The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-10 00:00:00

COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT.

Frederick Pratt Barlow, Esq., London,
Directors of the Great
Thomas Richard Guppy, Esq., Bristol, Western Railway
Henry Simonds, Esq., Reading, Company.
William Tothill, Esq., Bristol,
John Rogers, Esq., Chester.
Mr. George B. Thorneycroft, iron master, Wolverhampton.
Mr. John Barker, iron master, Wolverhampton.
Mr. Joseph Walker, merchant, Wolverhampton.
Mr. John Perks, edgetool-manufacturer, Wolverhampton.
Edward Terry, Esq., Mayor of Dudley.
Thomas Badger, Esq., Dudley.
Mr. J. Joseph Bramah, iron master, Dudley.
Mr. William Mathews, iron master, Corbyn's Hall, Kingswinford.
Mr. Benjamin Gibbons, iron master, Shut.end House, Kingswinford.
James Foster, Esq., iron master, Stourton Castle, Stourbridge.
Michael Grazebrook, Esq., iron master, Audnam, Stourbridge.
Richard Hickman, Esq., Clay Works, Stourbridge.
Joseph King, Esq., Stourbridge.
Mr. Francis Rufrord, banker, Stourbridge.
Thomas Simcox Lea, Esq., Astley Hall, Kidderminster.
Mr. George Hooman, carpet manufacturer, Kidderminster.
Arthur Skey, Esq., Spring-grove liewdley.
Mr. Enoch Baldwin,ironfounder, Stourport.
William Lewis, Esq., Mayor of Worcester.
John Lilly, Esq., High Alderman of Worcester,
John Parker, Esq., Worcester.
Mr. William Stallard, jun., wine-merchant, Worcester.
George B. Hudson, Esq., Wick, near Pershore.
Mr. Thomas N. Foster, merchant, Evesham.
Mr. H. G. Busby, merchant, Moreton-in-the-Marsh.
Mr. Robert Beaman, merchant, Stow-on-the- Wold.
With power to add to their number.
ENGINEER—I. K. Brunel, Esq.

3ANKBR3.
Messrs. Spooner, Attwoods, and Co., London.
Messrs. Ruffords and Wragge, Stourbridge.

SOLICITOR&
Messrs. W. 0. and W. Hunt, Whitehall, London.

Mr. Robert Rising,
} Worcester.
Mr. Fred. Thomas Elgie,

The Line is proposed to branch out of the Grand Junction Rail.
way near to Wolverhampton, and to have a station within a quarter
of a mile from the centre of that town. From thence it will pass
ever a densely populated mining and manufacturing district in the
immediate vicinity of extensive iron, nails, iron hardware, glass,
fire-brick, and numerous other manufactories, through the popu.
lous towns of Bilston, Tipton, and Dudley, to Stourbridge, with a
Branch Line between the two last-named places to Kingswinford,
a neighbourhood abounding in mines and manufactures; and which
towns and district, containing together a population of upwards of
200,009, are now (with the exception of Wolverhampton) deprived
of the advantages arising from railway communication. From
Stourbridge the Line will proceed to Kidderminster, which, with
the neighbouring towns of Bewdley and Stourport, contains a po-
pulation of about 28,000. The great carpet manufactories of Kid-
derminster are too well known to need comment, and the principal
portion of their productions is sent to London for sale. From Kid-
derminster the Line will proceed to Droitwich, where there are
large manufactories of salt.
Between Kidderminster and Droitwich a Branch Line will be
made to Stoke Prior (joining there the Birmingham and Gloucester
Railway), where there are extensive salt, soap, and chemical
manufactories.

The works at Droitwich and Stoke already consume not lees
than 100,000 tons of coal per annum, and if brought into imme-
diate connection with the extensive coal-field through which this
Railway will pass, the consumption will no doubt be materialy in-
creased. From Droitwich the Line will proceed to the City of
Worcester (where there will be a Branch, about one mile, to the
Severn, for the purpose of communicating with that river for
goods). This City contains a population of 27,000. and is an im-
portant market for agricultural produce, hops, fruit, cider, &c., as
well as the principal seat of the glove and porcelain manufactures
in the kingdom. It is intended that the Line shall cross the Birm.
ingham and Gloucester Railway about four miles from Worcester,
between that city and Pershore, so as to afford a direct Railway
cemmunication with Cheltenham, Gloucester, Bath, Bristol, and
the West of England.

