The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-03 00:00:00

MAJORITY-NOES, 19.

Aglionby, H. A. Marsland H. Strickland, Pr G.
Bellew, R. M. Mitcalfe,- Henry Thornely, Thomas
Butler, Colonel Morris, David Yorke, R. .
Belden, J. Muntz, G. F.
Ferguson, Colonel Norreys, Sir D. TELLERS.
Hindley, Charles Protheroe, Edward Scott, Robert
Hutt, W. Scholefield, J. Brotherton, Joseph
Mackinnon, W. A. Smith, Fig

OPENING OF THE BRISTOL AND
EXETER RAILWAY.

The opening of the entire line of this railway was cele-
brated
on Monday. In Exeter all business was suspended,
and thousands and tens of thousands flocked in from the coun-
try, and the streets, paraded by bands of music, were densely
thronged with people in holiday attire.
At nine o'clock the members of the Temperance Society
assembled, accompanied by three bands and numerous ban-
ners and cars : having formed in order of procession, they
proceeded through the different streets of the city, and thence
to a field adjoining the terminus which occupies that space
of land which lies betiveen the Red Cow turnpike-gate
on the Cowley-bridge-road and Sandy-point, on the east
side of the Exe. The site of the terminus is very beautiful,
comnianding a very extensive view on each side of the road.
At Cowley- bridge ,the line takes a sweep, which carries it to
Rewe, through a .deep cutting. It then leaves the Valley of
the Exe to pursue the Valley of Culm as far as Collumpton,
where it leaves the river, and reaches the Tiverton-road
station, about fourteen miles from Exeter and four from
Tiverton. There is an intermediate station at Hele, about
nine miles from Exeter. At the Tiverton-road station it
takes the Vale of Holicombe to the White Ball Tunnel, join.
ing the road, which has been for some time open, at Beam-
bridge. Every inch of the way from that place to Exeter is
through the richest and most fertile part of the beautiful
county of DeVon. By the opening of this line there is now
an uninterrupted communication, westward from London, of
194 miles, 118 of which belong to the Great 'Western Com-
pany; the remaining 76 miles being the length of the Bristol
and Exeter line. The whole line exhibits the usual charac-
teristics of Mr. Brunel's consummate skill—substantial works
and first-class gradients. The principal engineering diffi-
culty encounted being in that part of the line opened yester-
day—the White Ball Tunnel.
At about 1 o'clock the special train from Bristol, bringing
the directors of the Bristol and Exeter Railway, arrived at-
the terminus. It was propelled by two locomotives, deco-
rated with flags and banners, and almost immediately after
the special train from London brought the directors of the
Great Western Railway, Sir Thomas Acland, Sir J. Y. Bul-
ler, and Mr. Divett, M.P. for Exeter. They were received
by the Mayor, High Sheriff, and a number of gentlemen who
have acted as a committee for conducting the arrangements
forlhe festival.

The banquet was laid in the luggage-shed, a building 160
feet long and 60 feet broad, which was floored over and com-
modiously fitted up for the purpose. accommodation being
provided for 861 persons. Five tables extended the length of
the room, and a dais connected three of them at the head,
in the centre of which the Mayor, Mr. H. H. Hooper, pre-
sided as chairman, supported on either side by the following
noblemen and gentlemen :—Earl Fortesque (Lord-Lieutenant
of the county), Lord
.Courtenay, M.P., Sir John Y. Buller,
Bart, M.P., Sir Thomas D. Acland, Bart., M.P., Mr. L.
W. Buck, M.P., General Sir J. Dufton, Lord Clifford, Sir T.
Drake, Bart., Sir R. W. Newman, Bart., Sir J. Kennaway,
Bart., Sir J. T. B. Duckworth, Bart., Lord Exmouth, Colonel
Fulford, Mr. S. T. Kekewich, Mr. C. Gordon, Major North-
cote, Mr. A. Stowey, Mr. M. E. N. Parker, Colonel Honey-
wood, Mr. H. J. Cartwright, High Sheriff of Devon, Sir W.
Paterson, Knt., Sir W. H. Tonkin, Knt., General Hill, &c.
By special invitation the Directors of the Great Western and
Bristol and Exeter Railways, the Mayor and Recorder of
Bristol, and the Committee of the House of Commons on the
South Devon Railway Bill, were also amongst the distin-
guished guests at the banquet.
After the cloth had been removed, the usual loyal and
patriotic toasts were given, which were followed by others in
allusion to the progress and opening of a line of railway be-
tween Exeter and London. The evening was spent in the
greatest harmony, and the meeting separated at a late hour,
highly gratified with the proceedings of the day.
The special train, which arrived at Exeter at one o'clock,
left the Great Western terminus at Paddington at a quarter
before seven. On its return it left Exeter at a quarter after
five, and arrived at Paddington at ten minutes before ten,
thus performing the journey, 198 miles. in little more than
four hours and a half.

Earl Howe gave a dinner on Wednesday at his
residence in Curzon-street, to the Noble Directors of the Con-
cert of Anciant Music. His Lordship, accompanied by his
distinguished guests, afterwards went to the performance of
the concert in Hanover-square Rooms... His Royal Highness
Prince Albert, attended by- the Marquis of Granby, Captain
Francis Seymour, and Colonel Wylde •, and his Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge, attended by Baron linese-•
beck, honoured the performance.of the concert with their
presence.
Mr. C. P. Villiers paired with Mr. Beckett in fa-
your of Mr. Maule's motion on the Scotch Universities
question.
PRAYER BOOK AND HOMILY SOCIETY.—The an- '
nual meeting •of this Society was 'held at twelve o'clock
yesterday, at Exeter Hall. The attendance was by no means
good. The Rev. JameO Wilson took the chair. The Secre-
tary read the report, which detailed the operations during
the past year. The funds are very far from prosperous. The
meeting was subsequently addressed by several clergymen.
LINCOLN APRIL FAIR.—The weather during this
fair has been extremely fine, and we have had in all a very
large attendance of persons f all classes. The sheep fair was
well filled with both buyers and sellers, and sheep improved
very much in their price; the beast fair was also good, at
better prices; good drapes made excellent prices, as did also
small steers.—Lincolnshire Herald.
SIrGTJLAR COINCIDENCE.—An inquest was held on
Monday, the 15th inst., before G. Hinchcliffe, Esq., coroner,
at the house of Mr. Thomas Sower, Sun Inn, Brock-moor,
on the body of Jane Webb, aged six years, who was found
drowned in the canal on Friday last, near Mr. Firmstone'o,
works, at the Ley Colliery. It appears she was sent with her
sister's breakfast to the pit, about half-past eiptt in the
morning, and on her return slipped into the water. Nothing
more was heard of her until the afternoon-, 'when they began
to drag the canal for the body, and wee about giving it up,
when a young woman, who was standing by, stated that f
they would get a loaf of bread, and put some quicksiive„, I
it, it would float to the body, if it was in the w- • into
proved the
young woman insisting she had seen it tried 8,- . 4
ae red,•
fore, the loaf and quicksilver were procure-'•
be-
the water. Much to the astonishment u, and thrown into
to a certain spot, turned round sp-
of all, the loaf floated
.
What is more extraordinary. ;-
~eral times, and remained.
the loaf, the body of thP ,eneath the spot occupied by
name of Westwood dr- child was found : a man of the
came stationary, egged to the place where the loutb
and was successful in bringing the
poor unfortur
.ate child. After the different evidence bad
the jrry returned a verdict of " Found drowned."
beeBntaliarord
dshire fercury.