The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-20 00:00:00

RAILWAY BUSINESS IN
PARLIAMENT.

In the House of Commons on Monday night the petitions
for the following Railway Bills were severally reported from
the Committee on Standing Orders, and the Bills were ordered
to be brought in as follow :—Manchester and Leeds Railway
(Bradford Branch), by Mr. Hardy and Mr. Broadley ; Great
Western Railway, by Mr. Charles Russell and Mr. Hayter ;
Manchester and Leeds Railway (Heywood Branch), by Mr.
Mark Philips and Mr. Milner Gibson; Huddersfield Branch
Railway, by Mr. Hardy and Mr. Broadley ; Manchester and
Leeds Railway (Bury Branch), by Mr. Mark Philips and
Mr. Milner Gibson.

Lancaster and Carlisle Railway Bill, " for making a Rail-
way from the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway, at
Lancaster, to or near to the city of Carlisle ;" read a first time.
Newbury and Great Western Railway Bill, " for making a
Railway from the Great Western Railway to the town of
Newbury, in the county of Berks ;" read a first time.
We copy the following from the official Report of the pro-
ceedings of the House of Commons on Friday :
" Manchester, Bury, and Rossendale Railway.—Petition
for Bill reported, and Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr.
Walker, and Mr. Wilson Patten.

" Leeds and Bradford Railway.—Petition of Thomas New-
som, complaining of non-compliance with the Standing
Order, referred to the Select Committee on Petitions for
Private Bills.

" South Devon Railway.—Petition for Bill referred to the
Select Committee on Petitions on Private Bills.

" Northern Coal Mining Company.---Petition for Private
Bill referred to the Select Committee on Petitions for Pri-
vate Bills.

" Newbury, Basingstoke, London and Southampton Rail-
way.—Petition of Hobert Fuller Graham, complaining of
non-compliance with the Standing Orders, referred to the
Select Committee on Petitions for Private Bills."

THE HUNTINGDON RAILWAY.
The subject of a railway to the town of Huntingdon has
been again mooted by some parties at a distance, and an ef-
fort is being made to obtain support for the undertaking
amongst the influential of our townsmen. It appears that
certain persons at Norwich, !desirous of getting a transit for
their goods into the north, have hit upon this notable scheme
—to unite a line from thence with the northern and eastern
line at Cambridge, then to skirt St. Ives, pass close by
Huntingdon, to join the London and Birmingham at Thrap-
ston. Doubtless this might be an advantage to the makers
of crape and bombazines ; but how would the prosperity
of the town of Huntingdon be affected by it ? The
line proposed would place us within three hours' ride of
the metropolis, and as a consequence carry to the London
markets much of the custom which yet remains to us,
whilst it would give us no advantage at all equivalent to
this serious loss, the only return we should have being
a quicker journey to London when required, and a quicker
delivery of goods—two circumstances of trifling importance,
when put in the balance against loss of trade. The present
coaching system would be entirely annihilated—the inn-
keepers might sell their horses, and one of the large inns at
least out of the two might be turned into shops, which
nobody would want to occupy ? The agriculturists alone
might find a trifling advantage in disposing of their
produce ; but as we shall in a short time be within sixteen
miles of a railway at three points of the compass the boon
to them would not be so great as to justify the sacrifice which
their neighbours must make. Already, it is lamentable to
observe that that high feeling which was wont to knit toge-
ther the society in its own locality, and to make men rejoice
in each other's fair fame and prosperity, has been superseded,
to a great extent, by the besetting sin of the age ; and if self
can be advantaged, it matters not who is the sufferer. With
this absorbing feeling on the increase, who shall say what
would be the result in a few years to the majority of those in
the town now maintaining their families in credit and respec-
tability? But looking at the scheme as a speculation, it must
entirely fail, for what traffic would there be between Thrap-
ston and Cambridge, with a station :at Thrapston, Peter-
borough, and Ely besides, to pay the expenses of between 30
and 40 miles of road? We believe these views coincide with
those of the majority of our townsmen ; and we hope they
will use whatever influence they possess to nip the scheme in
the bud. If they want any confirmation of the truth of our
deductions, let them turn to Hertford, where- the rail has
been lately introduced, and inquire there how much the inha-
bitants would give to get rid of it. After all it may be, we
trust it is, the adventure of some luckless wight wishing for
a berth for himself and son ; such a man was eager in pro-
moting a similar undertaking some years ago, and after
swindling a few-and befooling the many, left them to the
quiet enjoyment of their own reflections.—Cambridge
Chronicle.

SIGNAL FIRES. We stop the press to announce that
the hills surrounding Nenagh are at this moment (eight
o'clock, Tuesday evening) all illuminated.—Nenagh Guardian
CHATSWORTH.—We are requested to state that
" Chatsworth ; or, the Romance of a Week," edited by
R. Plumer Ward, Esq., author of " Tremaine," "De Vere,"
&c., in 3 vols., post Bvo., is published this day by Mr.
Colburn, of Great Marlborough-street, and may now be had
at all the libraries. Mr. Colburn has also just published :-
1. The Secret Passion, by the author of " Shakspeare and
his Friends," &c., 3 vols. 2. Whitefriars ; or, the Days of
Charles 11., an Historical Romance, second edition, 3 vols. 3.
The Brothers, by the author of " Oliver Cromwell," &c., 3 vols.
4. The Stage Coach, by the author of " The Old English
Gentleman," &c., 3 vols. 5. Jessie Phillips, a Tale of the New
Poor-law, by Drs. Trollope, complete in 1 vol., with nume-
rous illustrations by Leech, 12s. bound; and 6. Windsor
Castle, an Historical Romance, by W. H. Ainsworth, Esq.,
1 vol., with 110 illustrations, by George Cruikshank, &c.,
price only 145., elegantly bound.
Died, on the 30th of December, at Comfort-hall,
Drummondville, Canada, after a protracted illness, Major-
General the Hon. Frederick George Heriot, KB., and C.B.
General Heriot had secured the attachment of a numerous
circle of friends and acquaintances both in public and private
life, by his kind and conciliatory manners as well as by hie
benevolence and charitable disposition.