The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-30 00:00:00

SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.
MEETING AT CARDIrP.
A numerously attended and highly influential
meeting -c.f the bankers, merchants, and traders of
ctaMik with a number- of the gentry of this and the
neighbouring towns and counties, was held on Fri-
day, in the Town-hail, to take into consideration the
expediency of promoting a line of railway through
Newport, Cardiff, the agricultural districts of Llan-
trissant, Cowbridge, Bridgend, Porthcawl, Neath, and
Swansea. A deputation from the Great Western
Railway Company, consisting of F. P. Barlow, Esq.,
one of the Directors, C. Saunders, Esq., Secretary,
W. 0. Hunt, Esq., solicitor, with J. K. Brunel,
Esq., engineer, attended. The presence of these
gentlemen constituted an important feature in the
meeting, and afforded something like guarantee that
the business of the day would be conducted with the
same good faith which has invariably characterised
the proceedings of these gentlemen in the various
localities where, in furtherance of the objects of the

company, they attended. The period that has elapsed
since the last meeting in Swansea afforded time for
a partial survey of the important line of railway
through this county ; this circumstance, coupled
with the interest naturally attachable to so important
a demonstration, led to the expectation that an
authoritative declaration as to a specific and definite
line would be made in the course of the day. A
large and imposing assemblage of persons, deeply
interested in the project, were in consequencebrought

together. _
Among those present we observed the Marquis of
Bute, Lord Lieutenant of the county; J. Bruce

Pryce, Esq., High Sheriff of the county ' • Viscount
Mare, M.P.; the Right lion. J. Nicholl, M.P.;
Sir John Guest, Bart., M.P. LC. K. Kemys Tinte,

