The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-06 00:00:00

North Devons, 131 p.—Exeter, Topsham, and Exmouth
(Daw's line), 3% p. —Ditto ( Head's), % p.—South Wales,
714—Eastern Counties, New, 71/2.

SHEFFIELD, Ocr. 4.
STOCK EXCOA,M;;.—The sales are—Sheffield and Man-
chester, Quarter Shares, No. 2, 18 ex new—Derby and
Crewe, .s%—Derby and Gainsborough, 41,f—East Lincoln-
shire, 6:3(i—Goole and Doncaster, 63%—Grimsby and Shef-
field, 254—Ditto, Quarter Shares, 6l,4—Grimsby Railway-
and Dock Extension, 1114—Manchester, Midland, and
Great Grimsby, 65/B—Sheffield and Lincolnshire, 7a/—Wake-
field and Harrogate, s%—Wilts, Somerset, and Southamp-
ton, V. 17s. 6d.

HUDDERSFIELD, OCT. 4.
STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Essex and Suffolk,
18 p.—Leeds and Liverpool Direct, 71.i—Manchester, Bir.
mingbam, and Welsh Junction, 391,-- Nottingham and Bos-
ton, 4%—Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, 19:%,—
Wakefield and Bradford, 61. ss. 9d.
YORK, OCT. 4.

STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Durham and Sun-
derland, New (guar. 5 per cent.), 5/. 6s. 6d.—Eastern Union
Extension (Norwich), sw—Midland, New, 271/I—Newcastle
and Darlington Junction, New (Braridling), 581,:,—North
British (Car:isles), SE/4—Caledonian Extension, 4l4—Coven-
try, Nuneaton, Birmingham, and Leicester, 47.—Derby and
Gainsborough, 414—Grand Union, 4/. 6s. 6d.—Leicester and
Bedford, 4N,—Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle .Junc-
tion, B—Lynn and Ely, 71A ex call—Manchester, Buxton,
&c., 10181—Newcastle and Berwick, 20%—North Stafford-
shire, B:Yi—North Western, 614—South Midlands, 9—Welsh
Midlands, 41/2—West Yorkshire, 15—WLt,,, Somerset, and
Southampton, 1214.
EDINBURGH, OCT. 3.

STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Aberdeen, 41. 165.-
Aberdeen, Banff, and Elgin, 2/. 133. 6d.-Airdrie and Bath-
gate, 4/. 1.55.-Arbroath and Forfar, 251.-Ditto. Half Shares,
151-Armagh and Portrush, 31.-Banffshire, 2/. 103. 641.-
13ritish and Irish Union, 4/. 95.-Belfast and County Down,
3/. 155.-Cambridge and Lincoln, 5/. 2s. 6d.-Caledonian,
151. 12s. 6d.--Caledonian Extension, 4/. 165.-Caledonian and
Dumbarton, 5/. 2s. 6d.-Clydesdale Junction, 221.-Direct
Northern, 31. 23. 6d.-Dundee and Arbroath, 371.-Ditto,
New, 181.-Dundee and Perth, El. 10s.-East of Fife, 3/.
165.-Edinburgh and Bathgate, 41. 53.-Edinburgh and Glas-
gow, cx news, 741.-Ditto, Half Shares, 14 prem.-Ditto,
Quarters, 191. 10s.-Ditto, New, 151.-Edinburgh, Glasgow,
and Dumbarton, 11. 12s. 6d.-Edinburgh, Leith, and Gran-
ton, 261.-Ditto, Preference, 211.-Edinburgh and Northern,
3/. 55.-Ditto, Newport, 11. 15s. 6d.-Ditto, Lochgelly, 2/.-
Edinburgh and Perth, 4/. 165.-Edinburgh and Peebles,
3/. 11s.-Forth and Clyde Junction, 3/. 165.-Glasgow and
Ayrshire, 731.-Ditto, New Stock, 211. 12s. 6d.-Glasgow
and Belfast Union, 3/. 175.-Glasgow and Garnkirk, 45/.
-Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, 2/. 55.-Glasgow and
Greenock, 221. 10s.-Ditto, New Stock, 10/. 155.-Ditto,
Preference, 21. 55.-Great North of Scotland, 3/. 175.-In-
verness and Elgin, 11. 125.-Kilmarnocli and Ardrossan,
8/. 155.-London and York, 71.-Zilonkland and Kirkintil-
loch, 33/.-North British, ex news, 261.-Ditto, Halves, ex
news, 71. 55.-Ditto, Fifths, 71. 65.-Ditto Carlisle. A 104.
--4, NT7 an. m
it andlnver-
ness, 31 45.-Scottish Central, 12/. 12s. 6d.-Scottish Mid-
land, 5/.-Scottish Western, 21. 165.-Shrewsbury, Oswes-
try, and Chester, 71. 55.-South Midland, 8./.-Shrewsbury
and Hereford, 2/. 10s.-Stirling and Dunfermline, 3/. ss. 6d.
-Tean and Dove Valley, 31. 12s. 6d.-Wishaw and Colt-
ness, 58/.

