The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-08 00:00:00

WEST LONDON RAILWAY.

The half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors
and shareholders of this company took place yester-
day, at the London Tavern.
H. H. Grounds, Esq., the chairman of the com-
pany, took the chair at one o'clock, and the usual for-
malities having been grone through,
The SECRETARY read the report, from which it
appeared that the directors, although their efforts had
been unceasing, had not been successful in prevailing
won the Londen and North-Western and Great
Western Railway Companies to carry into effect the
power they had obtained from Parliament, to alter
and enlarge the line, although both companies had
expressed their intention to carry them fully into
effect, but stated that they were prevented from doing
so in consequence of the present position of railway
property. From the statements of the receipts and
disbursements it appeared that the total receipts
amounted to 279,285/. 13s. 9d., those of the last half-
year being 2,417/. 12s. ld. The total disbursements
277,868/. 3s. 5d., and those of the last half-year
being 1,547/. 163., leaving a balance of cash in hand
amounting to 1,4171. 103. aid.
After some discussion, in the course of which the
SECRETARY stated that he felt convinced, from the
interviews he had had with Mr. Creed, Mr. Saunders,
and Mr. Parker, that both the London and North-
Western and the Great Western Companies were sin-
cere ; and after some observations from Mr. Gunter,
Mr. Campion, and Mr. Kirby, the report was adopted.
Thanks were voted and unanimously carried to the
chairman and directors, and the meeting separated.

STEAM ON COMMON ROADS.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Six,—lt would not have been necessary for me to
say more on this subject, if Mr. Motley (in his
communication appearing in The Sun of the 23d ult.)
had not placed a construction on my first letter it
does not bear. If my meaning was not then sufficiently
precise, I may amend it now, by stating that the
details desired were not the mere details of the con-
struction of the engine (for this can concern the public
at large but little), but of its performance; for pre-
suming the engine perfect as a pice of mechanism, it
does not follow it should be successful in a commercial
point of view.
The improvements proposed by Sir James Anderson
in his new carriage were known to me ; it was, there-
fore, competent for me to form a judgment how far
it was likely to fulfill those conditions, which I con-
sidered and stated as essential to the practical
introduction of steam on common road: and
Mr. Motley has not yet shown those difficulties' to be
overcome ; the first and chief one, which is the fric-
tion from the road surface, still remains in full force,
and it is impossible that Sir James Anderson's, or,
any other invention (where the driving wheels are in
contact with the level surface), can, within itself,
modify this friction. An effort to overcome the
second and third difficulty has been made by Sir
James, in proposing to drive by belts, which enables
the cranks, &c., to be independent of the driving
wheels, and consequently free from those severe
strains which they would otherwise be subject to from
the inequalities of the road surface; so far these essen-
tial conditions are accomplished, provided the guile
percha belts do not slip or become elongated, where the
resistance to motion is materially increased, either
from ascending steep inclines, or overcoming the
friction arising from an imperfect road surface—
" result which may be looked for almost with certainty.
My assertion, then, is strictly true, that Sir James
Anderson's invention does not overcome the diffi-
cultiPs which I considered were in the way.
Mr. Motley reads my last communication in direct
opposition to that which I clearly mean, for he makes
me to say that the friction of the engine is more im-
portant to decrease than that arising from the road,
whereas the latter is what I state inventors should
endeavour to decrease, and not to create a power to
overcome it. It is on this point I consider the excel-
lency of Mr. Wrigg's invention consists, as it accom-
plishes, within itself, that which at a great outlay Mr.
Motley proposes by wood pavement—the preparation
of a road. While on this subject I should state my
observations on the difficulties overcome by Mr.
Wrigg's patent were the results of personal examina-
tions ; I do not, therefore, think Mr. Motley has been
consistent, without assigning any reason, to pronounce
upon the efficacy of an invention of which he cannot
possibly have had any opportunity of framing an
opinion ; so that he appears to have fallen into the
very same error of which he improperly accuses me.
The plan proposed of laying a timber way
did not escape my attention, but as I am not aware
of this forming any part of Sir James Anderson's
plans (to which my observations were confined)) I
did not notice it, for that would, in fact, be dealing
with a roadfa
Td,
Which
isrualecarrTge, and not a carriage for a
subject under consideration.
The real object of
communication was, mt y reply to Mr. Motley's former
and expenditure uph,no get an ascot*it of the income
England, upon Which a'r
length of average road in
ply h ten Sir James Anderson may be
supposed to
carriage. These are the
•details which I consider
team
the public should
have, before they win
notconvinced. there is any
chance of success. I needthis has not yet
been given, notwithstanding thesadyisplay in figures at
the end of Mr. Motley's last com unt!cation ; for to
draw conclusions of the profits to arise
from
an example
of that supposed to accrue on the road
to Hounslow, is far, very far, from fbeoinanglify'de Park
know on this road the traffic is great, theallincl Ve
very moderate, and the surface good. If Mr. Motleyininclines
wishes to make a good impression on the public mind,
let time deal with the subject as it is likely to exist'
by taking any length of road having reasonable traffic'
the average inclinations which are to be met with on
our main roads, and the imperfections of surface
which will be met with on this road show us in detail
the work the engine will have to perform with a given
load, the cost of performing it, not forgetting wear
and tear, and the income from passengers and other
resources. Such a statement, if fairly made in detail,