the
corn-laws such a measure could not certainly afford
any relief. For supposing the consumption was in-
creased, the ports being open, this increase would be
snpplied by, foreign importations. And if it be said
that foreign barley would not answer so well as home
grown, the effect would be that more barley would be
grown here, and more of other kinds of grain im-
ported to make up the difference. A more unlikely
measure for affording any relief could not possibly
be invented; and it strikes us that this party must
find it very difficult to show that they are unfairly
dealt with by being deprived of the corn-laws, or
they would seize 'upon something more plausible as a
compensation than the repeal of the malt-tax. To
make up the loss of revenue would require that an-
other sevenpence in the pound of income-tax be im-
posed—an infliction which the country gentlemen
themselves will not be very anxious to invoke.—
Preston Guardian.

LONDON and BIRMINGHAM RAIL-
WAY TUNNEL UNDER LONDON.
The stupendous undertaking, projected by the
London and Birmingham Railway Company, under
the direction of their talented engineer, Mr. Robert
Stephenson, of reaching their proposed central station
in Farringdon-street (the site of the late Fleet Prison)
by means of a tunnel under London, cannot have
failed to excite the attention, not merely of the scien-
tific and railway world, but particularly the notice of
those who, in a commercial point of view, or by being
residents on the proposed line, are likely to be bene-
fitted thereby, or are interested therein. The import-
ance of such an undertaking has induced us to endea-
vour to lay before the public a correct description of
this monster tunnel, which we are enabled to perform
in detail, having had in the most courteous manner a
copy of the plans and sections, prepared for the ensu-
ing session of Parliament by Mr. Stephenson, placed
at our disposal.
The works of this magnificent undertaking are
proposed to commence at the Camden Town station
of the Birmingham Railway, crossing the Hampstead-
road, by means of two arches of 70 feet span and
16 feet in.height, the junction with the London and
Birmingham requiring no alteration of level. From
the Hampstead-road the line is proposed to pass (by
means of a viaduct varying from 18 to 21 feet in
height, and at an inclination of 1 in 97) over Grange-
street, Leybourne-road, to the Kentish Town-road,
and from thence over the Camden-road, Brecknock-
place, Great College-street, and the Camden-road
villas, at an inclination of 1 in 134, and at a height
varying between 20 and 16+ feet. After passing the
Kine.'s-road, the viaduct is to to be succeeded by an
embankment, at an inclination of 1 in 60, and then by
a cutting to the western side of Maiden-lane, and to
the north of Randall's tile-kilns. At this point the
proposed tunnel commences, being at a distance of
1 mile 165 feet from the Camden station, at a depth
of 37 and a width of 30 feet. The tunnel
takes its course under Carlton-gardens and Wit-
liam-street, Caledonian-road, at a depth varying
from 38 to 45 feet, and thence under the
Caledonian-road, at a depth of fifty-four feet.
From this point the tunnel is proposed to proceed at
a gradually increasing depth under the tunnel of the
Regent's Canal, near Half Moon-crescent, where the
depth is 90 feet. The direction of the tunnel is then
under Penton-street, Chapel-street, and White Lion-
street, Penttnville, the depth being no less than 101
feet, and the inclination being 1 in 1,062. From
hence the tunnel passes under the City-road, at
Claremont-terrace, in the rear of St. Mark's Church,
Myddleton-square, at a depth of 87 feet, gradually
decreasing until the tunnel arrives at the New River
Head, under which it is proposed to be carried at a
depth of 68 feat. A gradual decrease in depth then
takes place. Under Myddleron-street, Clerkenwell,
it is 51 feet; Gloucester-street, 48 feet; Skinner-
street, Clerkenwell, 43 feet ; Corporation-row, Seek-
ford-street, and Suffolk-street, each at a depth of 42
feet; Aylesbury-street (leading to the Sessions
Mouse), 41 feet; and St. John's-square, .38 feet.
From this point the tunnel passes under the
closely-populated districts of St. Sepulchre
Without at depths gradually decreasing instil
it reaches Cow-cross, where it will be only 25 feet
below the surface. Here it is proposed to carry the
tunnel at a depth varying from 28 to 33 feet, from
Greenhill's-rents to Wrest Smithfield, at an inclina-
tion of 1 in 1,062. Passing under the Greyhound
Inn-yard at a depth of 31 feet, the tunnel is proposed
to reach Hosier-lane at 28 feet, Cock-lane at 29 'eet,
and the Saracen's Head Inn-yard at a similar depth.
Under Skinner-street, Snow hill, the depth will be
28 feet, and the tunnel will terminate at Angel-court,
on the southern side of Skinner-street, at a depth of
24 feet. A small cutting will here commence, pass-
ing through Green Arbsur-court, at a depth of 19
feet; Bishop's-court, 14; Seacoal-lane, 11 feet;
Fleet-lane, 5 feet; anti thence into the city terminus,
Fleet Prison-yard, where the line will emerge on a
level.
The entire length of the intended extension will
be 3 miles 41-1 chains, of which the tunnel will occupy
2 miles. It is a singular fact that the tunnel will
pass under only one main sewer.
The London and Birmingham Company propose
taking powers for carrying out a deviation line, if
found necessary, and to take such property as may be
required for that purpose. The plans, which are en•
graved in a very elaborate style by Messrs. Dixon and
Ross, of the Hampstead-road, indicate the various
houses which the Company propose to purchase al-
together, or to afford compensation for, if injuriously
affected by the projected line.
For the convenience of the grand city terminus,
the Company propose to take powers for obtaining the
whole range of houses on the south side of Skinner-
street, extending from the Old Bailey on the east to
Turnagain-lane on the west, and including from that
point to the Fleet Prison, the eastern side of Far-
ringdon-street, and passing to the rear of the prison
yard, extending again to the Old Bailey, and includ-
ing a portion of Prujean -square, thus occupying the
site of all the intermediate houses. One grand and
desirable object the London and Birmingham Com-
pany have in view in taking this group of houses, is
to forward the improvements contemplated by the
Corporation of the City of London.
Another important advantage which will result
from this plan of the London and Birmingham
e ofs a tinye.
ont hde Com-
pany, is that the inhabitants of the metropolis will be
the p
withu can
h l
public generally, b
the n
saved the inconvenience and noise of the ponderous
waggons laden with merchandise, which at present
perambulate the streets day and night, to the detri-
ment of the paving, in passing to and from the City
and the goods station of the railway at Camden Town.
Up
y,
he
than w o le
thatn o o
itn e
is WohnOeVcieaWiesuitahtieci sgtroeaattruonid-
d
an
d from opinion
the high standing of the Company, and the
eir engineer, there can be
convenienceb e
uun-
dertakingtagi
little4ioa as
bast wtdielilealppaarssosiiceoocamtafwill manner,to
meet
scientific reputation of th
tion of Parliament. •
Too much praise cannot be awarded to those who
have undertaken the herculean task of preparing the
magnificent plans and sections which we have just
described ; nor can we do otherwise than express our
admiration at the superb way in which they are en-
graved, being decidedly superior to any done for the
various proposed lines of railway about to be sub-
mitted to Parliament this session.—Railway Tele-
graph.

