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

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
NORTH KENT (VIGNOLES') LINE.
A very numerous meeting, convened by the Mayor, was
held on Monday at Canterbury, for the purpose of taking into
consideration the projected line of railway proposed by the
Directors of the Vignoles' North Kent Railway Company-.
At half-past one Mr. J. BRaaT (the Mayor) was called to
the chair. His Worship having read the requisition, stated
that he had in pursuance of that requisition, which was very
respectably signed, called the meeting together ; but he re-
gretted its having been called for the purpose of taking into
con ideration the merits of any particular line, instead of the
con: ideration of any line which might be brought forward,
regarding only the interests of the city of Canterbury and
the general interests of the country. The great. objects
which they had to consider were the celerity and cheapness
of railway communication between the cities of Canterbury
and London, and they ought to support the line which
offered in the greatest perfection these advantages.—(Hear,
hear.) He hoped the meeting would not decide too hastily
as to the particular line which they should give their sup-
port to, for it was a very important subject of consideration.
There was sufficient time for considering the various lines
that might be projected between this period and the as-
rembling of Parliament, and he hoped that they would avail
themselves of that time for selecting the best line of commu-
nication.— (Hear, hear.) For his part, he was actuated only
by one object—namely, the establishment of the most eligible
and advantageous line, as regarded the interests of the city of
Can terbury.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. MArrnEws proposed the first resolution, which was
to the effect that it was the opinion of the meeting that a
direct line of railroad along the old post line of communica-
tion with London from IDover, through Canterbury, was
greatly required by the wealthy and thickly-peopled districts
of North Kent, which would thus be brought into direct
connexion with the metropolis. He said it was unnecessary
for him to dwell at any length upon the very great advan-
tages which must necessarily result to the city of Canter-
bury from the establishment of a direct line from London
to Dover, through Canterbury—the line was called Vig-
noles' North Kent line.--(Cheers.) They were aware that
the prosperity of the city of Canterbury depended in a great
degree on the establishment of a line of railway communica-
tion direct between Canterbury and the metropolis.—(Hear.)
The South-Eastern Railway Company had given an inti-
mation of their intention to propose a line as a substitute for
that line ; but be did not see anything; either in their finan-
cial,operations, or in the amount of accommodation which
they afforded to the public, which could induce him to forego
the advantages which would result from having the com-
munication direct between the city of Canterbury and the
metropolis, and in the hands of an independent line, the
Directors of which would have the interests of North Kent
close at heart. Mr. Matthews concluded by proposing the
resolution, which was seconded by Mr. Thomas Cooper, and
carried unanimously.
The neat resolution was proposed by Mr. W. J. COOPER. it
set forth that, in the opinion of the meeting, the line pro-
jected by Mr. Vignoles, termed the North Kent Railway,
appeared to be best adapted to meet the wants and promote
the interests of the county generally, and of that district
(the neighbourhood of Canterbury) in particular. He was
satisfied that every inhabitant of Canterbury who heard him
approved of that resolution.—(Cheers.) There was, in fact,
so little ground for doubt or question as regarded the advan-
tages to be derived from a direct line to London from Dover
through Canterbury, that the only subject of consideration
was which line they ought to adopt.—(Hear, hear.) Looking
retrospectively at the proceedings of the South-Eastern Rail-
way Company, he should say that he did not consider it ad-
vantageous to the city of Canterbury. It could not be denied
that the effect of a line which did not give an independent
terminus to Canterbury, and establish a direct communi-
cation between that city and London, must be injurious to
the city of Canterbury, no matter however liberal spirit
in which such a railway might be carried out. It was the
duty of the citizens of Canterbury to see that it was made a
