The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-28 00:00:00

SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.

Pursuant to notice given in the columns of the Welsh-
man, a public meeting of the inhabitants of Carmarthen,
and the adjacent parts of the county, was held in Car-
marthen Town-hall, last Wednesday, for the purpose of
meeting a deputation of the Great Western Railway
Company who were desirous of explaining the means
they purposed taking for the establishment of a rail-
way throughout South Wales, so as to connect Ireland
and South Wales more closely with the metropolis.
A great number of gentlemen attended. About half-
past twelve o'clock the deputation, consisting of Charles
Russell, Esq., M.P., Chairman of the Board of Di-
rectors of the Great Western Railway Company, F. L.
Gower, Esq., Mr. Saunders, the Secretary to the Com-
pany, and Mr. Hunt, arrived at the Town-hall, and the
business of the meeting was commenced immediately.
The Hon. Colonel TnEvoa, having acquiesced in a
motion that he take the chair, proceeded to observe that
no event that had occurred for years which'promised so
great benefit to the county of Carmarthen as the extension
of the Great Western Railway across:the: Severn, near
Gloucester, and the making of a railway through South
Wales to Fishguard. It would open out an increased
traffiic on all sides ; in Ireland on the one
side, and on the other side through Bristol,
to Worcester, to Birmingham, and to all the
great markets of the north and west of England.
It would enable the inhabitants of Carmarthen-
shire to reach the metropolis in an almost incredibly
short space of time, he believed in eight or nine hours.
—(Hear.) A gentleman belonging to the deputation
corrected him, and he was now happy to state that if
the railway was carried out, and a station established
in Carmarthen, the distance between Carmarthen and
London could be performed in seven hours.—(Cheers.)
The very want that the agriculturists of South Wales had
long suffered under—that of being unable to take their
produce to the manufacturing districts where it
would be rapidly consumed—would now be supplied.
Nothing would be easier than for a farmer to send his
stock by the railway up to London or Bristol. Scotch
cattle were brought to London by steamerF, in both a
living and slaughtered state, and if it remunerated a
Scotch farmer to send his stock to London, it would most
assuredly amply repay a Welsh farmer. A Welsh
farmer had greater facilities for grazing grounds—he
ought therefore to be able to compete. He took the op-
portunity of stating that he was warmly in favour of the
proposed railway, and that he was empowered by Load
Dynevor to state that he was very anxious that the rail-
way should take place, and would, when his land was
required for the purpose of the railway, take shares of
the Railway Company instead of money, to the amount.
Mr. RUSSELL said that the Directors of the Great
Western Railway, in pursuing their progress westward,
had been desirous not only of examining the character
of the country to be traversed, but also to satisfy their
own minds of the opinions entertained by the gentle-
men in South Wales respecting the scheme, and the de-
gree of cordial support probable to be received. Hitherto,
he had much pleasure in saying, that the support had
been most satisfactory.—(Cheers.) At every place at
which they had held meetings, every gentleman of the
town and neighbourhood had been unanimous in his ex-
pression of cordial approval, and proffers of every pos-
sible countenance and support. Thus far, the progress of
the deputation had been through the manufacturing and
mineral districts of South Wales. Now they were in the
midst of an agricultural district, and it was most import-
ant, most essential, and in fact absolutely necessary to
the prosperity of the railway, that all interests should
unite to support it. Hitherto the means afforded to the
agriculturists of South Wales had been circumscribed and
limited ; by the railway a facility of intercouse would
be opened up and extended to every part of the empire,
and establish the connection between the agricultural
and manufacturing districts on that sure basis which is
founded on their common interests. In the earlier
period of the construction of railways, the landed gentry
had manifested a decided and vehement opposition to
them. They are now, and there is an example here
to-day, liberal and zealous supporters; many gentlemen,
in order to have the railway run near their estates, had
gratuitously given their lands for its formation, and the
gentlemen in some parts of South Wales had expressed
their willingness to take shares in lieu of money as com-
pensation for the land through which the railway will
pass. In Chepstow, the tenants of his Grace the Duke
of Beaufort had petitioned his Grace to support the rail
way. One object of the visit of the deputation was to
secure the approbation of the gentry of South Wales.
He was not at present in a condition to state the exact
course the line would take. Mr. Brunell, at that very
moment, was engaged in taking an accurate survey of
the country. Great pains had been taken to give an
accurate account of the amount of traffic in South
Wales, and it much surpassed his expectations. If
the line were adopted, it would open a com-
munication with all the great manufacturing districts,
with the metropolis, and with the south of England and
the south of Ireland. It would be the great highway
and thoroughfare for the southern portions of the em-
pire. When the deputation was in Ireland a short time
since, they had held communication with some persons
deeply interested in the question, and be found they
were willing to concur in the speculation, and to extend
the scheme from the harbour of Wexford to Waterford
and Dublin—to Cork, Limerick, and so on throughout
the south of Ireland. If he found the same cordial sup-
port existing throughout the Principality, he was autho-
rised by the Great Western Company to state that no
effort should be withheld, and they were quite ready tc
contribute their full share of assistance in the under-
taking.—(Cheers.)
D. 3founis, Esq., M.P., proposed the first resolution.
He did hope that the landed interests of South Wales
would not suffer this vast undertaking to languish for
want of that cordial support which they could so readily
render it. If the present opportunity were lost, it would
in all probability be a very long period before another
such would occur—before such an advantage would offem
itself again.

