The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-17 00:00:00

RAILWAY RETURNS.

RAILWAY Ta...plc.—The following are the Total Receipts of Rail.
ways for the past week—that is to say, up to the date to which the
respective returns are made, together with the receipts of the same
week la the previous year:—

. 0
Week Last f:, •'' •
ending NAME OF RAILWAY. W eek. ~; z.. .
.'
t...‘ .T.,'
3 t.
:-..) .F.l
-- ----
X X
Feb. 8 Arbroath and Forfar ••• • • •"• •••• " 126 i 104
7 Birmingham and Gloucester• •••• • • "• 2,092 1,806
- Brandling Junction . ...... ••'•• • " • • - -
8 Bristol and Gloucester ••••••• • • • • • • • 1,069 -
7 Chester and 13irkenhead. ••••• • " • " • 396 316
6 Dublin and Drogheda. • • ..... • ******* 579 -
11 Dublin and Kingstown •• ••• • • " ***** 588 615
9 Dundee and Arbroath . ********** •• " 228 195
8 Durham and Sunderland .• ••••• " • - •• 471 595
8 Edinburgh and t liasgow .••••• " • • • • 2,072 1,749
9 Eastern Counties and North Eastern.. 3,666 3,125
8 Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr ••• • • • 1,384 1,152
8 Glasgow and Greenock• •••••• • "• '• 653 634
S Grand Junction *** •"••••• • • ' • • . ,711 6,577
8 :rest North of England •••• • • • * 1,577 1,370
9 Great Western .••• • • • • ***** •• '• "'• 14,110 11,324
7 Liverpool and Manchester • • ..... •• • 4,6 m 9 3,865
8 London and Birmingham •••• • " " ' 15.445 14,222.
9 London and Blackwall l,OBB 882
8 London and Brighton. ••• • • 3•357 2,426
- London and Croydon • ••• • • - 215
13 London and Greenwich .•••••• • • • • • • 734 702
9 London and South Western .•••• • • • • 4,941 4,291
9 Manchester, Bolton, and Bury ••• • • • 852 724
-- Manchester and Birmingham •••• • • • __
8 Manchester, Leeds, and Hull Assoc. • 6,310 52:35,8;45
8 Midland Counties. ••• • • 9,115 7,441
8 Newcastle and Darlington ••••• • " • • 1,001 _
- Newcastle and Carlisle•• •••• • • • .
1,351
9 Newcastle and North Shields.• •• • • 345 3•13
- North Union and Bolton and Preston - 1,005
- l'aris, Corbeil, and Orleans• ••••• • • • • _ 3,253
1 Paris and Rouen .•••• • • • • •''• ' • • 3,006 3,046
8 Preston and Wyre •• • • -
8 Sheffield and Manchester •••••• •• • • • • 632 477
13 South Eastern.. •• • • ......... '•" • •• 3,445 2,255
869 596
9 Ulster . ..... ...... ... •••••••• • • • " • 550 515
9 Yarmouth and Norwich -
b York and North Midland .••••• • • • • • 2.127 1,190

THE IRON TRADE.—In consequence of the great
demand for iron, it is confidently stated that there. Will be another
advaLwo of 11 per ton.--13inningliam g

" When the lines are very short, the probability- is that unless
charges be moderate, road traffic will revive, and in such cases the
public have a great degree of security. Again, ad, respects the
carriage of goods, it is found in practice that by otiaer channels of
conveyance, such as canals, an effective control ma.y, under certain
circumstances, be placed upon railway charges. Rut in consider-
ing the case of passenger charges, and in all classes. of lines, except
those which are so short as to be effectually checked by the ordi-
nary road, the Comniittee think that little can be permanently ex.
pected from the mere multiplication of railways in the way of
security for moderation of charge. There may be, indeed, indi.
rest and accidental competition between railways, so'hich may cause
Cheapness, and there may even be direct and brick competition,
with great reductions of .fare for short periods ; beet in such cases
of competition, somewhat modified, as have hitherto occurred, the
result has generally been increase of charge by mutual arrangement
or positive amalgamation of the competing Companies. The expe-
rience of the past is, however, limited, and might not, if taken
alone, warrant any conclusive opinion ; but in looking to the na-
ture of the question itself, the Committee feel this difficulty, that
they cannot, in case of railways, anticipate any such facilities in
the introductiorrof new competitors as to check the rzroceedings of
the, companies actually in possession of the traffic ; that in fact
there is On district in which the traffic will support any
considerable number of railways ; that there is no case in
which they imagine a likelihood of more than two or, at
the iery utmost, three lines of railway communication, which
could be,so situated as to compete with one anotther, and they
cannot conceive that two bodies, or even three, acting by corn.
pact executive boards, and secure against the entrance of any other
party into the field, Will fail to combine together. it is, therefore,
their' apprehension, that in each cases, either the different
railways will continue to be worked, and then that extreme
measures will be taken in concert for the purpose of paying very
moderate dividends, and it may be found that several capitals have
beeffixpended for performl•;g the business which could have been
equally well, or perhaps even better performed by one ; or a closer
combination will take place among the Companies : they will
choose the line upon which they can most profitably carry the
traffic, and will leave the rival line or lines unoccupied."