LANCASTER AND CARLISLE
RAILWAY.

Of the 6,000,000 cubic yards of earthwork, nearly
5,000,000 are completed, and the remaining quantity
is divided into such numerous portions that at no one
point is there any difficulty with average weather.
With regard to the masonry, it is equally forward.
Of the ordinary bridges five-sixths are nearly com-
pleted, • and the following is the state of the larger
bridges and viathicts :—The Lune viaducts—three
arches of 120 feet span—although only commenced.
after the passing of the amended Act in July, last, is
well advanced ; the abutments and land arches (eight of
38 feet span) are up to the springing, and the river-
piers are in hand, notwithstanding the floods. The
Docker Garths viaduct—six arches of 50 feet span,
and 75 feet high—is coi:iplete up to the spring-
ing, and the arches
are commenced. The Borrow
Beck viaduct--tree arches of 45 feet span, and GO
feet high—is completed, except tho parapets. Th 4 ,
Lowther -viaduct—six arches of GO feet span, antrs
100 feet high, is finished. The bridge over the
Eamont—four arches of 50 feet span, and 10 feet
high—is finished, except the spandrills and parapets,
Nearly 30 miles of permanent way are laid. The
number of men now employed is 5,997. The Im,
ber of horses now employed is 681, and two loco-
motives are at work on the line. Nearly the whole
of the rails and chairs for the permanent way are
now delivered on the line.- Designs hwie been fur-.
nished for the whose of the station, and several are
in progress. The engines ani carriages for the ser-
vice of this Company are constructing in the esta-
blishment of the Grand Junction Railway at Crewe.
At a meeting of the proprietors, at Liverpool, on
Wednesday last, the Chairman (E. IV. Hassell, Esq.)
said, he: mightventure to say, with the knowledge he had
himself of the state of the work, that unless we should
have a very wet spring, there was every reason to
believe that the railway would be opened about the
beginning or middle of July ; and, if so, no railway
of eval length, seventy miles long, would have ever
been completed in so short a time.
From the statement of accounts it appeared that

the total to the 31st of December, amounted to
811,1301., and the expenditure to 663,6371., leaving a
balance of 147,4931.