D. A. S. DAVIES, Esq., M.P., had much pleasure in
seconding the proposition. Wales was blessed by Pro•
vidence with great and peculiar advantages. She had 1,
beautiful country, vast natural resources, industrious in-
habitants, and an acute and intelligent population. Yei
with all this, in consequence of her remoteness from th(
metropolis, numerous disadvantages had been felt. Dif-
ficulty had been experienced by the inhabitants,lboth its
the transmission of their produce and of themselves.
Both these desirable objects could now be maintained b)
the proposed railway, and he trusted that they would
not lose the chance now laid before them by any apathy
on their part in not putting their shoulders to the wheel
If the opportunity was lost, he was afraid it would never
return. He (Mr. S. Davies) had felt so"great a degree
of interest in the proposed railway, that he had taken h
considerable number of shares—(Cheers)—more perhaps
than he had been justified in doing by the station he held
in the county.

The CHAinstAN put the resolution to the meeting, and
it was carried unanimously, and by acclamation.
The CHAIRMAN then said that he wished to ask Mr.
Saunders for a sketch of the proposed line. Two lines
had been mentioned, and he wished to have it explained
to the meeting which line the Great Western Company
purposed adopting, and what advantage the line had over
the other.

Mr. SAUNDERS, Secretary to the Great Western Rail-
way Company, would preface his observations by stating
that when the question of a line of railway through
South Wales was first mooted, the resolution of the
Great Western Company was that they would have the
best line that could be got for all purposes.---(Cheers.)
They determined that no local interests should influence
them, but that the line should be a great national com-
munication between the southern portions of the empire
and the metropolis.—(Cheers.) The progress of rail
ways in England had brought to a point a number or
branches near the river Severn, so that the point at
which to commence the South Wales Railway had been
readily fixed—the only question had been whether the
river should be crossed at Gloucester or below.
That question rested yet undecided, but, whichever
it is, is to be the best line for all purposes.
With regard to the coast line and the inland line,
the Company had decided to have the coast line, pro-
ceeding through Newport, Cardiff, Neath, and Swansea
to Carmarthen, and from thence to Fishguard with a
branch to Milford. The great object to be attained was
the combining of all the commercial, manufacturing and
other interests in the counties through which the line
passed.—(Hear.) If the line had been all inland, it wus
true the distance would have been rather shorter, but
the difficulties of engineering whuld be great, and all the
great mineral districts would be left out of the question.
It had been his good fortune, in former days, when the
Great Western Railway was in its infancy, to traveree
many places and towns in South Wales to solicit sub-
scriptions for that undertaking. At Abergavenny,
Neath, Cardiff, Swansea, Carmarthen, and other places,
subscriptions had been received from all classes of people.
It was a pleasing recollection to him that at that time, he
had persuaded some tradesmen to take shares who were
now holding them and were deriving considerable profit
from them, and who spoke thankfully, and oven grate-
fully to him for having persuaded them to take part in
so good an investment.—(Hear.) They did not want
individuals to take large amounts of shares ; they wanted
large numbers of persons each to take smalll amounts.
Hitherto every disposition had been shown to support
the railway scheme, and he had no doubt of the same re-
sult in Carmarthenshire. The Company could then
make certain that the Railway Bill would be carried in
the next session of Parliament. He did not pretend to
say they would have the same amount of traffic as the
Great Western Railway had, but they must consider
that that railway had, in consequence of the high prier's
of materials at the time it was constructed, cost nearly
four times as much per mile as it is supposed the South
Waleslitailway will cost. So that if they got a fourth of
the profit, and were only puf to a fourth of the expense,
the profit, pari passu, will be the same as on the Great
Western.