Esq., M.P.; Edward Divett, Esq., M.P.; J. Gower,
Esq. ; M. P. Traherne, Esq. ' • the Very Rev. the Dean
of Llandaff; R. F. Jenner, Esq.; J. Homfray, Esq.;
T. W. Booker, Esq. ' • Walter Coffin, Esq. • ' Rowland
Fothergill, Esq.; E. H. Lee, Esq. • J. N. Came,
Esq.; Rev. J. Coles ; Rev. Robert Knight ; Rev. W.
Bruce ; E. M. "Williams, Esq. ; Captain Hewitt; W.
Needham, Esq.; Rev. Dr. Buckland, Professor of
Geology ; Rev. W. D. Conybeare ; H. Morgan, Esq.,
Mayor of Cardiff; Rev. R. Prichard; Rev. T.
Stacey ; Rev. W. L. Morgan ; E. P. Richards, Esq. ;
H. S. Coke, J. Randall, W. Williams, David Evans,
J. H. Langley, R. Paw, Wm. Lewis, James Lewis,
Henry Jones, Win. Jones, W. Towgood, R. Reece,
J. Clark, John Richards, J. S. Corbett, Lewis Reece,
Charles James, of Merthyr, Wm. Perkins, of Merthyr,
Montague Grover, A. Miller, Birt Jenner, C. C.
Williams, Evan David, Esqs.; Dr. Moore; Messrs.
W. J. Watson, Wm. Richards, Geo. Insole, John
Batchelor, Henry Webber, Wm. Bird, R. Beaumont,
W. Williams, G. S. Strawson, C. Vachell, &c.
The members of the deputation from the Great
Western Company entered the Hall about half-past
twelve, and were warmly greeted. A few minutes
after the Marquis of Bute entered, and was received
with loud and general cheering.
His Lordship, on the motion of M. P. Traherne,
Esq., was moved to the chair.
The Noble MARQuis then briefly addressed the
meeting. He ventured to appeal to the knowledge
of all present, that it was his anxious desire to show
his goodwill towards the promotion of the object
which so much interested them all. It was an un-
dertaking in which there was not only individual but
general interest concerned; and, as such, it was, he
believed, of importance to the country. He had re-
turned from the western part of the county, where
the matter, in the course of general conversation, was
pretty freely talked over and from this he could learn
the general good feeling that prevailed respecting it.
It was under these impressions that he complied with
what appeared to be the general wish of the meeting
in taking the chair. He felt, however, that it was
impossible for him to do so without expressing his
thanks for the manner in which that intimation had
been conveyed to him, The Noble Marquis resumed
his seat amid much cheering.
Mr. BARLow then announced himself as one of the
deputation of the Great Western Company, and next
addressed the meeting. He ventured to address
them as the representative of that Company, which
was warmly interested in the prosecution of the
South Wales Railway. The duty would have
been ably discharged by the Chairman of the
Company, but whose avocations elsewhere rendered it
impossible for him to attend. Mr. Barlow adverted to
the deputation having recently passed through Cardiff,
and apologised for their not then addressing a public
meeting on the subject. The reason principally was,
that the Noble Chairman whose support they were
anxious to conciliate, could not conveniently attend,
and which support he considered essential to the suc-
cess of the undertaking.—(Cheers.) The Great
IVestern Company had no idea of overlooking the im-
portant town of Cardiff. That was not meant, they
wanted the support of numbers. They not only
wanted that support, but the species of moral support
founded on the good opinions of the people of the
work in hand.—(Cheers.) They wanted the prac-
tical manifestations of their anxiety to go to, and
carry the business through Parliament. They had a
claim on every individual for his support to enable
them to bring five project before Parliament. That
support he would beg to tell them was shown by sub-
scriptions. They wanted to see the local interest
concerned in order to keep up the spirit of the thing.
The advantages of railway communication was so
obvious, so generally admitted, that it would be
needless to descant on them. To the port and town
of Cardiff, peculiarly situated as they were, a railway
was inestimable. As a means of internal communi-
cation for sending the produce of England into Wales,
and transporting into the interior of England the
great mineral resources of this and the neighbouring
counties, the railway contemplated was of great
importance. Some years ago a railway into
Wales was looked upon as rather a wild specula-
tion. But, fortunately for society, mention
of its impracticability at the present day had
vanished, and what was then considered as
visionary and delusive, might now be looked upon
as safe and practicable.— (Cheers.) Even if no pros-
pective remuneration arose from the present project
to shareholders, yet it was worthy the attention of
finfluential persons as a means of improving property,
or he thought that there were few gentlemen of the
present day who would now be found to complain of
the vicinity of a railroad to their park or mansion.
The proposed line will give a direct communication
between London and Wales. It will work into the
railroads that are about to be constructed, and from
the westward it will open a communication with Ire-
land. It will open a communication between Fish-
guard and Wexford—it will be responded to by cor-
responding lines of railway in Ireland—by lines from
Wexford to Dublin, and from that city to Waterford.
At present it was the intention of the deputation to
proceed to Wexford, and lay there the foundation of
a project similar to that which he had now the honour
of addressing to them.—(Cheers.) By the proposed
line they would have the most direct communication
with the southern part of Ireland. He had only to
assure them that the Great Western Company were
ready to support the projeot in the most influential
way. They think they will best achieve that object
by incorporating themselves with the South Wales
Board of Directors—(Cheers)—and support it with
their money. He was gratified to find that this
announcement was satisfactory. There had been
times when it was all but impossible to get capital,
but now gentlemen were ready to come forward, and
there was a spirit of enterprise and emulation abroad
that augured well for the undertaking. He would
give an instance of this in the person of one gentle-
man, now near him, who was a member of the South
Wales Board of Directors, and who had taken 2,000
shares in the speculation. This gentleman had come
forward with alacrity, and with as purely disinterested
a feeling as it was possible to fall to the lot of any
human being.—(Cheers.) The meeting would learn
with satisfaction the gratifying state of the share-
list. If they thought proper to produce their share-
book, it would be seen that it would not be necessary
to get a single name more on it—in other words, the
whole of the share-list necessary to go to Parliament
has been already filled ; in fact the number of shares
necessary to a successful application to Parliament
have been already subscribed fbr. The list will be
kept open till the Ist of November. After that period
it will be closed. lie was aware as an element of
opposition to the present undertaking, doubts were
industriously circulated respecting the traffic on the
projected line. He was happy to inform them that
there was no truth in the rumour. Everything had
been done scrupulously to ascertain that; and it was
submitted to checks and tests of so rigorous a nature,
as to enable them to vouch for its suffi-
ciency. The statistics of the traffic had been
taken by gentlemen of admitted competency, who
have made their report in the proper quarters. From
that report it has been ascertained that it will produce
full 10 per cent. on the subscribed capital.—(Cheers.)
Now when that report finds its way into the money
market, he could not say with what avidity the shares
would be taken up. He now mentioned the fact to
give an opportunity for making timely applications.
He admitted he was anxious to see these applications,
because they were anxious to be in a position to go to
Parliament with a certainty of success. From this
feature in the transactions, they might see it was not
a mere jobbing speculation they were called to em-
bark in. They therefore wished to have from Cardiff
that expression of feeling which should be the most
efficient representative of the number of shares which
Cardiff would represent. He felt the subject was not
in competent hands; any application, to the deputa-
tion of the Great Western Company, the officers of
which were present, would elicit the fullest explana-
tion of their views. Mr. Brunel in particular, would
give every explanation. He saw around him num-
bers of the South Wales board, who might if necessary
be applied to on the subject. The deputation now
were on their way to Fishguard, whence they would
proceed to Wexford, where a demonstration similar
to this would be made, and where he had no doubt, a
sisailar triumph would await them.—(Cheers.)