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

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 164 feet. After passing the
King'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 Wil
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, Pentonville, 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 feet. A gradual decrease in depth then
takes place. Under Myddleton-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
douse), 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 until
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 West 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 Ilosier-lane at 28 feet, Cock-lane at 29 feat,
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 Arbour-court, at a depth of 19
feet; Bishop's-court, 14 ; Seacoal-lane, 11 feet ;
Fleet-lane, 5 feet; ani 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 4} chains, of which the tunnel will occupy
2 miles. It is a singular fact that the tunnel will
piss 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 Com-
pany, is that the inhabitants of the metropolis will be
saved the inconvenience and noise of the ponderous
waggons laden with merchandise, which at present
and
neerdba
ttmhebefugtl
hao teoed
paving,sths et
atsi tor
stations enot
fs p
tand,
esaiyrnagai
railway
oda
yn
andiagth
ct
f,
ar
from
mod
et hit,
he
Tedoce
wtiritny-.
h dispassionateo l e no one w hmoa
o viewsner, canthi s greatbe
o f anyun-
dotehrijetarpkooinnpgintihionenwathan that it is one calculated to afford
convenience as well as comfort to the public generally,
sa
cni
Tde
bof
troi ofimm the
e much
h reputationphrigai hs e
efstanding
cannot
tbe
ber of fe
awarded
Company,blgyianredeerd,
to therethose
h o andthe
s can
v who
be
oe
but little doubt the
ephroejreccutlewainll
taskm eeotfwpirthepathriengsatnhce-
ht sanc-
tion ofundertakenParliament.
oi
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.