The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-10 00:00:00

LOCAL SOLICITORS.

G. F. Thompson, Esq., Dever ; Henry Gilbert, Esq., Devizes; W.
H. Reece, Esq., Birmingham ; Messrs. Timbrell and Merrick,
Bradford and Trowbridge; Messrs. Taylor, Kemp, and Kingston,
Bath; Joseph Charles Shebbeare, Esq., Basingstoke
Messrs. Timbrell and Merrick, Bradford and Trowbridge
Messrs. Taylor, Kemp, and Kingston, Bath.
PARLIAMENTARY AGENT—Cadwallader F. Waddy, Esq.
SECRETARY—CharIes Martin, Esq.

This Company has been formed for the purpose of constructing a
line in continuation of the South-Eastern Railway at Reigate,
whereby a direct junction will be effected between the whole of the
south-eastern coast, including the port and harbour of Dover and the
several ports and towns of Southampton, Gosport, Portsmouth, and
Bristol ; and, by means of the Bristol and Birmingham Railway, with
Gloucester, Worcester, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and
the north of England.

From its proximity to the Continent, the port of Dover will always
be the most accessible point of the English coast; an expeditious
communication therefore between that and tke other ports, harbours,
and inland.towns of the United Kingdom, must necessarily be regarded
as a great national advantage.

Dover is at present the chl-3f port of embarkation for Calais,
Boulogne, Ostend, and other continental towns, and the vast numbers
already resorting there both on business and pleasure, will be im-
measurably increased when the railways of France, Belgium, Hol-
land, and Germany are fully brought into operation.

In addition to which, the Government Commissioners having
selected Dover as a Harbeur of Refuge, and recommended the outlay
there • of 1,500,0001., it cannot fail of becoming a place of the
greatest resort for the shipping and commercial interests of the mix-
try, and perhaps the most important town on the southern coast.
In every point of view, therefore, whether for national security, or
for travelling excursions, or the invaluable interests of our shipping
and commerce, the paramount importance of a cheaper, more conve-
nient, and accelerated intercourse between this great port and all
parts of the kingdom, must be sufficiently obvious. This the pro-
moters fully anticipate will be attained by the proposed railway,
which will form a portion of a grand trunk line, completing the
chain of railway communication upon the narrow gauge between the
south-easte-n coast, and Bristol and the western, northern, and mid-
land counties.
The lice will commence at the terminus of the South-Eastern Rail-
way at Reigate, proceed thence by Dorking, Godalming, Farnham,
and Odiham to the Basingstoke station, on e South-Western Rail-
way. It will then proceed by Andover towards Devizes, Trow-
bridge, and Bradford, with a branch to Bath, and pursuing its csurse
through the Somersetshire coal-field, throwing off a branch towards
Radstock into the heart of the collieries,Fterminate in ajunctiou with
the Bristol and Birmingham Railway at Bristol.

By its course through Dorking, Godahning, Farnham, and Odi-
ham, it will supply the railway accommodation so much required by
those towns, and connect the rich and fertile hop districts of Surrey,
Kent, and South Hants, and afford the means of conveyance of their
produce to the great Hop-fair at Weyhill.
By its junction with the contemplated " Reading, Guildford, and
Reigate Railway," it will afford to the inhabitants of Reading, Oxford,
and to the midland counties generally, the best and shortest route to
the Continent, as well as to Worthing, Hastings, Brighton, and the
other watering-places in Sussex and Kent ; and a vast increase of
visitors will undoubtedly be attracted to those places from the interior
of England by the accommodation and facilities for travelling which
will be accomplished by this and the proposed railway from Reading.
By its Intersection of the South-Western Railway at Basingstoke,
and of the proposed Manchester and Southampton Railway further
west, the present lino will connect Dover towards the south, with
Southampton (the packet station for the East and West Indies, &c.),
Gosport, and Portsmouth, and towards the north, with Cheltenham,
Gloucester, Worcester, Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool, also
with Shrewsbury, Chester, and Holyhead, and in fact with the whole
of North and South Wales.

At Basingstoke, also, this line will join the proposed London, Salis-
bury, and Yeovil Railway, and throw open to Dover and the south-
eastern counties the populous and wealthy cities of Salisbury and
Exeter, the rich agricultural counties of Wilts, Dorset, Somerset,
and Devon, the p.,rts of Plymouth, Devonport, and Falmouth, and
the mineral regions of Cornwall.
To Devizes, Trowbridge, Bradford, and Bath, and the other towns
in the vicinity of its course, the benefit which this line will confer
cannot be too highly estimated ; to the coal districts of Somerset-
shire it will open large and constant markets both in Bristol and to
the south and east, while to the inhabitants of Bristol especially, con-
necting its channel with the Straits of Dover and the Downs, pro-
viding a perfect line for telegraphic communication, and securing to
them the whole of the trade between the south-east of England and
the west and south of Ireland, it seems difficult, considering the enor-
mous traffic which must necessarily flow to that city, to conceive a
project more deserving of their cordial support.
In the memorable Parliamentary contest last session between two
great rival companies, the Legislature for the first time admitted
that principle of competition with existing interests which was
claimed by the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Company for
the protection and benefit of the public ; and it is with no fear of
the resift that the promoters of the present undertaking invite
attention to one distinguishing feature it contains, viz., that by the
construction of the line from Bristol to Basingstoke, the Box Tunnel
will be avoided, and a. new and independent communication will be
established between Bristol and London, by a shorter line on the
narrow gauge than by the devious course of the Great Western, inde-
pendently of all the advantages of the proposed central station at
Ilungerford-bridge, and the convenient access to the Thames both
there and at Nine Elms, over the distant and inconvenient station
of the Great Western at Paddington.
In length the proposed line will be nearly 110 miles (assuming this
Company to have the construction of that portion between Reigate
and Dorking, for which plans have been deposited by the South-
Eastern Company)—the country through which it passes does net
present any engineering difficulties of moment, nor will any resi-
dential or ornamental property be interfered with except ander an
hxperative necessity.

A
reserve of shares will be made for landowners on the line, and
the Committee also retain to themselves the power to vary the course
of the line with reference to any arrangements with existing interests
and projected lines that may be considered advantageous to the
shareholders.

The capital proposed to be raised is 1,500,000/., in 75,000 shares of
201, each, with a deposit of 21. 2s. per share, to be paid on allotment.

Power will be taken by the Act to allow interest, at 4/. per cent.
per annum, upon all deposits and subscriptions until the opening of
the line, and no subscriber shall be answerable for more than the
amount of his deposit until the Act has.been obtained, and then not
beyond the amount of his subscription.

The Subscribers' Agreement and the Parliamentary Contrast will
be ready for execution, and the scrip issued immediately upon pay-
ment of the deposits.
Applications for shares must be addressed to the Secretary, at the
Offices of the Company, No. 12, Gray's Inn-place, only; but na appli-
cation will be attended to unless accompanied by a reference to a
member of the Provisional Committee, one of the solicitors to the
Company, ore banker.

Copies of the prospectus and form of application for shares may be
obtained at the offices of the Company, or of Messrs. Peppercorne, Old
Broad-street ; Mr. Sym, 9, Tokenhouse-yard ; and Mr. B. B. Wil-
liams, Throgmorton-street, stock and sharehrokers, London.