The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-23 00:00:00

ARMAGH. COLERAINE, AND
PORTRUSH RAILWAY.
A numerous and influential meeting of the supporters
of this Company took place on Friday at the Thatched
House Tavern, St. James's-street, for the purpose of
taking into consideration the most effectual means for
obtaining a snspension of the standing orders in favour
of the Company, and obtaining the Bill in the present
session of Parliament. Among the noblemen and gen-
tlemen connected with the North of Ireland present, we
observed the Rod of Gosford, the Earl of Charlemont,
Lord Rossmore, Lord Northland, M.P., Lord Acheson,
M.P., Lord Claude Hamilton, M.P., Colonel Rowdon,
M.P., Captain Jones, eoP., Captain Bateson, M.P.,
Edmond M'Donna, Esq., John Irving, Esq., M.P., John
Boyd, Esq., M.P., Edmund Macdonnell, Esq., &c.
The following names were subsequently subscribed to
the petition before the meeting separated :—Gosford,
Charlemont, Antrim, Rossmore, Vane Londonderry,
Ranfurley, Acheson, M. P., Northland, M.P., Claude
Hamilton, M.P., T. Jones, M.P., Dawson Rawdon, M.P.,
Thomas Beeson, M.P., William Verner, M.P., John
Boyd, M.P., E hound Macdonnell, James Ronde, Richard
He tviside, C. W. Spicer. Griffin Curtis Galt, James
Vickers, Clement Tabor, Edward Nicolls, John Malleson,
Swy fen Jervis.
Or the motion of the Earl of Charlemont, seconded by
Lord Rossmore, the Earl of Gosford was unanimously
called to the chair.
The Noble CHAIRMAN in opening the proceedings
said that it was unnecessary to enter into any length-
ened statement as to the object for which they were then
assembled. It was most desirable for the interest of the
North of Ireland that the standing orders should be
suspended, so that the Bill for the Armagh, Coleraine,
and Portrush Railway Company might be passed in the
present session.—(Hear, hear.) He had every reason to
bel'eve that the noblemen and gentlemen from the North
of Ireland would use their utmost exertions to carry out
that object, and he for one would co-operate with them
to the utmoct of his power.—(Hear, bear.) The great
object of the standing orders was to protect the interests
of the landholders and others along the line ; but when
those parties immediately interested prayed the House
for their suspension, he was satisfied that no mere for-
mality wonld prevent the legislature extending to Ireland
the benefits to be derived from a great influx of British
capital. It was highly desirable, also, that the great
trunk from South to North should be completed as soon
as possible, and as the Newry and Enniskillen was pass-
ing throtigh Parliament without opposition, that object
would be effected by the construction of the present
line.—(llear, hear.)
Capt. HEA.VISIDE said he would, before the solicitor
of the company read the petition which it was proposed
to present to Parliament, praying fora suspension of the
standing orders, take the liberty of thanking the noble-
men and gentlemen present for their attendance to sup-
port the projected Armagh, Coleraine, and Portrush
Railway. A series of public meetings had been held
along the proposed lines at the principal towns, and the
strongest resolutions carried in their favour for the
suspension of the standing orders.—(Hear.) As Mr.
Ogle would state some facts respecting the advantages
which must result to the sister kingdom from the exe-
cution of the project, he would say no more than that he
was perfectly convinced the proposed line was one de-
serving the hearty support of the meeting.
Mr.OGLE said gentlemen were aware that the pro-
posed railway commenced at Armagh, and proceeding
through a very rich and populous country to the ex-
extreme of the north coast, had its terminus at
Portrush. Every effort had been made by the Com-
pany he had the honour of representing to place
themselves in a position that would ensure the com-
mencement of the project at the earliest possible mo-
ment, but unhappily they had not had sufficieat time
affoialed them to comply with the standing orders. The
object of the present meeting was to endeavour
to obtain a suspension of those orders, and when the pro-
moters of the measure looked at the peculiar circum-
stances under which the suspension was prayed, and the
great advantages to be derived by the people of Ireland
from the immediate commencement of the projected
works, they had every hope, even at this late
period of the session, that the prayer of the
petition would be granted.—(Hear, hear.) There
were at present before Parliament several bills for rail-
ways in the north of Ireland, and the great probability
was, that these measures would pass during the present
session ; but unless the standing orders were suspended
in favour of the Armagh, Coleraine, and Portrush line,
and the scheme were commenced simultaneously with
those he had adverted to, the greatest inconvenience
would be experienced by the inhabitants of that portion
of Ireland ; for, notwithstandingit would be intersected
with railways, there would still be wanting a most im-
portant communication—viz., that between the city of
Armagh, and the town of Coleraine, and the harbour of
Portrush. The petition he had prepared stated these
facts in detail, and with their permission he would lay
it before them. He then read the following pe-
titic,n :
" TO THE HON. THE COMMONS OF THE UNITED HIND
DON OP GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, IN PARLIA-
MENT ASSEMBLED.
" The humble petition of the several persons whose
names are hereunto subscribed, being Provisional Direc-
tors of the Armagh, Coleraine, and Portrush Railway
Company,
" Showeth,
" That your petitioners are Provisional Directors of a
Company formed for constructing a railway from or near
the city of Armagh, in that part of the United Kingdom
called Ireland, to or near to the town of Coleraine and
the harbour of Portrush.
