The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-25 00:00:00

LONDON AND SOUTH ESSEX.

SOUTHEND, SATs: RDA Y. —Yesterday afternoon a public
meeting of the inhabitants of Southend and its neighbourhood
was held in the large room of the Royal Hotel, to consider the
proposed London and South Essex Railway, and the propriety
of adopting measures for promoting it.
Mr. Tyerman, solicitor, of Gresham-street, London, at-
tended on behalf of the Company.
Colonel Kesterman presided, and there were also present
General Thompson, Lieut. Gooch, the Rev. Edward Lilling-
stone,
incumbent of Prittlewell, the Rev. Fred. Hope, James I
Tabor, Esq., James Haggett. Esq., John Harris, Esq., A.
Holt White, Esq., M. Comfort, Esq., C. Giles, E.q., Archi-
bald Hunter, Esq., J. Scott, Esq., &c.
Mr. CLARKE felt convinced that, by means of a direct corn-
manication with London by railway, the town of Southend
would be in a much better condition than it could ever be
without.—( Hear.) It could scarcely be doubted that the
scheme, if carried out, would be of incalculable advantage to
Southend, and to those other populous districts which were
altogether unsupplied by the Eastern Counties Company. At
present Brighton was easily accessible by railway, at moderate
prices, giving Londoners the benefit of a sea-side residence,
without the difficulty or expense of a long journey. By the
proposed line, Southend would be but little more than an hour's
ride from London, even to the very heart of the City. It had
been thought that Brighton would be injured by the influx of
weekly visitors, but such was not the case. He was assured by
the principal tradesmen of Brighton, that the business of the
town had greatly increased through the facilities afforded for
cheap and speedy communication with London. When the
railway was constructed, he (Mr. Clarke) saw every reason
to believe that Southend would be quite as good a place as
Brighton.
Mr. Tx ERMAN said the Company had been formed to open
the nearest possible direct line of communication between the
metropolis and the coast. The object would be effected by the
construction of a line from the Stepney station of the Black-
wall Railway to the town and harbour of Burnham, on the
river Crouch, with branches to Grays, Tilbury, and Southend.
The line would pass through or near Barking, Rochford, and
numerous agricultural towns, and at Ockendon would meet
the line of the Thames Haven Dock Company. The distance
from London of the principal places on the proposed line, or
immediately connected with it, would be—. Barking, 7 miles ;
Ockendon, 17 miles ; Tilbury, 22 miles ; Gravesend (by a
steam-ferry from Tilbury), 2.3 miles ; Thames Haven, 27
miles ; Rochford, 37 miles ; Southend, 40 miles ; Town and
harbour of Burnham, 41 miles. By the proposed. line
Gravesend would be reached from the City within less than
an hour, and Southend within an hour and twenty minuses ;
and, by the proposed extension of the Blackwall Railway
to the Thames Embankment and City Railway, the means
would be afforded for the most speedy communication with
the western districts of the metropolis. The present dis-
tance of Southend by road, from Whiteehapel Church, was
forty-two mile., and the tediousness of both the land journey
and the river voyage, had hitherto been felt as a serious draw-
back to the peculiar advantages of its position. By means of
the proposed line Southend would become the nearest water-
ing-place to the metropolis, and more easily and economically
accessible than any other. The proposed line would also
shorten, by nearly two hours, the length of the voyage from
London to Sheerness, Herne Bay, Margate, Dover, and the
continental ports. It was proposed to carry the line beyond
Southend to the river Crouch, connecting it with the existing
natural harbour for colliers, fishing-smacks, and other vessels
at the south-eastern extremity of the county of Essex. The
line had been laid down so as to avoid all property of an orna-
mental or costly character. It travelled, for the most part, a
level or gently undulating country, and would be free from
works of a peculiarly expensive character. The net profits on
the estimated capital would amount to at least 10 per cent.
Mr. LEIFCHILD was convinced that by such a line Southend
would assume a position it had never yet occupied. The pro-
perty of the neighbourhood would be increased 20, 30, or 40
per cent., in addition to the great local accommodation that
would be afforded.—( Hear, hear. )

. •
The Rev. FREDERICK HOPE proposed a resolution, affirming
the desirableness of forthwith taking measures for the construc-
tion of a line.

Lieutenant Gooctt, R.N. seconded the resolution, which
was carried.

The Rev. E. LILLINGSTONE, incumbent of Prittlewell,
moved that a memorial should be presented to the Provisional
Committee, expressing a hope that they would proceed with
their line, and promising on behalf of the inhabitants of South-
end their hearty co-operation.
Itlr.. COPELAND addressed the meeting, and stated that if
nothing better were done for Southend than had been done
hitherto, it would soon cease to be a watering-place altogether.
The present year had been the worst that Southend had ever
experienced, and a railway might go far to improve its position.
After same discussion, resolutions of approval were passed
unanimously in favour of the project.