The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-15 00:00:00

SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 15, 1845.

!MURDER. AT SALT-HILL.

TRIAL OF JOHN TAWELL.
CONVICTION AND SENTENCE.
AYLESBURY, FRIDAY.
We subjoin the summing np of Mr. Baron Parke, with
some additional particulars respecting the convict.
The Court was opened at eighto'clock, shortly after which
hour Mr. Baron Parke took his seat on the bench, and, after
the commencement of his summing up, the crowd came
singly and slowly in, making so great a noise, that, although
the reporters were directly over the jury-box, and his Lord
ship spoke in his customary clear and audible manner, a con-
siderable portion of his preliminary observations were entirely
lost, broken and disjointed portions of his sentences only
being audible.
His LORDSHIP said, the prisoner was charged with the
commission of a crime almost unparalleled in the history of
human wickedness. The question was one of fact, and it was
the duty of the jury to consider it, they being the judges of
the question of fact. He (Mr. Baron Parke) would offer
them such propositoins respecting the bearing of the
law upon the case as he deemed necessary, and as
such they should receive them from him ; but the
jury alone should decide upon the questions of fact.
He should inform them that the law with regard to criminal
proceedings had been recently altered. Formerly, so far
back as the history of the law went, and during even a great
portion of his (Baron Parke's) own professional career, the
practice had been for the counsel for the prosecution simply
to state the case he was about to prove, without commenting
on it. The witnessses were called, and the prisoner's counsel
cross-examined them. Nothing but the merits of the case
itself was submitted to the jury, and the consequence was
that there was nothing to influence their minds in coming to
a conclusion. But it had pleased the Legislature to alter this
mode of conducting proceedings in criminal cases, and he
(Baron Parke) thought the alteration a wise one. Counsel
for the prisoner were now permitted to address such
ob?ervations as they pleased to the jury ; but one result
had been, that additional duty had been thrown upon the
judge, and he was now obliged to assume a line to dissi-
pate the effects of appeals to the feelings upon the minds of
the jury. It, therefore, became his (Baron Parke's) duty to
dissipate the effects of some of the observations of the
Learned Counsel for the prisoner. The case was to be
proved, as they had been told, by circumstantial evidence.
It was the only sort of evidence that could be obtained in
most cases of a similar nature. The most atrocious crimes
were committed in secret, but Providence had so ordered it
that some traces were frequently left, which were sufficient
to lead to the discovery of the perpetrators. The law had,
therefore, wisely provided that direct proof of crime was not
absolutely necessary; but, on the other hand, it was equally
true that by circumstantial evidence the case should be so
fully made out as to leave no rational doubt of its com-
mittal. He should, therefore, advise them to lay
down the rule, that they should first (consider what
had been proved to their satisfaction, and then to consider
whether all those facts were consistent with the guilt of
the prisoner. If they thought that they were consistent
with his guilt, and that there was nothing inconsistent with
it, and he could suggest nothing inconsistent in the evidence
except the prisoner's previous character, then they should
consider whether they were inconsistent with his innocence,
and they should remember that the existence of the crime
alleged was not inconsistent with the other facts of the case.
Whilst on that part of the question he should observe that
the Counsel for the prisoner had admitted all those facts, but
had asserted that the law required not only that those facts
should be proved, but that it should also be shown directly
that the deceased had died by poison, and that a sufficient
quantity of poison to produce death had been found in her
stomach. That was not true of the law. It was not neces-
sary to give direct and positive evidence in every step of
the case. There was no difference between direct and cir-
cumstantial evidence, if the evidence was sufficient to
satisfy their minds that death had ensued from poison.
It was not necessary to prove what quantity of that poi-
son was necessary to produce death by the testimony of
any person who had actually seen human life de.troyed by
it, nor was it necessary to prove that such a quantity as
would destroy life had been actually found in the body.
The only positive fact which the law requires to be proved
was the finding of the body, where such was possible. He
said " possible," because in such a case as a person being cast
overboard at sea, for instance, the body could not be pro-
duced, and the jury should be contented with positive evi-
dence of the wilful casting overboard. But where possible
the body should be proved to have been found. This was
necessary, because formerly persons had been found guilty of
the murder of persons who were afterwards found alive.
The body of the deceased having been found, it was
to be considered whether the prisoner had adminis-
tered poison to her. The quantity was not necessary to be
proved. He (Baron Parke) agreed with the Learned Counsel
for the prisoner that it was necessary to prove that poison
had been administered, and that, if it had been, that the
question would be—whether it had been administered to the
deceased by the prisoner, or by herself. The only allega-
tion that she had done so was that cf the prisoner himself;
and if the jury thought the extraordinary story told by him
was worthy of credit, it would agree with the latter mode of
accounting for her death. But if they did not believe it,
they had no other conclusion left than that he had committed
the crime imputed to him. The Learned Judge then pro-
ceeded to comment upon the evidence of Mrs. Ashley and
others, who deposed to the perfect health and good spirits of
the deceased up to a few minutes previously to the discovery
of her lifeless body, and to the medical evidence of her state of
perfect internal bodily vigour, leaving no doubt that she had
not died from natural causes. He then went to the evidence
of Messrs. Champneys and Pickering, the surgeons, who, on
opening the body of the deceased on the day following her
death, at once smelt the odour of prussic acid. There, then.
was evidence at once of the presence of prussic acid in the
stomach on the day following a sudden death, accompanied
by appearances such as would be symptomatic of sudden
death from that powerful poison. Mr. Cooper, the
chemist, had analysed the contents of the stomach sub-.
sequently, and found a quantity of pure prussic acid in it.
With regard to the quantity of prussic acid requisite to kill
a human being, it had been proved that less than a grain
would kill in some eases, as appeared by the melancholy in-
stance so frequntly referred to of the seven epileptic patients
in Paris ; and Mr. Cooper had proved that more than a grain
existed in the stomach of the deceased. His Lordship then
went to the consideration of the conduct of the prisoner, and
observed that it would be necessary for the jury to couple
that conduct with all the other evidence, in order to judge
how far it bore out or contradicted the inferences which
might be derived from it. It appeared that on the day in
question the prisoner had gone to the Paddington station of
the Great Western Railway, and had taken his place for
Slough. It was proved that he left his coat at the
Jerusalem Coffee-houseAbefore going down, and he told
the waiter that he was going to dine at the west end of
the town. That was untrue, and he must have made
that false statement for some purpose or another. Ile went
down to Slough at five o'clock, and between six and
seven Mrs. Ashley went round to the deceased's house, in
consequence of the noise she heard of stifled screaming. She
met the prisoner in the garden in a state of agitation so great
that he could not undo the latch of the gate. She opened it
for him. As to the observations she had made about fearing
that her neighbour was ill, he could not say that the priso-
ner must have heard it, and therefore it went for nothing.
Let it pass. However, after she had got in at the door of
the deceased's house, she turned round and saw the prisoner
looking at her; and such was the effect upon her, that she
felt alarmed, and closed and fastened the door. At seven
o'clock the prisoner was seen by a post-boy, and he was then
running towards the station. At ten minutes after seven he
was at the railway station. He was next seen getting into
an omnibus, and desiring to be set down at Herschell House.
What his intention was in going to Herschell House did not
appear. He was traced back again to the station, and an
alarm having been given, a signal was made by the electric
telegraph, and he was seen to ilightfrom the railway carriage
at Paddington, and was thence traced home. When he
was taken up next morning, and told what he was taken
for, his answer was that he knew no one at Slough. It had
been suggested by the Learned Counsel that that was lite-
rally true, because the deceased did not live exactly at
Slough, but a little distance from it. It had also been sug-
gested that he wished to prevent his wife from hearing of his
improper connexion. It would be for the jury to say
what degree of weight would be given to those explana-
tions. He had told several falsehoods respecting this trans-
action. and it was for the jury to say why he wished to keep
secret his having been to the house of the deceased.
It appeared that, when the nature of the transaction, and
the reason why lie was taken into custody, had been ex-
plained to him, that it would have been the part of any
reasonable man, if innocent, at once to have disclosed the
entire that lie knew about it, and what had taken place.
There was abundant evidence to show that the prisoner was
at the house at the very moment the deceased had died.
When informed of the nature of the charge against him,
he told those falsehoods already mentioned. His Lordship
read over the conversations of the prisoner with the con-
stables when taken into custody, and then went on.
On the Friday, about one o'clock, the prisoner had an in-
terview with his legal adviser (Mr. Williams), and after that
interview, and not until after it, did lie make any attempt at
explanation, or give any account of what had taken place,
and the account he then gave was that extraordinary state-
ment which he (Baron Parke) should read at full length for
them. (His Lordship read the statement made by Tawell
to the two constables, in which he said the poor unfortu-
nate woman had once lived in his service; and gave the
account of her putting something out of the phial about the
size of a thimble into her glass, and then drinking it off,
&c.) Here, then, the prisoner had represented himself as
present when the poison was administered, and, as it was
found in her stomach, it was for the jury to say whether
the question did not amount to the simple one, of whether
she had deStroyed herself, or the prisoner had adminis-
tered it. If he thought that she had been threatening
to poison herself, he certainly should at least have stayed
to see what the effect would really be upon her. The jury.
should next observe, keeping that story of the prisoner's
in mind, that no such phial as that described by him was
found in the house. The fact was proved by Mr. Thomas,
who had sold him the poison in the morning, that the pri-
soner had prussic acid in his
.possession on that day. He
(Mr. Baron Parke) did not give much weight to the obser-
vation of prisoner's Counsel that he would not have been
likely to go back next day to the same shop for more if he
were conscious of guilt, "because in cases of murder, espe-
cially in cases of murder by poison, it was found that great
precaution was not always used. The next question was
that of motive; and for the purpose of coming
to an opinion on that point, his Lordship thought it neces-
sary to give a brief history of the connexion between the
prisoner and the deceased. Having gone through that
portion of the evidence which detailed the commencement
of that connexion, his Lordship came to the scene be-
tween the prisoner and ttse deceased in his house, which
Baron Parke commented on as showing the extraordinary
affection and devotion of the deceased for the prisoner. With
striking self-devotion she said, that in order not to prevent
the union of the prisoner with the lady he was *about to be
married to, she would go out of the world, and be dead to the
world, even to her own mother, from that day forth ; and the
jury had heard from that very mother, that from that time
she had never heard o her unfortunate daughter until after
her death. She kept that promise. She did go out of the
world, and went from place to place, until she went to reside
at Slough. It appeared that there she had received from the
prisoner an allowance for her maintenance of 1.31. a quarter, or
521. yearly • and on the day in question it would seem he was
to have taken her her quarterly allowance. When taken into
custody the sum of 121. 10s. was found in his pocket. From
that fact it might be inferred that he had gone down with a
sort of mixed feeling, either of paying her the money, or, if he
had the opportunity, of accomplishing his purpose of poison.
ing her. But as to his motive for destroying her, it had been
suggested that no man would commit such a dreadful crime for
the sake of getting rid of the expense. That he (Mr. Baron
Parke) should say was not a matter to be easily judged of.
His Lordship then went into the:evidence as to the alleged
attempt made by the prisoner to poison the deceased in Sep-
tember last. There was no sufficient proof on that occasion
that he had administei ed prussic acid to her; but it was re-
markable that after drinking porter with the prisoner on the
30th of September, she should have been so ill, and that after
drinking porter again with him on the Ist of January she
should be taken ill again and should have died. But no
direct and positive proof had been given that she had ac-
tually taken poison in September. It was only supposition.
His Lordship having thus prepared the jury for the questions

