The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-29 00:00:00

ground the Veomoters of the measure take their stand,
and state tl".at " the construction of the line cannot be
postponed without the most disastrous results both to
city an? state—that if three millions of dollars be not
subscribed to the capital stock and 10 per cent. thereon
paid in, on or before the 13th day of April next, and
unless one million of dollars be paid on the amount sub-
scribed, and thirty miles of road pat under contract,
before the 30th of July following, the grant of
the right of way' which is now only conditional,
will then become positive, in which event all the
advantages which we now have It in our power to
secure for Philadelphia and P•ennsylvania are to be.
transferred to the ea,/ of Batt:more, and -am lialtir-,ore
and Ohio RailroadC)orapto-hto whomilari been granted
the privilege of di- vertiteg the trade aril travel from our
own city as welt . as thy,: revenue 'fro ii the state improve-
ments. The -Pennsylvania. rail will, on the contrary,
greatly
inerease the revenue derived from the state im-
provemer both from canals and railroads, particularly
from th,ePhiladelphia and Columbia Railroad with which
it wird be connected. It will furnish in connexion with
thrJ Ohio Railroads, now in progress of construction,
'and with which it will be united, the most central, the
shortest, the cheapest, and best route between the At-
lantic seaboard and the great West, and must, therefore,
attract to itself an immense amount of trade and travel,
as the following table will make manifest ;
Miles. 7alax'm grade
per mile

almost always the case with produce, and heavy article,
Pittsburg, the head of navigation, would of course be
dproel‘fehr.redwashetthheerp,oitnhtereofftorreen, swhiepmcoennstidtoeranthy .
ttandhioen7 advantagestehoem b i
ned
with
o f
the railroad
economycommunicationof
water
ei:
co
al nlPotee,' lowera._.l:"o;
,itioes
Pennsylvania route must have sransporta-,
e -.. a e embed ei
e di:: rienf. ewr. ehnacte is
t .-
tended entitledjhe edyt ihaeanwit s_
the --.,n i t.egh:u:l)::cePrtPi-e-°'.:- on address, wherein it is con-
to ten raill cost of the line of from seven
sons of dollars is a perfect probability, seeing
the'' ese cost of railways hitherto has only been imper-
fectly estimated among them. It asserts tbat the progress
of private subscription has proved to be inconsiderable,
when compared with the demands of the charter; and
this was the natural consequence of what had taken
place. The commissioners adjourned their last meeting
in September to a day beyond the coming election, be-
cause, it may be presumed, private subscription had
ceased to come in. The interference of the new coun-
cils has become the principal, if not the final, hope of
the railroad ; and after merchants, traders, manufac-
turers, mechanics, householders, lot-owners, and pro-
prietors of every kind in the city, in the districts, and
in the state at large, have proved either so blind or so
true to their own interests as not to have subscribed to
secure the charter, the Whig list or candidates for the
councils has been formed by the conferees precisely in
that manner that will compel every owner of
real estate in the city to submit to the road,
whatever may be his view either of his own
interests or of the interest of the corporation,
A voluntary subscription has failed. It never
was resorted to in the temper, spirit, and manner
through which alone it could be obtained, From the
very outset, all the calculations of profit and all the sug-
gestions of personal interest put forth by the friends and
patrons of the road were completely and fatally dis-
credited by their own course in resorting to the city ;
and it has now come to be the nearly universal feeling,
that if the city does not make it, the road will not be
made ; and that if the city does make it, it will only
be made by her because the sacrifice of private capital to
make it will be so much beyond the value to the sub-
scribers, that men acting with the instincts which govern
all trades and the investments of all property for their
own account, will have nothing to do with it. The
railroad itself is no object of aversion to any of us—far
from it. We should be glad to see it made by those who
see their interest in it, for then we should be morally
sure that it would be worth the expenditure ; but we
confess our doubts, in consequence of the doubts which
are practically manifested by those who say the road is
indispensable to the city. We confess our doubts,
arising from this cause, whether the road is so importnt
to any interest as it has been declared to be ; and we
entertain a perfect conviction that if by the interest
of the city is meant the interest of the cor •
poration of the city, or the interest of the owners
of property in the city, that so far is the declara-
tion from being true, that it is directly opposed to the
truth. On this point we ask your attention to the fol-
lowing suggestions. There is one proposition connected
with this subject, the truth of which has, we believe