main trunk station, for nothing short of that could be suffi-
cient to supply the just claims of the city of Canterbury for
railway accommodation.—(Cheers.) Ile (Mr. Cooper) had
for the last thirteen years enjoyed the opportunity of witness-
ing the condition of the passenger traffic through their city,
that great thoroughfare of traffic to the Continent. He re-
membered a time when the constant passage of carriages-and-
four and stage-coaches was a great source of wealth and
profit to the inhabitants of that city; but that was now alto-
gether changed, so that it was a novelty to see carriages-
and-four pass through on their route to the Continent ; and
it was not until within a recent period that they saw any
examples of such intercourse revived, in consequence of
the misgivings of sonic timid persons who were thus in-
itduced in Canterbury
in-
duced to adopt the old coach road and travel in their ear-
plalfil te affiiiit of
ttrh:elrcac hihAlt;:tald:b.ehiench formerly she drb i)oir
db
rt ntrhi
nde:ra). ffuwera.cyt s
enjoyed.—
(lear, hear.) They had seen shops shut up, and a tenant
not to be found for them, in thole positions which were the
best ca'culated for business of any in the city; and he was
sure they must all feel convirepd that it Was their duty to
make the most strenuous exertions to remote the city of
Canterbury to that prosperity itiib formerly enjoyed; and
to which btr 1108itioti entitled her.—(Cheers.) They ought to
make the most strenuous and energetic exertions to secure

for their city her proper share of traffic, founded on a libe-
ral and enlightened basis. They ought to exert themselves

to procure for Canterbury a direct Communication with the

metropolis, which was the only communication by railroad
that was capable of conferring real and substantial benefit
upon them. Ile was nut there th oppose the SOuth-FAstern
Itallway=-he had t 6 d 5 with that line; but he
could not agree to their proposition to make another line
to Dover, in contradistinction to the North Kent line,
which had been projected by Mr. Vignoles, and which
had received the universal support and assent of the
citizens of Canterbury.—(Hear, hear.) The line to which
_be. alluded ag ; ds b Ptlipliski by the rlouth-Yusteiil
Company, would go (if carried) through thinly-
peopled parts of the county of Kent, whilst it would leave
untouched those which were of far more importance from
their greater wealth and population ; and that he looked
noon to be in itself a Very SOtiolla objection to it—(llear,
hear)—whilst it was in opposition to a railway that would
not only go through the most populous Iliad preSperNs dis-
tricts in the county.. It hitt' lienlifglid As ah Objection
agAllist tile fieopte of Canterbury, that they on a former
occasion opposed a line through their town ; but the truth
was, that they had been always opposed to the principle of
inflicting upon Canterbury
i the evils which would result to
cation With the metropolis:-4 etti; liefif;)
her from any other but an ndacident and speedy communi-
tti ateWelk' Urried out, y the establishment of the
North Kent Railroad, which would, perhaps, have the effect
of increasing the prosperity of their city, and of bringing back
bury tO,Ltindohwfts
a. traffic such as they had once before enjoyed.—( Hear, hear.)
He felt that the establishment of a direct line from Canter-
fit ttttttCd &Au
heir
Dt4)§orilY.Au(Clittfi.) He hiked NOrth lient
Railway, as projected by Mr. Vignoles, to be the line which
Fltd slily tree ,lobos Of inereaslqg
was best calculated to develop their resources and increase
their prosperity; and therefore had great pleasure in propos-
ing the resolution.—(Cheers.)
It was seconded by Mr, W, H, TRIMNELI who expressed '
himself clissaiisfiee with the &wilt State of the failfoad
-etween Callterl3hFY And lilinCitei It the
South- Eastern Railway, and stated that it required to travel
fourteen nules by coach from Canterbury to Ashford, to join
the trains going to London or:Dover. That city, which had
assembled its inhabitants upon that occasion, was one of the
oldest in the empire, and he thought it not only ought to
have a terminus on an independent line, but ought to tie the
nucleus from which all the other rallWa.ys in the, neighbour •
hood 9hdttid radititt.—(lltaf; htar.) Mid the beSt wily lb
ensure that was to proceed energetically with the North
Kent line.—(Cheers.) By having such radiating lines
though all the important towns and villages in the neigh-
bourhood; they would be enabled fully to develop all the
resources of the wealthy end fertile district of North Kent.