D. Moanrs, Esq., observed that in addition to what
had been said relative to the two lines, he begged to
inform the meeting that the question had been mooted
at a meeting at which were present Sir John Guest, who
had taken 200 'shares, and Mr. Crawsbay Bailey, who
had taken 300 shares, and they had stated that if they
had followed their own interests they 'would support the
inland line, but having regard to the interests of the
public, they had sacrificed their own interests and sup-
ported the coast line.
DAVID PUGH, Esq., the Chairman of the Carmarthen-
shire Quarter-sessions, who was received with applause,
said :—I have been requested to propose a resolution, and
in doing so, I will say that if ever there was a railroad
that deserved the favourable consideration of the Legis-
lature, and the patronage of the Government, it appears
to me that this is that railroad. I look on it not merely
as a commercial undertaking. It is a national work, it
is a great political work, it is a great State enterri—,N.
Fur it will connect Ireland more closely with this coun-
try, and thereby contribute to the integrity of the empii e.
It will bind Ireland to this country by more enduring
bonds; not those which are forged by force or violence,
but by the links which are forged by the arts of peace,
by science, and by the genius of Brunell.— (Cheers.) Mr.

-

Pugh then read the second resolution, which was
seconded by Captain J. G. Phillips, R.N., and was also
oarried unanimously.
T. C. MORRIS, Esq., proposed the third resolution,
:ppointing a Committee to obtain subscriptions.
Dr. BowEN seconded the proposition, which was car-
ried by acclamation.
R. G. THOMAS, Esq., wished to express the great
satisfaction be felt in beißg appointed one of the Com-
mittee to procure shareholders, He was convinced the
measure was fraught with great benefit to South Wales,
Lnd thought that the deputation, as had been stated by
fir. Saunders to be the case on the establishment of the
Great Western Railway, would be the harbingers of the
.1-reatest good to the inhabitants of South Wales that
ver appeared.—(Cheers.)
H. R. DOWNMAN, Esq., observed, that in developing
Lhe coast line, Mr. Saunders had not stated whether it
would run through Llanelly and Pembrey or not ?
He wished to know, because these two ports were the
cutlets of all the mineral resources of Carmarthenshire.
Mr. SAUNDERS said that the line would pass through
Llanelly, but he was unable to state whether it would
pass through Pembrey or not.
CHARLES RUSSELL, Esq., proposed a vete of thanks
to Colonel Trevor for his able conduct in the
.;hair.—(Cheers.)
Colonel TREVOR returned thanks, and expressed his
,)erfect satisfaction with the coast line of railway.
R. G. THOMAS, Esq., proposed the cordial thanks of
he meeting to the Great Western Company for pouring
brth their capital in support of the undertaking, and
;or sending down the deputation to explain the purposes
Lnd objects of the railway.—(Cheers.)
Dr. C. MORGAN seconded the motion.
CHARLES RUSSELL, Esq., returned thanks.
The meeting then separated.

PROPOSED RAILWAY
FROM WYMONDHAM TO EAST DEREHAM.

