The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-20 00:00:00

THE NEW RAILWAYS.

(From the Berkshire Chronicle of Sept. 6.)
The competition which has arisen between the rival
lines to pass through this county southward and east-
ward, is really amusing. All those we enumerated in
our two last publications are still eager for support, and
almost clamorous in the advocacy of their superior ad-
vantages. The "Tring, Reading, and Basingstoke" Com-
pany issued their prospectus yesterday. It states that
by the proposed line the toute from Manchester to
Southampton will be many miles shorter; and sooner
brought into operation than either OP!. of the Manches-
ter and Southampton, or the (Ilford, Southampton, &c.,
Junction. A " Reading knd Reigate Junction" project
is also more fully announced, but we hear that there
are at least two other schemes with a similar object
in the field, with same slight deviations in detail.
Looking at the map, the proposed line must save a
great detour to travellers to the south-eastern coast
and the Continent, but its disadvantage is that there
are few towns of importance between the two tet-
mini. At the same time, the " through " traffic
would doubtless be considerable. The " South and Mid-
lands Junction" is a new scheme, barely a week old,
but it aims at greater results. The route is to be from
Bicester, by way of Witne
Lechlade, and " keeping
within easy distances of Farringdon, Cricklade, and
Righworth, it falls into the Great Western line at
Swindon. The capital is to be 1,280,000/. The
" Bristol and Dover Direct" is another, new project. It
offers to commence at Devizes, pass through Ludger-
shall, Andover, Whitchurch, Basingstoke, Odiham, and
Farnham, to Godalming, where other projects would
continue it to Reigate.
There is no end of plans to convey passengers to the
south, The very last we have seen is one to be called
the " Cheltenham, Brighton; Folkestone, and Dover ;"
the only particulars yet stated are that it is to go " from
Cheltenham as direct as possible to. Brighton, with a
branch from about Basingstoke to Reigate." This
Would intersect Berkshire from Farringdon to Newbury.
The Kennet and Avon Conversion Railway is an-
nounced, and it excites much interest, both from the no
velty of the plan and the large stake held in the old
property by capitalists in this and the neighbouring
counties.

The public of Newbury, after being treated with utter
neglect for some time past by the Great and South-
Western Companies, are now solicited, flattered, and
canvassed, by a whole swarm of projectors. We believe
that most exaggerated expectations of local benefit are
raised, to end in certain disappointment. That a large
number of persons would travel southward through
Newbury by an Oxford and Southampton line cannot be
doubted, but how few of them would atop may. easily be
guessed. Nor will we deny the local convenience rail-
ways will afford to the inhabitants, and that, after all, is
the chief reason they are desirable. Reading, with all
its long-standing advantages of railway communication,
has not been so enormously benefited as was predicted
and expected, and Newbury has no right to expect more
than Reading, if so much. There are forty or fifty
thousand passengers by the Great Western weekly by
and from the town, but what is the amount of advantage
to the inhabitants ?

In the meantime, while these projects are advancing,
the linei already formed will receive a great accession of
traffic. They will always command the best of the
carrying trade, and will, by their Parliamentary influ-
ence, crush many of the competing schemes. The
immmense crowd of applications for new Acts will
be thrown out with little ceremony. The task of
legislating for all is an impossible one, and we shall
therefore see a wholesale rejection of the great ma-
jority. Too much was done last session, and the
strongest feeling exists, that there shall be some check
to the hasty and clamorous demands for new lines.
Those will have the preference where there is the least
competition, and obvious• utility, and new companies
must wait with patience their turn, which will be two
or three years hence at least. Some will have found
their level before that time, and those which havee
strength and vitality will reap. an advantage by the
delay. The speculators in scrip ought to be wary in-
deed, especially as persons buying for investment will,
in these times of artificial prices, naturally prefer the
great trunk lines, as much more secure, and being com-
paratively neglected by =ere speculators, much cheaper,
and certain to derive much increasing profits for some
years to ( ome.
Since writing the above we have received the pro-
spectus of the Reading and Reigate Railway. It will be
seen that the scheme possesses the great advantage of a
very powerful directory, embracing gentlemen of local
influence and station. This will give it a decided pre-
ference over other projects which have not this essential
recommendation, and unless any other plan should be
suggested with superior local support—which we cannot
anticipate—we have no• doubt this railway will easily
obtain legislative h n
otion. ' Nor will it meet with that
opposition from the Great Western and South-Western
Companies which ost_he2lians—more or less conflicting
with their interest
excite.' We have 'no doubt
that this line will be very popular here.' - •

TAUNTON .—A match came off lagt week between
Captain Price and Moore, leap a horse over the four turn-
pike gates within fl give 4 tints. The horse unfortunately struck his
Iftg. in ille itjst gate but cleared the second in good style, om approach-
ing the third gate he .refused to run, and Captain Price Paid the bet,
Which was 201,-19herborne Journal. ~,, .„ ,

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