never been vestioned ; that is to say, that if the city
shall subscribe for the number of shares proposed, pri-
vate subscriptions will cease altogether, and the city
must take the burden of the whole railroad upon her-
self. There is another, which we think equally clear,
that she must raise the money by loans, if she can, and
mast pay the interest by taxes, if she can. She has no
other disposable resources. No financiering will relieve
the property of the inhabitants from this burden. There
is a third, that all experience in Pennsylvania shows to
be as true as either of the others ; that for years and
years to come, and for a period which we are unable to
measure, this burden of taxes must continue. There is
not an extensive work of this kind in the state, whether
public or private, that brings any dividend to its stock-
holders. You may look around this city in every direc-
tion. Railroads and canals have been projected and car-
ried on in the same spirit which now rules, and the end
at this time is that the stocks of most of the private com-
panies have disappeared from the brokers' exchange as of
no commercial value ; that even their loans are far,
very far, below par, except in some solitary instances,
and that we pay a tax to meet the interest on the loans
contracted by the state to make such of these works as
are public, and shall continue to pay it, as long as the
i public faith shall endure. Can any person tell when the
dawn is to break upon the long night which has settled
upon most of these companies and works ? There have
always been arguments, very good arguments, against
any such occurrences as have happened ; but the occur-
rences are before our eyes, and unless we shut them, and
keep there shut, it is impossible to avoid seeing them in
every direction ; and unless men are willing to be
cheated, and even desirous of being cheated, they will
take no argument whatever against such experience.
1 There is another proposition which has great probability
on its side, though it may not be so evident as the other,
namely, that in proportion as any dividends from a
successful railroad shall meet a part of the interest on
`the city loans, we may look for a diminution of re-
ceipts upon a long line of the public works, and
increased taxation to meet it. 'What we may cease
paying in part to the city, we shall pay to the state.
These taxes, fellow-citizens, are to fall upon what ?
Upon any new property within the city which the
railroad is to create. Upon an increased capital of the
trader, manufacturer, and mechanic within her limits ?
Upon an increased value of her houses and lots ? Not
at all ; or if at all, only in a most inconsiderable de-
gree. When the advocates of this subscription say that
the railroad will produce an increase of taxable capital
in the city of Philadelphia corresponding to the interest
on the increased debt, they use an ambiguous name,
which must be reduced to certainty before we can rea-
son with them. If they mean an increase of capital, or
a profit to the whole commercial city, including all the
districts, their allegation does not meet our objection.
Our concern is in the corporate city, and the corporate
city can derive no profit and no taxes from anything
beyond its limits. The increase, to be of any value in
the argument, must be within its limits. Now what is
the probable increase of houses and stores, or in their va-
lue, within those limits which the railroad is to set off in
aid of the tax paid ? In which direction, let us ask, is
the progress of buildings and improvements at the pre-
sent time under the influence of existing public im-
provements ? 1,11 any man take a walk round our
city, and his eyes will see progress in the north, the
north-east, and north-west, and very little else-
where. This is the destiny of things not to be arrested,
and the railroad is to accelerate it. The great future
growth is to be in those directions, and not within the
limits of the city. For purposes of transportation to the
west the whole river front may be employed, as well as
that within the city, and that to receive the trade from
the west it must happen in this case as it universally
happens, that buildings of every kind will stretch out
towards the country to meet the productions which are
coming in. The true interest and the necessary policy
of the city is to reduce her taxes as low as she can, to
make them, if possible, lower than those in the northern
districts, to counteract the advantage of position which
these districts enjoy over her western front, for ever lost
to the purposes of trade, as much as Moyamensing, and
destined to be the residence, not of trader?, but of per-
sons of easy fortune and of moderate income, and pos-
sibly of some manufactories, if the weight of taxes does
not drive them away. We say with confidence that every
dollar of tax which the railroad debt shall bring upon
the city, is a premium upon residence and improvement
in these districts, and therefore an injury to the city. It
is a premium for deserting the city west of Broad-street,
the only material space now remaining to be built upon.
