The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-03 00:00:00

In comparing the three schemes for giving direct
communication between London and Portsmouth, it is
necessary to observe that all of them are of an expensive
character. Stephenson's line gives direct accommoda-
tion to Horsham and to Arundel from London, but fails
to serve a wide extent of country which lies between its
proposed course and the South-Western Railway. Be-
sides, its branch to Shoreham would render it a directly
competing line with the Brighton Railway. And here
it is right to call the attention of the Committee on the
Bill to circumstances connected with the first formation
of the London and Brighton Railway. Three distinct
projects were in the field in the year 1837 to accomplish
this object. In order to enable Parliament to form a
correct judgment between them, a Government engineer
was directed to report on the competing schemes ; and
in consequence of the report so directed to be made,
Parliament sanctioned the line which is now in opera-
tion, to the exclusion of Mr. Stephenson's proposed line.
Since that time the question has been raised whether,
notwithstanding the report of the Government engineer,
the best line, under all the circumstances, was selected ;
but this is immaterial, as the prominent facts to be re-
garded are, the efficiency of the present railway, and to
what amount of protection its proprietors are fairly en-
titled. No fault can be found with the directness of the
line or the speed at which the trains are run ; and it is
generally acknowledged that considerable accommoda-
tion is afforded by the Company. No objection can
exist, therefore, on the ground of inefficiency. With
respect to protection, the Company have reasonable
claims, as they carried into effect the views of Parlia-
ment at an immense outlay of capital, believing them-
selves safe, at any rate, from any competition with a
line which had been pronounced by the Legislature to
be worse than the one which they were obliged to adopt.
If the established Company refused to extend accom-
modation
they would have no ground for complaint; but
such is not the case. They are in alliance with the
Brighton and Chichester, now proposing to extend to
Portsmouth ; and they desire to make a branch to
Horsham, to give railway communication with the me-
tropolis in a more convenient manner than is proposed
to be given by Mr. Stephenson's line, which only comes
within about a mile of that town.
Considering all the circumstances of the London and
Brighton Company, it might appear hard on them if
the proposed line of railway were permitted to come
close to theirs, unless some great public advantage were
to be derived therefrom ; but in this instance no great
public advantage is perceptible.
With regard to the Direct London and Portsmouth,
and the Guildford, Chichester, and Portsmouth lines,
the earthworks and tunnelling are far beyond an average
with regard to extent and cost upon each. The differ-
ence between the two lines with respect to gradients is
considerable. On the direct Porstmouth the gradients
are very severe; the whole line is divided into 65 planes,
of which 10 are at 1 in 80, one of these being two and a
half miles, and the three others about two miles in length
—the whole amounting in the aggregate to fourteen miles
twenty-five chains: 19 planes, extending over sixteen
miles, are at 1 in 100, and the greater portion of the
remainder of the line is subject to a steeper gradient
than 1 in 200.
The South-Western scheme shows nothing steeper
than 1 in 100; at this gradient are 4 planes extending
over four miles seventy chains; from 1 in 100 to 1 in 110
are 6 planes extending over seven miles thirty chains,
and 4 planes extending over two miles fifty chains, from
1 in 110 to lin 200. The remainder is either level or
flatter than 1 in 200. These gradients are severe, but
not nearly so objectionable as the_ gradients on the
Direct Portsmouth line.
But the latter is proposed to be worked atmospheri-
cally, while on the former locomotive engines are to be
used, and the advocates of the atmospheric system con-
tend that bad gradients are more easily overcome by
their method than by the other method. This brings
before us the whole atmospheric question. It is there-
fore necessary to repeat what we stated in our report on
the Newcastle and Berwick Railways.
" The experiment at Dalkey may be considered, to a
great extent, conclusive as regards the success of the
atmospheric system, considered merely as a mechanical
problem. It is demonstrated that trains may be pro-
pelled by means of it at high velocities, with safety and
convenience to the public; and there appears not sufficient
reason for doubting that, as far as mere mechanical ar-
rangements are concerned, the same result may be at-
tained when the separate consecutive portions of line
over which the trains have to pass are multiplied inde-
finitely. This, however, is a point which will soon be
brought to the test of experience by the experiment
about to be tried on the Croydon and Epsom line.
" It is impossible, therefore, not to feel the highest
interest in the progress of an experiment whose success
hitherto has been sufficient to induce eminent authorities
to entertain strong hopes that the result may be an
acceleration of speed in travelling, combined with the
general introduction of a system of very frequent trains
and low fares.
" The question, however, assumes a different aspect
when we are called upon, in forming a judgment upon
competing schemes, to assume the complete success of
the atmospheric system, not merely as a mechanical
theory, or as applicable under peculiar circumstances,
but in a practical and commercial point of view, as ap-
plicable to railways generally.
" While we wish to guard ourselves against being
supposed to express any opinion whether the atmospheric
system may or may not be found ultimately to be so ap-
plicable, it becomes necessary for us to state a few
obvious reasons why we should not be justified at present
in allowing the assumption of such success to enter as an
element in the comparison of such lines as are now under
consideration.
"Assuming for the moment all mechanical difficulties
to he overcome, the question still remains by which the
practical success of any system Of propulsion must be
tested, viz., that of expense. Under this head the im-
portant question is not yet fully solved, whether a double
line may not be equally required with the atmospheric