The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-15 00:00:00

" By the scheme promoted by the Direct Northern Railway Com-
pany it is proposed to bring York (to the north of which city there
is a population exceeding five millions) within the distance (as mea-
sured by time), of four hours and a half from London ; to reduce by
42 miles the distance now traversed by the existing means of railway
communication between those termini ; to lessen the distance as
projected by the competing plan least favourable to the public) that
of the Eastern Counties Extension by Cambridge and Lincoln) by
2134 miles, and as projected by the most favourable rival scheme
(that of the London and York) by ten miles ; and yet so to reconcile
this result with local wants, as to place, without in any instance
sacrificing the principle of directness, every town of importance in
the districts to be served by this Company's main line nearer Lon-
don, either by means of the main line itself, or of well-devised lateral
lines, than they are by the •cheme of the London and York, which,
for the sake of passing through certain towns, pursues a devious
route to York, thereby inflicting a serious injury on the country north
of the Humber.
" Thus the scheme of the Direct Northern Railway offers to the
North of England, and to all Scotland, advantages presented by no
other project whatever. These advantages it also immediately con-
veys to Bedford, St. Neots, Huntingdon, Peterborough, Stamford,
Grantham, Newark, Lincoln, East. Retford, Sheffield, Gainsborough,
Doncaster, Pontefract, Selby, and Hull ; whilst it lessens by twenty-
eight miles the route to Leeds, the great manufacturing capital of
Yorkshire, itself rapidly becoming the centre of an important railway
system.
" With perfectly unexceptionable gradients, that in no case ex-
ceeded 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 bridges, with only one viaduct, and
that of 500 yards, and with remarkably easy curves, the Direct North-
ern Railway, 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
inexpensive 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
and 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 railway 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
bearing which the Holborn Terminus project has on the Direct
Northern. It is in effect, though tender 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
Furnival'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 London, 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 Railway, and its national character.
" Up to the 30th of' November, all the standing orders of Parlia-
ment have been complied with ; and the solicitors report their per-
fect ability to Mill all that remains to be completed within the time
limited by the Legislature.
" Thus 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 ;
and that the main line of the Direct Northern, between London and

York, is 176 miles.
Table showing Comparison of Distances by tha proposed Direct
Northern Railway and by the London and York Railway.

By the Direct By the London
Northern Rail- and York Rail- Difference in
way and its way and its favour of
Branches and Branches and the Direct
existing and existing and Northern
authorised authorised Scheme.
Railways. Railways.
-------
From London to Miles. Chains. Miles. Chains. Miles. Chains.
Hatfield -- - - 16 60 17 50 0 70
Stevenage -- - 26 74 28 6 1 12
Baldock - - - 32 13 No line to it.
Hitchin -- - - 30 70 32 0 1 70
Shefford - - - 37 40 No line to it.
Bedford -- - - 46 14 52 31 6 17
Biggleswade - - 39 40 41 21 1 16
St. Neots -- - 49 0 51 25 2 25
Huntingdon - - 58 4 58 61 0 57
Peterborough - - 73 47 76 0 2 33
Stamford - - - 82 28 88 4 5 56
Grantham - - - 99 64 105 12 5 28
Newark - - - - 115 13 119 3 3 70
Lincoln - - - - 126 10 136 53 10 43
East Retford - - 135 21 137 2 1 58
Sheffield - - - 159 4 160 43 1 39
Gainsborough - - 133 73 146 53 12 60
Doncaster - - - 150 19 154 30 4 11
Pontefract - - 64 69 No line to .
Wakefield -- - 1 173 77 173 16it
Leeds - - - - 176 77 184 6 7 9
150 0 No line to it.
163 65 172 24 8 39
Thorneselby - - - - - -
Hull by Selby - - 194 65 203 24 8 39
176 0 186 0 10 0
York -m iin-col-n
to
-- - 34 37 34 72 0 35
77 No line to it.
Pontefract - - - 48
Wakefield --- 57 5 53 58
Leeds --- - 61 5 68 48 7 43
Selby --- - 47 73 52 66 4 73
Hull
York _ 60 8 66 40 6 32
Sheffield --- 43 9 48 64 5 55

Note.—The distances to Sheffield, East Retford, and Gainsborough,
are calculated upon the assumption that the Sheffield and Gainsbo-
rough Railway receives the sanction of Parliament.

Table showing Comparison of Distances by the proposed Direct
Northern Railway and by the Cambridge and Lincoln Scheme.

By the Direct By the Cam-
Northern Rail- bridge and Lin-
coln scheme Difference in fa-
Branches,
Lin-
way and its and its your of the
and+, Branches, and Direct Northern
Existing and existing and
authorised Railway.
authorised
Railways. Railways.
----
From London to Miles.hains. Miles. Chains. Miles. Chains.t
Peterborough - - 73 47 88 40
Lincoln - - - - 126 10 140 26 11 16
Gainsborough - - 133 73 155 32 21 39
Thorne -- - - 150 0 172 28 22 28
Selby - - 163 65 185 18 21 33
Hun
York 176 0 197 56 21 56

Table showing Comparison of Distances by the proposed Direct
Northern Railway, and by the existing lines of Railway :
By the Direct
Northern Rail
way and its Difference in fa-
Branches, and By existing your of the
existing and Railways. Direct Northern
authorised Railway.
Railways.
------
From London to Miles. Chains. Miles. Chains. Miles. Chains.
Peterborough - - 73 47 109 60 36 13
Stamford - - - 82 28 122 76 40 48
Melton - - - - 103 44 121 60 18 16
Sheffield - - - 159 4 177 20 18 16
0 33 67 Newark - 115 13 148
126
Lincoln - - - - 10 163 40 37 30
Wakefield - - - 173 77 200
0 26 3
Leeds - .. 176
77 205
20 28 23
York 176 0 218 0 42 0

By order of the Comm
Hittee,
W. . CLARK, Secretary.
Direct Northern Railway Company's Offices, 64, Moorgete.stroct,
January 6, 1846.
The Map of the Line and Reports above-mentioned may be had at
the Offices in London, and at the following local agents:—
St. Neots - - Messrs. Pedpercorn and Wilkinson
Biggieswade - T. Chapman, Esq.
Stamford - - Messrs. W. and R. M. Thompson
Grantham - R.H.. Johnstone, Esq.
Lincoln - - - Joseph Moore, Esq.
Louth - - - John Gray, Esq.
Gaineborough - William Robinson, Esq.
Leeds - - - E. J. Teals, Esq.
York - - - Messrs. J. and D. Russell
Aberdeen - - William Gordon, Esq. sharebroker
Edinburgh - - Robert Allan, Esq. sharebroker
Glasgow - - Buchanan, Aitken, and Co. sharebrokers
Liverpool - Messrs. Buchanan and Son, sharebrokers
Manchester - Mews. Bradley, Ford, and Parker, sharebrokers,