The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-05 00:00:00

SALES BY AUCTION

IMPORTATION of BEAUTIFUL ITALIAN SCULPTURE, .for
PEREMPTORY SALE, which will be SOLD, by AUCTION, by
Thr R. EDMUND ROBINS, at
tho Rooras, in Covent-garden, To-Moaaow, at Twelve
- .

(2clock, by direction of the Importer, without reserve, and
free from Auction Duty, a beautiful assemblage of ITALIAN
SCULPTURE, embracing, in every variety, Alabaster Vases
and Figures, presenting rare specimens of the Sculptor's
art, including splendid groups of Cauova's Graces and Dancing
Girls, 30 inches high ; the Rape of the Sabines, the Birth of
Venus, Cupid and Psyche, with its companion Bacchus and Ariadne,
the Apollo Belvidere and Medici, the Venus of Canova, Thorwaldsen,
de Medici, and Vatican; the Ilebe and Magdalen of Canova, Diana
of Paris, Terpsichore, the Dying Gladiator, and finely executed busts
of Galileo, Napoleon, Lord Byron, and many of the Italian and
Greek Poets.
Noble Vases of the Warwick, Adrian, Medici, Etruscan, Grecian,
and Roman Forms.
Splendid Tazzas, with solid and twisted serpent handles in Elba,
Agate, Bardiglio, Giallo, and rare Volterra Marbles ; a beautiful
Florentine Mosaic Table, with an infinity of elegant ornaments for
the Drawing-room, Conservatory and Toilet Tables, and Glass Shades
and Stands of all sizes.
The Collection is now en view, with Catalogues, at the Rooms, to
Covent-garden.

0 BE PEREMPTORILY SOLD, pursuant
T
to an ORDER of the HIGH COURT of CHANCERY, made in
a Cause JOSEPH against TYNDALL, with the approbation of Sir
GIFFEN WILSON, one of the Masters of the Court, at the Auction
Mart, in Bartholomew-lane, in the City of London, on MONDAY, the
10th day of March, 1845, at Two of the Clock,
The LIFE-INTEREST of a GENTLEMAN, in the 45th year of
his age,- in 5,0001. Three per Cent. Consolidated Annuities, standing
in the books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England,
in the name of Trustees of the marriage settlement of the gentleman.
Particulars and conditions of sale may be had, gratis, at the said
Master's Chambers, Southampton-buildings, Chancery-lane, London ;
of Messrs. Gregory, Faulkner, and Co., solicitors, Bedford-row, Lon-
don ; of Messrs. Lyons, Barnes, and Ellis, Spring-gardens ; and at
the place of sale.

RAILWAY DEPARTMENT OF THE
BOARD uF TRADE.

RSPORY OP TRU RAILWAY DEPARTMENT OF TER BOARD OP TRAREI
ON THE LownoS, WORCESTER, AND WOLVEREIAMPTOM, AND ON
TIM BIRMINGHAM AND BEIRWSBURY DISTRICTS.
Railway Department, Board of Trade, Whitehall, Feb. '2B.
The Board constituted by Minute of the Lords of the Committee
•f Privy Council fur Trade, for the transaction of railway business,
having had under consideration the different schemes deposited
with the Railway Department for extending railway communioa-
lion between London, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, and in the
district intermediate between the London and Birmingham and
Great Western Railways, and also, in connexion with the above,
the scheme* for extending railway communication between Bir-
mingham and Shrewsbury, have determined on submitting the fol.
lowing report thereon for the consideration of Parliament.
'I he object of the first class of schemes in question is to supply
railway communication to the great mining district of Staffordshire,
lying south of Wolverhampton, to the towns of Kidderminster,
Steurbridge, Stourport, Worcester, Sze., and to the district north
of Oxford, intermediate between the Great Western and London

and Birmingham Railways.
For this purpose two competing schemes are proposed; one,
which is promoted by the London and Birmingham Company,
comprises a line from Rugby to Oxford, and another from Woiver.
hampton, through Worcester and Banbury, to join the Loudon
fildnUilircrto Rugby, which is proposed to be made by the Great
Western Company ; and of another line from Oafoid to Worcester
and Wolverhampton, which is undertaken by an independent Corn.
pany, but in connexion with the Great Western Company, and
which must be considered as forming, with the Oxtord and Rugby

line, one schemes competing with the former.
For the sake of brevity we shall distinguish these as the " Lon-
don and Birmingham or Tring Scheme," and the " Great Western
or Oxford Scheme." Their general direction will be easily under-

