The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-24 00:00:00

not be advocated by those who had an interest in the city of
Canterbury and the district of
h Kent. They had
united for ten years without any benefici result, so far as
regarded the introduction of a direct line through u.....nterbi!7
to London, and it was now time to bestir themselves.
respect to the introduction of the atmospheric principle,
which one gentleman brought forward as an argument for
delay, it ought to be recollected that the atmospheric prin-
ciple could be introduced on the line at any future period, if
its application were found to be desirable.—(Hear, hear.)
He thought the North Kent Railway could not. be in better
bands than the present Company, and he thought there
would be infinitely more security with them than with a
Company which was constantly changing its Directors and
engineers. He had honked at the share list of the North
Kent Railway, and he could say that he never saw a better
one.—(Cheers.)
Mr. WILKINSON, one of the Croydon Atmospheric Railway
Company, said that, when he saw the requisition at first, he
had some doubts as to the propriety of his attending, init..-
much as it was to be a meeting for the purpose of specially
considering the merits of one particular line, namely, the
North Kent Railway. Howeve-, as he belonged to a Com-
pany who had on that day brought forward anotlnir pro-
jected line, in a tangible shape, be thought it would
hardly have been respectful towards the citizens of Canter-
bury if he did not avail himself of that occasion to state to
them the views whicn he entertained with respect to the
projected line of railway with which be was connected.
As to the motives for the introduction of particular
lines, there was no doubt that all the projectors had
motives of their own.: Sir Lionel Goldsmid had acknow-

ledged that his motive was to serve his tenants, and he
(Mr. Wilkinson) had a desire in the same way to serve his
own constituents; but the great question for the public to
consider was, which line would be most advantageous to
them.--(Hear, hear.) He should not have thought of pro-
posing a line which was different from the projected line of
the North Kent, if he did not think that he had a better one

than it, and he would ask them if he produced a better plan
than that of the North Kent, and one which was better cal-

culated to secure the sanction of Parliament, would they not
support it? He should be happy to go into details when a
more detailed statement was made on the other side, but

until the citizens of Canterbury had more detailed informa-

tion with respect to the different lines, he hoped they would
not decide in favour of any one in particular. He believed

that the atmospheric system afforded means of carrying pas-
sengers more cheaply than the other system ; indeed, such
was the nature of the atmospheric principle, that it almost
compelled any company which applied it, to convey passen-
gers at a cheap rate, as they. would be obligTd to dispatch

trains very frequently, in order to economise Their power.
Mr. POOLE said that the North Kent had been first in the

field, and had long since proposed the line of the old coach-

road to London as the most direct.

A desultory conversation here took place as to the compa-
rative length of the proposed lines of atmospheric and North
Kent, after which
Sir J. M. TILDEN addressed the meeting, and stated his
impression that the atmospheric principle would be generally
adopted on all railways, and he gave the Croydon Company
credit for availing themselves of the experience of that prin-
ciple on the Kingston and Dalkey line, but he did not think
the line they proposed as a competing line with the North
Kent was calculated to be successful The people of Canter-
bury wanted one direct line to London, and this the North
Kent line proposed to give them.—(Cheers.)
Mr. SLADDEN (solicitor) moved an amendment to the re-
solution, to the effect that it was not expedient for the meet-
ing to come to any definite decision until the details of the
plans of all the projected lines were before the public, and
that a committee of the citizens of Canterbury should be ap-
pointed to decide which of the lines was best deserving of
support.
The amendment was negatived, and the resolution was
carried, with about half-a-dozen dissentients.
Mr. WARD moved a resolution to the effect that the local

interests of Canterbury could not be so efficiently served by
a company in possession of a line already, as by an inde-
pendent and competing company.
The resolution was agreed to.
Another resolution was agreed to, pledging the meeting
to support the North Kent line; after which the meeting
separated.

