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

a glance at the map of Belgium will readily convince one
that unless such a line be executed soon, the traffic from
France to Brussels must merely skirt the frontiers
of Belgium instead of crossing an important portion
of the kingdom. Next month we intend to give a
detailed account of its prospects, drawn from offi-
cial documents, which we have carefully compared
with the receipts of existing lines coaling under our own
observations. In the mean time we pass on to notice a
concession that has recently been made by the 13,1gian
Government to an English Company for the execution
of a line of railway from Liege to Namur. It is to
commence at Liege with two branches, which unite be-
tween Oturree and Flemalle, thence forming but one
branch to Namur. There will be a station at Seraing,
Jemappes, and at Huy, independent of those at the ter-
mini at Liege and Namur. To the same Company is
conceded also a line from the collieries of the centre
to Meinage and to Mons. Among the names of those
who form this society, we have noticed that of Andrew
Spottiswoode, Esq., of the Union Bank in London, as
giving great weight and stability to the_character of the
concern.
The concession of this line is, as the French would
say, un fait acccnpli, yet we are desirous of drawing
attention to some of the peculiarities that have marked
the conduct of the Belgian government in granting the
concession. The first peculiarity that forcibly strikes
us is that which we find embodied in the following

passage
"The iron necessary for the road shall be had from
the foundries of the country (Belgium), provided always
that it cart be delivered at a price which shall not go
beyond 10 per cent. over that which may be had from
abroad and delivered at Antwerp. The locomotives,
carriages and waggons, shall be made in the country
(Belgium), but in consequence of the improvements
which may be imported from foreigners, in the fabrica-
tion of locomotives, the concessionnaires are empowered
to purchase such as may be necessary to serve them as
models."
This passage, whilst it furni hes proof of the paternal
care bestowed by the Belgian Government upon the
welfare of its subjects, is a remarkable proof that the
true principles of political economy, which have success.
fully made their way in this country, have not yet come
to be appreciated by our Belgian neighbours. Let us
hope that railways, which bring civilisation and enlight-
ened viewe in their train, may repidly impart to them a
right way of thinking on these subjects, not only in re-
gard to the construction of railways, but every other
branch of commercial enterprise.
In another place the Belgian Government have imposed
the following conditions upon the concessionnaires:
The concessionnaires of the Liege and Namur Rail-
-, s"---s, "—, nuy ohstuute to Lite
establishment of branches ; nor can the establishment of
such embranchments give rise to any claim for iniem-
fifty on their part
ment shall devise or authorise the construction of canals,
roads, or railroads, which shall cross the conceded rail-
road, or any of its branches, the concessionnaires cannot
put any obstacle thereto, nor reclaim, on that account,
any other indemnity than the reimbursement of the
eventual augmentation of the expenses of support. . .
. . If in the course of the first ten years of this con-
cession (we should have stated that the concession is for
90 years) there shall be constructed in France, in the
valley of the Meuse, a railway from the frontier to
Vireux, or any other part of that valley, the conces-
sionaires will be bound to prolong the Liege and Namur
Railway by Dinant to the frontier. Tho delay accorded
for this purpose will be three years, dating from the act
of the French Goverement which shall ensure the execu-
tion of the railway on its own territory. The clauses
and conditions of the present caheirs des charges will be
in every respect applicable to the section from Namur
to the frontier."
We have quoted these passages to bear us out in the
inference we draw that the Belgian Government has no
intention of slackening its progress in railway works,
but that on the contrary, it contemplates a magnificent
extension, which holds out every prospect of future ad-
vantage to the community.
Asa proof of the stringent manner in which the Bel-
gians make their conventions with English companies,
and by way of information to any of our countrymen
who may contemplate future engagements, we subjoin
also the following passages, which we presume are or
will be applicable to every concession hereafter granted
in that country.
" 16. The concessionaires will conform as much as
possible, in their propositions and projects, prepared by
virtue of the preceding article, to the measures adopted
for the construction of the national railway.
" 17. The Minister of Public Works may add to the
propositions and projects in question such modifications
as he may judge necessary or useful, for ensuring the
entire execution of the provisions of articles 1 to 10, of
the present cahiers des charges. The concessionnaires
will be held to conform themselves entirely to such
modifications in the course of the execution of the works,
nor can they evade the observance of any of the projects
approved of by the Minister of Public Works, without
his previous and formal authorisation.
" 18. The concessionaires will undertake, at their
own expense, risk, and peril, and without any charge on
the State Treasury, to execute all the works of whatever
description, whether foreseen or unforeseen, without
any exception or distinction, as well as to provide all
furniture for the preservation and renewing of the ma-
terial acknowledged to be necessary for the establish-
ment of the railway from Liege to Namur, for its work-
ing and for its subsequent maintenance. This clause
must be considered as the basis of the contract; the
parties understanding that in all possible cases it will
receive the broadest applications, particularly in every-
tdhiastpoesointic,emrsnsintheviign mr:tbisefeds
uwen Icon
tmh e authorsay,
y virtueoof the
projects anterior to the railway from Liege to Namur.
" 19. The putting the concessionnaires into possession
of all the properties (whether of buildinAs or not of
buildings) necessary for the execution of the works, the
occupation of all lands for the extraction of the carriage,
and the deposit of materials, will take place in the same
manner as in case of works decreed as of public utility,
in the name of the State, but at the diligence and the
expense, exclusively, of the concessionnaires.
" 20. The concessionnaires will remain solely and ex-
clusively charged with all indemnities, and all expenses
which may occur, to the profit of whomsoever it may
happen, for the construction, the maintenance, the work-
ing, the support, and repairs of the railway and its
dependencies.
" 21. The concessionnaires cannot take advantage of
any appropriation, nor commence any works, before
having justified, to the satisfaction of the Department
of Public Works, the realisation of a first deposit in
Belgium of three millions of francs, including the cau-
tion-money required by the following article.
" 22. The caution-money of one million of francs, fur-
nished by the concessionnaires, will remain as a security
for the fulfilment of their engagements. That sum will
remain deposited in the hands of Government without
any interest; and will restore to the concessionnaires,
by fifths, according as they shall have executed works,
or acquired properties valued at double the sum of that
of which they reclaim the reimbursement.

