The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-26 00:00:00

GLASGOW, DUMFRIES, and CARLISLE
RAILWAY.
REPORT OF THE PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE TO THE
SHAREHOLDERS OF THE GLASGOW, DUMFRIES,
AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.
Your Coniznittee have delayed making any Report of their pro.
weeding', until they could lay before you sufficient information to
enable you, not only to form a correct opinion of the merits of your
awn line, but to understand the various schemes more or less con.
steeted with it, far which Parliamentary notices have been given.
The number of these schemes, and their complex bearing on the
Interests of your stridertaking, render it necessary to preface this
Report by some general observations.
The four existing railways of greatest importance in Scotland, in
reipcet of lengtn, capital, and traffic, are—the Edinburgh and
Glasgow Railway, connecting the two largest cities in Scotland, as
bell as the two seas; the North British Railway, forming part of
Me great trunk line from Edinburgh to London, by way of Berwick,
Rewcastle, and York ; the Glasgow and Greenock Railway, an int.
Portant in the communication between the manufacturing and
ahippingitowns of the west of Scotland; and the Glasgow, Paisley,
/Kilmarnock, and Ayr Railway, connecting the western metropolis
of Scotland with one of the most thriving mineral and naanufac.
luring districts in this country, including the seaports of Ayr,
TrOon,'lrvine, and Ardrouan, from the latter of which there is a
regular ateam.boat communication with the North of Ireland—a
railway destined, by means of your projected line from its southern
terminus at Kilmarnock to Dumfries and Carlisle, to become the
Peet high.road between the north and west of England, and the
almost equally important district known under the general name of
"the West of Scotland." The only link sweating to complete the entire
garde of railways leading down the east coast of England and Scotland
ie Edinburgh, across to Glasgow, and up the west coast of Scotland
and England, back to London, is from the terminus of the Edin.
burgh and Glasgow Railway in Glasgow to the joint terminus of the
Greenock and Ayrshire Railways in the same city. Parliamentary
netioes have been gives for this short line, which is not above half
a tulle in length, and which will pass, partly In tunnelling, and
Partly en arches, through a portion of the city.
By these existing and projected railways, which intersect the
flattest, and, as might be expected, the richest and most populous
districts both of England and Scotland, almost the whole of the
. agrieultural, manufacturing, mining, mercantile, and shipping in-
terests of Great Britain will be connected, and a direct, rapid, and
economical means of transit secured. The accompanying map will
*hew more distinctly the course of these great leading lines. There
will thus remain, se far as Scotland is concerned, only one line of
traffic unaccommodateil, viz., between Edinburgh and the north.
oust N SeStland and Lancashire. It is true, the existing amount
if intercourse between these districts is as yet limited, but still, in
haying out the lines of communication between the two countries,
It is essential to keep it in view ; and it fortunately happens, that
among the many schemes promoted for local objects, and fur which
ralliamentary notices have been given, there is one, viz., a line
from Edinburgh to Hawick, which, if extended to Carlisle, will
*infer, even on this cross traffic, the full beneit of railway corn.
raunication, at the expense of a very small additional outlay of
To explain this, your Committee again request your attention to
the accompanying reap. From it you will observe that a straight
line, if drawn nearly due north from Birmingham, Lancaster, or
Carlisle, would pass through or close to Hawick, Edinburgh, and
bender, from which last point, by a slight deviation eastward, it
Would reach Aberdeen. Now, it so happens that this straight line
bet only passes through the most practicable country for a rail.
Way between its north and south termini, but opens up by much
the moot fertile and thriving of these districts in the south and
gilt of Scotland, to which the great trunk lines would not them
Ives extend.

The northern portion of the line of communication thus described
bail been already taken up bs parties of influence and capital. Par-
Aarnentary notices have been given for railways extending the
Whole way hem Burntisland, on the north side of the Frith of
POrth opposite Edinburgh to Perth, Dundee, and Aberdeen. The
Wife, or, as it is milled, the Edinburgh and Northern Railway, forms
tAt trot section of this line to the north of Edinburgh. It avails
Itself Oche improved steam ferry across the Forth, initibilished by
bh Grace the Duke of fluccleuch and Mr. Gladstone, of Fuqua,
earl intersects the rich mineral and agricultural county of rite.
As oomph:red with any line by way of Stirling, it shortens the die.
knee between Edinburgh and the most important towns in the
' Werth of Scotland, from thirty to flßy miles. The section to the
south of Edinburgh is that projected by the North British Railway
thnipmay to Hawick, already mentioned.