A meeting was held at the Assembly Room, East
Deri ham, on Thursday, the 26th September, to take
into consideration the proposed Railway from Wymond-
aam to East Dereham, which was numerously attended
by the landowners of the neighbourhood. Among those
present were the Right Hon. Lord Sondes, Right Hon.
Lord Bayning, F. W. Keppel, Esq., the Rev. Philip
Gusdon, John Gusdon, Esq., Rev. H. Collison, Rev. B.
Barker, Rev. C. H. Woollaston, G. Cooper, Esq., A.
Moore, Esq., &c., &c.
W. W. Lee Warner, Esq., having been called to the
chair, the business of the meeting was opened by
Mr. BIDDER, who recapitulated many advantages
which would result to this town and neighbourhood,
from this branch of the Norwich and Brandon Railway,
and stated that the line to Wymondham could be exe..
lcuted in the least time, and with the least capital
(110,000/0 He said, the scale of charges would be the
lowest possible, and similar to those on the Norwich and
Yarmouth line, and instanced the following :—By first-
class carriages from Dereham to Norwich, 2s. 6d. ; by
second class, Is. 6d. ; by third class, 10d. ; and that coals
might be brought from the ship's side at Yarmouth and
delivered in Dereham at 4s. 6d. per ton : and he proved
that by means of this line, speedy transit would be af-
forded to almost every part of England. He mentioned
that every inch of land on the Norwich and Brandon
line had been agreed for without having recourse in any
instance to a jury, and that they only wanted to ascer-
tain if the general feeling of the landowners here was
favourable, and to receive their co-operation before they
proceeded at once with the work, contemporaneously
with the main line.
Mr. BUSH, a London solicitor, at considerable length
advocated a line from Lynn to Norwich. He stated that
the railway from Dereham to Norwich would be fifteen
miles in length, commencing at Neatherd's Moor, and
terminating a quarter of a mile from Norwich ; that on
this line there was no elevation of any importance ; that
the soil was of the most favourable kind ; that the land
had been surveyed; eminent engineers had declared it
practicable ; that a single line with double bridges could
be constructed for 150,0001. ; and, backed by a con-
tractor who had been engaged in some of the most ex-
tensive similar works in England, and by a powerful
body of capitalists, the Company whom he represented
was prepared to carry such a railway into effect.
In reply to a question from the Chair, as to the names
of these gentlemen,
Mr. BUSH declined to give them, but stated that if
the meeting was adjourned for ten days, they should bo
present to speak for themselves.—(Cries of " No, no.")
JOHN GUSDON, Esq., who appeared as the representa-
tive of his father, stated that the proposed line, by way of
Wymondham, would be advantageous to this part of the
county, as at Letton they were now far removed from
any water carriage, Norwich, Brandon, and Narborough
being each eighteen miles distant.
Lord BAYNING thought the direct line to Norwich
would be more beneficial to the town and its neigh-
bourhood.
The Rev. Philip Gurdon, F. W. Keppel, Esq., and R.
Freeman, Esq., having addressed the meeting, it was
moved by Mr. Gidney, and seconded by Mr. Reeve,
" That the railway from Dereham to Yarmouth, the
metropolis, and the manufacturing districts is, in the
opinion of this meeting, essential to the interests of this
town and neighbourhood."
The next resolution, moved by Mr. Page, and seconded
by Mr. Elvin, " That the proposed branch of the Norwich
and Brandon Railway, by way of Wymondham, to East
Dereham, appears to be well calculated to carry out this
object, and is deserving of the support of this meeting."
The third resolutien was moved by Lord Sondes, and
seconded by F. W. Keppel, Esq., " That it is the opinion
of this meeting, that the projected railway from Lynn
to Dereham would be highly beneficial to the town and
neighbourhood."
Mr. Aldons then moved, and Mr. Gidney seconded,
" That a Committee, consisting of W. W. Lee Warner,
Esq., Mr. Reeve, Mr. Gidney, Mr. Thomas Harvey, Mr.
Ramsdale, Mr. Buck, and Mr. Elvin, be appointed to
co-operate with the Norwich and Brandon Company,
and to watch over the interests of the town and neigh-
bourhood."

The thanks of the meeting were then voted to the
Chairman, for his able conduct in the chair, and, seconded
by Lord Bayning, it was carried unanimously.

