The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-16 00:00:00

LOCAL bOLICITORS

G. F. Thompson, Esq., Dever ; Henry Gilbert, Esq., Devizes; W
H. Reece, Esq., Birmingham ; Messrs. Timbrell and Meyriek
Bradford and Trowbridge; Messrs. Taylor, Kemp, and Kingston
Bath ; Joseph Charles Shebbeare, Esq., Basingstoke ; Messrs. Hoff.
man and Son, Reading ; Thomas Lamb, Esq , Andover; Ales rs.
J. and W. Rees Mogg, Cholwell, near Bristol
PARLIAMENTARY AGENT—Cadwallader F. Waddy, Esq.
SECRETARY—CharIes Martin, Esq.

This Company has been formed for the purpose of constructing a
line in continuation of the South-Eastern Railway at Reigate,
whereby a direct junction will be effected between the whole of the
south-eastern coast, including the port and harbour of Dover and the
several port', and towns of Southampton, Gosport, Portsmouth, and
Bristol ; and, by means of the Bristol and Birmingham Railway, with
Gloucester, Worcester, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and
the north of England.
From its proximity to the Continent, the port of Dover will always
be the most accessible point of the English coast; an expeditious
communication therefore between that and the other ports, harbours,
and inland towns of the United Kingdom, must necessarily be regarded
as a great national advantage.

Dover is at present the- chief port of embarkation for Calais,
13onlogne, Ostend, and other continental towns, and the vast numbers
already resorting there both on business and pleasure, will be im-
ineasurrbly hicreased when the railway's of France, Belgium, Hol-
land, and Germany are fully brought into operation.
In addition to which, the Government Commissioners having
selected Dover as a Harbour of Refuge, and recommended the outlay
there of 1,500,0001., it cannot fail of becoming a place of the
greatest resort for the shipping and commercial interests of the coun-
try, and perhaps the most important town on the southern coast.
In every point of view, therefore, whether for national security, or
for travelling excursions, or the invaluable interests of our shipping
and commerce, the paramount importance of a cheaper, more conve-
nient, and accelerated intercourse between this great port and all
parts of the kingdom, must be sufficiently obvious. This the pre-
motets fully anticipate will be attained by the proposed railway,
which will form a portion of a grand trunk line, completing the
chain of railway communication upon the narrow gauge between the
south-eastern coast, and Bristol and the western, northern, and mid-
land counties.
The line will commence at the terminus of the South-Eastern Rail-
way at Reigate, proceed thence by Dorking Godalming, Farnham,
and Odiham to the Basingstoke station, on the South-Western Rail-
way. It will then proceed by Andover towards Devizes, Trow-
bridge, and Bradford, with a branch to Bath, and pursuing its course
through the Somersetsbire coal-Held, throwing off a branch towards
Radstock into the heart of the collieries, terminate in ajunction with
the Bristol and Birmingham Railway at Bristol.

-13;it7;urse through Dorking, Godalming, Farnham, and Odi-
Lam, it will supply the railway accommodation so much required by
. . .

those towns, and connect the rich and fertile hop districts of Surrey,
Kent, and South Hants, and afford the means of conveyance of their
produce to the great Hop-fair at Weyhill.
By its junction with the contemplated " Reading, Guildford, and
Reigate Railway," it will afford to the inhabitants of Reading, Oxford,
and to the midland counties generally, the best and shortest route to
the Continent, as well as to Worthing, Hastings, Brighton, and the
other watering-places in Sussex and Kent ; and a vast increase of
visitors will undoubtedly be attracted to those places from the interior
of England by the accommodation and facilities for travelling which
will he accomplished by this and the proposed railway from Reading.
By its intersection of the South-Western Railway at Basingstoke,
and of the proposed Manchester and Southampton Railway further
west, the present line will connect Dover towards the south, with
Southampton (the packet station for the East and West Indies, &c.),
Gosport, and Fortsmonth, and towards the north, with Cheltenham,
Gloucester, Worcester, Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool, also
with Shrewsbury, Chester, and Holyhead, and in fact with the whole
of North and South Wales.

At Basingstoke, also, this line will join the proposed London, Salis-
bury, and Yeovil Railway, and throw open to Dover and the south-
eastern counties the populous and wealthy cities of Salisbury and
Exeter, the rich agricultural counties of Wilts, Dorset, Somerset,
and Devon; the p its of Plymouth, Devonport, and Falmouth, and
the mineral regions of Cornwall.
To Devizes, Trowbridge, Bradford, and Bath, and the other towns
in the vicinity of Its course, the benefit which this line will confer
cawiot Ise too higQv estimated ; to the coal districts of Somerset-
shire it will open larger and constant markets both in Bristol and to
the south and east, while to the inhabitants of Bristol especially, con-
necting its channel with the .Straits of Dover and the Downs, pro-
viding a perfect line for telegriMile communication, and securing to
them the whole of the trade betwe'l3 the south-east of England and
the west and south of Ireland, it seems'difficult, considering the enor-
mous traffic which must necessarily flow :10 that city, to conceive a
project more deserving of their cordial suppo;t:
In the memorable Parliamentary contest last session between two
great rival companies, the Legislature for the time admitted
that principle of competition with existing interests' which was
claimed by the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Cernpany for
the protection and benefit of the public ; and it is with nJ fear of
the result that the promoters of the present undertaking 1;1,1/Ye
attention to one distinguishing feature it contains, viz., that by triYz
construction of the line from Bristol t Basingstoke, the Box Tunnel
will be avoided, and a new and independent communication will be
established between Bristol and London, by a shorter line on the
narrow gauge than by the devious course of the Great Western, inde-
pendently of all the advantages of the proposed central station at
Hungerford-bridge, and the convenient access to the Thames both
there and at Nine Elms, over the distant and inconvenient station
of the Great Western 52 Paddington.

In length the proposed line will be nearly 110 miles (assuming this
Company to have the construction of that portion between Reigate
and Dorking, for which plans have been deposited by the South-
Eastern Company)-,the country through which it passes does not
present any engineering difficulties of moment, nor will any resi-
dential or ornamental property be interfered with except under an
imperative necessity.
A reserve of shares will be made for landowners on the line, and
the Committee also retain to themselves the power to vary the course
of the line with reference to any arrangements with existing interests
and projected lines that may be considered advantageous to the
shareholders.

The capital proposed to be raised is 1,500,0001., in 75,000 shares of
201 each, with a deposit of 21 2s. per share, to be paid on allotment.
Power will be taken by the Act to allow interest, at 4/. per cent.
per annum, upon all deposits and subscriptions until the opening of
the line, and no subscriber shall be answerable for more than the
amount of his deposit until the Act has bees obtained, and then not
beyond the amount of his subscription.
The Subscribers' Agreement and the Parliamentary Contract will
be ready for execution, and the scrip issued immediately upon pay-
ment of the deposits.
Applications for shares must be addressed to the Secretary, at the
Offices of the Company, No. 12, Gray's Inn-place, only; but no appli-
cation will be attended to unless accompanied by a reference to a
member of the Provisional Committee, one of the solicitors to the
Company, or a banker.
Copies of the prospectus and form of application for shares may be
obtained at the offices of the Company, or of Messrs. Peppercorne, Old
Broad-greet ; Mr. Sym, 9, Tokenhouse-yara ; and Mr. B. B. Wil-
liams, Throgmorton-street, stock and sharebrokers, London.