The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-29 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

TESTERN AND BRISTOL AND EXETER

RAILWAYS.

• It will I,e seen from the following notice, which was issued
I rilay evening, that the Great Western Board have re-
tip,:n seeking Parliamentary powers for completing a
dll'ect line of railway from Hungerford to Yeovil, and then
to Exeter. Our readers will recollect that the Great Western
have an Aot empowering them to carry a line to Hunger-
ford : "Great Western Railway.

"The Directors give notice, that they have entered into
the arrangement (recently published) for the permanent
possession of the Bristol and Exeter Railway, subject to a
fixed rent-charge, for the express purpose of promoting, with
perfect fairness to that Company and a due regard to the in-
terests of alk parties, the very best direct line of railway, on
a continuous broad gauge, from the south-western ports of
Cornwall and Devonshire, through the city of Exeter, to the
metropolis, thereby affordir g also a comprehensive scheme
of railway communication in the district between Yeovil,
Bridport, and Exeter.
"The public importance and even necessity of such a line
has been recognnised by Parliament.
" The Direirtors will, therefore, recommend to the pro-
rrietors, at a special general meeting, to be held on the 7th
of November, to undertake the extension of their own line
tom Hungerford, through the Pewsey Valley, to Westbury,
ith a branch to Marlborough.

By a short change in the direction of the Wilts, Somerset,
and Weymouth line, between Westbury and Frome, the
main western traffic, direct from London, will reach Yeovil
within a distance of 126 miles, of which 91 miles of rail-
way have been either constructed or already sanctioned by
Parliament.

" Authority will be sought by the Directors at the same
time to form a new Company, for making a railway in the
tlitrict through "Yeovil, Bridport, and Exeter, upon the same
principle as adopted in the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth
Company, of associating the landowners and influential resi-
dents of the country with some of the Directors in the ad-
ministration of the affairs, upon similiar conditions, of gua-
rantee and prospective increase of dividend, for a permanent
lease of the railway, to be worked in continuity with the
other Great Western lines.
" The serveys and plans are already in great forwardness,
and notices will be given in order that application may be
made to Parliament in the approaching session.
By order of the Direc
" CHAS. A. SAUNDERS, See.

"Paddington Station, Oct. 24, 1845."
We understand that a length of railway, which it will be
necessary to construct to complete the direct course west-
ward, from Hungerford to Yeovil, will be thirty-three miles
only, and that it will bring the latter place some half mile
or so nearer London than any of the projected lines via
Salisbury.
This determination of the Great Western Company must
have an important bearing upon the interests of the various
narrow gauge schemes for supplying portions of the West of
England with railway accommodation; and there cannot be
a doubt that it will have its due weight with the shareholders
of the Bristol and Exeter Company, at their meeting on the
7th of November.
It is not our intention, neither is it our inclination, to touch
upon any mere personal or party matters than may be as-
sociated with the now pending question of leasing the Bris-
tol and Exeter line to the Great Western Company. Such
topics can tend only to embarrass a subject which requires to
Uc treated with great calmness and discretion. The question
is not one merely between the Great Western and the Bristol
and Exeter Companies ; it is one which involves a considera-
tion of the wants of the public, of the favour shown to direct
lines by the Legislature, and of the movements of opposing
parieies ; and therefore it is that we regret so much personal
and hostile t'eling should have been exhibited at the meeting
el Bristol and Exeter shareholders, held at some solicitor's
office in the former city a few days since. We really cannot
see that abusing Mr. Saunders, the secretary of the Great
Western, whose only fault, by the way, appears to be a most
able and unwearied devotion to the duties of his office, or
ridkeding a man like Mr. Brunel, can in any way tend to
bring about such a state of feeling as should exist among a
proprietary when they meet to discuss a question seriously
affecting their own pecuniary interests.
We doubt whether the relations between the Great Western
and Bristol, and Exeter are properly understood. When the Bris-
tol and Exeter people were in difficulties, the Great Western
Company stepped in and efficiently,relieved them. The ques-
tion of a direct line between Exeter and London has (we
understand) been the subject of frequent communication be-
tween thitUro boards, and it is stated that the Great Western
directors hare never hesitated to express their conviction
thit the wants of the public and the views of the legislature
-would, inevitably, sower or later induce the construction of
such a railway. Whether such conviction mixedltself up in
the neeoeiations which led to the leasing of the Exeter line
by the Great Western Company, we shall not presume to
diteues; but that the necessity of a direct railway commu
nicatiort between London and Exeter ought to, and, indeed,
must form a material ingredient in the debate to take place
on the 7th of November next, not even the holders of the
_Bristol and Exeter " thirds," with 10 or 12 premium upon
'2l. paid up will, we are sure, attempt to dispute. If a direct
line be carried between Exeter and London, the through
traffic sill necessarily be lost to the Bristol and Exeter line.
What Ceportion that traffic bears to the whole traffic upon
the railwklv we know not; it is, however, considerable, and
its abstractioit would, we hesitate not to say, leave the
Bristol and Exeter Proprietors a dividend by several per
cent., less than that which the speakers at the meeting held
la the solicitor's residence, at Bristol, seemed to think might
he realised by repudiating the bargain made between the two
companies, and handing the conesrn over to Mr. Hudson,
whose purchase of lines are not, if we are to credit the
eiter of a clever letter in yesterday's Times, likely to pro-
wee the great results it was promised would flow from them.
such a view of the question has been taken by the Di-
eec rs of the Bristol and Exeter line is evident from the fol-
lowing circular addressed by them to their shareholders:—
" BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY.