FATAL ACCIDENT.—On Tuesday night a working
man named William Dodds, employed on the Pontop
Railway at South Shields, died from injuries which he
had received whilst following his avocation on that line.
It appears that during the night of the preceding Friday
he accompanied the coal waggons down to South Shields,
the coal being shipped in the Tyne ; about midnight,
and whilst seated at the end of a light waggon, he had
fallen asleep. This circumstance was not observed by
the man whose duty it is to link the empty waggons
together, and when the train was drawn by a horse to
another train of waggons which were staading near, the
poor fellow was jammed between them, by which the
lower parts of his body were crushed in a shocking MAW.
ner, and he lingered in great agony until Tuesday, when
he expired. It is a remarkable and painful circum-
stance that a man named Gibson, brother-in-law to
Dodds, was killed in a similar manner, and from the
same cause, only about a fortnight ago. It is stated that
the men on the Pontop line have been overwrought since
the cessation of the pitmen's strike, in consequence of
the additional demand for coals, and the anxiety of the
coal-owners to make up the leeway, or, in other words,
to compensate themselves in some measure for the lout
they sustained during the strike by selling as many car-
goes of coals as possible at the present advanced prices.
Some, if not all of the men, have lately worked 20 hours
per day out of the 24 ; but this practice, injurious to
health and dangerous—nay fatal to life—has now been
discontinued by the employment of a double shift.
DEATH OF A FEMALE HOUSEBREAKER.--YeSter•
terday forenoon an inquest was held at the House of
Correction at Ilford, before C. C. Lewis, Esq., one of the
Coroners for Essex, on view of the body of Mrs. Frances
Green, aged twenty years, who died in that prison on
Monday morning before. From the statement of Mr.
Anderson, the Governor of the Prison, it appeared that
in January last, the deceased was found guilty of bur-
glary, and was sentenced to twelve months imprison-
ment. On the 17th instant she had been delivered of
female infant, and was going on pretty well until Sunday
night last, when, for some reason or other, and though
two females were in care of her, she got out of bed and
feet.walk edFarobmoutthitsh,eanndaihrder ftchrenadeshlioeartte tsitmatee,onshheeeraubaeghat
cold, and though every attention hadbeen paid to her, she
lingered until Wednesday morning, when she breathed
her last. A private nurse, who had been employed to
attend the deceased, as well as one of the wards-
women, were examined as to the treatment which she
had received, and both deposed to the fact that the de-
ceased herself had acknowledged that she had nothing
whatever to complain of ; on the contrary, she ex-
pressed her gratitude for what had been done for her.
The husband of the deceased was called before the jury,
and asked if be had any complaint to make ? Ho replied
that he had not, and that it was his opinion that she had
been kindly treated. He said that he had only been
married three weeks to the deceased when she come
'flitted the burglary for which she had been punished.
He also admitted that she had been a suspected cha-
racter before, and said he was not in circumstances to
bury her. Mr. Maitland, one of the visiting magistrates.
on hearing this, declared that the body should be in-
terred at the county expense. The jury expressed them-
selves perfectly satisfied with the treatment which the de-
ceased had experienced, and returned a verdict of" Na-
tural death."
DELIVERY OF WOOD GOODS INTO CRAFT FRO
VESSELS IN THE RIVER.—A complaint having been
made to the Customs authorities, respecting the discovery
of a short delivery of a quantity of lathwood and fire-
wood from the vessel into craft, as compared with the
foreign measurement per bills of lading, and requesting
that instructions might be issued to the principal officers
in the woodfarm and waterguard departments to watch
the tidewaiters more strictly, and see that they did not
leave the deck, or go into the cabin for their meals, &c.,
when the deliveries of lathwood and firewood were going
on, for that, at such times unmeasured wood was frau-
dulently thrown into the lighters, and that almost in
every delivery the importers and the revenue were
robbed by parties to a very considerable extent, and that
if the tidewaiters were in such cases made an example of
and punished for a neglect of duty, it would have a salu-
tary and beneficial effect—directions have been issued
to the principal officers of the woodfarm and waterguard
departments to issue the most express instructions tb the
tidewaiters on the subject, and to caution them not to
leave the deck of their vessels during the time that any
lathwood or firewood is being framed or delivered, under
any pretence whatever ; and the inspecting officers have
received instructions to make a report to the board of
any officer that they may find absent on such occasions
from the place of delivery on deck.
THE GAME-LAWS.—At Wandsworth police-oln
on Thursday, Mr. Punter refused to convict a person
who was seen to shoot a pheasant near Wimbledon-park,
and who could not produce a certificate. It was on the
ground that the person had been given into custody that
the magistrate would not convict, as the party ought to
have been previously summoned,