Illyt he general system of international railway communication
lesw described, it will be seen that three principal lines are pro.
iided• The first of these gives the most direct line from London
t• Edinburgh; the second the best line from London through
Lancashire to the West of Scotland ; and the third the shortest
line across the Island, from Carlisle to Edinburgh and the north.
last if Scotland.
• Many collateral advantages might bepointed out as resulting
Roan the above arrangement, bat these will be more properly ex.
PlAned when discussing the merits of your line in detail.
In a public point of view, your Committee regard it as one of
the raost iMportant characteristics of the scheme now explained,
that although in itself more complete than any other, it can be
• 'Awed by a comparatively small expenditure of capital beyond
What is required fir these now lines of railway, which are about
to he constructed solely for the accommodation of existing local
trade. This statement requires a little explanation.
It has been mentioned that it is intended to form a railway from
lltlnburgh to Hawick. The line has been planned, and is under-
taken by the North British Railway Company. The object is to
aatend the Dalkeith Railway, now belonging to that Company
(which is at any rate to be improved and adapted for locomotives),
to the thriving manufacturing towns of Galashiels, Selkirk, and
Xavrick, situated in the midst of the best wool-growing and
r°el-Manufacturing district in Scotland. On the other side of the
"land, the Ayrshire Railway Company have intimated their inten-
Ilea (without meaning to interfere with your undertaking) to
Lit °cute their long-projected scheme of a Branch Railway to Cum-
k,Asr the purpose of bringing into their line the passenger traffic
Zeta that district, and of opening up the large mineral fields of the
:_aaiquie of Bute, fir James Braswell, and Lord George Bentinck,
"t Which the.celebrated blackband ironstone has been distinctly
4ftertained to exist ; and where extensive additional iron-works are
akoot, it is believed, to be erected under leases recently entered into.
Such being the case, the whole length of new railway will require
. be made for the purpose of completing the two trunk lines from
Klriburgh to Carlisle. via Hawick, and from Glasgow to Carlisle,
bunisriee, will be—
ti'lek,to the Dumfries line, near Carliskes ay. 35 Miles.
14%itck to Carlisle
151 Making in at lOB „
14-•Pital required for which may be roughly estimated at
.00 11. Per mile, or 1,218,0001.
y
1-,
°Lir Committee are so satisfied of the capabilities of the line
-,ween Hawick ani Carlisle, and of its importance to you, not
as a part of the general plan to be submitted to Parliament,
bat as a branch and feeder to your line, that, with the unanimous
Ilincurreace of a meeting of your extraordinary Committee of
Management, they have undertaken to the Board of Trade, to apply
be Parliament in a subsequent session for power to make it, in the
event of the general scheme of international communication
Owed-mentioned being adopted.
Another most important characteristic of the scheme now de.
seethed it, that it interferes in no way with the interests of any
*listing line of railway, but furnishes new feeders both to the four
„..totch lines of railway referred to at the outset, and to all the
eatglish railways with which the projected lines are to be connected.
• l'our Committee, however, would not be discharging their duty
bare they net, in the next place, shortly to call your attention to
the origin and history of another plan, which is about to be brought
at; Parliament under the name of the Caledonian Railway; and to
q‘httatt the public and private advantages it holds out with those
may be obtained by the scheme already described.
It Will probably he known to all of you that the Royal COMMIS.
Li"eri. Sir Frederick Smith and Professor Barlow—who were
7141Intedin 1840 to report on the projected railways between Eng-
'" and Scotland—proceeding upon the assumption that only one
*Ol
-4•4 be made, expressed a preference for a line passing over the
MO,
around which occupies the centre of Scotland. In doing se,
-"ever, the Commissioners carefully reserved the question which
of he various routes ought to be preferred, in the event of its
limit found practicable to make two or more lines. The following
''• their words :—" Were this otherwise (viz., were more than
ce line to be made), we should subdivide the question into two
raaelies, and oonsidor, in the first instance, which of the several
Zags would be the most suitable for a communisation by Lancaster
Glasgow, as well as to the West of Scotland and to the North of
te!and, and which would be the best route by Newcastle to
-"absinth."
-"absinth."