.....
" Bristol, 30, Broad-street, Oct. 15, 1845.
" Sir,--I am desired by the Directors of this Company to
transmit to you the inclosed copy of the additional agree-
ment entered into with the Great Western Company, for the
sale to that Company of the Bristol and Exeter Railway, and
to inform you that a special general meeting of the Pro-
prietors will be held on Friday, the 7th of November, at the
White Lion Hotel, in this city, at one o'clock precisely, when
the agreenient will be submitted for their consideration.
" Iu concluding this provisional agreement with the Great
Western Company, the Directors have endeavoured to take a
comprehensive view of the position of the undertaking com-
mitted tp their management, and they cordially recommend
to the shareholders to confirm the agreement, as placing their
property on a permanently advantageous footing.
" Feeling the responsibility that attaches to them in con-
iluctivg a negotiation of this nature, the Direction have taken
the earliest possible moment, after the confirmation of the
agreement by the respective boards, to lay it before you.
"I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
" J. B. BADHAM, Secretary."
We perceive that, at the solicitors' meeting already re-
ferred to, the voluntary increase by the Great Western Di-
rectors, of from four to five per cent. to the Bristol and Exeter
Company, for the remainder of the lease—namely,tilllB49
and a further increase to six per mit. at the expiration of
the lease, is treated with derision. The increase will give
the Bristol and Exeter Proprietors an additional 20,000/.
per annum ; and we are inclined to believe that, with a com-
petin,, direct line from Exeter to the metropolis, the Bristol
andaireter Company would not find this an insignificant
portion of their gross annual traffic.
With respect to the line now projected by the Great
Western Company, between Hungerford and Yeovil,
no one can doubt that it will meet with the most
favourable consideration from the Legislature. The
Cbmpany already have Parliamentary powers for con-
structing lines which will complete the system of railway
communication between the manufacturing districts of the
no4h and the south-west of England. This, in connexion
with the other branches already thrown out or promoted by
them, for accommodating various of the populous districts
not served by the present trunk line between London and
Exeter, and with the lines now projected, leave unaccomme-
dated, between London and Exeter, but a small amount of
population indeed. A glance at the map of country will
show that the purpose'd• line from Hungerford through
the valley of the Pewsey, and by a deviation of the Wilts
and Somerset line to Yeovil. will accommodate several
densely populated districts. True it is that its 'construc-
tion may endanger the success of a direct line be-
tween London and Exeter, by Salisbury, and thence
through a comparatively barren and thinly populated
country, to Yeovil. 'Whether a railway be made through
such a fine of country, and whether it would, in competition
with that projected by the Great Western Company, pay its
working expenses, are questions which we leave to the wisdom
of the Legislature to decide.—Railway Standard.

LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM.
The following, gathered from official sources, shows the
comparative mileage of passenger traffic on the London and
•Birmingham, for the half-sears from the 30th June, 1839,
to 30th June, 1845, with the half-yearly receipts front all
kinds of traffic. For the half-year ending
Passengers. Miles Travelled. Receipts.
June 30th, 1839
December 31st, 1839 341,420 22,284,830 343,910
lune 30th, 1840
ecember 31st, 1840 394,688 25,931,163 495,040 ,
.: one 30th, 1841
December 31st, 1841 413,272 27,156,212 429,023
-lime 30th, 1842
IX cernber 31st, 1842 407,840 26,563,216 420,958
June 30th, 1843
:)ecember 315t,1843 419,963 26,983,482 432,357
June 30th, 1844
December 31st, 1844 480,637 31,122,185 450,478
June 3Nth, 1845
From the above statement it appears that since June, 1839,
up to the present period, the receipts of the London and
Birmingham have been nearly doubled.

On Tuesday last the first soil was lifted on the Caledonian
Line, between Gretna and Ecclefeehan, by Mr. John Bell,
farmer.

The promoters of the Somersetshire Midland propose, it
is presumed, as a precedent for other projects, to lodge the
amount of their deposits forthwith in the hands of the Ac-
conntipt-Gencra4.
Last evening the Directors and officers of the amalgamated
Manchester lines dined together at the Albion Hotel, to cele-
brate the union of the two lines, and on the occasion of the
Directors having vesterday, out of the Company's deposits,
amounting to 460,0001.,- invested 200,000/. in the Three per
Cent. Consols.

"W"Etsit MIDLAND.—On Friday a general assembly of the
Proprietors of the Brecon and Abergavenny Canal was held
at the Shire-hall, Brecon, for the purpose of taking into con-
sideration the terms offered by the Welsh Midland Railway
Company for the purchase of the canal, when the bargain made
by the Committee of Direction was fully confirmed vrithout a
dissentient voice, on the motion of John Powell, Esq., chic
partner in Clydach Ironworks, seconded by G. J. Lloyd, Esq.,
of Diners, two of the largest freighters on the canal. After
the business had been concluded, the Canal Company enter-
tertained the deputation of Directors of the Welsh Midland at
dinner, at the Castle Hotel, where Joseph Bally, Esq., M.P.
for Worcester, and principal proprietor of Nantyglo and Beau-
fort Iron Works, presided; and in the course of the evening
e.Npressed his strew approval of the plans of the Welsh Mid-
land Company, and announced his intention of supporting
the project with all the influence he: possessed, both in the
Hones of Commons and out of it. Other gentlemen of in-
fluence in South Wales expressed the most decided opinions
iri fir/oar of this line and its branches.
EDOILNODANS AND WORCESTER DIRECT.—The first meeting
of the Provisional Committee was held at the Waterloo-
ronms, Birmingham, on Thursday ; Mr. Richard Spooner,
M.P., in the chair. The arrangements of the promoters were
approved and confirmed, and a Managing Committee ponaard, with fpil powers to carry into effect-theundetakiani.
A meeting of the Proprietors of the Worcester and Birming-
ham Canal will shortly be beld, at which the terms of an
arrangement between the Railway and Canal Companies will I
be submitOd. _ _