The principle here stated, that competition loses more or less of
its value as a security for the public, when from the nature of the
case it is limited to two or three parties, who are con'tantly urged
by mutual interest to combine, has received abundant corroboration
from the experience of what has already taken place in the history
of railways.

The following instances mu be mentioned where railway Com-
panies, in a situation to compete, have, after a short time, either
amalgamated or cotnbined together, so as to put an sod to com-
petition

The Leeds and Selby with the York and North Midland ; In
this case the former line being virtually for several years shut up.
The Birmingham and Derby with the Midland Counties.
The Chester and Crewe with the Grand Junction.
The Manchester and Birmingham with the Grand Junction.
The Bolton and Preston with the North Union.
The Northern and Eastern with the Eastern Counties.
On the other hand, we are not aware of a single instance which
can be pointed out, in which the public are now deriving any be.
nefit from direct competition between two railways.

In addition to the instances of combination between directly
competing Companies, recent experience has furnished numerous
instances of the tendency of smaller lines, originally sanctioned as
independent undertakings, to resign their independence into the
the hands of powerful neighbours. We may mention, among
other instances of this tendency, the amalgamation or lease of the
Sheffield and Manchester to the Midland and Manchester and Bir.
mingham.
Of the Bristol and Exeter, and Cheltenham and Great Western,
with the Great Western.

Ot the Hull and Selby, and Manchester and Bolton, with the
Manchester and Leeds.
Of the North Union with the Liverpool and .Mancheater and
Grand Junction.

—._.._
Of the Greenwich with the South. Eastern.
Of the Sheffield and Rotherham with the Midland.
Of the Chester and Birkenhead with the Chester and Holyhead.
Of the Bristol and Gloucester with the Birmingham and
Gloucester.
Besides others that might be quoted.

The same principle has received further elucidation from the
inquiries of Parliamentary Committees on former occasions as well
as from the great body of evidence collected by the Commissioners
of Inquiry into the Sanatory Condition of Large Towns, in regard
to the operation of the principle of competition as compared to
that of well.regulated monopoly in the analogous cases of water
and gas companies. Indeed it is too evident, as a general propo-
sition, to be disputed, although great caution may be required in
its application, and in discriminating those cases where the coin.
petition is of a pure and simple nature, such as must eventually lead
to a compromise, from those where a certain degree of indirect and
incidental competition may exist, from which the public may ex-
pect to derive lasting benefit, either in the shape of reduction of
charge or of extension of accommodation.
When an existing Railway Company proposes schemes which,
although only partially sufficient for the full accommodation of the
district, may yet be sufficient to prevent other parties from enter.
ing the field with further or improved projects in that district, the
arguments against the creation of a monopoly acquire additional
strength. The simpler case is, when, as in the present instance,
the existing Company comes forward with a complete and compre-
hensive scheme, and the question is reduced to this : whether the
existing Company is able and willing to offer guarantees for the
public advantage superior to any that can be afferded by a new Com-
pany.