THE SUN, LONDON

r they would have to consider, read the evidence, and made
some brief comments on it, but without adding anything
If the evidence ad-
duced (said he, in conclusion) left any rational doubt
upon their minds—a doubt which, as sensible men,
they thought had weight, but not a trivial doubt,
created by ingenuity, but a rational doubt—they were bound
to give the prisoner the benefit of it. They must have re-
spect to all the circumstances of the case, particularly to the
presence of the prisoner just before the death of the deceased,
and the fact of prussic acid being found in her stomach ; they
must consider the conduct of the prisoner both before and
after the death of the woman ; and if all that evidence left
any rational doubt upon their minds, God forbid that they
should not give the prisoner the beneit of it. It was their
duty to do so, for they were bound to convict no one on evi •
dence which left any rational doubt upon their minds. But
if they thought they could not explain all the circumstances
of the case—the presence of prussic acid, and the conduct of
the prisoner—if they believed his statements unworthy of
credit, and conscientiously thought he was guilty of the
offence with which he was charged, it would be their duty
for the sake of public justice, that the administration of that
justice might not be disparaged, and that the confidence in
the public in that administration might not be shaken by a
person not being convicted upon evidence which, upon due
deliberation, was calculated to produce an impression that he
was guilty. It was now their painful duty, after the advice
and assistance he had given them, to form their own delibe-
rate conclusion. He would add nothing more, but would
leave the issue entirely in their hands.
Mr. GuNNuso begged to remind his Lordship that he had
not mentioned the evidence which had been given with re-
spect to the prisoner's character:
The Learned. JUDGE then said there was one circumstance
which he wished also to remind the jury of, and to which he
had already adverted, but only in a general way—he meant
the good character which the prisoner had received from
several witnesses. Such evidence was admissible in cases of
this kind, because it went to show the general impression of
the habits and feelings of a person. The prisoner was re-
puted to be a kind-hearted and benevolent man. Jt was ad-
mitted by his Counsel that he had been transported for some
offence, the nature of which they had not been told; but it
was said that it was not one which was calculated to affect
his character for kindness of disposition. His Lordship then
react over the evidence alluded to, and left it for the jury to
decide in reference to its value to the prisoner in his present
position.
The Learned Judge concluded his summing up at 35
minutes after 11 o'clock, and the jury then retired to consider
their verdict. At five minutes after 12 o'clock the jury re-
turned into Court, and a passage was immediately cleared for
them, in order that they might face the prisoner whilst de-
livering their verdict.
The prisoner looked extremely pale, but advanced to the
front of the dock with a firm step.

The names of the jury having been called over,
The Clerk of the Crown said—Gentlemen, are you agreed
your verdict?
Foreman—Yes.