STAITORDSITIRP; AND NORM MIDLAND JUN 0
Thursdav a meeting was held at Ashbourne, the (3n
Pew. A. i)uncomhe in the chair. Tha names of several laanidul
oOners residing in. the vicinity of the /projected line were
added to the Provisional Comrfflttee. The secretary stated
that lie had received applications for upwards of 1311,0019
shams, and since computing that number, a letter had 0 orne

to hand intimating that an influential company had offered
to take a considerable portion of their capital, if the committee
thought proper to allot the same.
DIRECT BIRMINGHAM AND LEICESTER.-A meeting of the
Provisional Committee was held on Friday, at their offices
in Birmingham. Mr. G. F. Muntz presided. From the
report of Mr. W. LT. Purdon, engineer to the company, it
appears that the whole of the surveys have been com-
pleted, and that the plans and sections are now being en-
graved. Although an opposition was at first offered by
some of the influential landowners of the district through
which the line passes, it appears that it has been entirely
withdrawn. It was announced that the whole of the de-
posits had been paid into the hands of the bankers, and no
doubt existed that the whole of the standing orders would
be complied with. •
SHEWIELD, BUXTON, AND LEEDS, AND GREAT GRIMSBY,
POTTERIES, AND GRAND JurrenoN.—A meeting of the
Proprietors of these undertakings was held on PH-
day, Mr. T. Carr in the chair, when it was resolved
that the Great Grimsby, Sheffield, the Potteries, and Grand
Junction Railway, having expressed a desire to consolidate
with the Sheffield, Buxton, Leek, Potteries, and Crewe
Company, the Provisional Directors of the latter appointed a
deputation to confer with the deputation from the former,
when, after the most mature deliberation, the Provisional
Directors of the Sheffield, Buxton, Lrek, Potterie?, and
Crewe, although anxious to avoid an unnecessary Parlia-
mentary contest, were convinced it would be injurious to
the interests of their subscribers, and without any public
advantage, to identify themselves with a rival line from
Sheffield to the Staffordshire Potteries, in opposition to those
which have been so long before the public for supplying
railway communication between Sheffield and Buxton, viz.,
the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midland, and Man-
chester, Sheffield, and Midland Junction Railways. They
therefore felt that their only course, consistent with a due
regard to the interests named, was to preserve the integrity
of their project from Buxton to Stoke-upon-Trent and Con-
gleton, uniting at those places with the North Staffordshire
line. _ _

BremmiGnAm.—Should the various railways now projected
for the Midland Counties be carried into effect, Birmingham
will become the centre of three-and-twenty lines. Some of
those in the immediate vicinity are, however, in progress of
amalgamation, which will reduce the number of projects very
considerably; but, after all, it is now certain that this town is
about to realise the great advantages which its central posi-
tion naturally commands.
SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.—Mr. Brunel visited Carmarthen
on Monday lLst, and after minutely inspecting the plans, de-
cided that in lieu of the numerous cuttings and tunnels
which must inevitably be constructed if the line be brought
direct from Kidwelly through the parishes of Llangendeirne
and Llandefeilog, its course should be throught the Ferry
Side ; but it will still cross the Towy at the spot first in-
tended. _ _

An itnportant Parliamentary document was printed on
Saturday in respect to railways. Under the Joint•stock
Companies Act, which came into force in November last,
various returns are annually ordered to be presented to
the House of Commons, which returns, now furnished for
the first time, are of a lengthened description, whence it
appears that, from the Ist of November to the 7th of June
last, 355 joint-stock companies were provisionally re-
gistered, of which no fewer than 252 were railway compa-
nies ; and in an appendix it is stated that between the 9th
and 30th June, as many as fifty-seven railways were pro-
visionally registered, on all of which registrations a sum
of 51. was paid. In the month of May last about 80 rail-
ways were registered, and 17 from the Ist to the 7th
of the following month. One railway company was com-
pletely registered, and four of the same class have no-,
tified their intention to abandon their plans. It seems
that of companies that had existed, out of 965, only 105
were railways; and, as already mentioned, of provisionally
registered companies, out of 355 there were 352 railways.
The fees received from November to June amounted to 2,161/.
in England. In two months after the operation of the Act
the registration fees were 590/. ; in the next three months,
310/. ; and in the following two months and seven days, as
much as 785/. ; making a total for registration of 1,6904