The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-15 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN, AND
GREAT NORTHERN AND MANCHESTER,
SHEFFIELD, AND LINCOLNSHIRE COM
PETITION.
It appears that meetings of the deputations from
the Midland, North-Eastern, Lancashire and
Yorkshire, and E ist Lancashire Railway Com-
panies, Mr. Wickham, M.P., in the chair, have
been held at Leeds on the Bth of April ; at the
Eneton Hotel, Mr. G. Leeman in the chair, on the
10th of April ; and at Fendall's Hotel, Westmin-
ster, Mr. Leeman in the chair, on the 13th of
April, with an earnest desire to conclude the long
pending and reckless competition between the
above companies ; but, owing to the refusal of Mr.
Denison on the part of the Great Northern and
Sheffield Companies to submit, at the eleventh
hour, the question of fares and rates to the arbi-
tration of the deputations their commendable exer-
tions have been frustrated.
The deputation, after reviewing the whole of the
proceedings, state that the withdrawal of the settle-
ment of rates and fares from the deputation neces-
sarily brings their labours to a close. They further
state :
" It is a satisfaction to the deputation, in the discharge
of a not agreeable duty, to find that what they undertook
they have, so far as it depended upon themselves, success-
fully accomplished.
They have arranged a mode of
settling every question in dispute on which the parties
were willing to admit their mediation, and all the points
of this arrangement have, though at different dates, being
assented to on both sides. The London and North-
Western Company are prepared to carry the arrangements
into effect, and no obstacle would now exist had the depu-
tation also received the formal concurrence of the Great
Northern and Manchester and Sheffield Companies ; but
those companies, while agreeing to four out of the five
points, have now withdrawn from the deputations any
authority to arbitrate on the remaining question—that of
rates and fares.
" With regard to the proposal to refer the rates and
fares to the consideration of the traffic managers of the
respective companies, without any mode of determining a
difference of opinion, the deputation, remembering that
this particular question was referral to their decision, in
consequence of those gentlemen being unable to dispose of
it themselves, consider the suggestion illusory, and calcu-
lated to postpone any settlement for au indefinite period.
"This question, however, involves the whole subject of
unrestricted competition, and is of such paramount im-
portance as practically to prevent any settlement !c, long
as it is kept open. The deputation are unable to discover
any valid reason why, if this important question has
throughout these negotiations been deemed a proper sub-
ject for the decision of independent parties, it is not so at
the present time when all other points are agreed.
" It is not for the deputation, however, to press their
mediation after the decision of the Great Northern and
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Companies ; and
though, being largely interested in the prosperity of rail-
way property, they regret that decision, they can do no
more than record that regret, and leave the solution of the
present difficulties in the hands of those on whom more
immediately devolves the responsibility attending them."
The document, of which this is the conclusion,
is signed H. W. Wickham, T. Dugdale, W. E.
Hutchinson, and G. Leeman.

RAILWAY COMPETITION BETWEEN
MANCHESTER AND LONDON.

On Monday a meeting of the General Purpose 8
Commidee of the Manchester Town Council was
held, at which it was resolved—

" That without desiring in any way to enter into the
disputes which have arisen between the competing com-
panies, this committee is of opinion that a second railway
communication, with undivided responsibility, between
this city and London, would be a graat public advantage,
and they recommend the council to present a petition in
favour of legalising the union between the Manchester,
Sheffield and Lincolnshire, and Great Northern Railway
Companies,"