The Clerk of the Crown—What say you, is the prisoner
guilty, or not guilty?
Foreman (in a loud and firm tone)—GUILTY.
The Clerk of the Crown, addressing the prisoner, said—
You have been indicted for the wilful murder of Sarah Hart,
and you have been found guilty of having committed that
murder., What have you now to say that the Court should
not give you judgment to die according to law?
The prisoner made no reply.
The usual proclamation fur silence, whilst the Judge was
pronouncing sentence, having been made,
The Learned JUDGE put on the black cap, and addressed
the pri-ioner in the following terms :—prisoner at the bar, the
jury have just returned their unanimous and deliberate ver-
dict against you. They have performed their painful duty
under the solemn obligation of their oaths, and it now
remains for me to perform my duty, by telling you that for
that horrible, base, and cowardly crime, of which you have
been convicted, upon clear and satisfactory evidence, you
must die an ignominious and horrid death on the common
scaffold. You thought to commit that crime, and you
thought no eye would see you, except that eye which sees
all things, and to which you probably paid no regard ; but,
happily, circumstances were discovered, and numerous co-
gent and satisfactory reasons have been adduced which have
left no doubt on the minds of the jury, as they have none
upon mine, nor, I will venture to say, upon the minds of
any of that numerous auditory who have been listening
with painful attention to the trial, that you are guilty of one
of the most diabolical offences that ever man committed.
We now see, almost as it were with our own eyes, you mix-
ing the poisonous ingredients in the cup from which she was
to drink in a moment of unsuspecting confidence on her part,
supposing that you were her benefactor and protector. You
hurried her—you hurried her in a moment, without allowing
her an instant for the preparation of her thoughts, to give
that awful account for which you have now only a few days
left you to prepare. I will say nothing more of your
heinous offence, because I do not wish to aggravate those
feeelings which I hope and believe are at this moment
tearing your mind. I wish it were so, that you may be
brought to repent of that grievous sin, and of that course of
your life which has been marked by hypocrisy, during
which you wore the garb of a virtuous, peaceful, benevolent,
and religious body of persons. I say to you, repent of those
grievous indulgences of your passions, and the crimes of
which you have been guilty, when in a state of mind so
devoid of all feeling as to commit this wicked and cruel
murder. I will say no more. I hope you will profit by
the little time left you, which will not be longer than the
law allows, and endeavour to repent of your crimes. Pros-
trating,. yourself at the Throne of Mercy—seeking there,
through the grace of the Almighty, and the merits of the
Saviour, that mercy which you cannot obtain from men. It
remains for me to pass upon you now the sentence of the law
—that sentence is, for the murder whereof you have been
convicted, that you be taken from hence to the place from
whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution,
there to be hanged by the neck until you are dead, and that
your body be taken down and buried within the precincts of
the goal wherein you shall be confined after the pacing of
this sentence ; and may God have mercy upon your mi-
serable soul.

During the peeing of the sentence the prisoner appeared
calm and unmoved, but when the last words of the Learned
Judge were uttered the muscles of his face became slightly
convulsed, and he walked back into the dock without the
assistance of any person.
Notwithstanding the calm demeanour of the unhappy
criminal throughout the trial, and even while sentence was
being passed upon him, his strength became exhausted when
he descended the ladder which leads from the dock to the
gaol-yard. He fell upon the ground in a fit, but he was
immediately raised by the gaolers who were conducting him
to his cell, and he recovered in a few minutes. His
spirits, which, during the time he was in prison pre-
vious to his trial, were unusually good, have now sunk
to the lowest possible ebb. Up to a late hour of the even-
ing he continued to pace his cell, and cry "Oh dear, oh
dear, what will become of my poor wife and my children !"
Dinner was served to him at his usual hour for eating,
but he declined to partake of it. Later in the evening
he ate some beef-steak. Whether in seriousness or other-
wise, his conduct gave evidence of a feeling of certainty that
he must be acquitted. He not only invited the person who
daily served him with his meals to visit him at his house, but
anticipating that his trial would terminate on Thursday
night, he actually had a carriage in readiness to convey him
to his home. His son, by the unfortunate woman Hart, was
in Court during the trial. He is a very fine lad, about five
years of age. When the verdict of Guilty was pronounced
by the foreman of the jury, a murmur of applause was heard
in Court, but it was at once suppressed. During his trial
the prisoner maintained a bearing approaching almost to
levity. Several gentlemen were permitted to stand in
the dock, which was a capacious one, during the pro-
ceedings. On Thursday, during a momentary absence of
the Judge, one of them being near-sighted, raised his
eye-glass to look at Tawell, who, when he observed it,
immediately went up to the gentleman, and asked—" What
does thee mean by looking at me more than at any body
else!" The gentleman was so taken by surprise at the
question that he could make no reply except to stammer
out, " I beg your pardon; I did not wish to hurt your
feelings."
During the temporary adjournment which took place each
day, the prisoner talked and laughed in a confident manner
with some persons who stood in the space between the dock
and the counsels' table, and who, as it afterwards appeared,
were his witnesses as to character, and persons connected
with his legal advisers. Another incident will also better
convey an idea of the man's character than a laboured at-
tempt at description. A prisoner who had been convicted
and sentenced to fifteen years' transportation came into a
room where Tawell was, and while he was crying and groan-
ing bitterly, Tawell began to comfort him by saying that he
should not fret, that Sydney was a very nice place, and that
in a short time he should get on very well, and not be sorry
f,,r the change.
The children of the deceased woman, Sarah Hart, of which
the prisoner is the reputed father, were in the neighbour-
hood of the Court throughout the trial.
It is stated that the prisoner's present wife wished to be
accommodated with a seat in the Court during the trial, but
that her friends dissuaded her from availing herself of a fa-
vour which would have been granted, but which could only
have augmented her sufferings.
On Thursday, while the Court adjourned for a quarter of
an hour, the prisoner wished to have a glass of brandy-and-
water; the Governor would not accede to his request, but
he was allowed a sandwich and a glass of wine, which he
swallowed with avidity.

DISCOVERY IN LIVERPOOL OF
SIX HUNDRED POUNDS' WORTH OF STOLEN

PuOPERTY.

On Wednesday a middle-aged man, of genteel appear-
ance, named Edward Ford, tailor, of No. 28. London-
road, and his wife, Margaret Ford, were brought helot-,
Mr. Rushton and Mr. Houghton, at the Liverpool Police-
court, on a charge of having received about six hundred
pounds' worth of stolen property. The Court was
densely crowded. Mr. Davenport defended the prisoners.
Mr. Dowling, the head constable, briefly stated the
circumstances. Ile said the prisoner was a tailor and a
draper, carrying on business in this town, and that he
had hitherto enjoyed among his neighboursan extremely
good character. Recently, however, Mr. Superin•
tendent M‘Donald received private information of
some stolen property being in his possession,
and went to the house, accompanied by other officers,
for the purpose of making a thorough examination
of the premises. The result of their search was, that
property of all sorts and descriptions, but more particu-
larly that species of goods connected with the business
of a draper, was discovered, to the estimated amount
of between 5004 and- 1,000/. Nearly all the pieces
of cloth were new, They were cut and sliced in
various ways ; the tickets marked with the prici,
were taken off, and each piece was thrown upon the
floors of the rooms and the shelves of cupboards,
in confusion. There were an immense number of
dress and body coats, satin, silk and figured vests, ladies
dresses of the most beautiful and costly patterns, shawls,
boas, mantles, and every other description of apparel.
As might be expected, the greater part of these still re-
mained unidentified, although an immense number of
persons had already made applications to the police, and
of these several had been enabled, by a strict examina
tion of the goods lying in different parts of the house, to
swear to portions of them being their property.
Six persons then came forward and identified various
articles which had been stolen from them.
_ _

Mr. Davenpoit, who appeared Forihepri:oners, urged
that if there were suspicions against Ford himself, his
wire could not be legally implicated.
Mr. RUSHTON said he should commit both for trial at
the sessions, which commence on Monday, and this was
done accordingly.

Two cart-lo—ucis of stolen property were removed from
Ford'a house to the Police Commissioners'-office.

MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION

OF GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS.