HAMBURGH MAIL.

li.uunußGEt, JAN. 10. - The Countess of Lonsdale
steamer came yesterday, by way of precaution, no higher
than Glackstadt. The London mail of yesterday was
sent by hence to Cuxhaven. The ice is pretty open, and
as the wind is favourable, the ships will probably come
up to the city to-day ; the passage to and from Ham-
burgh for the steamers and post-boats is again open.
HAMBURH, JAN. 12. —The ice still holds together be-
tween Blansuse and Luke, and ships cannot come up to
the city unless the wind is favourable.

CUXHAVEN, JAN. 11.—The Sir Edward Banks put to
sea this forenoon at 10 o'clock with the mails; the wind
in the afternoon, N.W., fresh breeze. This is a most fa-
vourable wind for coming up the river.
HANOVER, JAN. B.—The Crown Prince is perfectly
recovered, and has gone out in his carriage. •
In consequence of the very unfavourable weather in
the last week of the last year, the King suffered much
from rheumatism, which especially affected his hearing,
and on that account he did not leave his room, but had
every evening a company of ladies. His Majesty de-
clined the fatiguing ceremonies of the beginning of the
year, and is bow perfectly recovered,but has not yet ap-
peared again in public. According to later accounts his
Majesty's indisposition is again worse. The Hereditary
Prince, as those who have occasion to see him affirm (for
he goes out every morning
j in a carriage), looks ex-
tremely well, to the great joy of his parents and his
grandfather.

BERGEDURF, J.N. 9.—The Berlin Hamburgh Railway
is to be completed by the end of September this year.
The contracts are all concluded for that line, and there
is no doubt that the railway will be ready, but it is not
probable that the termini will be completed.
BERLIN, JAN. 7.—Private accounts from Thorn give
some details of the secret association discovered there,
the treasonable object of which was an armed insurrec-
tion, and the surprise of the fortress of Thorn and
Grandenz. It seems that the conspiracy was discovered
through the investigation at Posen. Thorn is quite a
Polish town, the whole surrounding countries to Gran-
denz, above thirty-five miles distant, and as far down as
the Culon on the Vistula, and to the vicinity of Dantzic,
is inhabited by a people speaking Polish, and who are
very rigid, easily excitable Roman Catholics, over whom
the priests have unlimited influence. It is reported that
landowners, and even priests, have influenced the popu-
lation, and excited them to insurrection, and that above
100,000 dollars have been gradually distributed, which
were collected by a secret society. The insurrection
was to have broken out on the 31st December ; the first
arrest took place on the 30th. It is said that not only
considerable depots of arms, but a complete pow-
der-mill, was discovered. Guns were placed in
the market-place of Thorn ; - the garrison was
under arms, and the commandant declared the town
in a state of siege. It is not stated how far the in-
habitants of Thorn itself were implicated in these arrests.
It seems, however, that the country people and land-
owners were chiefly concerned.
HANovEn, JAN. 9.—We are sorry to state his Ma-
jesty's indisposition, which our papers represented as
being relieved, is much worse; loss of appetite, frequent
vomitings, &c., have reduced his Majesty to a state of
extreme weakness. Yet he still attends to the affairs
of Government, and it is said that all'the 'documents to be
laid before the State, were signed by the King, the day
before yesterday, at the request of Baron Falcke.—
Hamburg Papers, Jan. 13.
WARSAW, JAN. B.—His Majesty the Emperor Nicholas
arrived here in perfect health, on the 4th, on his return
from Italy, and alighted at the Labrinski palace, where
he was received by the Prince Governor, and many other
persons of distinction. The capital was splendidly illu-
minated on that and the following evenings during his
Majesty's stay. who sat out for St. Petersburgh this
morning.—Universal Prussian Gazette, Jan. 13.