" That the distance and entire length of such pro-
posed railway will be 73 miles, passing through the rich-
est and most populous districts of Ireland, and connect-
ing with each other the following important cities and
towns, namely, Armagh, Moy, Dungannon, Coal Island,
Moneymore, Cookestown, Magherafelt, Kilrea, Bally-
money, Coleraine, and Portrush.
" That the necessary capital for constructing the said
railway has been subscribed for, and the consent of the
principal landowners on the line obtained. That as evi-
dent* of such consent, and of the desire of the most in-
fluential landowners, merchants, and traders upon the
line that the orders of your Honourable House, if neces-
sary, should be suspended, numerous petitions have been
proposed and signed, all expressive of the conviction of
the petitioners that such line would be of the utmost
importance to the country, and its immediate construction
of the highest consideration.
" That for affording to the community the greatest
possible accommodation, your petitioners have entered
into a conditional contract with the commissioners of the
harbour of Portrush for the purchase of their interest
therein, it being in the contemplation of your petitioners
to expend a considerable sum of money in the improve.
ment of such harbour, and for which the necessary
powers have been obtained from the shareholders of the
railway company.
" That your petitioners attach much importance to the
formation of this line, inasmuch as such a means of cern-
municati :n is get qtly needed by the inhabitants, and
will at once connect the extreme north of Ireland with
the thriving cities of Cork and Waterforcl in the south
and also with other important cities and towns on the
ca-t and west.
" That certain Bills are r._;w pending in Parliament,
having for their object the construction of lines of rail-
way between the towels of Belfast and Ballymena,
Drogheda and Portadown, Portadown and Armagh,
Iltwry and lnniskillen, Dundalk and Inniskillen,lns
ltillen and Londonderry, aed Londonderry and
Cole-
raine, by which means the whole of the north of Ireland
will he intersected with railroad., and the necessity of
a lire of railroad between the city of Armagh and the
town of Coleraine and the harbour of Portrush, be sensi-
bly experieitced.
" That your petitioners have caused all the necessary
surveys to be mte:e, together with the plans and sections
of the line, all of which are in a state of readiness to be
deposited as directed by the standing orders, in case your
Hon. House should allow the measure to proceed during
the present session.
" That as the lines before referred to will doubtless
he itn:nediately commenced, it a ould be very desirable
that the line your petitioners should commence simul-
taneOttely, that the public might derive the fullest benefit
from the co-operation and junction of the several lines,
anti within the shortest possible time.
" Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray ysur Hon.
House that leave may now be given to present a petition
for a Bill fur effecting the object aforesaid, notwithstand-
ing the time limited by the sessional orders of your Hon.
llouse has expired, and upon such terms and conditions
as to your Hon. House shall seem fit ; and your peti-
tioners will ever pray."
He believed a series of resolutions would be submitted to
the meeting, all tending to the object which the petition
had its view. He begged to state that the petitions which
bed been subscribed in favour of the project by the
various landowners on the line were on the table, and
open to the inspection of noble lords and gentlemen.
The Earl of CHARLEMONT said it was Tate unneces-
sary for hint to detain them at any length after the ex-
planation they had Just heard respecting the character
of the proposed line, and the object of the meeting. He
would merely say that this project had been laid before
him, and that he had considered it with the deepest
attention he was capable of affording it. When applied
to on
schemes of this nature, he always had in view
two things; first of all, whether any public advantage
was likely to he derived from the prosecution of them;
and, secondly, he endeavoured to n
. whether they were likely tos
aprove remunerative to the share-
holders. Ile had,he had said, deeply considered the
worth of this project, and he did think it would be an
m
advantage to the co
uni , and that there was a fair
prospect of its being also
advantageous to the proprie-
tors. He would eive the sct his strongest support,
and had, therefore,hesitation in moving—" That
mno pressedPr i
:
this meeting, being
with the very great import-
ance of the Armagh, Coleraine,s. and Portrush line of
railway to the very populousto theistriet through which it
passes, desires to prom,au,t,md utmost the suocest of
the project through Parliament with that view,
are most anxious to afford every ;ass.ist'ane to the pass-
ing of the Bill during the present sessien.
Lord ACHESON, M.P., seconded the motion. Re 'was
most anxious to assist in removing the difficulties Which
the standing orders presented to the prosecution of their
scheme. The strongest feeling prevailed in the north
of Ireland in regard to the great advantages that would
result to the country from the Bill being immediately
carried.—(Hear.)
The motion was carried unanimously.
Lord NORTHLAND, M.P., in moving the following re-
solution, said he should give the proposed railway his
cordial support, and he was authorised by the Earl of
Ranfurley to say that the project would receive every
assistance which he could give it--(Hear, hear) :
" That the country immediately to be benefited by the
Armagh, Coleraine, and Portrush Railway, being one of
the wealthiest and most populous in Ireland, is entitled
to the warmes7eniketert of the different noblemen And
gentlemen possessinepif4uence in the Legislature ;
and, inasixnusk • have, by petitions,
signed byti* ja-,,variouk.. 0 Ft, expressed a unani-

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