The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-13 00:00:00

With perfectly unexceptionable gradients, that in no case ex-
ceedel 1 in 200, with upwards of sixty-nine miles of level on its main
line, with no works of any engineering difficulty or of peculiarly ex-
pensive execution, with only 3,900 yards of tunnelling in eight tun-
nels, with no opening or swing brides, with only one viaduct, and
that of 500 yards, and with remarkably easy curves, the Direct North-
ern It tilway, whilst its primary object is to unite in the directest
manner London and York, will at the same time serve a rich, fertile,
and populous country, will reciprocate the advantages of easy and
Inexp nsive communication between the manufacturing towns of the
north and the agricultural and grazing counties of eastern and central
England, and will connect by the shortest route the south of England
aid the continent of Europe with York, the north of England, and
Scotland.
The shareholders will observe the suggestion made by Mr. Miller,
which proposes to introduce a new element of safety, regularity, and
speed into ra.lway travelling, by the conveyance of passengers and
goods upon separate lines. This suggestion will, no doubt, receive
the consideration due to its importance in the ensuing session.
" The Committee entirely concur with Mr. Miller in the important
bear;ng which the Holborn Terminus project has on the Direct
Northern. It is in effect, though under different management, an ex-
tension of that line into the heart of London. By its means the London
Terminus of the Direct Northern Railway will be immediately avail-
able for the Post-office and the City of London generally (between
Fumival's inn and Gray's-inn-lane), and will itself form a portion
of one side of the widest thoroughfares in London, will be in the
immediate vicinity of the Courts of Law and Inns of Court, and
comes more into the heart of Londcn, with less sacrifice of valuable
property, than any metropolitan terminus which has been suggested.
" In accordance, therefore, with Mr. Miller's recommendation,
and in pursuance of the powers entrusted to them by their proprie-
tary, the Committee have taken steps to secure control over this
project, satisfied that it affords the most central, and, at the same
time, the most accessible and least expensive London terminus.
" The Committee refer the shareholders to the map accompanying
this Report; it fully shows the course and relations of the Direct
Northern Rsiiway, and its national character.
" tip to the 30th of November, all the standiag orders of Parlia-
ment have been complied with ; and the solicitors report their per.
fect ability to fulfil all that remains to be completed within the time
limited by the Legislature. .

" Thu; prepared, and with deposits paid, and the proper deeds
signed by a body of most responsible Shareholders, the Com-
mittee intend to make their application to Parliament at the earliest
possible day, confident that a project of such undoubted public utility
as the Direct Northern, in which the public service itself is deeply
interested, will there receive what it only needs to ensure its success
—a fair and impartial hearing."
The following tables, appended to the Report of the Company's
Engineer (John Miller, Esq.), will show the relative advantages of
the Direct Northern in point of distances, as compared with its com-
petitors for legislative sanction, and with existing lines.
It may here be observed, that the distance between the cross of
St. Paul's Cathedral, in London, and the centre of the Great Tower
of York Minster, as measured along the earth's surface, is, according
to the Ordnance Survey, 920,108.7 feet, or very nearly 17414 miles;
an : that the main line of the Direct Northern, between London and
York, is 176 miles.

Table showing Comparison of Di
Northern Railway and by the

[stances by the proposed Direct
London and York Railway.