The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-16 00:00:00

ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—In perusing your influential journal of the 10th
inst. I observed in the article upon the trial of the
Great Britain steam-ship, that Mr. Samuda was men-
tioned as the patentee of the atmospheric railway. I beg
you will allow me to correct your error.
The patent which rendered the atmosphere capable of
being used, practically and commercially, as a motive
power on railways was taken out by Mr. Clegg, the in-
ventor, who, in conjunction with Mr. Samuda, still holds
the right.—l have the honour to be, Sir, yours,
OBSERVER,
[The article in question was taken from
.a Morning
Contemporary.—EL Sun.]

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS.

The following are the results of " A Table of Mortality
in the Metropolis, showing the Number of Deaths from
all Causes registered in the Week ending Saturday, the
11 th of January, 1845." Ths Table is issued from the,Office
of the Registrar-General:— .

CAUSES OF DEATH.

Weekly
Total. Average of
Five Years

Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases 223 - iB4 ---
Diseases of variable or uncertain seat 94 106
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses 145 159
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration 406 292
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-♦essels 4O 24
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other
Organs of Digestion
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c.
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles 9 6
Diseases of the Skin, &c
Old Age, or Natural Decay 77 70
By Violence, Privation, or Intemperance
Causes specified 1107 954
Deaths from all Causes ......
DEATHS FROM TICE PRINCIPAL DISEASES LNCLUDED UNDER

TB

DIRECT NORTHERN RAILWAY.
The Direct Northern Railway is entitled to support as
a national undertaking. It is precisely the line which a
wise Government would select, if the planning and con-
structing of railways were in this country intrusted to
the Government. The DireCt Northern will connect the
Great North of England Railway with all the southern
and south-western railways which have their terminus
in London ; it will be the trunk line of communication
between the railway systems north of York, and those
south of London. The Direct Northern is the shortest
line between York and London, and therefore the most
advantageous for all persons north of the York and
south of the London terminus, who may wish to travel
or transmit goods in either direction. TheDirectNorthern
is the line best adapted—passing as it does nearly
through the centre of the district between the great
western railways and the east sea—to afford facilities for
the eonnecting of such lateral lines with it as the amount
of local traffic may require. The Direct Northern
brings every town along the brie, with the exception
of Peterborough, nearer to the metropolis and to
York, than any existing or projected line ; and Peter-
borough is only 4i miles from the point at which a
branch of the London and Birmingham Railway, which
passes through it, crosses the Direct Northern. For
the population on each side and at each end of the line,
the Direct Northern is the most convenient of all its
competitors ; and it will also be the most economical.
Where the gradients are the same, the shortest line
through a given country will be the most cheaply
worked, and will consequently pay at the least expense to
the public. The gradients of the Direct Northern are on
the whole superior to those of any competing line : only
1 2-3 d miles of tunnelling are required between London
and York, and no engineering works of great magnitude
or difficulty. The Direct Northern is 4:2 miles shorter
than the existing line of railway communication between
York and London; 9r shorter than the proposed London
and York Railway, 304 than one proposed North-Eastern
line, and 211 than the other. The only line that comes
near it in respect of shortness is the London and York ;
and this latter line, besides being less favourable for the
construction of lateral railways, opens upon the York and
North Midland Railway in the very manner described by
the fourth report of the Railway Commissioners. " as
likely to render delay unavoidable, and collision not im-
probable." After such considerations as these, it seems
a descent to notice such claims on the part of the Direct
Northern as that it scarcely interferes with the interests
of any existing line, and that its projectors were in the
field before their rivals of the London and York line.
After the experiment of the Liverpool and Manchester
line had proved the posibility of railway communication,
it was natural that the Grand Junction and London nod
Birmingham Railways should be the first practical ap-
plication of the discovery. The completion of the Direct
Northern, as the trunk artery of a national railway
system, is the next step. It is curious enough—and may
be regarded either as evidencing the skill with which
Roman engineers traced their roads, or as proving the
contemplated line of the Direct Northern to be the na•
tural course of traffic—that the railway follows almost
throughout the line of the old Roman road called " Er-
mine-street," and is at some places actually upon it.—
Spectator of Jan. 11th.