The tax will be avoided, and equal or greater conve-
nience in residence obtained by going north. A rail-
road tax upon the city must have the double effect to
discourage investments in the city, and to increase them
in the districts; to increase the value of property else-
where, and to diminish it at home. It is felt, and justly
felt, to be hard that the western trade, which is the
golden fleece this railroad is to obtain for our traders,
even if every dollar b f it comes into the city, will not
pay one dollar of taxation towards the expenses of the
road. The trade is not expected to be taxed; it cannot
be taxed; it eludes state taxation at this present time,
when there is a clear and positive law to tax it, and the
state doe 3 not get a dollar from it. The taxes must
fall on that on which the present taxes fall, and if any
one thinks they are not heavy enough at present, we
cannot object to his voting for those who will vote to
increase them. The taxes, then, fellow-citizens, which
this railroad is to necessitate, are not to fall upon the
new houses and stores within the city, which are to be
built up in consequence of it, not upon the increased
capital of the trader, nor upon the increased value of
existing houses and stores. They are to fall upon the
property now existing, and in our judgment to depre-
ciate the value of the great mass of that property,
and to raise the value of like property in
the districts. It is this general proposition
that we ask you to consider. There may be, and if
the road should prove successful, there probably will be,
exceptions in favour of certain descriptions of property
in the city. But the proposition we hold to be generally
true; and we had vastly rather, as citizens of this city,
take the hazard of losing the western trade, if it is to
be lost, of which we have little fear, than to incur the mo-
mentous responsibility of burdening the-city with a tax to
make the road, with the probable consequences which
are before us. We wash our hands of it, as we hope you
will do. There are many other objections to this scheme
of compelling the corporation to build the railroad,
which we can only name, without explaining and enforc-
ing them:—the extreme rashness of embarking the city
in such a project upon mere credit, for she has no dis-
posable property to pay her subscription without borrow-
ing; the jealousy which is certain to be entertained of
her by the country and by the legislature, if she success-
fully controls such a work, where there exists quite
e
peoawnpafhropitucotyghhi
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uate: er
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its own use, while, in a certain event, it is careful to
give that right from Harrisburg to Lancaster ; the de-
fective management that must arise under the directors
and agents of a municipal legislature, of annual elec-
tion, of occasional attendance, of imperfect experience,
distant from the scene, and expending from the city
purse, and not from their own; these and other objec-
tions fill us with the deepest apprehensions.

CON,.
TRAVELLERS'
SCHOOLS.
The first quarterly General Court of the governors ;
of this invaluable institution was held yesterday, at the
London Tavern, for the purpose of appointing patrons, ,
patronesses, a president, vice-president, and other
officers for conducting the society for the ensuing year. I
Mr. Alderman Sidney took the chair shortly before one
o'clock, at which hour there was a goodly array of the
members of the institution.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY, On taking the ohair, said that
they were assembled for the purpose of passing certain
resolutions, and he hoped that from that day they
would be in a position to open this most excellent and
invaluable institution, which had the promise of great
usefulness to a very large, influential, and
deserving class of individuals the commercial
travellers of the United Kingdom—in its full
integrity.—(Cheers.) He must confess at the outset
that ho had not come there prepared to take the chair.
He had expected that his valuable friend Mr. Master-
man would have occupied that office, and he had only
attended there to support him in this great work of
charity and benevolence.—(Hear, hear.) He regretted
that ill health would prevent Mr. Masterman
from attending. Ile had, however, received a letter
from that gentleman which he would read to the meet-
ing, as it stated his views of the society much better
than he (Mr, Alderman Sidney) could do.—(Hear.)
,4 Nicholas-lane, 2teth Dec. 184(1.
" Dear Sidney,--I do not feel bold to attend the meet-
ing to-day, for fear of increasing my cold, and will,
therefore, be obliged to your making my apologies,
"You do not much enlighten one about the proper
amount for me to subscribe,
"It has occurred to me that 50 guineas would be the
proper sum, If you approve thereof, you may put
down my name for the same.
" Yours, very truly,
" JOIIN MASTERMAN."
" P.S. It appears to me, upon consideration, that my
presence at this first meeting is better avoided, as I find
no record of the appointment of a president, and I pre-
sume could not be done before the first quarterly
meeting."