" 23. If, within the delay of one year, after the pro-
mulgation of the law of concession, the concessionnaires
have not justified the realisation of the deposit of three'
millions of francs required by the article 21, or, 'f within
that delay they have not commenced their works, they
will be, by law, deprived of their concession, unless they
have been withheld from the want of being put into pos-
session in any shape whatever.
" 24. The concessionnaires will be deprived of all their
rights, if the w(l.ks are not completely achieved within
the delay fixed by the 13tli article, and according to the
provisions of that article, and also in case the works
shall not be half completed at the expiration of sixteen
months.

" 27. If during the execution of the works it be ac-
knowledged that they are not executed conformably to
the rules of art, and to the clauses and conditions of the
present cahiers des charges, the administration may
cause them to be demolished and reconstructed, in
whole or in part, at the expense of the concessionnaires."
We promised to notice a project for communicating
with Germany from London, otherwise than through
France.

A project has been spoken of by which a ship canal will
be cut from Antwerp to the North Sea, for the purpose
of conveying heavy merchandise, which now has to go
by the navigation of the Scheldt, incurring a loss of
time in the transit of goods of one week, which can be
performed in six hours by the projected canal. Along
the banks of this canal a railroad is to be con-
structed, which will convey passengers the same dis-
tance in two hours. The making of this canal will faci-
litate the transit of merchandise into Germany ; and so
far will be no insignificant competitor with the Havre
trunk line, and the line from Paris to Strasbourg, inas-
much as many of the vessels that now discharge their
cargoes at Havre would then proceed on to Antwerp.
The West Flanders project is another means by which
the travelling public will have access to Germany. On
this project Mr. George Stephenson has given a report,
the result of his personal survey on the spot, from which
we gather that the line is to pass from Calais, by Grave-
lines, to Dunkirk, Furnes, Dixmude, Lichtervelde, Thielt,
Deynze, Courtrai, Menia, Wervicq, Ypres, and Pope-
ringhe. From Furnes to Dixmude the country is not
only favourable for cutting the line with little expense,
but it is also of such a character as to furnish a great deal
of traffic in cattle fed on the spot, destined for distant
markets. From Dixmude to Lichtervelde the line bears
the same favourable character ; but from the latter place
to Thielt there are undulations, not however of a serious
nature, the material being of an easy character to work,
but the slopes will be required to be flat, as the material
holds water, and is liable to slip. From Thielt to Deynze
the line is again highly favourable. At Deynze it joins
the State Line, about ten miles from Ghent, whichcon-
nexion will be easily made, and form a complete com-
munication between the rich agricultural districts of
Fernes, Dixmude, Roulers, Thourout, and the whole of
the centre of West Flanders, with Ghent, Antwerp, and
Brussels. _ _

The total length of this line is about 37 miles, and the
population of the towns through which it passes (ex-
clusive of small villages, which are considerable) stand
thus :

Furnes 4,757
Dixmude 3,614
Lichtervelde
12,712
Deynze
The extension of this ling to Dunkirk and Calais will
be of great benefit, the grout;d being extremely favour-
able for a railway, and it' made will form a direct com-
munication from the abovementioned ports to Brussels.
From Courtrai to Menin, as: also from Menin to W"er-
vicq, the country presents great facility for the continu-
ance of the railway. Proceeding from the latter place
to Ypres, the route pursued will require some consider-
able cuttings to obtain favourable gradients ; the mate-
rial is of the same description as beforementioned, while
on the contrary, from Ypres to Poperinghe the line is
carried over a very favourable district, pissing through
the centre of a very rich hop and flax district, of which
Courtrai is the market, A deviation from the line laid