The • line thus preferred by the Commissioners, a under the
15PPosition that at present one line of railway only can be formed
hens the Louth to Edinburgh and Glasgow," recommended itself to
i‘ent chiefly in consequence of its having two forks or branches at.
northern extremity, the one terminating is Edinburgh, and the
• a▪ bet in Glasgow ; but the barren character of the country through
aith it would run, and probably some consideration of the extra
;these of working It, arising from the steep gradients rendered
I:teapary by its summit of 1,000 feet, induced the Commissioners
tetrad their opinion that " it was hardly to be expected that such
4
line would command much support as an investment from the
literal speculator ;" and to add, that, " unless the principal landed
r:ePrieters along the line should feel disposed to give the under.
t
Ifinit 'their hearty support, rather with a view to the increased
4"14 it weuld give to their property, than to a large remunerating
di, idend,
there seems considerable doubt whether it will ever be
-"Articled."
publication of that Report, and the facts it disclosed, in
is of lending to the early execution of the Beattock or Central
e, had the effect of deterring the public from embarking in it,
:44 of, directing their attention to the snore profitable investment
Lrearntedi by the East Coast Line from Newcastle to Edinburgh.
;we North British Railway, being the Scotch portion of that line,
aleordlingly brought forward in 1642—was sanctioned by an
-net ef Parliament obtained last session—and is now in course of
t Wade.
The effect of this decision of Parliament in favour of an East
Cyst
Line, which removes the only ground on which the Royal
,reatnissioners had preferred the Central Line, is not even yet ge-
es,a" ~
uY
known. Accordingly, the scheme of a Beattock Railway
tiTielt was revived last spring, with some modifications that led to
asloption of the new name of the Caledonian Railway, has been
.1
:4erally received by the public under the erroneous impression
Val it has still the sanction of the Commissioners' authority.
Ole line, as thus revived and moed, is meant to extend
Carlisle, to wpoint at or near Lanark, and to diverge there
Q
,__4° tele branches, one running to Edinburgh and the ether towards
~,,I.‘IGW. A subordinate branch Is proposed, from a point about
lanes distant from Glasgow, to join a projected railway,
ea it
lase aeottish Central Railway, at Castlecarry ; whereby a
14-44ntion with Stirling and the North would be afforded. The
ti:"Ch towards Glasgow is not intended to be carried so far as
"1 City, but, at some distance from it, will run-1, into certain
nit railways be4onging to separate Companies, d constructed
nally for the purpose of conveying coals to them igh levels on
i!orth side ef Glasgow 2, into nther projecd line,
1,i41 the Clydesdale Junction, which ia o
s intended tote convey
rai:ttals and passengers to the low levels on the south side of
rst 'tow. This complicated plan will be best understood by
ersinee to the accompanying Map.
D I4Contrasting this scheme with that of which the Glasgow,
cn4rnities, and Carlisle Railway is intended to form a part, your
.441'nittee feel bound to consider, preferably, their bearing on the
'10.41 interests of the country.
t.lrlL—The length of the Caledonian Railway, excluding the
it; "ecarry Branch, which is said to be about eight miles long, is
tdt, in the Prospectus, as being 112 miles, and the cost is there
G'n4t" at 1,800,000/. In a subsequent report, published by the
I.4';fhtoo.ters, it is stated, that, " In consequence of savings on other
tat, f the line, the Castlecarry extension of the Caledonian Line
pro.* constructed without exceeding the capital upon which the
!I)ectus proceeded." But, even after allowing this correction
11,1::”riginal estimate, of the accuracy of which your Committee
sal,enr,,o means of judging, and without attempting to calculate the
Coo 2.° of proposed branch of about 15 miles long to Dumfries,
ties Widening the guage, and otherwise altering the mineral
keneforemsentioned, or the expense of the Clydesdale Junction
that which practically forms a part of the scheme, it would appear
' the ?"ei single line of international communication proposed by
n.,,aledonian Company, would, without accommodating any
%t`- ,ant local traffic, actually cause an expeediture of upwards
ecnapiu,O. 00/. more than the whole sum that would be required for
reittet'n
_ have
the two trunk lines of communication which your Com.
already pointed out.
T'ss4l..tindlY.—Yeur Committee beg to refer you to the Comparati•e
of
a.nstancos on the aceompanying Map, from which you
with (?oserve-1. That the North British Railway, in connexion
to tett Proiceted lnes fom London to York, and from Newcastle
Le affordsi the r
shortest communication from London,
hot 'l4ll. and Newcastle, to Edinburgh and Stirling ; and that,
Only Was by the Fife Line, but even by the Scottish Central Rail.
11141„,"hick" would be reached by the Eeinburgh and Glasgow
a 7. it
auve.forms the shortest route from London and the important
Tii
2. ;;.atrnentioned to Perth, Dundee, and Aberdeen.
shortest' the Edinburgh, Hawick, and Carlisle Railway affords the
itc., line from Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol,
414_,
to
and, in connexion with the Fife and Northern
to north, Dundee, and Aberdeen. 5. That the Glasgow,