—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Alderman Sidney) quite agreed
with the statements in that letter, that he had not much
enlightened Mr. Masterman upon the proper amount he
ought to subscribe, and he had not done so, because he
thought that gentleman much better qualified than him-
self to say the sum he intended to give, and he was sure
that all who knew Mr. Masterman's generosity, both as
a private and public man, would say that he was right in
the course he had pursued.—(Cheers.) He would there-
fore announce to the meeting, that Mr. Mastorman had
liberally subscribed to the institution 50 guineas.—
(Great cheering.) Having said thus much, he was sure
that all present would pardon him if he detained
them a short time longer in expressing how much
he was gratified at the onward progress of this in-
teresting institution.—(Cheers.) During its short exist-
ence the donations and subscriptions to it amounted to
nearly 6,000/.—(Cheers.) Much, it was true, had still
to be done in the way of subscriptions annually, but he
had no doubt, as the society became known, its useful
ness would be acknowledged, its sphere of charity ex-
tended, and its benevolent objects appreciated by all
classes.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Alderman Sidney) had
carefully attended to the rules and regulations that had
been adopted for the future management of the society,
and, in the main, he heartily approved of them.
He knew that the committee had given great attention
to them, but, at the same time, he could have wished
that in one respect only, and that was with reference to
the word "only" in one of their rules, that that word
had been omitted. The rule he referred to was one in
which the committee bad thought it necessary to restrict
the benefits of the school to the childreu of commercial
travellers only. Upon general grounds, he re-
gretted such a restriction, and would feel most
happy to see its objects opened and made
accessible to all, feeling confident that the society, by so
doing, would be conferring a benefit upon itself and
society also.—(Hear.) He made these observations in
no selfish spirit, neither had he joined the society from
any selfish or interested motives.—(Cheers.) He was no
commercial traveller, nor did he employ any.—(Hear,
hear.) His only motive in joining it was because be was
convinced that it was calculated to do an abundance of
good.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) He trusted the
objection he had pointed out would be got over
as he felt sure that, upon reflection, commercial men
themselves would think it rather a disadvantage than
otherwise to confine the objects of the school to their
own body.—(Cheers.) The object of the present
meeting was, as had already been stated by their
Honorary Secretary, to elect a president, trustees, and
other officers, to conduct the affairs of the society for
the year ensuing. For that purpose, certain resolutions
had to be proposed and carried, and he would here call
upon Mr. Grocock to propose the first.
Mr. GROCOCK then moved that the election of John
Masterman, Esq,. M.P., as president of the institution,
be confirmed.—(Cheers.) He was sure that all present
would heartily join in agreeing to this motion.—(Cheers.)
The urbanity and kindness of Mr. Masterman had en-
deered him to all who knew him, and his philanthropy
and charity were appreciated in the city of London.
Mr. EVANS seconded the motion, which
The CHAIRMAN declared to he carried unanimously.
Mr. ROBERTS then moved that H. Teape, Esq., James
Peake, Esq., and Robert Clarke, Esq., be appointed the
three trustees of the institution. All who knew those
gentlemen would agree with him that they would do
their duty conscientiously, and adopt every means in
their power to preserve and properly distribute the
funds of the institution.—(Cheers.)
Mr. CROWDER seconded the motion.
Mr. JACKSON suggested that the annual appointment
of trustees would be found to work badly.
The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, and declared
it to be carried unanimously.
Mr. A. EI. Moons then moved that Mr. George Moore
should be the future treasurer of the institution.—
(Cheers.) That gentleman, together with their worthy
friends Mr. Cuffley, Mr. Carter, and Mr. Walsh, had
been one of the originators of this institution, which he
was happy to say was now emerging from the embryo
state in which it had hitherto been—(Cheers)—and it
might now be said to be in a working state to carry out
in full vigour the great and beneficial objects for which
it had been originally framed.—(Cheers.)
Mr. CUFFLEY seconded the motion. He was sure
that the society could never intrust the important office
of treasurer in better or more effective hands than Mr.
George Moore, a gentleman, he must say, who had ex-
erted himself to the utmost for the interest of the in-
stitution.—(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN put the motion to the meeting, and
declared it to be carried unanimously.
On the motion of Mr. Waesu, seconded by Sir.
CUPPLEY, six gentlemen were appointed the auditors of
the institution for the ensuing year.
Mr. J. JONES proposed the re-election of Mr. Laurence
as honorary secretary for the ensuing year, after pay •
ing him a high compliment for the excellence of his
judgment and the devotion of his time and talent for the
benefit of the institution. He was sure that Mr.
