The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-18 00:00:00

STANDING COUNSEL—Her Maje-sty's Solicitor-General; Alexander

Cockburn, Esq., Q.C.
BANKERS.
London—London and Coun:y Bank.
Bombay—Bank of Bombay.
Edinburgh—British Linen Company's Bank.
York and Leeds —Yorkshire Banking Company.
Hull— Hull Banking Company.
Bristol—Messrs. Stuckey and Co.
Birmingham—Birmingham and Midland Banking Company.
Southampton—Hampshire Banking Company.
Glasgow —Union Bank of Scotland.
Liverpool—Tne Liverpool Banking Company.
AGENTS.

Bombay—Messrs. Nicoll and Co. I Madras—Messrs. Binny and Co,
SECRETARY—JaMes Ward, Esq.
PROSPECTUS.

Public attention is naturally directed to the continent of India, in
these times of speculative enterprise, as a new and unexplored field
for the investment of capital, from the conviction that the yet unde-
veloped resources of its. wealth, its industry, and its productive
power, ♦gill richly and amply remoneetde the specula...,
The trillions who people that vast and Terme region of the globe,
only require the impulse of enterprise to call forth the almost bound-
less riches that immediately surround them ; and were they possessed
of that great artery of civilisation—railroads —the current of their
political and industrial strength would instantly become enlarged, not
only in volume, but in richness also.
If we glance at the continent of India, we find our power mainly
,oncentrated on three points on the coast—Calcutta, Madras, and
lombay, which form an ir• egular triangle, the base of which may
be termed Madras and Calcutta, and the apex Bombay; and the
:teat bulk of the wealth and physical power of India is inclosed
within that figure; therefore, it becomes a matter of the primest im-
portsnce to have the intersecting lines of our empire as perfect as
oossible, so that our power may be felt at every point, and our in-
fluence extended to every part. From the want of this concentrative
power, India has become almost a burden to the mother country,
barely paying its executive administration in lieu of being a lucrative
possession- a wealth-yielding appendage.
To obviate this great and glaring defect in our Anglo-Indian em-
pire, it is only necessary to extend to her the same means of com-
munication that we possess at home ; to bring, in short, the great
centres of her internal power nearer to each other ; and, instead of
depending upon her rivers as lines of traffic and intercourse, she
ought to have a well-arranged network of railway extending over
her surface; then she would increase in power, and augment in
riches.
. _

The Direct Bombay and Madras Railway is projected to carry out,
in part, this noble scheme ; and a single glance at the map must
tonvlnce the most cautious calculator that the project is well founded,
and the line of route happily chosen to effect its purpose; as it will
intersect the most wealthy and industrious provinces of the continent
of India, the Carnage, and the Mysore, which abound in natural
productions, in manufacturing industry, and in agricnitural wealth.
The two great Presidencies of Madras and Bombay will be brought
within a few hours journey of each other, and not months, as here-
tofore ; and, In lieu of vessels making a long and dangerous voyage
of some 5,400 miles half round the entire peninsula of India, their
clstly cargoes may be easily conveyed to Bombay for shipment, in a
less number of hours than the voyage occupies days: thus avoiding
all risks of damage, peculation, wear, and tear, &c., which in general
characterise these voyages. The saving of insurance will also be
immense—a matter or first-rate importance.
. .

In a political and military point of view, the line must be of almost
incalculable importance, as it will intersect the great depots of the
East India Company, and afford at al times a ready and prompt
conveyance for troops, baggage, stores, artillery, and that cumbrous
materiel which invariably attend their march ; and, above all, it will
prove of the utmost utility to the Indian Government, in the distri-
bution of their forces among the various military posts of the three
Presidencies, and for their rapid concentration on any required point,
the wart of which was so distinctly shown in the late calamitous
events on the Sutlej, and the consequent fearful sacrifice of life.
The district traversed by the Direct Bombay and Madras Railway
contains upwards of 30,000,000 of inhabitants ; and the wants and
industry of this large body already yield a considerable tonnage,
al hough in a comparative state of barbarous communication. In
the report of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, we find that the
traffic to and from that City amounts to 187,343 tons annually, con-
sisting chiefly of cotton and salt. These two items form merel:, a
fraction of the requirements of the Indians. Bombay is unapproach-
able except by a dangerous and expensive sea-board, and acheap and
safe communication can alone render available her internal resources.
Cotton has now to be transported 500 miles to the coast, to reach
Bombay f,r shipment. A railway would naturally obviate so cir-
cuitous and expensive a route. Some idea mac be formed of the de-
struction and delay occasioned by these journeys, when we state
that the cotton is carried on the backs of oxen, at the rate of 10
miles per day, which enormously auionents its shipment price. The
present cost of conveyance from Nagpore to the port of shipment is
from 141. to 2-1. a ton, and the charge by rail of 2d a ton per mile would
amount to 4/. 3s. 4d., a considerable difference. The same facts pre-
vail in regard to silk and other commodities, which are of the first
importance to our manufacturng interests.
This line will also bring nearer to us the fine island of Ceylon, with
all its rich productions, commencing as it will at Madras, and taking in
its course Arcot, Vellore, Banglore, Oscotta, Bangalore, Sera, Dodairee,
Hurrioor, Ghlttledroog, Myacunda, Anagee, Hurryhur, Shahnoor,
Hullyhall, Hoobly, Darwar, Taloor,Gohauk, Rybaugh, Afeertij, Kola-
poor. Satara, Poona, Poonah, Tulligaon, Singhur, Callianee, 13asseeti,
Salsette, and Bombay; thus absorbing the interests and traffic of up-
wards of 30 first-rate cities, and from 400 to 500 towns in the most
densely populated part of India, facilitating the conveyance of cotton,
coffee, tobacco, opium, sugar, silk, senna, gum, cassia, dye-woods,
hides, furs, lac, betel nut, saltpetre, spices, fire-wood, charcoal, coal,
corn, and various kinds of grain, indigo, &c., and the imports of
treasure, manufactured and other goods, salt, ice, Soc.

