The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-17 00:00:00

the existing Dundee and Arbroath line available, or to
shorten the trunk line by this distance, by go;.ng through
Strathmore to Perth, we should have be n inclined to
prefer the former alternative. But it appears that the
advantage of an unbrolcen locomotive communication
cannot be rATlrded by the Dundee route, which is inter-
rupted by two gaps, first in the town of Dundee, and
secondly in Arbroath.
The termini of the Dundee and Perth, and Dundee
and Arbroath Railways are more than half a mile apart;
and the only connexion proposed to be made is, by
laying down rails along soma of the principal quays and
streets of Dundee, over which a limited number of car-
riages and waggons may he hauled by hors, power.
Even this arrangement will be subject to the control of
the Harbour Commissioners, who have a power secured
to them by the Act of the Dander and Arbroath Railway
Cum-any, of buying no aboat three quarters of a mile of
this Railway, including its terminus, in order to meet
the contingency of the space being rcquii Td fcr the
accommrAation of the increasing trade of the port, or
for additional dock room.

In the town of Arbroath a similar interruption exists,
and the traffic passing from the one railway to the other
is drawn by horses over rails laid down in the streets.
'1 he interruption at Arbroath might probably be
avoided by effecting a junction of the two Tires outside
the town, at a moderate expense ; hut at Dundre, owing
to the peculiar situation of the town, which is confined
between a-steep hill and the river, t.'ero 5,.-ems no pos-
sibility of effecting a Proper junction. unless at an ex-
pense so heavy as to render it vt ry unlikely that it will
bg undertaken. _

The existence of this interruption seems to us con-
clusive against the alternative :electing the Dundee
route as the sole line of through communication from the
north of Scotland to the south ; when by the :Scottish
Midland or Strathmore line we are onred a communica-
tion 5} miles shorter in actual distance withou,; bite:l-up-
:ion, and with excellent gradients. The difforence in
point of time between this and the Dar:lee ro ite, fur the
transmission of mails and quick trains, must occels:.rily be
considerable ; and this great line of communication could
not properly be made to depend on the exercise, on the
part of the Harbour Commissioners of Dundee, of a dis•
cretion guided by circumstances referable to the trade of
that port.
The Scottish Midland line appears thus to be .neces •
sary as an integral portion of the Northern line of com-
munication, and it moreover will afford great accommo-
dation to a district of considerable resources, and ca-
pable of much improvement ; while, being of remark-
ably easy construction, and likely to be wo-ked econo-
mically in connexion with other lines, it ap,)ears to hold
out a fair prospect of remuneration. This, however, is
a point upon which, as in the cases before referred to,
we must content ourselves with directing the particular
att?ntion of the Committee on the Bill to the estimates
laid before them.

The construction of the Scottish Midland would render
the Dundee and Perth line unnecessary as part of the
through line from the North to Perth. But looking at
the importance of the town of Dundee, which, as the
seat of extensive linen marufactures, is much connected
with Glasgow, Liverpool, and other commercial and ma-
nufacturing towns in England, it appears to us very
desirable that it should enjoy a connexion with the
general railway system of the kingdom ; and as this
connexion can be effected by a line of 201 miles, the
estimated cost of which is only 200,000/, and which
will, moreover, be the means of introducing coals at a
cheaper rate iLto Dundee, and of accommodating a con-
siderable local traffic between that town and Perth, we
cannot hesitate to report our opinion that, notwithstand-
ing the sanction of the Scottish Midland as the prefer-
able line for through communication to the North, the
construction of the Dundee and Perth lire appears to
us, upon public grounds, to be justifiable.
In considering this line, we have assumed that it is
to follow the alternative line on the north bank of the
Tay, and not, as originally proposed, to cross that
river by a bridge ; such bridge having been objected to
by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, after
investigation by an engineer appointed by them for the
purpose, as calculated to interfere irjuriously with the
navigation.
For the same reason, in considering the Edinburgh
and Northern line, we equally assume that it is to run
to Perth, without effecting a junction lower down, by
means of this proposed bridge, with the Dundee and
Perth line.

We have already stated our opinion that for the purposes
of a through line of communication, this line, cwing to the
interruption of the Ferry, cannot be placed in competition
with the Scottish Central. Considered, however, simply
as a local line, it is calculated to afford great accommo-
dation to the county of Fife, and also by opening up the
coal fields of that county to the adjoining counties, and to
the towns of Perth and Dundee. The advantage to the
latter town will be somewhat diminished by the increased
distance rendered necessary by the circuit 137 Perth, in
order to avoid interference with the navigation of the
Tay. Still the advantage, from the introduction of coals
at a cheaper rate, will be considerable ; and having re-
ference more particularly to this, we do not feel ourselves
justified in reporting unfavourably of the undertaking,
unless fully convinced that it holds out no
reasonable probability of being a solvent com-
mercial undertaking. This we do not feel to be the case,
if the railway be constructed, as is proposed, with a
single line of rails, and as cheaply as possible ; although
we beg to dirt et the attention of the Committee on the
Bill particularly to the estimates both of cost and of
traffic. With this reservation, we have to report that
we are aware of no public grounds Hby the scheme
should not be sanctioned.