Laurence would not only be an independent but a zea-
lous officer to the institution.—(Cheers.)
Mr. CARTER seconded the motion, which
The CHAIRMAN declared to be carried unanimously.
Mr. Gordon was unanimously re-elected the secretary
for the ensuing year, with a salary of 100 guineas.
Mr. TEAPE moved the appointment of thirty-six gen-
tlemen, among whom was the worthy Alderman who
presided, as a board of management for the ensuing year.
He hoped that they had that day laid the foundatiou of
an institution that would equal, if not exceed, anything
that the piety or the charity of their forefathers had es-
tablished.—(Cheers.)
The motion having been seconded, was declared by
The CHAIRMAN to be carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, after complimenting the meeting and
the board of management that they had selected, and
stating that their duties would be most onerous, stated
that it was his intention next year to propose a resolu-
tion to do away with all restrictions as to the objects of
the charity.--(Cries of "Hear, hear.") They had now
an institution for the children of commercial
travellers only. What, he would ask, was to become of
those of their principals, if they should turn out to be
unfortunate in commerceP—(hear, hear.)
Mr. Phillip, Mr. Robert Clarke, jun., Mr. George
Smith, and Mr. J. R. Cufiley, were then proposed, and
unanimously elected vice-presidents of the institution.
Mr. Carter was also proposed as a vice-president, but
that gentleman having stated his wishes to remain in
the situation he then occupied, as one of the board of
management, at the suggestion of the chairman a unani-
mous vote of thanks was carried to him for his great
services in the cause of the institution.
It was stated by the Hon. Secretary that the amount
already subscribed was 6,3501. 10s. ; that the annual
income of the society was 4131., and that the school
would be in working order about next June. A vote
of thanks was then proposed to the Chairman, and car-
ried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN in returning thanks, trusted that at the
next annual meeting they would see the institution in
full work, and that the first fruits of their exertions
would be then presented to the subscribers.—(Cheers.)
The meeting then broke up.

From Civveland to Boston, vial Buf-
falo, Albany, and. Massachusetts
R. T.:soads
Prom Cleveland to New York via. the
New York and Erie Railroad
From. Cleveland to New York, via
Pittsburg, Harrisburg, and Phi-
ladelphia
From Gleveland to Philadelphia, via
Pittsburg and Harrisburg 466 45 11
It will thus be seem that Cleveland, the most important
city on the lakes, and the northern terminus of the Ohio
State Canal, more than 300 miles in length, and the Cin-
cinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland Railroad, now in pro-
gress, 260 miles in length, both passing through highly
productive portions of the State, is situated 265 miles
nearer Philadelphia by the Pennsylvania route than to
Boston by the new York and Massachusetts route, and
174 miles nearer Philadelphia by the Pensylvania route
than to the city of New York by the shortest New York
route, whilst the maximum gradients in all cases are
greatly in favour of the Pennsylvania route. Who,
therefore, can reasonably doubt that a railroad possess-
ing such superior advantages will attract to itself an
immense amount of trade and travel, richly remunerating
the stockholders, at the same time adding largely to
the revenues of the commonwealth, and contributing
beyond all present estimates to the growth and comfort,
the business and prosperity of Philadelphia ? What
has been the effect of similar improvements in other
cases ? But for the construction of the main line from
Philadelphia to Pitsburg, imperfect as it is, and im-
peded by frosts and droughts for a considerable
portion of the year, and other internal improve•
ments, the population, business, and real estate of
these two cities, as well as of other portions of the
State, would scarcely have equalled two-thirds
of the present estimates. The construction of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, towards which the city of
Baltimore largely contributed, although completed only
half the entire distance, has, as is stated, nearly or quite
doubled the amount of her western trade, and greatly
augmented the value of her real and personal estate,
whilst the nett earnings of the road are already more
than equal to the interests on the investment. The city
of New York, within ten years from the completion of
the New York and Erie Canal, had nearly doubled her
population, and the value of her real and personal
estate had swelled from 100 millions to 218 millions,' and
went on increasing, notwithstanding great pecuniary dif-
ficulties and devastating fires, until the completion of the
railroad from Boston to Albany, which has had a sensible
effect in diminishing the western trade, and thereby the
value of her real and personal estate. The road from
Albany to Boston was completed in 1841, in which year
the value of her real and personal estate in the city of
New York was 252 millions ; in 1842, 238 millions ; in
1843, 228 millions; in 1844, 236 millions; and in 1845,
240 millions ; still 12 millions less than in 1841,
although in the interim several thousand buildings
were erected. New York, partly with the hope of
recovering her lost advantages, had found it expedient
to construct a railroad (running nearly parallel with
the Hudson river) and another to Dunkirk on Lake
Erie, at an aggregate expense of some twenty millions
of dollars. " Upon Boston the effect of this road (from
Boston to Albany) has been most remarkable. In the
four years interreaing, from 1841 to 1845, her population
has increased from 93,000 to 115,000, and the value of
her real and personal estate within the same period,
from $98,000,000 to 5135,000,000. When this growth
is compared with her former history, as the oldest city
on the Atlantic, we shall be able to appreciate her
astonishing progress under the disadvantages of a soil
ungenial, almost to sterility." Even the city of Albany,
though small in comparison, has aided much more
liberally in proportion to her means than Philadelphia
is now desired to, towards the construction of a rail-
road designed to promote her trade and intercourse.