stood by reference to the accompanying map.
In their general features and objects the two schemes are so
nearly indentical that the two manifestly cannot stand together. A
further scheme for the accommodation of the country between
Worcester and Wolverhampton, was proposed by the Birmingham
and Gloucester Company, but it is understood that arrangements
have been made by which this scheme is withdrawn in favour of
the London and Birmingham scheme, to which it was moreover
inferior in several important respects, so that we may consider the
question as reduced to one of competition between the schemes of
the two great companies.
The first point is, whether a sufficient public ease can be estab-
lished to justify the construetion of any railway at all throughout
the districts in question. As regards the So4th Staffordshire die.
trict, tt- is point has been disputed by various canal interests, who
urge that the district is already sufficiently wll supp'ied by water
communication, and that the introduction of railway s, by destroy-
, Lig the resources and crippling the efficiency of such water com-
munications, will be productive of injury rather than of benefit to
the public. Various special reasons have been urged in support of
this view, more especially with reference to the mineral district of
which Dudley may be considered as the eentre. It is said that
the Birmingham Car.al Company have, at a great expense, created
a very complete and efficient system of water communication
throughout this district; that a right is reserved of making
branch canals to all mines and works within certain limits,
which right wou'd be to a certain extent defeated by running a
railway parallel to the existing canal, to the injury both of the
Canal Company, and of the owners of the mines and works so
cut off; that the management and charges of the Canal Company
have always been of the most liberal description; and finally, that
owing to the peculiar nature of the district, in which great exca-
vations have been made for mining purposes, rail .vsys cannot be
carried through it without danger.
It will be readily conceded that the Importance of the district in
question is such as to entitle it to require the best means of com-
munication, whether by canal or railway. Between Wolverhamp-
ton and Stourbridge there are at present about one hundred blast
furnaces in work, producing about 468,000 tons of pig iron annu-
ally. In order to produce this quantity, nearly 4,000,000 tons of
coals, lime, ironstone, and other raw materials are coi.sumed,
which are raised from the mines of the district, and transported to
the various furnaces, forges, and founderles.
The export of iron from the district is about 940,000 tons
annually, in addition tejarge quantities of heavy hardwares, tin plates,
glass, and other goods. The export of coal is also very large, and
might be greatly augmented by increased facilities of communica-

tion.
e population, depending for support on the iron works, mince,
and manufactories of the district, is estimated at not less than
230,000; and the total population of the respective towns and
places between Wolverhampton and Worcester, which would be
benefited by the proposed railway communication, is believed to
exceed 300,000.
Among these towns may be mentioned Kidderminster, a place
of considerable manufacturing importance, and great intercourse
with different parts of the kingdom; Dreitwich, with its extensive
salt works; Stourbridge, Stourport and Worcester.
The construction of a railway in this direction will also lead, in
all probability, to extensions into the fertile agricultural district
on the west of the Severn, towards Leominster and Ludlow.
The claim of the district, therefore, to the most improved mode
of communication can hardly be disputed ; and whatever claims
canal Companies may bare from benefits previously conferred,
or from past liberality of management, such claims cannot be con-
sidered by us in any ether light than those of other private inte-
rests, unless in so far as they may be based upon public considers'.

lions.
Our report will cot, in any way, prejudice or affect the right of
those canal Companies have their vested interests, if any, care.
fully considered by the Legislature.
Upon public grounds, therefore, we have mercy had to consider
the allegation that the interests of the district will not be promoted
by the introduction of railways, and that railways cannot be con-
structed through it without danger.
Upon the first point it seems sufficient to refer to the unanimous
opinion of the parties principally interested, and who have the best
opportunities of judging of the effects likely to fellow from the in-
troduction of railways. The only difference of opinion has arisen
from the anxiety of the parties to obtain a railway of some descrip-
tion or other, which has led them to support different competing
schemes; but all parties have united In the strongest representa-
tions of the vital importance to the district of obtaining a good
railway communication, in addition to those afforded by the
canals. A memorial signed by the representatives of 46 iron-
works, 57 furnaces, and 98 collieries, in the Staffordshire mineral
district, including the trusteesof Lord War Vilna whose estate alone
upwards of 1,000,000 tons of coal and iron are raised annually, in
favour of the London and Birmingham scheme; and another
memorial, representing thirty-seven iron.werks, and nine col-
lie, lee, in favour of the Great Western scheme, were pre-
sented to us; the memorialist* in each case urging in the
strongest manner the advantages of railway communication to the
district.
It is stated, that without such communication, they have to
compete at a great disadvantage with the iron d'stricts of South
Wales and Scotland, which, from their readier access to the sea,
can convey their products to market at a cheaper rate. The canals
are stated to be not only more tedious and expensive, but subject
to serious interruptions, often for weeks together, from frost in
winter and drought in summer. In short, it is urged that the
apprehensions of the canal Companies are the best test of the
farther advantage of a railway; si..ce unl 'as the latter obtained
a large proportion of the heavy traffic, which it could only do by
affording the public a better and cheaper means of transport, the
interests of the canals could not be prejudiced.
With so strongly expressed a wish on the part of such an im-
portant district fur railway communication, and with two great
Companies competing with one another to afford it, we do not
think that, upon ptffilie grounds, We shotild be juatified in report-
log that it ought to be withheld on acconnt of any apprehended
Con-pony, special reasons existed which might hale
interference with existing water communipations. In the case of
more strongly than those derived solely from private con.
viz., that a guarantee had been given to assist the
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