A Public Meeting of the members of this Association
was held last night at the Hanover-square Rooms, for the
transaction of business, and to consider the provisions of the
New Bill for regulatinc, the Profession of Physic and Sur-
gery, lately introduced into Parliament.
On the motion of Mr. MoottE, R. R. Pennington, Esq., was
called to the chair. _ _ _

Mr. PENNINGTos, who on taking the chair was received
with considerable applause, said, that the general practitioners
had but recently awakened from their slumbers, it being only
three months since they had set about to collect their
scattered elements of strength together, so as to apply them
to the formation of that Association. He had much pleasure,
however, in noticing the great progress which had already
been made; for he might state, that during the course of a
long professional life, he had never witnessed more energetic
and unwearied exertion than had been exhibited in carry-
ing out the present organisation of the general prac-
titioners.—(Cheers.)
The minutes of the last meeting, held in Dec. 2; 1844, were
then read and confirmed.

The SECRETARY then read the report of the Provisional
Committee, a long and elaborate document, setting forth the
progress of the Association up to the present time. It stated
that already the Association numbered 3,800 members, scat-
tered over every county in the kingdom, which number was
still increasing, and fully justified the Association being called
a national one. It also entered into afull analysis of the provi.
sions of the new medical Bill, which it'condernned in many essen-
tial particulars, especially the constitution of the Council of
Health, which it held to be a violation of the representative
principle, and ought not to receive the support of the general
practitioners. It concluded by recommending the Association
strenuously to oppose the new Bill, and to rest satisfied with
nothing short of a charter of incorporation, in which every
general practitioner who had been enrolled for five years should
have a vote. The amount of funds subscribed for the objects
of the Association was stated to be 1,269/. 14s. 9J., of which
285/. ss. had been expended ; 1201. still remained unpaid,
which, when deducted, left a balance in hand of 859!.
The report having been received,
'Air. J. Bow LING moved that it be adopted and forthwith
printed.
Mr. WA LLER (of Cirencester) seconded the motion.
On the Chairman rising to put the motion,
Dr. LYNCH stood up in the body of the room, and claimed
the liberty of making a few remarks. He agreed with much
that was contained in the report, and especially in what it
stated respecting this being the most momentous crisis that
had arisen in the history of the medical profession for half a
qentury. Hence it was that every energy, effort, and senti-
ment, should be made use of to ensure co-operation. Their
opponents were felicitating themselves on the prospect of divi-
sion at that meeting—an event which he hoped would be
averted on this occasion by every opportunity being given of
full and fair discussion. While agreeing with the main features
of the report, there were two points to which he objected. The
recommendation that none should be eligible as councillors but
practitioners of fifteen years' standing, or be entitled to vote
except they had been enrolled five years. He would move, as
an amendment, that that portion of the report be struck out.
Considerable interruption took place at this stage of the pro-
ceedings, the great majority present expressing their strong
dissent to the course pursued by Dr. Lynch. After an expla-
nation from the secretary, that the adoption of the report would
not bind the Association to the suggestions contained it, but
that they would be fully considered in detail at a future meet-
ing, the amendment was withdrawn.
Mr. BONNEY, of Brentwood, moved the next resolution—
That the Association shall be entitled the National Associa-
tion, in doing which he made a few remarks showing that the
extent of the Association fully warranted the assumption of
that title.

WOOLRIDGE, of Southampton, seconded the resolution,
which was put to the meeting and carried unanimously.
Mr. FULLER then moved a resolution, declaratory of the
great advantages which the Apothecaries' Company had con-
ferred on the profession, and thanking them for their disin-
terested conduct towards the general practitioners in the en-
deavours of the latter to obtain a charter of incorporation. Mr.
Fuller, in support of the resolution, pointed out at some length
the advantages which had resulted from the Apothecaries' Act
of 1615.

The resolution being seconded by Mr. George Bottomley, of
Croydon, was unanimously agreed to.
Mr. CLIFTON then moved a resolution, protesting against
the proceedings of the College of Surgeons in obtaining and
carrying out their recent charter, and condemnatory of the
constitution of that body.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. CJIALDECOTT, of
Dorking, and carried by acclamation.
Resolutions were then severally proposed and adopted by the
meeting, censuring any course of legislation that would tend
to degrade the general practitioner, and especially of the plea-
sure introduced into Parliament by Sir J. Graham, unless it
underwent extensive alterations.
A petition, embodying the sentiments of the resolutions was
then agreed to, and the meeting, which was a very numerous
and influential one, separated.

COURT CIRCULAR.
The Queen and Prince Albert walked yesterday in the
royal gardens of Buckingham Palace.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided yesterday at a
meeting of the Commission for promoting and encouraging
the Fine Arts in the rebuilding the Palace of Westminster.
His Royal Highness arrived at Gwvder House, Whitehall,
at a quarter before three o'clock, attended by Major-General
Sir Edward Bowater. The Commissioners present were the
Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Colborne, Lord Mahon, the
Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Bart. 3 ;
Mr. Benjamin llawes, M.P.; Mr. Henry Hallam, Mr. Rogers,
and Mr. 'l homas Wyse. The meeting broke up at five.
Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal was taken an
airing in the royal gardens yesterday.
The royal dinner party at Buckingham Palace yesterday
included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester,
their Royal Highnesses the Hereditary Grand Duke and
Duchess of Mecklenburg Strelitz, the Austrian Ambassador
and the Countess Dietrichstein, the Prussian Minister and
Madame Bunsen ; Mr. Barnard, her Majesty's Charge d'Af-
faires in Cobourg ; the Earl and Countess Clanwilliam,
Viscount Canning, Lady Georgiana Bathurst, the Right
Hon. Thomas Pemberton Leigh, and Sir George Anson.
The Band of the Grenadier Guards attended during dinner
and performed the following pieces :
Overture—" La Clemenza di Tito"
Waltzer—" Lovelev Rhein Klailye" Strauss.
Potpourri—" Belisario"
Polka—" Kratky"
Galop—" Parisina"
The band was directed by Mr. Schott.
Her Hoyal Highness the Grand Duchess Stephanie of
Baden visited her daughter the Marchioness of Douglas yes-
terday, at her residence in Connaught-place. Many of the
Nobility called yesterday to learn the state of the Mar-
chioness. The answer given was, " The Marchioness is going
on favourably."
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam-
bridge, accompanied by the Princess Mary, and the -Heredi-
tary Grand Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, at-
tended by Mr. Edmond Mildmay, visited the Royal Ex-
change yesterday, and were conducted through the different
parts of the building.
The Duke of Cambridge attended Divine service yester-
day morning in Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley-street.
A deputation from the Steam-shipOwners' Association,
consisting of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Anderson, and Mr. Shadbolt,
the Secretary, had an interview with Sir George Clerk yes-
terday, at the office of the Board of Trade.
Mr. Bell, Mr. Hutt, and Mr. Metcalfe, with a deputation
of dealers in bottles, had an interview with the Chancellor of
the Exchequer yesterday, at his official residence in Down-
ing-street.
Mr. P. M. Stewart, Mr. Lockhart, and Mr. Bouverie, with
a Deputation of Sugar Refiners, consisting of Messrs. Davis,
P. Martineau, Fairrie, Hodgson, and Lucas, of London ;
Messrs. Macfie, R. A. Macfie, and William Macfie, from
Scotland and Liverpool ; and Mr. Sales, of Plymouth, had
• an interview with Sir Robert Peel and the Chancellor of the
Exchequer yesterday, at the official residence et' the Hight
lion. Baronet, hr Downing street.
A Deputation from the Leather-trade, consisting of Messrs.
Boutcher, Meek, Drake, Kearby, and Cox, had an interview,
with Sir George Clerk yesterday.
Mr. Dean, Chairman of the Customs, and Mr. John Wood
Chairman of Excise, had interviews yesterday with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer.