That city has thereby greatly increased, not only the
business, but the value of her real and personal estate,
and at the saline time is receiving dividends on the
amount of her investment at the rate of 8 per cent. per
annum. Yet none of these improvements held out,
originally, any advantages, either general or special
at all to be compared with those that may reasonably be
expected from the speedy construction of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad. If satisfactory assurances are given
that this road will be promptly commenced and pushed
forward to c oupletion, we may safely calculate not only
upon a connexion with the Pittsburg and Cleveland
road, and the road leading from Cincinnati via Colum-
ous to Cleveland, but also with the Sandusky and Mans-
field road, either at Mansfield or Mount Vernon, with
a probable extension westward, through the cen-
tral portions of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, to
he Mississippi river, with branches from the
north and the south, which in less than three
years from its completion will bring to the main stem an
amount of trade and travel far surpassing all present cal-
cul item. This is the true, and the only true method of
securing for Philadelphia any considerable portion of the
trade of the lakes. The produce and commodities, which,
in the absence of such railroad facilities as we have above
suggested, are now, at much expense, conveyed chiefly
from the northern and central portions of Ohio, Indiana,
and Illinois, to ports on the lakes, and give employment
to a vast amount of tonnage, if once afloat on those
waters, may be considered as lost to Philadelphia. If we
design to secure fur Philadelphia "the trade of the
lakes," we must intercept it before it reaches the lakes.
At Cleveland, Sandusky, and Toledo, and between the
two places last named, a railroad is now contemplated ;
we have the advantage in distance of 174 miles, and at
all points 50 miles south of the lakes, 274 miles over New
York, and a still greater advantage over Boston, and
during the five months of the year, when the lakes are
closed, which is the season when the products of the west
are generally prepared for market, the cities named can-
not compete with us, either for the trade or travel, ex-
cept by our "central route." The navigation of the
lakes is usually obstructed by ice from five to six
months in the year, whilst the railroad during seasons
of frost, as well as at all other seasons, will furnish
a ready, safe, and expeditious conveyance, without
trans-shipment, to a steady and desirable market.
On such a railroad, so e :tended and connected,
it has been estimated, by gootl judges, that
the tonnage cannot be less than 200,000, and
the passengers 300,000 per annum! Who shall calcu-
late the effect of such an increased amount of trade and
travel upon the commerce and navigation, and the
growth and prosperity of Philadelphia? But what if
the Pennsylvania Railroad be not made, and the Balti-
more and Ohio Company, as they would in that case
have the right to do, should extend their road to Pitts-
burg, and form a connexion with the Ohio railroads, to
which wo have above alluded. Ail the advantages, we
repeat, which we have it now in our power to secure for
our own state and city, would then be transferred to the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and to the city of Balti-
more. Some, we are aware, have affected to believe
And
ps
rn fors
ee:,
aoai
that Philadelphia, because of her superior capital, and
the deservedly high character of her merchants, would
still retain her present portion of the western trade, al-
though she might not be able to increase it. This we
believe to be a fatal delusion. The position of Baltimoro,
so far as regards the foreign and coastwise trade, is at
least equal to that of Philadelphia; and, in the case
above supposed, her advantages in respect to the wes-
tern trade would be greatly superior. The distance by
railroad from that city to Philadelphia is 93 miles. The
additional expense, therefore, of transporting 200,000
tons of freight between the two points, at the low rate of
three cents. per ton per mile, and 21 cents. per ton for
charges in Baltimore, would be
wnialoetuaal
tanke
Baltimore,et dan ngt ha3enonsoa:ooo passengers at the
• $1,500,000
xldlobwoe-fance for ex-
penses
Philadelphia and in favour •
of Baltimore, or in that
ratio according to the greater or less amount of business
and travel passing by that route between P •
hiladelphia
and the West. So monstrous a tax as this the business
men of Philadelphia cannot afford to pay, and the
Western dealer will not pay. By the construction of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, Philadelphia will be placed
even nearer to Pittsburgh, and to the main channels of
the western trade, than Baltimore can possibly be by
way of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, whilst the
maximum gradients on the latter nearly double those
on the former. Nature has afforded us advantages and
facilities with respect to railroad improvements enjoyed
by no other Atlantic city, and if we avail ourselves of
these advantages and facilities, while it is yet time, the
growth and prosperity of Philadelphia will at least equal,
if it do not surpass, that of any other city in the union.