LONDON AND YORK.
LINCOLN, SATURDAY.—A special meeting of the Town
Council of this city was held in the Guildhall this day, to
take into consideration several matters materially affecting,
the interests of the citizens, arising from the intention of pro-
secuting the projected London and York, and other lines.
The TOWN-CLERK read the clauses of the London and
York Bill, as affecting the navigation of the river Witham,
from the high bridge of the city of Lincoln, through the port
of Boston, to the sea, also the Fosadyke navigation from the
city of Lincoln to the river Trent, from which It appeared
that the material provisions are to Fecure a fire foot water-

course in each navigation, and to reduce the present amount
of tonnage by one-third.
Mr. Alderman RUDGARD thought the Railway Company,
who were to derive the profits of the navigation, ought to
rebuild the bridges over that part of the river which connects
the tWo nevigations together. In case of refusal, he should
propose that application be made to the House of Lords fur
leave to oppose the London and York Bill, unless clauses for
protecting the public interests as regards the bridges and
navigation were introduced. He moved that the Town-
Clerk do attend the Board of Directors, and make the request
of them.

Mr. Alderman WETHERELL, a Director of the London and
irtifk RallWayj t',onsidercd the proposal of Mr. Rudgard as
fair and reasonablt, slid fit he €+; as going to town on Monday
to attend a meeting of the Board of Directors on Tuesday,
he would take care to represent what were the feelings of the
citizens of Lincoln on the subject. He was certain it was
the wish of the Railway Company to render the navigations
complete, and to aid the 'object in view; he requested a
tvrttfeti nate/Tient to lay 'before the board, in order that an
engineer might be appointed to inquire into the matter, as
he expected before anything could be done, Mr. Cubitt, or
some other competent person, would be consulted.
The TOWN-CLERK remarked that the river interests ap-
peared to have been forced upon the Railway Company by
the ditergtlol2 of the line, and the adoption of what was called
the loop along the line of the rivers, or he thought the Direc-
tors would have been Inclined to have thrown that part of
the scheme overheard altogether, if they could have done so
consistently as men of honour.
Mr. RUDGARD said, if he were a Director, he should urge
on the Railway Company to comply with the request, to pre-
vent the apposition of the citizens ; for as regarded the ma-
ithey were most decidedly op-
posedlt Y
ofto people
LlieoonpdloeninanLdlnlc'oolrik'' set. erne....( Hear, hear.)
At length a resolution was unanimously carried, calling
upon the London and York Railway Company to take upon
themselves the rebuilding of the three bridges.
A ,Committee of seven members (1* the council was then
appointed to adopt mears with a view of carrying out ex-
tensiVe ifiiploVettionts in the city, rendered necessary by the
opening of railways.
IMPORTANT RAILWAY MEETING AT DUDLEY.
DUDLEY, MONDAY, SIX O'CLOCK.—To-day a numerous and
most respectable meeting of the inhabitants of this borough
was held in the Town-hall, for the purpose of considering the
propriety of supporting the South Staffordshire Junction