COURSE OF EXCHAI
Amsterdam CF. 12 8
Ditto, at sight l2 6i
Rotterdam 2U. 12 9
Antwerp
Hamburgh M.B. 14 0
Altona l4 0
Paris, 3 days' sight 25 90
Ditto, 3 months 26 13
Marseilles
Bourdeaux
Frankfort on Maine 123
Petersburgh, 3Us 37
Berlin 7
Vienna, effee. fi. 3 M lO 4
Trieste, ditto
Madrid 36 i
Cadiz
13ilbao 36
Barcelona
Seville —

1 GE.—(YESTERDAY.)
Gibraltar
Si —
Leghorn
......
Genoa .
111ila.n . ..... •—•••••••—
Venice •••• _ 47
Naples ...__ ......
Palen:so, per 0Z..... 1181
Lisbon ............ _ 53
Oporto •
Rio Janeiro
Bahia .. .... ‘24
.4 p.
Buenos .-s
NewYoik ::7dyssicrht
Philathit`h;et . .....
PRICK I"IULLI.)N, OZ
Foreign bars. £3 17 9
Porto,,,x Gold Coin 3 17 5
New .sons 00 0
New Do'..lars 0 4 9a
Silver It. tNrs 3 4 11

Mr. Alderman Humphrey paired oft with Mr. Col-
quhoun, in favour of Mr. Cobden's motion.
Sir Robert reel will entertain a numerous circle of
his supporters in the House of Conunons at dinner this
tvening.

RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE.

REPORT OF THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT OF
THE BOARD OF TRADE ON SCHEMES FOR
FACILITATING THE APPROACH TO THE
METROPOLIS.

Railway Department, Board of Trade,
Whitehall, March 13, 1845.
The Board constituted by Minute of the Lords of the
Committee of Privy Council for Trade, for the transaction of
railway business, having had under consideration the follow-
ing schemes deposited with the Railway Department for
facilitating railway communications with the metropolis, viz.
Number.

Epsom and Dorking
Grosvenor Railway
Great Western, Uxbridge, and Staines .Junction
London and Brighton—Wandsworth Branch
London and Croydon—Dorking Branch .. 136
London and Brighton—Dorking Branch
London and South-Western—Epsom Branch l5O
London & South•Western—Metropolitan Extension 166
Metropolitan Central Junction
Richmond and West-end Junction ... 192
South London and Windsor
South-Eastern Branch—Reigate to Dorking 214
Staines and Richmond 920
South- Eastern—Extension of Greenwich Railway 223
South -Eastern--Widening of ditto 224

have determined on submitting the following report thereon
for the consideration of Parliament.
In our report upon the Kentish and South-Eastern Rail-
way schemes, we had occasion to point out the advantage
of a proposed central terminus in the southern quarter of
the metropolis, at or near the Ilungerford Suspension-
bridge. In several of the schemes embraced in this report,
viz.:—

London and South-Western—Metropolitau Intension;
(Richmond and West-end Junction ;
Staines and Richmond ;
Londoa and Brighton—Wandsworth Branch; and
Metropolitan Central Junction ;
that spot is equally proposed for a terminus.
It appears to us that there is a manifest advantage in
placing a terminal station of this importance in the hands of
companies having large interests entrusted to their manage-
ment, and whose permanent prosperity must, more or less,
depend upon their consulting the public convenience, rather
than in giving it to any small independent company, whose
greatest profit might probably be derived from the use of the
station by other companies, and who might thus have an
inducement to turn the possession of it to undue advantage.
Besides this, the safety of persons using the line may be
better insured if the arrangements are suited to the require-
ments of the long traffic, which cannot, from the nature of
things, be conducted with the same punctuality, as regards
the arrival of trains, as the traffic may be which is conducted
upon the shorter lines.
These reasons have influenced us in forming our opinion
upon the proposed Metropolitan Extension of the London
and South-Western Railway, whereby it is sought to transfer
its' junction with the metropolis from Nine-elms to a more
central and convenient spot near to Hungerfhrd-bridge. The
great cost of this extension, in proportion to its length, has
given strength to the reasons above stated; since the outlay
must be less an object, proportionally, to a wealthy company
already in operation, than it would be to any short and in-
dependent line to be constructed, and where the capital sunk
in providing such a terminus would constitute a very large
part of its entire outlay.
A metropolitan terminus in the central spot in question
being in the hands of the South-Eastern and South-Western
Companies might be, and doubtless would be, made fully
available for the use of shorter lines, and especially when
those shorter lines will be, in other respects, tributaries to one
or other of those two companies.
We are, therefore, of opinion that, if Parliament should be
disposed to sanction the establishment of a railway station
at the central spot in question, there are not any public
reasons for withholding its assent to the London and South-
Western Metropolitan Extension.
The Richmond and West-end Junction Railway is intended
to form a junction with the South-Western Railway at Fal-
conbridge, about four miles from that terminus, whence the
traffic will be taken on the rails of that company to Hunger-
ford -bridge.
By this Richmond and West-end Junction Railway, and
its prolongation, the Richmond and Staines Railway, a very.
advantr geous outlet will be provided for the population 01
Loedon to places of favourite resort, while accommodation
will be given to a considerable local traffic already existing
between the many populous villages along the line and Lon-
don. The ground through which these two lines will be
carried is nearly level throughout ; the works will conse-
quently be light and comparatively iaexpeusive, and the cost
mode rate.

By means of the existing traffic along the line and the
through-traffic together, it can hardly be doubted that the
receipts of these two railways will yield an adequate return
for the capital sunk in their formation. We therefore see no
public grounds on which to object to their construction.
The remainino•b
two
schemes proposing to have their ter-
mini at Ilungerford-bridge, and of which we have been able
to form a favourable opinion, are—
The Wandsworth Branch of the London and Brighton
Railway,
The Metropolitan Central Junction Railway.
The first of these proposes the construction of a new rail-
way from the Brighton line at Croydon to Wandsworth,
whence the Brighton trains would come forward on the rails
of the South-Western Company to Nine-elms and Hunger-
ford-bridge.
While we admit the importance of a west -end terminus for
the Brighton traffic, there does nut appear to be any decided
public advantage to be secured by the construction of this
line, greater than will be attained through the extension of
the South- Eastern Company's branch from the Bricklayers'
Arms to Ilungerford-bridge. The local traffic to be accom-
modated by it is comparatively insignificant.
The line would not provide the Brighton Company with 11
an independent terminus, which, in the. case of an extensive
traffic, is an object deserving of some sacrifice for its attain-
ment. They would simply exchange the possibly crowded
terminus of the South- Eastern for that equally crowded of
the South-Western Company, :while, owing to the arrange-
ment sanctioned last year, by which the local traffic of the
Croydon Railway will be conducted in future on separate
rails, worked by the atmospheric system, and the two present
lines of rails of that railway will be rendered entirely avail-
able fur the through-traffic, there will be less chance of inter-
ruption in approaching London than would be the case if the
Brighton trains, according to the proposed arrangement, were
to run from Wandsworth over the rails of the South -Western
Company, already encumbered with their own traffic and
with that of the proposed Richmond and Staines lines. As-
suming, therefore, that the Croydon and South-Eastern Com-
panies shall be willing to accommodate the Brighton traffic
on reasonable terms, the only effect, so far as the public in-
terest is concerned, would be, that two capitals would be
irrevocably sunk in order to perform the work that may be
equally well performed by one; thus violating one of the
plainest principles by which these questions should be go-
verned.

