The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-02 00:00:00

lIUDDERSFIELD AND SHEFFIELD.

nUDDERSFIELD. AUGUST 30.—The first formal cere-
mony in the construction of the Huddersfield and Shef-
field Railway took place yesterday, at Penistone, where
the first sod was cut by the Right Hon. Lord Wharn-
cliffe, Lord President of her Majesty's Privy Council.
At one o'clock in the afternoon, a procession was formed
to meet Lord Wharncliffe at the Penistone station of the
Sheffield and Manchester Railway. It was headed by a
band of music, and was composed of a number of gen-
tlemen from Huddersfield, Sheffield, and the surrounding
locality, end including the whole body of the Directors
of the Huddersfield and Sheffield line. On the arrival
of the train at Penistone, Lord Wharncliffe was found
surrounded by the Hon. John Stuart Wortley-, M.P.,
Lady Georgiana Wortley, and several other members of
his family. His Lordship, attended by the Directors
of the Railway and a large concourse of eager
spectators, proceeded to remove the sod. He then,
without any further observations, proposed " Three
cheers for the success of the Sheffield and Huddersfield
Railway," which received the most hearty and
unanimous response, and were followed by three cheers
for his Lordship. The procession then left the ground
and proceeded back to the town. At two o'clock, about
seventy of the gentlemen present at the ceremony sat
down to a sumptuous collation at the Church School-
room. Joseph Armitage, Esq., Chairman of the Com-
pany, presided. On his right sat Lord Wharneliffe ;
Wm. Bradley, Esq, Manor Oaks, Sheffield ; and
George Crosland, Esq.. Huddersfield ; and on the left
of the chai. man sat the Hon. John Stuart Wortley, the
Rev. Mr. Stanhope, John Parker, Esq M.P. for
Sheffield ; and Joseph Brook, Esq , of Huddersfield.
Many complimentary speeches were made; and Lord
Wharnclitle, in returning thanks when his health
was drank, said he felt assured that the work they
had that day commenced would be one of the greatest
means of rendering that part of the country prosper-
ous. The proceedings throughout were very spirited
and gratifying. The company rose at about seven
o'clock in the evening.

CLYDESDALE JUNCTION RAILWAY.
The first general meeting of the Shareholders of the
Clydesdale Jt.vction Railway Company was held on
Friday, in the Black Bull Inn, Glasgow, James Dunlop,
Esq., of Clyde Iron Works, in the chair. A report by
the Directors, describing the business they had done
while obtaining the Act, was read. The Directors, in
the report, besides recommending that the Board of
Directors should be increased from twelve to fifteen,
farther stated that they had also directed their atten •
tion to the acquisition of a goods depot near the harbour
of Glasgow, and a more suitable passenger station than
the one contemplated near the Greenock and Ayr
Railway Station in Eglinton-street ; and they are hope.
ful that both will be secured in a manner satisfactory
to all parties, and such as will afford the best accom-
modation for the pubde. They also had directed their
attention to the branches necessary to be formed for
the full development of the Clydesdale traffic, and for
the accommodation of those districts near the line, which
are full of unopened minerals, and are at present
excluded from market by the want of railway commu-
nication ; and they feel convinced that the issue of
additiona stock would secure those contemplated ex-
tensions of the original plan, and make this line one
of the most useful and remunerative of the Scotch
railways." Oa the motion of James Lune len, Esq.,
Lord Provost of Glasgow, the meeting appointed Mr.
Dixon, of Govan colliery, Mr. Bain-, of Morrieton, and Mr.
Downie, of Crossbasket, as the new additional direc-
tors. Before the conclusion of the business, the chair.
man stated that he had great pleasure in intimating to
the shareholders that the directors of the Caledonian
o jmupnacntronhandapilrwoapyo,sed to the Directors. of the
to amalgamate these two
Cti`t,elayimidhpevasadnyaieCles, on conditions very favourable to the Clydes-
dale Junction. As the proposal had, however, only
been made yesterday, sufficient time had not been given
for the due consideration of the proposition, but he had
no doubt but the amalgamation would take place, and
on terms which would be exceedingly advantageous to
the shareholders of the Clydesdale Junction Railway
Company.

'
SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY.
(Abridged from the Plymouth Herald.)
The third hale-yearly general meeting of the South
Devon Railway Company was held at the Royal Hotel
Plymouth, on Saturday, Thomas Gill, Esq , ALP., in the
chair.

The CHAIRMAN proposed that the common seal of the
Company be affixed to the register of shareholders, and
it being agreed to, he proceeded to scHress the meeting
upon the objec's now contemplated by the Board of Di-
rectors. He remarked upon the circumstances attendant
on the postponement of the Cornwall Bill and the South
Devon and Tavistock, and Launceston and Tavistock
Bills. He then detailed the steps subsequently taken,
and referred to the meeting held at Truro en Tuesday,
all of which is already before our readers. Re ob-
served that the measures adopted would deprive
the Central Railway Company of any pretence to
go to Parliament for its approval of the scheme
started by them, as the Cornwall Railway would be so
constructed as to connect the northern and central parts of
that county with Launceston and the North of Devon,
arid provide ample accommodation for the inhabitants in
every part of Cornwall. He regretted the postponement
member of the Committee who inves-
of the South Dcv+ n and Tavistock, and Tavistock and
Launceston Lines, and believed that would not have
occurred had any
ut irmt etdh
ethe
Committee atmospheric
a
system of traction been appointed
on
these Bills. As it was, however,
they would be taken up in the next sesr,ion at the point
where they left off; and the only reason for regretting
the postponement, was not that there was the slightest
doubt of their being; sanction( d by the lt gislature, but
because had the Bills passed last session the lines would
most probably have been opened at the same time that
the Railway to Plymouth was finished, which could not
now be dot e. The Hon. Gentleman then referred to
the new projects to which it was intended that the Com-
pany should be asked to give their sanction by affording
a portion of the required capital. Ile anticipated that
very great advantages would result from the construction
of the North Devon, and other railways referred to in
the notice convening the extraordinary meeting, and he
entered at some length into the details, which were very
similar to the particulars given in the report subse-
quentlyHe next spoke of the
d that great benefit had
resultedtate
of teat',h
had taken place, as they
had now the benefit of seeing the results of the experi-
ments upon the Croydon Railway, whereby a consider-
ablesfrom
sum of money would be saved in the outlay, the
annual expenses would be diminished, and the line per-
fected in a way which they could hardly otherwise have
hoped for. Amongst other things, it was now found
that, instead of having a stationary engine at a distance
of every three miles, one placed at a distance of five or
six miles would accomplish the work, and in proof of
the highly satisfactory nature of the experiments made
upon the Croydon line, Mr. Gill read a letter from Mr.
Samuda, in which that gentleman stated-
-Ist. That we obtained a vacuum of 27i inches in 5
miles of pipe, working only one engine over the two
sections to obtain it, nut only once, but every time with
ease.
2d. When the engine is stopped, the vacuum allowed
to be destroyed by leakage, it t•ikes two hours to reduce
the barometer to zero, (though at Dalkey 15 minutes
would be all the time it could be maintained above the
zero point), the leakage being here less than i horse
power per mile.
ad. The facility of obtaining the vacuum is greater,