The meeting was Balled tut tirekre o'clock, and shortly after
that hour the chair was taken by EdWard Terry, Esq.,
Mayor, who opened the business by observing that he felt
highly pleased at meeting on that occasion so numerous, re-
spectable, and highly influential a body of gentlemen as he
had then the honour of presiding over. On a former occasion
he had the pleasure of introducing to the inhabitants his
friends whit Were tonneeted with the Oxford, Worcester,
and Wolverhampton Railway, and on that occasion it was
unanimously resolved that they should support that under-
taking, and they all knew the result of that resolution.
They had fought a hard battle, but they fought and won.—
(Applause,) Having won one battle in connexion with the
interest of that distr.:let, It now became them to consider
another line which was to act es a feeder to that great and
important line which they had obtained, and that line was
the South Staffordshire Grand Junction. They had then
present a numerous deputation from that company, who
ijratiltl explain the nature of the undertaking, and lay before
that the claitne whjeh that company had to their support.
Of the importance of siidi it line of communication between
the town of Dudley and Wolverhampton, and all those great
towns into which it would bring them in direct commttnitas
tion there could not be the least doubt. They had already
secured a communication with the south of England, and by
the proposed line they would gain a connexion with the north
of England and all the great outports. As all these advan-
tages would be More fully and ably set forth than he could
possibly Mail UWE, he should not detain them longer, but
call upon Mr. Mathews.
Wm. MArernws, Esq., then rose, and in a Very powerful
and effective speech pointed out the advantages which
would result from the proposed undertaking. lie corn-
Witted by saying that it was only 12 months ago since the
inhabitants ,Of Dudley met in that place to consider the
Propriety of suPPOrting tt line of railway which was to
afford that accommodation which their great commercial
transactions entitled them to expect. The opinion of the
inhabitants a that important town, with respect to that
titeemilidelatitairWas heard, and attended to in the manner
iii *high it ought to haste been. The town of Dudley was
theft net placed lipen level With the surrounding country,
&id NO 1464'41 bintlitiOn *s}a that it vvas impossible to afford
the necessary accommOdatloti to the itewti on account of its
elevated position. Previous to the meeting 12 months ago
he had connected himself with the prpject of a line through
that distilet, but Recording to their plan they were not to
end:irate Dtittleyi but leave It one or two miles out of the
Main line, His Htrit. Friend; Mr, Badger, with two other
geritiehien iiiiifieeied With flit; tbiwn, tkpostulated with him
upon the impropriety Of leaving Ditfilq otit Of the main line,
and he then thought it necessary to commtititatt4 with the
engineering department of that line, in order to place Dudley
iii ita proper position ; and Dudley was accordingly placed
oil the Main line: He theft httEttrded an opinion that Dudley
would ticit,ohly not be loplated iti worse position than other
iiiwil4 in the iieigltbtitir2ttlod but that it only required the
perseverin Mi ee; dillgenee, d public spirit -Which the men of
pi always evinced to place it in the best position. He
knew that there were great difficulties in the way of effect-
ing that °Nett; He kite* that there were great obstacles
to contend againat dridlig front influential parties, and
gidd to the Men of Dualoy, "no not nialte us put
liPoil the main line; ttnless you dive us such support
as will enable us to &Ohre the Passing of the Bill for the
Makin..4f that llnc1" The gentlemen of Ditcliqi amded
him they would give to the Uncleriril.:2: that support which
it &Cited; and the result was that which they here all
well aware of slid he Wasdigit that day to say that the
gpritielfiell Of' Dudley had redeettled their pledge, honour-
ably; nobiy;.oo. and lie had nit healtatiOn ill saying
that one Of the main iiigrediefits in their tfiutithrint §iit.
cest; was the iiiipertant support which they refeived trdtri
the Inhithitants of this important place. Having gained
that object; he ventured to state it as his opinion, that if
the gentlemen bf bittiley entitlinted to make the same de-
motiattations with that prudence and caution and propriety
which they had hitherto manifested, instead of being
placed in a worse position than other towns, they would be
placed in a better position, and he now thought the facts
he had to state would bear out the grounds up which he
came to that conclusion. lie thought the animus that guided
the parties who opposed them would fully justify the inhabi-
tants of that town in disclaiming any overtures from thate
them.
lie in any shape in which it might be presented to hm
lle need not say that no demonstration was made
_upon_ the
part of that rival body until they were obliged to ally
them-_
selves with other parties who were opposed to the interest of
the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton line. These
gentlemen did not afford' any accommodation to the
inhabitants, but they threw every obstacle in their
way. They not only denied them their assistance to carry
out their project, but they offered every resistance that
could be given to stop the proposed railway commu-
nication through that town. The inhabitants of Dud-
ley were of necessity compelled to ally themselves with
the important line to which he has already alluded ; and
having now witnessed the accomplishment of that great pro-.
ject—having ae9 a *tort' gained Qyg difficulties ups-