The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-09 00:00:00

BANKERS

London—The London and Westminster Bank, and the London and
County Banking Company
Leicester—Messrs. Pagets and Kirby, and tho Leicestarshire Bank-
ing Company
Market Harborough—The Loicestershire Banking Company
Kettering—Messrs. Gotch and Sons
Wellingborough and Northampton—The Northamptonshire Banking
Company
Bedford—Messrs. Trapp, HaMead, and Co.
Biggleowade—Messrs. Wells, Hogg, and Lindsell
JOINT SOLICITORS—James Ley Douglass, Esq., Market Harboroigh ;
George Pell, jun., Esq., Northampton and Trelford ; Messrs. Illhar-
man and Turnley, Bedford.

LONDON SoLiciross--Ifossrs. Barker, Rose, and Norton, 80, Mark-
lane, and 38, • GTeat George-street, Westminster ; George Weller,
Esq., 8, King's-road, Eedford-row ; A. W. Arnold, Esq., 81, Golden-
square.

LOCAL AGiNTII —Messrs. R. and G. Toiler, Leicester ; Mears.
Lamb and Battleship, Kettering ; Ezra Eagles, EAR., Bedford.

iiscitsTAßTl:llr. B. F:ScOtt.

Offices of the Company, No. 11, Old Jewry Chambers, London.

This line of railway, commencing at Leicester, will pass through
the important districts of Market Harborough, Bothwell, Kettering,
Wellingborough, Higham Perrers, and Bedfbrd, to Machin, at
which point it will form a junction with the London and York, or
Northern and Eastern Counties line, and thus afford the shortest
route to London.

Whatever limy be the ultimate decision of Parliament, in respect
to the present rival projects for securing to the public a more direct
route to York, no one affects to believe that the London and Bir-
mingham line to the west, or the Northern and Eastern to the east,
as at present formed, will long continue to afford means of transit
adequate to the urgent public demand for accommodation by the
shortest and most direct practicable railroad from London to York.
It is now, therefore, beyond a question that a brief space only will
elapse before a Northern trunk line from London will receive
the sanction of the Legislature. Assuming even, therefore, that
the London and York line is not successful, it Is still quite
clear that the " Great North Road " will, in a very short
time, become the line of the " Great North Railway." Such line
will pass through or near to Ritchin, and the Company forming it
will thereby provide an exit from the metropolis to that town, being
as nearly as possible in the direct road to Manchester. The continu-
ation of this line towards the latter place will be undertaken by the
Leicester and Bedford Railway Company, as far as Leicester,
through the counties of Bedford, Northampton, and Leicester. At
Leicester, the Midland line, to Derby and Ambergate, and thence,
the proposed Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midland Junction,
to Manchester, complete the chain of communication with the great
capital of the manufacturing world by a means of transit more direct
(its length being considered) than any other railway in the kingdom,
and shorter by not less than twenty-four miles than the present c ir-
cuitous route by the London and Birmingham, Grand Junction, and
Manchester and Birmingham Railways.
To Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Wakefield, and
Rotherham, and the whole district traversed by the Midland Railway,
the advantages of a shortened route and economy of time provided
by this line will be still more obvious. Besides avoiding the delay
always occurring at the Rugby Station, and the constant stoppages on
the Birmingham line, at the numerous stations, as well as the
Kiisby and Weedon tunnels, the line itself will be se much shorter
than the present means of communication, that, in conjunction with
the above favourable circumstances, three hours will amply suffice
for the journey from Leicester to London, four from Derby and Not-
tingham, and a proportionate reduction in the consumption of time
will be ackleved in respect to all other places served by the Midland
lino

To the Manehester trade this He. offers very groat advantages, fbr
it is well known that a vast amount of goods is conveyed from Man-
chester to Hull, and there shipped for London, in order to avoid the
heavy charges for carriage by rail all the way. The shortening of
the distance by this and the proposed lines in oonjunctlon, would
allow of a reduction probably below even the carriage via Hull, and
with the beieflt of a great saving is time.
The while of the line between Bedfbrd and Leicester has been al-
ready surveyed, and the engineers' report shows that no difficulties
occur to prevent its construction at an average cost, and by a most
direct route. The present plan of the projectors, so far as it is ma-
tured, in reference to the junction with the Midland, is, to run into
the line close to the town of Leicester ; here another great source of
profit will develop itself, by effecting a junction with the Leicester and
Swannington Railway, and distributing through the districts before-
mentioned the valuable produce of the Leicestershire colleries. On
this point it may be observed, that the great desideratum of convey-
ing the coal from the Midland district to the Southern counties and
the metropolis, is almost entirely frustrated by the absolute ineffi-
ciency of the present route for the traffic of this article along the
crowded line of the London and Birmingham.

It will be seen that the projected line combines in a remarkable de-
gree all the elements of success and profit. The demand for &railway
through the whole district it traverses is universal and urgent. The
cost of its construction will be moderate ; its local traffic will be very
large, and the through traffic of the great highway from London to
Manchester, of which it will form an integral portion, is second in
amount and importance to that of no line in the kingdom. On to
this railway must be poured the stream of traffic to and from the
metropolis, and Manchester and its locality, the Staffordshire Pot-
teries, the West Yorkshire, and the whole of the Midland districts.
It will convey the coal of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Notting-
hamshire into South Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire,
Herta, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, and the metropolis,
at a reduction of 50 per cent. on its present cost, and the valuable
produce of the richest grazing district is the kingdom to the metro-
politan markets ; in addition to which, the finest barley in England
being grown in the county of Bedford, would be converted by the
growers into malt, if facilities were offered for supplying the London
markets. This line will supply the absolute want eta country, which
ctnnot be met by any half measures or projects, for lateral or other
branch communications with existing lines, and will previ le a com-
prehensive scheme for uniting the midland district more directly
with the metropolis.
The subscribers will not be liable to any further call until the Act
is obtained, and power will be applied fir to allow interest at 4 per
cent. upon the amount paid up until the opening of the line.
The general course of the line, as laid down from the survey
already made, is indicated on the 'annexed map. Unimportant de-
viations from the course at present selected may be feund necessary
to avoid interference with ornamental property, or more conveniently
to serve the traffic of the towns on the line, when the more detailed
survey now being prosecuted by Mr. Gibbs shall be completed.
The annexed plan will, however, suffice to show that, besides pro-
viding a district of country, now entirely wanting the great deside-
ratum of railway conveyance, the Leicester and Bedford Railway
will lie In the direct line from London to Manchester, and will, of
necessity, from its position, command the traftio of that important
locality.
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Applications for Share*, in the form annexed, may be made to the
several solicitors ; to Messrs. Peppercorns and Ce., sharebrokers, 9,
Old Broad-street, London; to J. W. Scott, Esq., 3, Bartholomew-
lane, London; or to the Secretary, at the Company's offices.