The two remaining schemes—the Glasgow, Barrhead,
and Neilston direct ; and Glasgow and Ayr, Barrhead
and Neilston Branch—have reference to a local question
of competition for the accommodation of a manufacturing
district in the vicinity of Glasgow. This district com-
prising Pollockshaws, Thornliebank, Barrhead, Neilston,
and other manufacturing villages, is evidently of suffi-
cient importance to justify the extension to it of railway
communication ; and the sole question is between the
inderendent scheme proposed for that purpose, and the
branch proposed by the Glasgow and Ayr Company
from their existing line.
giving a shorter commu-
nication miles upon a total distance
Glasgow i s more
by direct,
two
of nine miles.
The former
t o

alsolt
ambloyresituated for extension ; and
places, and a larger popu-
lation
, -
is supported by a great majority of the local interests
is more accommodatesfavo tz
r
concerned, which are-opposed to the Glasgow and Ayr
branch.
The only point in which this branch appears prefer-
able to the direct line is, that it affords a shorter com-
munication towards Paisley; but as the principal traffic
of the district is with Glasgow, and as the distance from
Barrhead to Paisley is still very circuitous, being eight
miles by railway, while it is only three by the turnpike
road, this advantage does not seem of much weight.
It has been objected to the direct line, that it is too
short to be worked with eConemy, and to support the
expense of an independent establishment and station in
Glasgow; and as a general rule it is certainly true that
lines of this short length are worked more advantage-
ously as branches in connexion with existing lines; but
in the prestlit instance this objection is obviated by an
agreement with the Glasgow and Greenock Railway
Company to work the line, and to provide accommoda-
tion at their own station in Glasgow.
It appears to us, therefore, that as the direct line offers
such superior advantages, this is not a ease in which the
Glasgow and Ayr Company can fairly claim to be al
lowed the privilege of extending a branch from their
existing line; and we have therefore to report, that of
the two competing schemes, the Glasgow, Barrhcacl, and
Nei'son direct appears to us to be preferable.
With reference both to this line and to-the proposed
Clydesdale Junction Railway, we beg to direct the at-
tention of the Committee on the Bills, to the crossing of
the turnpike-road from Glasgow to Paisley on a level,
by a portion of the Polloc and Govan Railway, over
which some part of the traffic of the lines in question
may pass.
A level crossing over a road of this importance, at a
pow • t where it forms one of the principal outlets, and
in point of fact may almost be considered as one of the
public streets of Glasgow, is evidently objectionable,
whatever restrictions may be introduced against the use
of locomotive engines, or for 'regulating the passing of
waggons ; but the amount of inconvenience, and the
prnper mode of applying a remedy, ere questions which
depend so much upon detailed evidence as to local cir-
cue:stare-es, that we abstain from expressing any de-
cided opinion rospecting them.
The only other projected lines in Scotland are certain
short branches proposed by the Edinburgh and Glasgow
Railway Company, viz :
. 1. A branch, three furlongs in length, to connect the
Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway with the Monkland and
Kirkintilloch.

2. A branch five miles in length, to the village of
Campsie. •
3. A branch, two furlongs in length, to afford access to
additional station-room in Glasgow.
We are not aware of any objections to these branches,
on public grounds.
In conclusion, we beg to draw attention to the
passage of the fifth report of the Select Committee
of last year, in which it is stated, in reccmmend-
ing that reports should be made to Parliament
by this department upon railway schemes, " That.
no such report should be held to prejudice the
claims of private persons, the examination of which should
be altogether reserved to the Houses of the Legislature."
In submitting to Parliament, in conformity with the
recommendations of that Committee, the results at which
we have arrived, with a view to the information and
assistance of Parliament in forming a jtul4ment upon
the schemes in question, in so far as our report may be
available for that purpose, we are anxious that it should
be distinctly understood that we hare arrived at these
results solely upon public grounds, and to the exelusion
of all considerations how- far such rezul's might r.quire
to be modified by a due regard for private rights and
interests.

DALHOUSIE.
0. W. PASLEY. D. O'BRIEN,
G. H. PORTER. S. LAING.

REPORT OF THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT
OF THE BOARD OF TRADE ON RAILWAYS
PROJECTED IN THE NORTH AND NORTH
WEST OF IRELAND.
Railway 1) partment, Board of Trade,
Whitehall, March 13, 1845.
The Board constituted by Minu•e of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade, for the transaction of Railway
business, having had under consideration the different
sch•'mes deposited with the Railway Department for ex-
tending Railway Communication in Ireland to the north
and north west of Dublin, have eeeided on submitting
the following Report tiereon for the consideration of
Parliament. The proposed lines are the—
Dublin and Belfast Junction,
Northern Railway Inland Line (Armagh to Dublin),
Dub:in and Drogheda Branch to Kells,
C 'Tat North Western,
which are connected with the metropolis of 'laud!