The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-11 00:00:00

surrounding district ; the route to which, from London and the
north, is through Taunton.
A well remunerating passenger traffic may hince be expected.
The country also contains between SO and 100 mills and fac-
tories, many of which are worked by steam in aid of vrater.power,
and many more of the proprietors will avail themselves of steam-
power when coals shall be procurable at a reduced rate by this
railway. The millers are most desirous of having the markets of
South Wales opened to them. Several influential coal proprietors
of South Wales are members of the Provisional Committee.
The country also possesses several extensive lime quarries, for
manure; the lime is burnt with culm brought from Wales ;
the conveyance both of the culm and lime is at present attended
with much expense to the agriculturist. The line will also be of
high importance to this agricultural district by opening to it the
markets of Taunton, Tiverton, South :Holton, Barnstaple, in the
north of Devon, Exeter, and London. The towns of Taunton,
llminster, Chard, Crewkerne, Beaminster, Broadwindsor, Brid.
port, Axminster, Charmouth, and Lyme Regis, will be connected
by the line, and derive from it supplies of coals, culm, timber, dry
goods, and other articles of import. The line will afford to these
towns and their r °putties neighbourhoods, increased facilities of
communication with other lines of railroad.
The usual prevalence of westerly winds during the winter months
is so great as to render the passage round the Land's-end very un.
certain. The facilities offered by the prcposcd railway will obviate
such uncertainty, save many hundred miles of dangerous sea pas-
sage, and more than compensate for the charges attending re-ship-
ment at Bridport from Watchet, particularly in the article of
Welsh coals, new in great demand in and about London for steam.
engines, steam-boats, and other purposes.
The harbour of BridPort admits vessels at spring.tides of 350
tons burthen; it receives large supplies of coals, culm, &a, hemp,
Baltic and American timber, iron, slate, tallow, staves, and nu.
merous other articles ; which, in the aggregate, last year, amounted
to nearly 40,000 tons, a large portion of which consisted of flax
and hemp, for the ndmerous manufactories of yarns, sailcloth,
sacks, nets, lines, twines, and linen goods, which when wrought
would pass along the line to the two ports, for shipment, or to
other railways.
The harbour of Watchet, at spring-tides, admits vessels of 200
y, Swansea, Neath, Cardiff, New-
nannacoals, culm, corn, flour, and other
il
tons burthen, and carries on a n extensive and important daily tads
port,wi
provisions,t h the
and p2Bocraet
cattle,
tt
lhoe
Merthyr
rsThTee ney,
sheep,
salt,
t timber, slates, iron, and other articles
of merchandise ; employing twelve vessels belonging to the harbour
regularly and exclusively; one trading with Liverpool. It has
also a considetable corn, mllt, flour, and goods trade with Bristol,
and employs therein several vessels regularly
Both the harbours are capable of being much improved, and
belong to proprietors able and willing to improve them to meet the
increased wants of the community.
The port of Watchet, as it is, has the largest and most important
trade on the English side of the Bristol Channel. This Railway
will increase that trade fourfold, and therewith Its own prosperity.
The shore contiguous to Watchet exclusively abounds with lime
of the most celebrated description, both for water=works and ex.
terror building, being the same as the universally known and cele-
brated Aberthaw lime, which also is on the directly opposite coast 6
and at and around Watchet are extensive corn and flour mills,
paper mills, and clothing mills.
The foregoing facts show that the line must have a very exten-
sive goods traffic.
It is not intended to put forward Watchct as a packet station
either for Ireland or South Wales; nor does this manure require
such aid. No portion of the coast of the Bristol Channel, east of
Ilfracombe, can have the slightest pretension to be, or be
made, a packet station. Ia the first place, it is obvious that
the railway in actual progress from the Government Dock-yard
at Pembroke (or Hobbe's Point, 100 miles further down the Bris-
tol Channel) will take all the packet trade from the south of Ireland :
Liverpool takes Dublin ;whilst Ilfracome ( 50 miles west ofWatchet),
and Swansea (directly opposite to Ilfracombe), maintain a regular
steam-packet passenger and goods traffic; and in the second place,
all the harbours on the English side east of Ilfracombe are dry, and
for a great length, at low water, the shores being very flat, and to
construct a harbour on them, to admit large class steamers and to
land passengers at all times of the tide, would, if not impracticable,
cost an enormous sum. To hold out expectations that either of
them might be such packet station, would for the above reasons be
delusive.
The extended North Devon line of railways will serve the port
of Ilfracombe and its packets.
A survey has been made by the engineers, who have reported
that the line is easy of construction, and will not interfere with any
park.
It affords great satisfaction to the promoters to be enabled to
announce that the directors of the Bristol and. Exeter Railway
Company have promised to give this measure their favourable con.
sideration, and the promoters entertain a sanguine expectation that
it will receive their support.
The neighbouring landowners and gentry are favourable to the
measure, and all the merchants and traders both at Watchet and
Brldport, as well as the principal coal proprietors in South Wales,
and all persons throughout the line, entertain a high opinion of its
merits, and earnestly desire it.
Many extensive landowners on the line, whose names do not
appear on the Provisional Committee, have yet expressed them-
selves as friends to the measure.
The Act will be applied for next session, and the liabilities will
be limited to the amount of subscriptions, and interest at four
per cent. will be paid on all calls from the time of payment until
the opening of the line.
An early allotment of the shares will be made, and the usual
Subscribers' Agreement and Parliamentary Contract must be exe-
cuted by the Shareholders when called upon.
Applications for shares to be made, in the form annexed, to
Messrs. Keddell, Baker, and Grant, 34, Lime-street; to either of
the solicitors in the country; or to John Mocatta, Esq., Copthall.
chambers ; Messrs. George Burnand and Co., Cornhill ; Messrs.
Wreford, Nicholls, and Co., Bristol ; or John Bannehr, Esq.,
Exeter.

Taunton, Sept. 29, 1845. ---
FORM OF APPLICATION.
Bristol and English Channels Direct Junction Railway.
I request you will allot to me shares in this under-
taking, and 1 agree to take the same or such of them as may be
allotted to me upon the terms stated in the prospectus, and to pay
the deposit thereon, and sign the Parliamentary Contract and
Subscribers' Agreement when required.
Dated this day of

. 1845.

Name
Residence

Profession or Occupation 4..
Reference {Name
Address
To the Cnmmittee of Management of the Bristol and English
Channels Direct Junction Railway Company.