Also, if these companies afford such accommodation as it
is manifestly for their interest to do, upon moderate terms,
the competition thus created would not be productive of any
adequate advantage to the Brighton Company, who would
indeed avoid the toll to the South-Eastern and Croydon Com-
panies, but in order to do so must expend a sum, the interest
of which, together with the toll they would have to pay to
the South-Western Company, would probably equal the full
amount of that saving.
These reasons appear to us conclusive against this pro-
ject.

The Metropolitan Central Junction is an independent
Company, intended to connect all the great lines of railway
on the south side of the Thames with a central terminus on
the south side at Ilungerford-bridge, crossing for that pur-
pose the Thames, and joining the South-Western Railway at
Battersea.
We consider this scheme to be uncalled for at present by
the wants of the public, and that its prosecution might prove
a wasteful expenditure of capital.
The Grosvenor Railway is likewise put forward as an in-
dependent work ; its termini are at Pimlico and at a
junction with the Brighton Railway near Godstone, 14 miles
from London. A line which thus requires the erection of
a bridge across the Thames, must necessarily be of expen-
sive construction, and would require a strong case of public
convenience to justify its adoption. No such case has been
made out, indeed nobody has appeared before us to advocate
it, and no attempt has been made to show in what manner
the line is to be supported if made.
It appears to us that no public reasons exist why it should
be constructed.
The South London and Windsor Railway, also an indepen•
dent project, has, like the last-mentioned scheme, not been
brought in any way under our notice, further than by the
lodging of plans and sections, and the publication of a pros-
pectus 4 It does not appear that any company has been
formed for its construction.
It is evident from an examination of the plans that the
formation of the line must be very expensive. It would run
from a densely occupied part of the town between Blackfriars
and Waterloo-bridges, with a branch to Southwark-bridge,
and with further branches, right and left, to Kennington,
Camberwell, Brixton, Dulwich, and Norwood. The main
line would take the same direction, and occupy for a great
part of its length nearly the same site as the Richmond and
West-end Junction, and Staines and Richmond lines. Leav-
ing Staines at some distance to the left, it would turn off to
Datchet and 'Windsor, where it would terminate, running
along the foot of the little park between Windsor Castle and
the Thames. Other branches are proposed to the Hammer•
smith. bridge, to Kew, to Hampton Court, and to join the
Great Western Railway at Slough.
This scheme wears such an aspect of extravagance upon
its face, that it is difficult to conceive upon what prospect of
profit it can have been put forward. We consider that there
are public grounds why it should not receive the sanction of
Parliament.

The Staines and Uxbridge Junction Railway is promoted
by the Great Western Railway Company. It would inter-
sect and form a junction with the Great Western Railway at
the \Vest Drayton station, connecting Staines on the one
side with Uxbridge on the other, by about eight miles of
railway. The line would be easy of construction, and not
expensive, but in this respect would have no advantage
over the Staines and Richmond line, while this latter
will provide accommodation for a larger population,
giving railway facilities to Twickenham, 'l'eddington,
Hampton and✓ Hampton Court, Sunbury, and numerous
other villages, the inhabitants of which will thus be brought
into connexion watt the heart of London, while the population
of Staines itself will have a vastly superior London terminus
to that afforded by the Great Western Company at Pad-
dington.
To sanction a second lino to Staines, would be to sanction
the outlay of a second capital in order to render both unpro-
ductive, and as the line from Staines to Hungerford-bridge
appears to us, for the reasons offered, to be superior to the
project of the Great Western Company, we must express an
opinion that the Staines and Richmond line is preferable to
the Uxbridge and Staines Junction Railway.
There does not appear to us to be any case to justify at
at present the formation of a second line to Epsom. That
now advocated by the South-Western Company was brought
forward in the last session of Parliament, and rejected, in
favour of the Croydon and Epsom Atmospheric line, which
will not be open for traffic until the summer of the present
year. In their opposition to the Croydon and Epsom line,
the South-Western Company proved that there was not
traffic for more than one railway, and nothing can since
have occurred to show that:they were wrong in arriving at this
conclusion. The advantage of a west-end terminus will also,
by the proposed extension of the Bricklayers' Arms
Branch to Hungerford-bridge, be obtained by the Croydon
and Epsom line, as well as by that proposed by the South-
Western Company.
The experiment which the Croydon and Epsom Company,
in conjunction with the London and Croydon Company, are
now preparing to carry out, is one which the Legislature
has regarded of great national importance, so that there ap-
pear to us to be strong public reasons against sanctioning a
rival scheme, the effect of which would be to endanger the
success of the line to which Parliament, on special grounds,
so recently gave its sanction.
We are induced by the circumstance just mentioned to re-
commend the postponement to a future period, when the ex-
periment of the Atmospheric Railway from London to
Epsom shall have been put in execution, the consideration of
the following schemes, via.:—
No. 70. Epsom and Dorking.
No. 136. London and Croydon--Dorking branch.

No. 147. London and Brighton—Dorking branch; and 1
No. 214. South-Eastern—Reigate and Dorking branch.

If the atmospheric system of propulsion should prove suc-
cessful and deserving of further adoption, it would seem to
be better suited than the locomotive system of traction to
the nature of this section of country. The whole question of
railway communication with Dorking may be temporarily
postponed without any inconvenience, and if hereafter the
atmospheric system should prove available, the line from
Epsom to Dorking, projected upon that principle, would
appear to be the best adapted for supplying the wants of
Dorking and its vicinity, without incurring the expense of
making so many additional miles of railway. This Epsom
line would be the shortest route from Dorking to London.
The gradients are very severe, but not more severe than are
encountered on some other lines to which we have not
thought it necessary to object, nor yet too severe to admit f
its construction as a locomotive line. It must, however, be
a bad locomotive line, and in the possible event of failure of
the atmospheric principle, it may be well at a future time to
consider, whether a good locomotive line to Reigate, giving
means for communication between Dorking and Brighton,
or Dover, might not be more to the advantage of Dorking
than a bad locomotive line to Epsom, giving indeed a supe-
rior access to London, but wanting the other advantages
here alluded to.

The South-Eastern Company having leased in perpetuity
the Greenwich Railway, are desirous of extending and
widening the line, with a view le give greater convenience
and security to the public, and we have no public objections
to offer to their proposals for that purpose.
In conclusion, we beg to draw attention to the passage of
the fifth report of the Select Committee of last year, in
which it is stated, in recommending that reports should be
made to Parliament by this department upon railway
schemes, "That no such report should be held to prejudice
the claims of:private persons, the examination of which
should be altogether reserved to the Houses of the Legisla-
ture." . . .

In submitting to Parliament, in conformity with the re-
commendations of that Committee, the results at which we
have arrived, with a view to the information and assistance
of Parliament in forming a judgment upon the schemes in
question, :in so far as our report may be available for that
purpose, we are anxious that it should be distinctly under-
stood that we have arrived at these results solely upon public
grounds, and to the exclusion of all considerations how far
such results might require to be modified by a due regard
for private rights and interests.
DALHOUSIE.
C. W. PASLEY. G. R. PORTER.
D. O'BRIEN. S. LAING.

REPORT OF THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT OF THE
BOARD OF TRADE ON THE TRENT VALLEY AND
CHURNET VALLEY RAILWAY SCHEMES.
Railway Department, Board of Trade,
Whitehall, March 13, 1845.

