The Sun.
London, England, 1844-11-04 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
ABERDEEN RAILWAY.
This undertaking, fully sanctioned by the eminent
engineer, Mr. Cubitt, and by the names of the most
influential nobility and gentry residing in and offi-
cially connected with the district, is now again before
the public. At a meeting of the landholders and
turnpike trustees of the county of Aberdeen (con-
taining about 200,000 inhabitants), Mr. Cubitt's line
was, by a unanimous resolution, approved of. The
Aberdeen Railway leads directly through populous
towns and districts to Edinburgh and Glasgow, the
two largest and most important towns in Scotland
from which new lines of railway are in progress, both
in the east and west of England. The distance from
Aberdeen to London will be performed in one day, or
less than twenty-four hours!
We have seen a statement of the population of the
district, from which it is evident that the Aberdeen
Railway has the elements of a good traffic, and when
the railway from Inverness joins it at the nothern
terminus, the trade must be very much increased.
We have no fear of the Sotch railways ; the manage-
anent and expense are on a much more economical
footing than in the southern parts of the kingdom.
and we understand this line not only to be unopposed,
but capable of being executed at a less cost than
usual. _ _

The following is an extract from Mr. Cubitt's
report:--
" After a careful consideration of the whole sub-
ject, and a comparison of the several lines and sections,
together with all the circumstances and projects, pre-
sent and prospective, the result of my investigation is
—to recommend for adoption a line of railway from
Aberdeen, passing very near Montrose and 13rech1n
to Friockheim and Guthrie, points about half way in
the Arbroath and Forfar Railway ; the description
and particulars of which, as to its course, lengths,
gradients, curves, &c., will be fuund in the form of an
appendix at the end hereof.
" The objects that will be obtained by the adoption
of this line are—

" 1. A communication with the south by the
shortest length of new railway to be made ; and,
" 2. The least interference with existing railway
interests, the Arbroath and Forfar and Dundee and
Arbroath Companies having, as I understand, under-
taken to alter the guage of their lines to the usual 4
feet 8A- inch guage, in order to suit and work with the
intended guage of the Aberdeen line and that of the
great leading lines to the south.
"The distance by this new line from Aberdeen to
the Arbroath and Forfar lines will be 50i miles, and
from the points of junction to these places will be
about seven miles to each respectively, or 57i miles
from Aberdeen to either, being as regards Forfar only
11 mile, or thereabouts, farther than by a direct line
from Aberdeen to Forfar, via Brechin, a difference far
more than compensated for, in my judgment, by a
near approach to the port and town of Montrose, and
a saving of 5i miles, of a more expensive main line of
new railway, besides a difference of 4 miles' saving in
the construction of branch lines to form a communi-
cation between Montrose and Brechin,
" Under all the circumstances of the ease, therefore,
I have no hesitation in recommending the adoption of
the line above stated as being that 'best calculated to
secure to the Company the benefit of the most favour-
able communication with the south.'
" Statement of the population of some of the prin-
cipal towns of Scotland which will be connected upon
the formation of the Aberdeen Railway :—Aberdeen,
75,013—Stonehaven, s,279—Montrose, 15,094
Ereehin, 7,soo—Forfar, 9,6l7—Arbroath, 17,489
Dundee, 65,087—Perth, 19,225—Kirkaldy, 5,261—
Stirling, B,3ol—Edinburgh, 165,270—Glasgow,
282,490. Total, 675,686."
NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY.
The foundation of the viaduct over the Tyne at
East Linton is begun to be dug on the south side of
the river. It crosses where the Linton distillery
stood, which has been dismantled for some years, and
will now be wholly removed to make room for the
course of the railway.
WILTS AND SOMERSET RA;-.WAY.
A numerous and influential mez-ting was held at
Weymouth on Wednesday, including depuiations
from Southampton, 13ridport, and the Great Western
Company. ( olonel /lenders:in, the Mayor of
Southampton, brought forward the subject of a pro-
posed line, to be called the Salisbury and Dorsetshire
Railway, for the purpose of connecting the eastern
and southern parts of Dorsetshire • with the grand
railway system of the kingdom. Mr. Hayter, M.P.,
contended for the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth
Railway, as affbrding the best facility of communica-
tion with the north of England, and as most con-
ducive to the interests of Weymouth. After a
lengthened and able discussion, resolutions in favour
of the latter were carried by large majorities..—..
Bristol Mirror.