Some have entertained the opinion that if the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company should ultinentely extend
their road through Virginia to the Ohio river at Wheel-
ing, or Fishing Creek, a large portion of the trade and
travel ascending that stream would be diverted
by that road, notwithstanding its short curvatures and
gradients, varying from eighty-two to a hundred feet
per mile, and consequent high charges. This we believe
to be a groundless apprehension. The aver age period
in each year, for a number of years past, dt (ring which
the Ohio river could not be navigated to alvantage by
steam-boats, is less than six weeks, say thirty-nine
days—previously to the arrival of which pet-ic el, western
produce is usually sent to market--a and it is
during this short space of time -only that
this road could enjoy any of these supposed advan-
tages. The Pennsylvania route, by its connexion
with Cincinnati, above referred to, will strike the
river many miles below, at one of our most important
cities. To and from this point the passeng ar desirous of
avoiding the river would assuredly take the railroad.
Where expedition is of more importance th: en low freight,
or in low stages of water, the same woul .d be the case
With morchwicilze, Whore low 140414 is tlu Ojevtl Ws 4

900,000

NORFOLK TURKEYS.—Between Monday and Wed-
nesday the number of packages of turkeys, &c., sent to
London by the mail and passenger trains was 1,890;
and by the goods trains, 502; total, 2,392. As many as
280 turkeys were in some packages, and the majority of
those packages weighed several hundred weight each.
Arrangements on an adequate scale were made at the
Shoreditch station for the delivery of this immense
number of Norfolk turkeys, so that they were nearly all
sent to their destinations immediately on sheir arrival in
town.—Norfolk Chronicle.
ALLEGED DEATH FROM TFIE EFFECTS OF SYRUP
or CoLTsrom—On Thursday evening, an inquest was
held before Mr. Baker, at the Rod Lion, Bathy-street,
Commercial-road, Eau, on the body of William Price,
au infant only 14 days old, whose death was alleged to
have been caused by the improper administration of a
medicine called syrup of coltsfoot. Ellen Butler, ser-
vant at Mr. Price's, butcher, of No. 3, Duke-street, St.
George's•in-the-East, said the deceased was sickly from
the period of its birth, and subject to a cough. On
Saturday last, the witness advised her mistress to pur-
chase a pennyworth of the syrup of coltsfoot. She
went to Mr. Dyke, a chemist and druggist, and after
informing him of the nature of the child's complaint,
purchased about one tablespoonful of the medicine. On
reaching home, she gave the child half a teaspoonful of
the mixture. The infant appeared better, and went to
sleep, and continued in a very drowsy state the whole
of the following day (Sunday). On Monday morning
the child was crying, but afterwards went to sleep, and
died the same afternoon. The coroner said that death
might have been caused hy other means than the admin-
istration of an opiate. A child only a fortnight oid,wr.4
likely to die from various can-4,5. lie reeminneLdvd
jury in this case to return a verdict of " Natural death,"
which, after some opposition on the part of the jurors,
1443 Agreed to.

SHIPWRECK PROM FAIR WEATHER.—There ha*
recently been an instance of shipwreck caused by fair
weather. When the tea is agitated, it always breaks on
the rocks lying at the mouth of the Charente, and sailors
can thus avoid them. But one night lately the se* etas
so calm that, by the light of the moon, no mptom of
peril could be perceived, and the English brig the Ann,
proceeding from England to Charente, came right on
the rocks and was wrecked. Fortunately the crew
escaped.

