The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-23 00:00:00

The cutting of the first sod of the Knighton Radnorshire
Railway, which branches from the Craven Arms station on
the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway, was performed on
Thursday by Lady Jane Walsh, wife of Sir J. B. Walsh,
Lord Lieutenant and M.P. for the county. In 1854 a
number of gentlemen projected the Central Wales Railway,
from the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway, near the
Craven Arms, via Knighton, Penybont, Llandrindod, and
Llanwrytd Wells, passing near the towns of Builth and
Rhayader to Llandovery, a distance of 53 miles; and thence
down the Vale of Towy, so as to connect Milford Haven with
Manchester and the north of England by a junction with
the South Wales Railway, near Carmarthen; and likewise
to connect Swansea and its copper-smelting works with
Liverpool and the manufacturing districts, by a junction
with the Lianelly Extension Railway at Llandilo; thus
offering one direct and unbroken line of traffic from the
German Ocean to the Atlantic, across the centre of England
and Wales. The Knighton section of this undertaking was
formally inaugurated on Thursday. The line, commencing
by a junction with the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway,
near Craven Arms station, and passing near the villages of
Clungunford, Bucknell, and Brampton Brian, winds along
the course of the beautiful valley of the Teme to a point
convenient for its extension, in the immediate vicinity of
the angular-looking little town of Knighton. There are no
engineering features of particular interest or difficulty.
The gradients and curves are easy and favourable, and
through the entire length (12/- miles) the scenery is most
beautiful. Mr. Henry Robertson, the engineer of the
Shrewsbury and Chester line, is the engineer of this line, in
conjunction with Mr. Maclean. Mr. Robertson anticipates
the opening of the line in 18 months. The contractors are
Messrs. Brassey and Field, who have undertaken to con-
struct it for about £5,000 per mile; the total cost, including
land, being estimated at 0,500 per mile. The cutting of
the first sod was celebrated with great spirit by the inhabi-
tants of Knighton, in which town the most active promoter
of the line, Mr. R. Green, resides. Lady Jane Walsh, Sir John
Walsh, Bart., M.P., Sir G. C. Lewis, Bart., M.P., Lady
Langdale, Hon. R. W. Clive, M.P., Sir A. R. Boughton,
Bart., and a large number of the principal inhabitants of the
district walked in procession shortly after noon to the place
appointed, and the ceremony of turning the sod was
performed by Lady Walsh with due ceremony amid the
cheers of the assembled thousands. In the afternoon
nearly 500 ladies and gentlemen sat down to luncheon, at
which the Hon. R. W. Clive, M.P., presided. In proposing
"The landowners on the line," Sir G. C. Lewis said
that those who, unfortunately, like himself, could re-
member the Lfirst introduction of railways, and those who
had read accounts of the time, would agree with him
that there was scarcely any great invention ever accom-
panied with more sinister prophecies, er with greater ap-
prehensions from the localities to be traversed than the
introduction of railways. It was the object of every land-
owner to drive the railway from his estate. It was believed
that they would spoil the face of the country, which would
exhibit the appearance of an enormous gridiron. The scene
which they bad witnessed that day was in one of the most
picturesque spots in England, and he rejoiced to think
that those beauties would be rather enhanced than injured
by the introduction of a railway. He regretted mach that
Parliament had not shown a very paternal regard for rail-
ways, which when not made by this, with only one object,
were subjected to many disadvantages, and which had
undoubtedly encouraged a competition inimical to the rail-
way interest.
Mr. Macaulay, one of the oldest railway directors in the
kingdom, said he did not see any reason, when the scheme
was completed, why the fertile valley of the Terne should
not become a large manufacturing district like the valley of
Todmorden.
The proceedings of the day closed with- a ball, which was
numerously attended, the party not breaking up until past
midnight.

OFFICIAL TRAFFIC RETURNS.

EA.STIRN COUNTIES, NORFOLK, AND EASTERN lINION.—Week eliding

Aug. 15 :-

Passengers, &c.
Goods, &c.

...215,580 17 7
~, 9,631 8 7

Total X25,212 6 8
Corresponding week of last year X 21,099 8 8

GREAT NORTHERN.—Week ending Aug. 8 :
Passengers, &c.
Goods 9,443 17 5

Total! £23,708 16 5
Corresponding week of last year 225,077 6 9
GREAT WESTERN.—Week ending Aug. 15:—
Total traffic £35,448 19 5
Corresponding week of last year 233,653 14 0
LONDON AND Soutn-WEsTEnx—Week ending Aug. 15:—
Passengers £16,204 12 10
Goods 3,781 6 5

Total 519,93519 8
LONDON, TILBURY, AND SOUTHEND ExTzNoort.—Week ending
Aug. 8 :

Passengers
Goods

-22,516 0 0
~. 108 0 0

Total £2,714 0 0
Corresponding week of last year 22,227 0 0
LONDON AND BLACKWALL.—Week ending Aug. 15:--
Passengers 21,663 15 0
Goods 93 6 6

Total £1,759 1 4
Corresponding week of last year L 1,652 19 0
NORTH LoNuoN.—Week ending Aug. 15:—
Passengers, &e ,21,7•29 15 8
Goods, SEc.

Total 22,645 3 10
Corresponding week of last year 22,550 19 11
LONDON AND NORTH WRSTERN.—Week ending Aug. 15
Passengers, ie. £38,340 0 0
Goods, ,to.

~.£65,418 0 0

Corresponding week of last year...X7o 201 0 0
These returns include (both for the present and corresponding
week) the traffic of the Buckinghamshire and North Union Lines,
but not the traffic of Huddessneia Canal, Shropshire Union, Pre•
ton and Wyro, South Junction, and Manchester and Buxton Rail-
ways.

0111CSTInt AND UOLYITEAD. Week onding Aug. 15:—
Passengers, &c. £4,655 0 0
Goode, &c.

Total
Corresponding week of thst year £7,071 0 0
This includes the steamboats and Mold and Caernarvon Branches.
EAST ANGLIAN.—Week ending Aug. 8:
Passengers, &C. £426 6 9
Goods, &c. 432 2 5

Total MI 9 2
Corresponding week of lust year £BBl 7 11
LANc"nntx AND YORXeDIEE.—Week erding Aug. 15:—
Passeng,ers, die. £13,194 0 0
Goods 15,112 0 0

Total £28,326 0 0
Corresponding week of last year 228,293 0 0
This includes the Blackburn line treble.
EAST LaNcAsninz.—Week ending Aug. 5.
Passengers, &O 23,507 0 0
Goods

Total 27,529 0 6
Corresponding week of last year 27.516
This includes the Blackburn line traffic, 0 0
LOICAsTEII Ceausr,g, Bw.—Week endivg Aug. 8:
Passengers and parcels
Goods, &c. 2,924 12 1
----

Tota►l £B,ISI 5 7
Corresponding week of last year 23,171 ld 2

BRISTOL AND EXETER (117 nines opon.)—Week enclitic Aug. 8:—
Passengers, &c. £3,501 5 11
Goods

Total
EXI:TF.II AND CREDITON—Week ending S 5 5
:
Passengers
Goods, &c 64 16 1

Total £2111; 10
ITANCIIXSTEIt, Boum JUNCTION.
AND ALTRINCIIAM.--.9reek eniing

Aug. 15:-