FEARFUL CONFLAGRA,TION AT
STRATHAN-EN,
FonTv HOUSES DEsraovvas•—Yesterday forenoon,
~..bout twelve o'clock, a fire broke out in this quiet little
town, about 16 S.E. of Glasgow, by which upwards of
forty houses, with a brewery and tan-work, were burned
to the ground, nearly one hundred poor families thrown
destitute into the street, and the annihilation of the entire
town seriously threatened. We have heard several
versions of the origin of the fire—one to the effect that it
was occasioned by a poacher recklessly throwing a
parcel of gunpowder into the fire-place of a house
where he had been visiting ; another, that it arose
from a child having lighted some chips of wood which
communicated with the bedding in the house of a
person named Hamilton ; and a third, that it occurred
from a boy drying somegunpowder near afire-place. Which
of these versions is the right, we are in the meantime
at a loss to say with correctness ; eertain it is, however,
that about the time we have mentioned, the conflagration
commenced at the south end of the town, a little away
beyond a place named Todd's Hill, where the houses are
nearly all covered with thatch, and where the popula-
tion are chiefly weavers, that the wind, being high at
the time, and blowing from the south-east, rapidly spread
the flames from house to house on both sides of the street,
until in the space of a few hours, notwithstanding the
efforts of a body of the inhabitants who turned out to
check the flames, about forty houses were com-
pletely destroyed, in addition :to the brewery of Mr.
Valiance, and the large tan-work of Mr. Semple,
where it is alleged not less than 2,000/. worth of
property has been consumed. The fire in its pro-
gress, which was fearfully rapid, spread terror and
dismay on all hands. As house by house crumbled before
the devouring element, the inhabitants in the vicinity of
the burning got out their furniture to the street, where
it lay in confused heaps until the houses from whirl it
had just been removed shared in the general eattogrophe,
So apprehensive were the shopkeepers thst the entire
town would be burned up, that numbers of them at the
Cross, which is some distance from the place where the
fire originated, emptied their stock of goods into the
street, and awaited with terror the approach of the
flames. The scene, as witnessed by people at a dis-
tance, is described as awfully grand and imposing.
Kirkhill, which is about half a mile from the town,
was clustered with hundreds of spectators, inhabitants
of the other end of Strathaven (who certainly would
have been better employed in lending a hand to stay
the progress of the fire), but who for a time
seemed lost in wonder at the fearful majesty of the sight.
Not so the more spirited and shore interested portion of
the inhabitants. Headed by the Rev. Mr. M'Lay, Relief
clergyman ; Mr. Tennent, banker ; Messrs. Currie,
Reid, and others, two large bodies of active men pro.
cured pails and other vesselseapable of conte!,ning water,
and forming two chains from the scene (.2 the fire to the
nearest places fur procuring a. si;ifty of water, they
worked away without intermu,sion for several hours,
one party handing on the p:tils filled with water, and
the other returning them empty, until finding these
means unavailing in extinguishing the flames, they
adopted the plan of pulling down two or three
buildings in the line of street, which had the desired effect
of stopping its further progress. The loss of property by
the fire has been very considerable, and is the more to be
lamented, as few of the houses of the sufferers were in-
sured, and the sufferers themselves are-mostly of the
poorest and most industrious part of the community.
Some accounts state that about 53 houses in all have
been destroyed, and 104 families deprived of the means
of livelihood, or made dependent for shelter and support
upon friends, relations, and neighbours. It is calculated
that from fifty to sixty looms with webs, principally be.
longing to Glasgow manufacturers, have been consumed,
and it will take a long time, indeed, before the loss to the
operative weavers can be made up. No such conflagration
has been known in this part of the country for many
years, and it has created amongst all classes the deepest
sorrow and regret.—Glasgerc Saturday Post.

At a meeting of the Edinburgh town council, held
on Friday, Mr. John M'Millan, High School, Glasgow,
was elected, by a majority of 20 votes to 12, master of
the High School, Edinburgh, in the room of Dr. Pyper.
EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY AT A DISTILLERY:.
For some days past great excitement has prevailed et
the east-end of the town, in consequence of some
sweepin° measures having been adopted by her Ma.
jest s Commissioners of Excise towards Messrs. Smith,
distillers, Whitechapel. It will be remembered that
some time since nearly 3,000 gallons of spirits were
seized by the officers of Excise, but after some time is
great quantity was returned, although Crown meg:ed•
transpired in the
ings were instituted against Messrs. Smith tq recover
heavy penalties against them. In the b,,,,inning. of the
ration of the same WAS
week some suspicious circumstances
do
u feet The roaerrs
pipe
around
ptnedwe'
ethparteas
same establishment, and inform
conveyedExeis
n oaf
rt
sh et Co o:emaivs
as itot it
engaged
number of labourers wec:
rohes, who found several ehfundrger
gs'aged to accompany the
extending
along nearly the whole rontofarordthe counting-
houses and private residence. 3v r. George Smith,
about two feet from
I whim,
is stated, were impregnatedwith • •
spirit, and used for the
1 purpose of secretly reducing their stock. The workmen
engaged on the occasion have let the pipes exposed to
public view. The solicitors and chief of of Excise
have been in daily communication with her Majesty''
lawl authorities, and it was rumoured that the Excise
Commissioners would go so for as to seize the whole
of the distillery, plant, &c., which is estimated to be
worth nearly 200,0001. On inquiry, however, this even.
ing at the police station, Arbour-square, Inspector
Shaw, of the H division, stated that he had received
no fresh instructions on the subject.—Sunday Paper.