The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-18 00:00:00

SOLICITOUS

James Wheeler, Esq., Manchester ; Messrs. Deacon and Long,

-- . _ .
Southampton.
ENGINEER—CharIes Vignoles, Esq., F.R.S.A. ; M.R.I.A.
RANKERS:
In Newport, Cowes, and Ryde—The National Provincial Banking

- Company.
Messrs. Maddison and Pearse.
In Southampton Ina Hampshire Banking Company.
In London—The Commercial Bank.
In Manchester—The Manchester and Salford Bank.

The Isle of Wight is distant from the main shore of Hampshire, at
Portsmouth about four miles, and at Southampton about eleven miles.
It contains an active population of from 45,000 to 50,000
persons, and
a surface of about 100,010 acres, most of which is cultivable ground.
It is an extensive pasturage for sheep, 10,000 lambs being annually
sold for the London market; and, whilst it imports all the luxuries
and many of the necessaries of life, it exports a large quantity of
grain lime and other manures.
It is moreover a point of attraction to visitors from every part of
England—the steamers plying from Portsmouth, Southampton, and
Lymington to Cowes, and Ryde, conveying to and fro about two
about Two Hundred Thousand persons annually. Cowes is also the
station of the Royal Yacht Squadron ; and large numbers of persons
annually embark by and disembark from tailing vessels beyond those
above enumerated.
Two important lines of railway already abut upon the island at
Southampton and Gosport ; a third (the Dorchester line) will run in
the immediate neighbourhood of Lymington, another point of em-
barkation for the island ; and a terminus at Portsmouth will shortly
add to the facilities already enumerated. In addition to the distant
population thus brought into contiguity with it, a very large local
population, now without any available outlet, lies in immediate
neighbourhood to the island.
The inducements to travellers, and, consequently, the number of
visitors, are daily increasing. The South-Western Railway Company
carried, during the first twenty-seven weeks of 1844, 390,000 persons,
whilst in the like period of the present year (pleasure trains having
been established), the number carried was 462,000—showing an in-
crease, within a few months, of upwards of 71,000 travellers.
Whilst, however, the island is becoming annually a more attractive
centre for tourists, the means of access to its beauties continue very
tardy and unduly expensive. The journey from Cowes to Ventnor, a
distance of only fifteen miles, occupies upwards of three hours, and Is
no less costly than it is tedious. The conveyance of commodities of
essential importance is subject to these inconveniences. Coal, which
might be obtained at Cowes at about 15s. per ton, costs at Ventnor
345. Stone of a very useful quality for building is found at the latter
place, but so costly is the conveyance that in its stead the stone of
Normandy is imported into Hampshire.
By the established and resident interests of the island these disad-
vantages have been seriously felt, and a partial remedy as regards the
interccurse between Cowes and Newport (the central and capital
town) was unsuccessfully proposed in 1839, by the deepening of the
Medina river, at a cost, however, greater than the construction of a
ailway would involve. All classes of the inhabitants, traders, agri-
culturists, resident gentry, concurred in the scheme, and a large sum
of money was uselessly expended before Parliament in its advocacy.
But the back of the island, whilst it offers the great attraction to
visitors, mainly suffers from the deficiency and expense of road com-
munication. Ventnor, lately a mere village, is now universally known
as the rapidly increasing town which, in connexion with the Under-
cliff generally, Sir James Clark thus describes :—" I apprehend it
would be difficult to find in any northern country a tract of equal
extent and variety of surface, and I may add (as by no means a
matter of indifference to the invalid) of equal beauty in point of
scenery, so completely screened from the cutting north-east winds
on the one hand, and from the boisterous southerly gales of the
autumn and winter en the other. The climate is remarkably equable
as well as mild and dry, and there aro not many days during the
winter in which the invalid cannot take some exercise in the open
air. The mildness of the climate during the winter months may be
in some degree estimated from the circumstance of myrtles, gera-
niums, sweet scented verbena, heliotropes, and other tender plants,
usually withstanding the winter in the open flower-borders. The
honey-bee likewise continues working, in ordinary seasons, until
after Christmas."

The back of the island, though a desirable retreat for invalids, is,
however, at present almost inaccessible to them. Moreover, it is
without harbours, and rarely approachable flora the sea; though
preliminary investigations have been made with a view to confer on
Ventnor the advantages of a port by means of a floating breakwater
—a project the value of which to the southern portions of the island
is obvious, and which the construction of a railway, so as to bring
that district into rapid communication with the main laud, would
importantly advance.
The proposal, therefore, is to construct a railway along the banks
of the Medina, from Cowes to the county town of Newport, and
thence through Blackwater and by Godshill to Ventnor, with a fork
to Ryde, so as to preserve to the latter town the advantages it de-
rives as a packet station for Portsmouth. The central station at
Newport will afford to the tourist the opportunity of visiting the
celebrated Castle of Carisbrooke, and will make the county town
the depot and centre of the whole business of the island. National
and Government objects—especially with reference to the Royal
Navy, the great public establishments at Portsmouth, and the
rapidly-increasing commeroial marine of the country—may be effec-
tually subserved by the erection of the electric telegraph along the
line.

Visitors to the island will be aware that its attractions are al-
together on the coast—at Shanklin, Bonchurcb, Ventnor, and the
"(Indereliff, Niton, Blackgang, Freshwater, the Needles, and Alum
Bay ; and that a railway traversing the Island in the directions indi-
cated would give travellers the opportunity of arriving early at the
beauties without the loss of any desirable scenery, and would afford
to permanent or temporary residents the advantages of cheap and
certain transit.

These purposes can be accomplished by the construction of about
twenty miles of railway, of quite an ordinary character (excepting
a tunnel at Ventnor), and without interference with any residential
or ornamental property. Preliminary surveys have been made
which justify this statement, and contractors of the highest respect-
ability have been over the line, and are prepared to guarantee the
assumed cost.

A gentleman of experience in the working of railways has investi-
gated the traffic with care and deliberation ; and the result of his
calculations, which are framed in strict accordance with the Parlia-
mentary rule, justifies the promoters in expecting a most abundant
return upon the outlay.

Forms of application for shares and copies of the prospectus may,
be had at the offices of Mr. James Wheeler, 58, Geerge-street, Man-
chester ; of Messrs. Deacon and Long, solictors, Southampton ; of
Messrs. Griffiths and Son, solicitors, Newport, and Messrs. Coles and
Stokes, solicitors, Byde, Ventnor, and Cowes, Isle of Wight ; of
Messrs. Carden and Whitehead, Threadneedle-street; of Messrs.
Ciswin and Co., 10, Angel •court ; and of Mr. Joseph Davis, 75, Old
Broad-street, London ; of Messrs. Cardwell and Co., Manchester ; of
Messrs. Watson and Co., Leeds; of Messrs. Reynolds and Sons,
Liverpool ; of Mr. Joseph Clarke, Jun., Southampton ; of Messrs.
Buchanan, Aitken, and Co., Glasgow ; of Messrs. Collintson and Flint,
gull; and of Mesas, Grayatone and Earl, York,
July 18, 1845,