The Board constituted by Minute of the Lord's of the Com-
mittee of Privy Council for Trade, for the transaction of
Railway business, having had under consideration the Trent
Valley and Churnet Valley Railway schemes, have deter-
mined on submitting the following report thereon for the
consideration of Parliament :

These lines may be considered as forming portions of one
scheme for shortening the distance of the principal railway
communications from the metropolis to Ireland, Scotland,
Liverpool, Manchester, and the northern and north-western
portions of the kingdom. The Trent Valley Railway com-
mences at Rugby and runs by Tamworth, Lichfield, and
Rugeley to Stafford, thus cutting off the angle of the London
and Birmingham and Grand Junction lines at Birmingham,
and reducing the length of the journey from London to
Liverpool and Holyhead, and by Carlisle to Scotland, by nine
miles of actual distance. The proposed line is 494 miles in
length, and its gradients are of a very favourable descrip •
tion. The serious delay now experienced in passing through
Birmingham will also be avoided; and, on the whole, we
agree with the Commissioners, who reported in 1841 upon
the communication with Ireland and Scotland, that a consi-
derable saving in point of time will be effected upon through
traffic. The importance of this saving upon such great lines
of communication has been fully recognised on former occa-
sions, and is too obvious to require comment. The intermediate
district between Staftbrd and Rugby, including Tamworth,
Lichfield, Rugeley, Atherstone, Nuneaton, and the towns
along the old Holyhead road, will also derive great benefit
from the railway, and being brought forward in connexion
with the existing railway company interested in the great
lines of communication referred to, may be considered as un-
opposed.
The Churnet Valley Railway, together with the above
line, and with the existing London and Birmingham and
Manchester and Birmingham Railways, completes a line of
railway communication between London and Manchester
19 miles shorter than the present one, and which is believed
to be practically as short a line as any which can be made
between the two points. Commencing at Macclesfield, to
which place a branch from the Manchester and Birmingham
line has been already sanctioned, the Churnet Valley line
passes by Leek and Uttoxeter to a point four miles north-
west of Tamworth, where it joins the proposed Trent Valley
line. From Uttoxeter a branch diverges to Willington, a
point on the Birmingham and Derby line, within 64 miles of
Derby.
It will thus be seen, by reference to the map, that the
Churnet Valley line presents the double advantage of uniting,
by the shortest practicable lines, Manchester, the great ma-
eufacturing metropolis of the kingdom, with London, on the
one hand, and on the other hand, with Derby, and through
the existing and projected railways which centre there, with
Nottingham, Leicester, Stamford, Peterborough, Cambridge,
and the whole of the Midland and Eastern Counties. At
the same time it will afford to Derby, and to the traffic
centering there, the shortest outlet to Liverpool, Preston, and
the north; and be productive of much local advantage to the
important manufacturing town of Macclesfield, containing a.
population of upwards of Lo,ooo ; to Leek, another manufac-
turing town, containing a population of 11,738 ; and to the
towns of Cheadle, Uttoxeter, Rocester, &c., and the district
along the line.
The importance of such a line has been already recognised,
and in 1836 a Committee of the House of Commons reported
that "It has been established to the satisfaction of the Com-
mittee, that a line opening a communication from Manches-
ter and Live pool, through the populous and growing towns
of Stockport, Macclesfield, and Leek, to Derby, to Leicester,
to Nottingham, and to London, is one highly desirable for
the public interest, and highly deserving of favourable con-
sideration in a future session." Since that period the in-
crease of population in the manufacturing districts, and the
development of traffic and opening out of new railways, have
added greatly to the force of these arguments.
It is true that by the construction of the Manchester and
Birmingham line to Crewe, the objects mentioned by the
Committee have been partially attained, and by the pro-
posed Trent Valley, in connexion . with this line, the dis-
tance between London and Manchester would be reduced to
1886 miles, as compared. with 179 miles by that of the Chur-
net Valley ; and if this were the sole object, it might be
questionable how far it would justify the construction of
more than 50 miles of railway, of which a good deal is of a
difficult asd expensive character. But when we consider
that not only Manchester but the surrounding district, com-
prising the towns of Bury, Bolton, Rochdale, Ashton, Old-
ham, Stockport, &c., and a mass of population of upwards of
a million, actively engaged in the pursuits of manufacturing
industry, will benefit by every reduction of distance in their
principal communications;. and also that the connexion of
this district with the midland manufacturing district, and
with the midland sad eastern agricultural counties, from
which it derives a large proportion of its supplies, would
alone justify a railway to Derby, so that the portion of new
line actually required for the purpose of completing the most
direct communication with London is only 15 miles, it ap-
pears to us to be perfectly evident that there are sufficient
public reasons to justify the construction of the line.
By the redaction of the distance to 179 miles, the fare be-
tween London and Manchester, by the Parliamentary third-
class, established by the Act of last year, will be reduced to
15s. The time of the journey also by quick trains, under a
proper system of combined management between Loadon
and Manchester, may, at the rate of travelling which is now
established upon several railways, be reduced to 5} or 6
hours, so as to admit of the possibility of a person leaving
Manchester in the morning, transacting business in London,
and returning the same evening.
The traffic which may be expected to pass over a line which
combines so many important objects may reasonably be ex-
pected to afford an adequate remuneration on the capital re-
quired, although, as we have already observed, parts of the
line are of an expensive character. The traffic tables sub-
mitted to us also show a probability of a sufficient income;
and being in alliance with the other companies whose lines
will form portions of the direct London and Manchester, and
Manchester and Derby routes, a further security is aflbrded
for the due development of the traffic and for the line being
efficiently worked.
The promoters of the Churnet. Valley line have further de-
posited plans for a continuation of their hue from Tamworth
to Rugby, to meet the contingency of the Trent Valley line
not being sanctioned; but as the Trent Company were first
in the field, and have a preferable claim, founded on ex-
penses incurred on former occasions; as the traffic which
will pass over their line towards Liverpool and Ireland will
probably. be greater than that over the Churnet line towards
Manchester ; and as the Trent Company offer to accede to any
reasonable provisions for securing the unimpeded transit
upon fair terms of the Churnet traffic over their line, it
appears to us that they are fairly entitled to the possession of
the interal line from Rugby to Stafford, and that the
Churnet line should only be sanctioned up to the point north
of Tainworth, where it leaves the direction of the Trent line.
The Alrewas branch of the Trent Valley scheme would
have been very useful in diminishing the distance between
Manchester and Derby, had not a more direct route been
afforded by the Churnet line. This however being the case,
there hardly appears to be at present any sufficient object to
justify the construction of this branch, although being only
7i miles in length, and of an easy character, it woald not be
expensive.
The accommodation of the Potteries, by means of branches,
also forms a part both of the Trent and Churnet Valley
schemes. The latter proposes a branch from Stoke to near
Leek, and the former a branch from near Staftbrd to Stoke,
where it is proposed to meet a line promoted by the Grand
Junction Company from their line at Crewe. The branch
from Stoke to Leek would afford an outlet both towards
Manchester and Derby, and although it might not be suf-
ficient in itself for the complete accommodation of the Pot-
teries district, and should not be allowed to interfere with
any other scheme proposed for that object, it will afford a
certain amount of accommodation, and we are aware of no
public reason why it should not be sanctioned.
The other line of the Trent Valley Company, from Stafford
to Stoke, would form, in conjunction with the proposed
branch of the Grand Junction Company, a scheme for the
accommodation of the Potteries, so far complete, that in the
event of its being sanctioned, there would be no likelihood
of any other scheme for that purpose being brought forward.
Considering that the scheme was originally proposed with
a view to the accommodation of the Potteries district, as the
result of some understood arrangement with the principal
Potteries' interests, and that those interests now object to it,
and urge that the whole question should be postponed until
another year, to afford time for consideration, and for matur-
ing some more complete scheme for the accommodation of
that important district, it appears to us, without expressing
any opinion upon the merits of the projected line, that, under
these circumstances, we are justified in recommending its
postponement.
11 ith these exceptions, we are not aware of any objections,
upon public grounds, that can be urged against the Trent and
Churnet Valley schemes, which are recommended, as we
have already seen, by such obvious and important public
considerations.
The only parties who have appeared before us as objectors
to the Churnet line are tho Grand Junction Railway Com-
pany, who contend that it would create an injurious and un-
necessary competition with existing lines for the traffic from
Manchester to the south. This argument, however, is met
by the circumstance that the other companies principally in-
terested in the Manchester and London traffic, viz., the Alan-
chester and Birmingham, the Trent Valley, and the London
and Birmingham, do not object to the Churnet Valley Com-
pany, but, on the contrary, are in alliance with it; while the
•Airand Junction Company, whose line is principally a line for
Liverpool, Irish, and northern traffic, do not appear to be in
a position which can entitle them to advance any objections,
on public grounds, to the construction of a direct line between
Manchester and London. In the absence of any such ob-
jections, it appears unnecessary for us to dwell at greater
length upon the arguments in favour of this and of the Trent
Valley line already referred to, or to enter more fully upon