REVIEW OF CONTINENTAL
RAILWAYS.
(From the I?aileacry I?egi.ger.)
The gradual but extensive adoption of the system of
railway travelling on the Continent is one of the most
important features of modern times, the powerful influ-
ence of which, both upon the social condition and the
political relations of the European world, it were now
almost premature to calculate. One fact is very obvious
in the manner in which these great enterprises are taken
up by the enlightened Governments of the Continent—
namely, that they are not merely considered in the light
of private speculations, for the profit of their immediate
projectors, and the convenience of the travelling public,
but as important elements of national strength and eivilis
sation. The French Minister of Public Works so early as
1837, declaredin his address to the Chambers that " Rail-
ways are assuredlynext to the invention of printing the most
powerful instrument of civilisation that the ingenuity of
man has ever devis(d. It is difficult, if not impossible,
to foresee and define the results which they must of
necessity, at some period, produce on the fate of na-
tions." The King of the Belgians, in taking the had
of all other continental nations in promoting the forma-
tion of a system of railways upon a comprehensive scale
within his narrow territories, set an example which is
now being zealously followed by his larger and more
powerful neighbours. The important relations which,
thanks to a long peace, English enterprise and industry
has with the Continent, and the intimate connexion
which our capitalists have with these peculiar under-
takings, renders a calm review of continental rail ways ex-
tremely interesting. We therefore proceed to undertake
this important task with the best materials which the
subject affords.
When France commenced the execution of railways
there was no definitive plan settled upon by the Go-
vernment, and hence straggling lines here and there
were projected, constructed, and worked, as mere expe-
riments for future guidance. As their utility became
more apparent, the Government evinced an anxious
and very natural desire to appropriate to itself a few of
the direct advantages to be derived from them ; and
hence every encouragement was held out to English
capitalists and men of science and skill to enter on
these undertakings. The first railway made by an
English company in France was the Paris and Rouen
line. Its completion within two years from its com-
mencement, was regarded as a tolerable proof of the
ability of an English company to perform its engage-
ments. The continuation of the line to the coast at
Havre, called the Rouen and Havre line, was then en-
trusted to the same parties, who hold out a promise that
it will be opened in the course of the summer of 1846,
thus completing a line of uninterrupted railway commu-
nication from Havre to Paris. Tee same company has
also, a short time back, received the concession of two
branch lines, film the llouen and Havre line to the coast,
one of which is to run to Dieppe, and the other to
Fecamp. So that from Brighton or Southampton, as the
case may be, the traveller will be able to reach Paris
in 16 hours from the latter place, and in 14 hours
from Brighton. The object of shortening the distance
between London and Paris is no unimportont one as
regards the intercourse, whether for passenger traffic
or for the transport of merchandise, between the two
greatest capitals of Europe ; and, therefore, we have no
doubt but that everything that capital and skill can do
to effect that object will be done. The packet service,
as now performed by the boats of the German Steam
Navigation Company, between England and the coast
of Normandy, is so well organised as scarcely to be sus-
ceptible of improvement. The distance between Brighten
and Dieppe may be lessened by the construction of float
ing piers, on either coast ; a measure that has long been
in contemplation, is not yet abandoned, and no doubt
will be resumed in the course of a short time, as the best
means of securing to both those towns not only their
accustomed traffic, but a share in the increase which
must ensue on the opening of the Havre line and the
Dieppe branch. Fecamp, it will be observed, we do not
notice, fir this simple reason, that we do not believe it
will be opsned simultaneously with the Havre and Dieppe.
Its position on the coast, between the two latter ports,
its proximity to them, and, taken by itself; its own insig-
nificance, lead us to the conclusion that it is a branch
that can never give the slightest remuneration to the
shareholders ; and that consequently there is little ex-
pectation that the expense of equipping it with buildings,
stations, locomotives, carriages, and other material
for working it will ever be incurred. The Paris and
Rouen line has since its opening proved to be a b. ne-
ficial cjncern for its shareholders ; and the Rouen and
Havre presenting as great, if not greater advantages,
although not quite so prosperous from various circum-
stances, has always kept a few figures below its pre-
decessor. The low figure of the latter line may be
attributed chiefly to the reports that have appeared,
from time to time, respecting the defective construction
of the works. Whether these reports have been well
founded or not, they have had the effect of lowering the
market. It would be unjust towards the public, and
the great mass of persons who are in the habit of in-
vesting their money in railways, if we were to with-
hold from them our opinions on this very important
branch of railway management. And, as the subject
has first arisen while we were treating of the Havre
line, we deem it apropos that our remarks should fol-
low immediately the notice of the evil.