Illtirlrt, junior, wished to say a feW wends before the fe-
solution was put from the chair,—(Hear, hear.) lie thought
the requisition calling the meeting restricted them too
closely to Mr. Vignoles' line instead of allowing them, as
ritoromu,agrdht,byto
deeinleertenflopnriojtlttoh:se
tthi naets
which
might deem
be brought
best calcillattill advankit ithisinterEstg tit Canterblif; and
secure for them cheap and rapid transit.—(bear, bear.) He
thought they ought not to be prevented on that occasion from
ciih theyh t
considering which of the proposed lines would secure to them
,the most speedy and the most rapid communication with the
metropolis, for he thought these were the two most impot tint
elements in railway communieation.—(llear, hear.) They
had heard of the South -Eastern Coinpany's intention to pro-
pose a competing line with the North bent, and he felt it
proper to state to the Meeting that these WO Still in 61:intettii•
platten another that had great advantages, he meant the
atmospherie It was a line which, in his opinion,
offered mere advantages than the North Kent,. as
being more speedy and eheapef in its iuudu of Werhltitt
than any other, being at the same tite4 re-
markably sate. These were the adiatitaZt Ivhich the
liremotera of the Great Nbrth Rent At tisplierig line
awed to t 6 oth It wOuld; he WitA sure, be admitted at
ate that they were very greet advantages : indeed, when
they were told that a velocity or eighty iiiiles An howr toold
be attained without risk; of any liteiliiVenielita being felt
by the pAsseligel's ther would at once perceive the, &CMOS
for speedy with Ahe thetrePOlie Whidi
Mich it poi* altorded; ithd ivtiett t iiiXll ii i3rcljt
Were ttleill, ht thought the Meeting ought at least to
pause before they decided at once on adopting another line
which did not possess m. advantages. There was auffi-
dent tme cOnaldar the rel4lve tinirite bf the diffefeiii
tOillpeting litiek and; the tiftiiifistanceti, ang
sideline the vast iliitotietneets iiibtive,Ppiorei *ere
making e:..ieq• 4.e ittokht (MO AftirE
thej; deterifiihed Oil die particular the iii
preference to all others. The Great North Kent Atmospheric
line had another advantage which he ought to have mentioned,
namely, a power of overcoming
.gradiens which could not
be surmounted by Other lotOttihtiVeg, anti the eifett of thit
was to eaVe a great deal of eill'ense to the piopiretora • iii , thk
plitehase of laud, as they yrerq f Oiti this catise dlteh gleta*l
to avoid the nectaiiity Of gOlng s 618-
Meallea or such pieces of. land, the puithase of which Was
very expensive. It would at once be seen that a line upon
the atmospheric principle mild 44 werkell Witt leas capital
from this cause, as it could be laid downfrOin Canterbury.th
London at considerably lei expense thati any tither de;
scription of line) whilst its , Stale of farts tot iiilaSBntierh
would be very low, thus otretifig tine greater inducement to
travellers to pass frequently on the line, whilst its economic
working would allow a fair profit to the proprietors from
these reduced chargos.
Sir LIoNEL GoLossttn, as a' landed ltoprieta iii
Kent, and chairman of the prejtettd North Kent RitilWay;
felt called upon to address a few observatithis to the tiled=
ing, deeply interested as he Wet in the watts tf the prO=
posed direct line between DO'Ver, Canterbury; and th
tropolis. Such a communication had long occupied hit
thoughts, not as a chairman of a railway
&oniony; brit freiti
a desire to obtain for his tenants In Kent an opportunity of
more favourably disposing of their produce than they now
enjoy.—(Cheers.) They had been recommended by a gentle.
man opposite to wait for new projects, but they had waited so
many years in vain for a direct railway communication with
the metropolis, that he would advise them to exert them-
selves, and wait patiently no longer.—(Laughter and cheers.)
This project was well matured, and it would have been
brought out in 1841 but from an accidental circumstance,
and he thought the time had now come when North Kent
ought not to be any longer deprived of the advantages of
such a communication with the metropolis.—(Hear, hear.)
Under such circumstances, he did not see how they were
called on to wait for any longer period, and he thought
that such a delay would be peculiarly inopportune at the
present moment, when the public mind was so much occu-
pied with the subject of increased facilities.--(Hear, her.
The promoters of the North Kent Railway had the interest
of that district and of the city of Canterbury at heart; and
he was of opinion that any line which was brought forward
by parties avowedly for their own views, ought not to be pre-
ferred to it.—(Cheers.) It was, in fact, the projected line of
the North Kent Railway which called the competing lines
into existence, and he hoped that such au opposition would