the details of these lines. We have therefore to report, that
we are aware of no public grounds why the Churnet Valley
and (with the exceptions above referred to of the Potteries
and Alrewas branches) the Trent Valley Railway
.3(hetnes
should not receive the sanction of Parliament.

In conclusion, we beg to draw attention to the passage of
the fifth report of the Select Committee of last year, in walcb.
•it is stated, in recommending_ that reports should be made to
Parliament by this department upon railway scheme,s, "TUat
no such report should be held to prejudice the claims ofpri.
rate persons, the examination of which should be altogether
reserved to the Houses of the Legiilatnre."

In submitting to Parliament, in conformity with the re-
commendations cf that Committee, the results at which we
have arrived, with a view to the information and assistaace
of Parliament in forming a judgment upon the schemes in
question, in so far as our report may be available for that
purpose, we are anxious that it should be distinctly under-
stood that we have arrived at these results solely upon public
gr:unds, and to the exclusion of all considerations- how fat
such results might require to be modified by a due. regard
for private rights and intereAts.

DALHOUSIE.
C. W. PASLEY. G. R. PORTEP..
D. O'BRIEN. S. LAING.

RAILWAY BUSINESS IN PAR-
LIAMENT.
Titunsnait, MARCIE 13.
The following Bills were presented and read a first lime
Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North Shields Railway (Tyne-
mouth Extension, &c.)
Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings Railway (Keymer Branch).
Blackburn, Darwen, and Bolton Railway.
St. Helen's Canal and Railway.
•
Manchester, Bury, and Rossendale Railway.
Great Southern anti Western Railway (Ireland).
Bedford and London and Birmingham Railway.
Midland Railway (Lincoln and Ely).
Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester Junction Railway.
London and South-Western Railway (No. 2.).

Harrogate and Ripon Junction Railway,—Petition for Bill
reported, and Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Ridlgv
Colborne, Mr. Octavius Duncombe, and Mr. John Charles
Dundas.

Eastern Union flailway,—Petition for Bill reported, and
Bill ordered to be brought in by Captain Gladstone and Mr.
Lane Fox.

Dublin and Drogheda R►ailway,—Petition for Bill reported,
and Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. George Alexander
Hamilton and Mr. Bellew.

Cornwall Railway,—Report from Select Committee on
Standing Orders read ; Bill ordered to be brought in by Sir
Charles Lemon, Mr. Rashleigh, Mr. Praed, and Mr. Charles
Buller.

Lowestoft Railway and Harbour,—Petition for Bill re-
ported, and Bill ordered to be brought In by Loki Hen-
niker and Mr. Burroughes.
Midland Railways (Syston to Peterborough),—Report fiTtu
Select Committee on Standing Orders read • Bill ordered to
be brought in by Sir John Trollope and Mr. Fitzwilllarn.
Midland Railways (Swinton to Lincoln),—Report from
Select Committee on Standing Orders read; Bill ordered to
be brought in by Mr. Beckett, Mr. Ward, and Mr. George
Cavendish.

Midland Railways (Nottingham to Lincoln),—Report
from Select Committee on Standing Orders read ; Bill ordered
to be brought in by Mr. Gisborne, Mr. William Collett, and
Mr. Evelyn Denison.

NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL OFFICE.
Wexford, Carlow, and Dublin Junction Railway,—Com-
mittee on petition, postponed from Wednesday, March 19,
till Friday, April 41
Coventry, Bedworth, and Nuneaton Railway,--Committee
on petition, postponed from Wednesday, March 19, till Friday,
April 4.
Northumberland Railway,—Committee on petition, post.
polled from Thursday, March 20, till Friday, April 4.
Blackbufn and Preston Railway,—Second reading, Mon.
day, March 17.
Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Ayr Bailwav,—S.econd
reading, Monday, March 17.
Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway,--Secoza
reading, Monday, March 17.
Newark and Sheffield Rail way—Second reading, Monday,
March 17.

•
FuroAy, MAncirl4.
The following Bills were presented and mad s
Eastern Union Railway.
Lowestoft Railway and harbour.
Harrogate and Ripon Junction Railway.
Midland Railways (Swinton to Lincoln).
Midland Railways (Sjston to Peterborough).
Midland Railways (Nottingham to Lincoln).

The following Bills were referred to the Select Conamkttea
on Standing Orders :
South Wales Railway.
DisF, Beccles, and Yarmouth Railway.

Erewash Valley Ilailway,—Report from Select Committee
on Standing Orders read; Bill ordered to be brought in by
Colonel Ilolleston, Mr. Gaily Knight, and Mr. Evans.
Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway,—Petition for Bill re-
ported, and Bill ordered to be brought in by Viscount Jocelyn,
Mr. Bellew, and Mr. Redington.
Waterford and Kilkenny Railwav,—Report from Select
Committee on Standing Orders read; Bill ordered to be
brought in by Mr. Pierce Butler, Mr. Wys and Mr. Barry
Bald win.

Edinburgh and Ilaw•ick Railway Bill,—Read a Second
time, and committed, and referred to the Committee of
Selection.

London and Croydon Railwai (Kentish Lines) and Lon-
don and Croydon Railway Enlargement and Orpington
Branch Railway,—Report from Select Committee on Stand-
ing Orders read:—
Ordered, That the petition for leave to bring in the London
and Croydon Railway (Kentish Lines) Bill, and the petition
for leave to bring in the London and Croydon Railway En-
largement and Orpington Branch Bill, be withdrawn ; and
that leave he given, in conformity with the recommendation
of the Select Committee on Standing Orders, to present peti-
tions for the introduction of five different Bills with reference
to the matters comprised in such two first fr entiorfed petition*.

NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PIUVATE BILL OFFICE,
FRIDAY, MARCH 14.
Direct Northern Railway,—Committee on petition, post-
poned from Monday, 17, till Tuesday, March 18.
Harwich and Eastern Counties Jimetion Railway,—post-
paned from Monday, March 17, till Friday, April 4.
York and Norih Midland (arrogate branch) Railway,—
Second reading, Tuesday, March 18.
York and North Midland (Doncaster Extension) Rail•
way,—Second reading, Tuesday, March 18.
Monmouth and Hereford Railway,—Committee on peti-
tion, postponed from Monday, 17, till Tuesday, March 18.
London and Croydon Railway (Kentish Lines),—Commit-
tee on petition, postponed sine die.
London and Croydon Railway Enlargement and Orpington
Branch, postponed sine die.