From Worcester, to Pershore, Evesham, Chipping Campden,
Moreton-in-the-Marsh, and from thence, by the valley of Even.
lode, to Oxford, the district is principally agricultural. A com-
munication with the Stratford and Moreton Railway will be made
at the latter place ; and in reference to the advantages of this por-
tion of the Line it will perhaps suffice to make the following ex.
tract from the Report of Lieut.-Colonel Sir Frederiek Smith, the
late Inspector-General of Railways, who, with Professor Barlow,
was employed by her Majesty's Government in 1840, to examine
and report on the best Line of communication between London and
Dublin :

" We cannot close this Report without observing that, from
the favourable nature of the country for a Railway from the Great
Western Railway at Dudcot, and from thence to Worcester, and
from the skilful manner in which it is proposed to extend the Line
to the last-named city, we are of opinion that at no distant period
this project will be carried into effect. This Line would take from
Oxford nearly a central course between the Birmingham and Great
Western Lines, and afford railway accommodation to a district
which cannot derive much advantage from any other Line.
" This convenience would extend even to Worcester, notwith.
standing that the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway will pass
at no great distance, for the length of the journey from London
round by Birmingham will be at least 138 miles ; whereas, by the
projected Line through Oxford to Worcester, it would be only
118 miles—a distance of twenty miles in favour of the latter ; and,
taking Into account the greater average speed of the Great Western
Riilway, there can be no doubt that at least one hour in time
would be gained between London and Worcester, and the traveller
would save from ss, to Cs. in his fare."

With reference to the portion of the Line from Wolverhampton
to the point of junction with the Birmingham and Gloucester
Railway below Worcester, it may also be observed that, i• the
year 1837 a Bill was introduced Into Parliament for making a
Railway between those places, called the Grand Connection:Rail.
way, the Line of which was greatly inferior to the one now se-
lected in respect of contiguity to the most important towns ; and
the following is an extract from the Report of the Committee of
the House of Commons, who sat upon that Bill:
" The present means of conveyance and communication have
been proved to be insufficient for agricultural, commercial, manu-
facturing, and other purposes, as well between the proposed ter.
mini as between the towns on the Line of Railway and towns to
be connected with them by other Lines of Railway already sanc-
tioned.

"The average amount of traffic by land is 61,1191. 49. ; by
water, 45,3141. 2s. 3d. _ _

" The number of passengers expected on the proposed Railway
Ls 10,440.

" The weight of goods expected on the Railway is 282,690
tons and the description of goods are the staple manufactures of
the towns which the Railway approaches, besides wool, grain, fruit,
hops, cider, Manchester goods, groceries, teazles, coal, and other
general merchandise and agricultural produce.
" The amount of income expected to arise from the conveyance
of passengers is 31,7511. 18,. 4d., and for goods, 74,680/. This
amount of income is independent of that which the promoters of
the Bill expect to derive from a new or increased traffic on the Line.
The largest revenue on goods is expected to be derived from the
carriage of the produce of the various staple manufactures of the
towns which the Railway approaches, and a considerable income is
anticipated from the carriage of coal."
In addition to the Passenger traffic specified in the above Report
of the Committee of the House of Commons, this Line will af.
ford communication for Passengers from Ireland landing at Liver.
pool, and from the north-west with the south-east of England, by
means of the continuation of the Great Western Railway from
Reading to Basingstoke, where it will be connected with the South.
ampton and Portsmouth Railways, as well as its being a direct line
to London, via Oxford, from the important towns and districts
through which it passes.
The Passenger traffic alone ought to afford a satisfactory return
on the capital proposed to be invested; but when it is shown that
this Line will supply the existing want of a direct Railway con.
veyance to London and the south-east of England, for the produce
of such extensive Colleries, Iron Manufactories, and other Works
as support a population of upwards of 200,000 persons in the South
Staffordshire and Worce,tershire Mining districts, and will
also provide for conveying the produce of Kidderminster, Stoke
Works, Dreitwich, and Worcester, and the agricultural districts
intersected by it, to their appropriate markets, it may confidently
be asserted that there is not a district of country in the kingdom
now unoccupied by railway which affords so great a prospect of re.
rnuneration.