The passenger traffic alone, according to reasonable and careful
calculation, will yield an ample per tentage on the capital raised ;
and the immense tonnage of merchandise and raw produce must
insure to the shareholders a profit beyond even the first-rate lines of
England.
Tke promoters of the present scheme have received intelligence
from their agents that the line presents no engineering difficulties,
and that the cost of construction must be moderate, labour being
plentiful, and the purchase of land comparatively trifling, and wood,
coal, and iron abounding in the immediate neighbourhood of the
whole line.
The management of the Company will be vested in a Board of Di-
rectors in London, in connexion with an influential branch both in
Bombay and Madras.
Care will be taken, in the act constituting the Company, that the
responsibility of the Shareholders shall be limited to the amount of
capital
beg
their subscriptions'
up to the time of construction. The Directors also
ir Subscriptions! and four per cent. interes t will be paid upon the
hom an objectionable responsity, by the
al attention to the principle by which allottees in this
Company a
application for shares will not be considered
condition that their
they afterwards decline to pay the de-
binding upon them, should
lullse made for India, which the pro-
A reserve of 40,000 shares
at will scarcely suffice for the
posits requi: ed at the time specified in their letters of allotment.
jectors have much pleasure a g
demand already made. maybe
addressed to
58, F h h street, and to
enc urc
the Secretary, at the Company's offices,
Applications for shares, in the annexed form,
Borthwick.
chinson and Son, Lothbury ; Messrs. Hughson and Dobson, Frederick-
street, Edinburvh • Mr. Edward Dickenson, Liverpool; Messrs.
Temple-street, Birmingham • Mr. Thomas J. Greaves, St. Ann's-
Carllebe' 11, and Co.; Glasgow ; Mr. J. R. Massey, 6,
irc4r.rnbull and Meister Hull •
Messrs. Borthwie
and Alderson, , Messr;. Edward Morgan and Co., Norwich ;
k and Co , Newcastle-on-Tyne; Mr. W. H. Land,
Mr. John Caldecott, tirNess
Bristol ; Messrs. T
, Messrs. Dodsworth
rs. Muncaster and Wilson, Sheffield ;
; MC33, S. Tyelhs'a% Leicester ; Mr. J. Clark, jim.,
moss,.3. usgood
and
ifiae;street, Chester ; M. W. Olip:rant, Perth ;
Southampton
Bolger, Gardener-street, Dublin ; Lnscombe, Plymouth; Mr. Percy
Mr. W. Miles, Worcester ;
Messrs. Mr. Thomas Sandford, Exeter ;
Warwick ; Messrs. Browne and Clarke, cCand Son, LeanVngton and
Colchester ; Messrs. Lang and Brown.
(~ilaoventr3 ; Mr J. W. Carr,
Au Bedats, Royal Exchange, Dublin ; Mr.Messr.c Smyth and
Halifax; M.ssrs Smith and Perfect, Leeds; M Richard Richardson;
r• J
and Mr. James Stokes, Cheltenham. • J. liurr3-, Spalding,
May, 13th, 1846. JAMES WARD, Secretary.
FORM OF APPLICATION'. retary.
To the Provisional Committee of the Direct Bombay and Madras
Railway.
_ ._ _ . .. . . ... _ _ •

Gentlemen shall feel obliged by your allotting to me
shares of 501. each in the above Company ; and if the deposit be not
paid on or before the time specified in your letter of allotment, you
may consider this application void.

Name in full • • • •
Reeldenee • . • ...
Trade or profession
Date .. . ..... ..
Reference •• •• •• •• • •
No fatter ipplieatim for iiretv can, recelyotarter atarEdan
May 211,