THE SUN, LONDON, TiI.ES-15A t 74
.r,VENING, DECENIREIt 29, 1846

FATAL ACCIDENTS WITH FIRE-

ARMS.

We regret to record an accident of a most appalling
nature, which occurred at Milverton on Friday last.
The facts of the case are as follows :—A man, named
Cross, had been on a shooting excursion on the above
day, and on returning home placed his gun, which was
loaded with a full charge, close to the clock. One of his
sons, a mere youth, as soon as his father's back was
turned, took up the gun, and pointing it as his mother,
pulled the trigger, when, shocking to relate, the gun
went off, and the whole contents were lodged in the
forehead of the unfortunate woman's head, who imme-
diately fell down dead. The father immediately ran
down stairs when he heard the report, when a frightful
scene presented itself to his view ; the body of his life-
less wife weltering in her blood, and his son standing
over in a frantic condition. The unfortunate woman has
left a large family, to deplore her untimely end.—Somer-
set County Gazette.
On the 17th inst. Mr. Lovegrove held an inquest at
Bream, on the body of Thomas Isaacs, a boy about 12
years of age, whose death was occasioned in the follow-
ing most deplorable manner:—Three men, named Thos.
Brown, Wm. Beach, and George Ridler, were in com-
pany together on the previous Sunday morning, the 13th
inst., having two guns with them, with which they
amused themselves shooting at small birds. After a
while they adjourned to the Cross Keys Inn, Bream, and
drank two quarts of beer between them, and then left to
proceed home. The persons who had the guns were
Brown and Ridler, and as they passed along the road a
bird came and alighted within distance for a shot, and
Ridler said, " Shoot the whoop," meaning the bird, upon
which both Brown and Ridler raised their guns to their
shoulders and fired. Only Ridler's gun, however, went
off, that of Brown having hung fire, but this he did not
seem to be aware of indeed all three men declare they
believed at the time that both guns had exploded. While
they were looking for the bird, the boy Isaacs came
up, and as he approached them Brown said to
his companions, " I will have a bit of fun with the boy,"
and then called out to him, " I'll shoot you, my boy."
The poor lad stood still and laughed, and 'tidier asked
him, " Where are you going, my little man?" to which
he replied, " Down to Richard Morgan's to have my
dinner." All this time Brown, who was about a yard
from the boy, continued his most unhappy frolic, still
pointing the rnuazle of the gun backwards and forwards
in front of the child, when at last the gun went off, and
lodged its contents in the body of the ill-fated boy, who
put his hand to his bleeding breast, and cried out, " Oh
dear, oh dear!" Brown himself seemed horror-stricken
at what he had done, and exclaimed, "Oh Lord, oh
Lord! I have shot the boy—what shall I do ;" and run-
ning to the little fellow, he took him in his arms, and
said, "my dear child, I would not have done it for the
world—l thought my gun was empty." They carried
the wounded victim of this most melancholy and
fatal jesting to a neighbouring cottage, Brown
continuing like a man distracted at what he had
done, and Ridler proceeded with all haste to Coleford
for a surgeon ; but long before his return the deceased
breathed his last sigh, in the cottage to which his man-
gled body had been carried. The above facts were de-
posed to before a very respectable jury, and an ad-
journment took place till Monday next.—Gloucester
Journal.

On Saturday last the following melancholy accident
happened in the island of Portland :—As a preventive
man, of the name of Hancock, stationed in the island,
who had just returned from duty, was cleaning the barrel
of his pistol, the charge of which he had unfortunate!)
omitted to withdraw, while holding it with the muzzle
pointed towards his person, it unhappily went off, and
the contents were lodged in his body, excepting the ball.
which passed through him, causing immediate death
We regret to add, he has left a widow and seven children
to lament their bereavement of a good husband an
father. An inquest was held on the body on Monday,
before J. Wallis, Esq., county coroner, when the jury
returned their verdict, " Accidental death." We heal
that a subscription has been begun, and liberally se-
conded, on behalf of the distressed widow and family.—
Sherbourne Journal.