To projectors of railways are confided, not only the
preparatory survey, but, when the concessisn has been
obtained, the duty of selecting fit and proper persons as
contractors for the execution of the works. Ilow
important a duty this is in every respect, whether as
regards the shareholders only, or whether as regards
the safety and comfort of the public, from whose
patronage they first are to derive their dividends, may
be inferred from the following observations :—On the
solidity and durability of the works constructed on a
line of railway depends chiefly the patronage which
that particular line shall receive from the public. If
the constructions are defective the traffic will be de-
creased in proportion to the alarm thereby created in
the public mind, and a corresponding loss of revenue
will be the consequence. If the constructions are de-
fective they will be continually demanding fresh
public highway,
expens2s, to repair those defections, and hence will
when
arise another a loss of revenue. We need not add, that
such
become, gets into disreputedefective from its defective con-
cnhagearas railways
thhaeveeonnsoew-
quences of its loss of character
are daily depicted in the
share list, that it is next to impossible to reinfuse confi-
dence into the public mind. Hence it is expedient, that
whenever rumours prejudicial to any particular line have
currency among the public, the Directors should imme-
diately institute an inquiry as to the truth of those ru-
mours, and if unfounded, give them a circumstantial
contradiction ; if well founded, set about to rectify that
which has produced them; and more still, to give every
poss • ible publicity to the contradiction or to the rectifi-
cation, as the case may be. As we have before said,
the public are the patrons of railways, and their pa-
tronage to the
and means of safety they derive in return;
will always be extended in proportion
tchmrefortre it is that, for the sake of the shareholders, the
public should have every means of judging of the condi-
tion of any particular line, and how far its construction
and management are calculated to meet those public
wants which the railway system has created, and must
therefore supply. We have not yet alluded to the
danger to which the lives of passengers are subjected
when travelling on a railway whose construction and
management are confided to parties who have nothing
more than the immediate pecuniary profit in their
eye. The recent melancholy and fatal cases of this
nature which have happened in England justify us in
calling upon all who have the control of railways to
commence at once an organisation that shall effectually
prevent such occurrenees in future. Prevention is
better than cure.
The railway system is destined to become a power-
ful instrument of social revolution ; it was created to
be the servant of mAnkind at large, and not, as seems
to be entertained by many, to whom, by the chapter of
accidents, its management has fallen, for the gratifica-
tion of a select few ; at-id therefore it is that we depre-
cate the conduct of tho 9 who, either by supineness El'