In addition to these claims on public attention and support, the
Committee of Management have concluded an arrangement with
the Directors of the Great Western Railway Company, conditional
on the necessary preliminaries for proceeding with the Bill in Par-
liament being completed, and subject to the sanction of their Pro-
prietary, by which a guarantee of Three and a Half per Cent. per
Annum on the estimated Capital, with half the surplus profits, will
be secured to the Shareholders in this undertaking. And in the
event of its being found necessary to expend a greater sum than
1,500,0001. is constructing the Line (but which amount is esti-
mated to be more than sufficient for the purpose), the Directors of
the Great Western Railway Company have agreed that interest on
such additional amount, provided the same does not exceed
250,0001., shall be paid previously to any division of profits being
made.

The gradients on the larger portion of the line will be favour.
able. The length of the line will be 90 miles ; and the length of
the branch to Kingswinford two miles, to Stoke Prior between two
and three miles, and to the Severn about one mile. The esti.
mated population iii and closely adjoining to the Line amounts to
upwards of half a million.

The surveys for the best Line are being proceeded with under
the superintendence of Mr. Brunel, with a view to the introduction
of a Bill in the next session of Parliament.
Power will be taken in the Act of Parliament to allow interest at
the rate of 41. per cent. per annum on the deposits, as well as on all
future calls, from the dates of each payment till the opening of the
whole Line.

A Subscribers' agreement and Parliamentary contract have been
prepared, and lie at the Company's offices for signature.
The Scrip Shares, and all payments thereon, will be forfeited,
without notice, should the holders thereof not sign the Subscribers'
agreement and Parliamentary contract on or before the 91st De.
cember next,

Shares will only be allotted to parties either personally known to
any member of the Committee of Management, or properly intro-
duced to them by letter; and, to prevent trouble, no other applica-
tions will be attended to.

Applications for Shares may be addressed to the Solicitors to the
Company, or to the following gentlemen :—Messrs. Clarke and
Haneocks, Solicitors, Shipston-on •Stour ; Mr. Griffiths, So-
licitor, Chipping Catnpden ; Mr. Oswald Cheek, Town Clerk,
Evesham ; Messrs. T. and W. G. Hallen, Solicitors, and Messrs.
Bird, Saunders, and Bird, Solicitors, Kidderminster; Messrs.
Grarebrook and Wragge, Solicitors, Stourbridge ; Messrs.
Robinson and Fletcher, and Mr. John Bolton, Solicitors,
Dudley; Messrs. Phillips and Belton, and Mr. Charles
Corser, Solicitors, Wolverhampton ; Messrs, J. S. Wells and Son,
Share Brokers, 75, Old Broad-street, and Mr. J. W. Scott, Share
Broker, 5, Bartholomew-lane, London ; Messrs. Highfield acrd
Withers, Share Brokers, Royal Bank-buildings, Dale-street,
Liverpool ; Messrs. T. Cardwell and Sons, Share Brokers, Manches-
ter ; Messrs. George Edwards and Son, Share Brokers, Bristol; Mr.
William Welch, Share Broker, Lancaster ; Mr. Thomas Sanford,
Share Broker, Exeter; Messrs. T. Earp and Son, Share Brokers,
Derby; Messrs. Tempest and Butchart, Share Brokers, Hudders-
field; Messrs. Collinson and Flint, Share Brokers, Hull; Messrs.
Ridsdale, Share Brokers, Leeds; Mr. James llervey, Share Broker,
Halifax ; Mr. J. Brooke, Share Broker, Dewsbury; Mr. Payne,
Share Broker, Wolverhampton; Mr. Nathaniel Lea, Share Broker,
.Birmingham; Mr. Wm. Lee, Share Broker, Cheltenham; Mr.
William Bolton, Share Broker, Stratford-on- AVOU • and Mr. WI
Miles, Share Broker, Worcester.

Worcester, September, 144.