Of the ability of an old Company to offer such guarantees there
can, generally speaking, be little doubt.
istly. An established Company, which has a valuable property
and large available income independent of the new scheme, can,
of course, offer a guarantee for the fulfilment of all that it under-
takes to accomplish greatly superior to that of any new Company,
however respectable.
This consideration derives great weight from the experience
which has been already afforded of the failure of many new Cora.
panies to accomplish the objects for which they were incorporated.
We need only refer to the instances of the Eastern Counties Com.
pany, which was incorporated as a line from London to Norwich,
and has never yet been carried beyond Colchester ; of the Northern
and Eastern, which for many years stopped short of Cambridge;
and of the Great North of England, which abandoned the portion
of its line between Darlington and Newcastle.
2dly. The traffic ofa system of lines connected with one another
can always he worked more economically and conveniently under
one uniform management than by independent Companies. The
Company which works the main trunk line, and possesses the prin.
cipal terminal stations, can run more frequent trains, and matte
better arrangements for forwarding the traffic of tho cross lines,
than it could afford to do if two or three separate establishments
had to be maintained, and the harmony of arrangements depended
on two or three independent authorities. Under such circumstances
a conflict of feeling and interest has almost invariably grown up,
from which the public has suffered the most serious inconvenience.
When the traffic is large, this conflict has frequently led not only to
increased inconvenience, but to increased danger; and where the
terminus or a portion of the rails of one Company have been corn.
mon to the other, these results have been greatly aggravated.
3dly. An established Company can always, if so disposed, offer
guarantees and advantages for a greater extent of railway than
the new Company, viz., for the existing as well as the projected
lines. When the existing Company is already in possession of the
principal trunk of the district, the advantage of securing such gua.
rantees for the whole system, rather than for only a small portion
of it, is rendered more apparent.
The Select Committee of last session, for reasons which are
fully stated in their report, attach great importance to the obtain-
ing of guaranties from existing Companies, by voluntary arrange-
ments similar to those which they recommended, and which
Parliament subsequently adopted in the case of new rat '741
express a strong hope, " that among the existing Companies
may be those which will be disposed to accede to arrangements,
are
resembling, in their general principle and effect,
now proposed for new railways " those h

4thly. Whatever guarantees may be thus offered by existing
Companies possess the double advantage,
as compared with
similar offers from new Companies, of coming into immediate
operation, and of being more certainly rendered effectual. An
offer from a new Company to bind itself to charge fares consider.
ably lower than those usual upon other lines, might readily be
made, in the hope of thereby securing their Bill; but the fulfil.
',pent of it would depend almost entirely upon the eventual successof the line, and its ability to perform its engagements, No Act of

Pathan' sent could compel an insolvent concern to carry at as low
rates a nd afford as ample accommodation as a prosperous under.
taking might be able to do. A moderate offer from an established
Comp any, who can be relied on to fulfil their engagements, is
there:fore preferable to ono apparently more advantageous from a
new Company.
F'or these, among other reasons, we conclude that the policy in-
esicatell by the Committee of last sesasion, of giving a preference
tan the schemes of existing Railway Companies for supplying their
own districts, when such schemes are as good or better than those
of any other parties, where no special reasons exist which should
induce us to look for advantage from competition, and where the
old Company voluntarily offers such guarantees as may reasonably
be required to protect the public against the possible abuses of nao-
i "01,01 Y, or such conditions as at once place the public in a better
position than they could hope to obtain from competition, is that
from -which the greatest amount of permanent public advantage is
likely to he derived.
We by no means intend these principles to be considered as rules
of universal application, being satisfied that no abstract or invari.
sole rule can be safely laid do,vn by which to decide cases of such
complexity, and varying so greatly in detail; but we have thought
it desirable to state thus generally the views which have guided us
in cases like this of the South.Eaatern district, and upon which the
soundness of the conclusions at which-we hare arrived must mainly
depend.
Having thus stated the general principle, by which we have
been guided in cases involving a question of preference between ex.
isting and new Companies, we proceed to investigate the different
schemes submitted to us in the. Kentish and South-Eastern dia..
trict, with a view to their application -
The following is a list of the projected railways in the district
in question, deposited with the Rail Way. Department of the Board
of Trade :
Central 'Kent
No. 34.
Kentish Coast
114
London-and Croydon ; Orpington Branch ... l3l
London and Maidstone
135
London and Ashford
140
London, Chatham, and Chilham
London and Gravesend, vfa North Woolwich
London, Chatham, and Gravesend
London, Chatham, and North Kent
149
Rye, Tenterden, and Headcorn
195
South-Eastern ; Maidstone to Rochester
03
South-Eastern ; Tunbridge to Hastings, Rye, and St. Leonard's
South-Eastern; Branches to Deal and Weimer, and Eaten 2ll
sion and Deviation at Margate .....
South-Eastern; Ashford to Hastings
215
South-Eastern; Headcorn to Rye
217
South-Eastern; Hungerford.bridge to Tunbridge and Pad dock Wood ......
South. Eastern; North Kent, Hungerford.bridge to Chilling 222
Of the above, the scheme London and Maidstone, 135, may be
considered as included in London and Ashford, 140; also the
London and Croydon, Orpington Branch, 131, and London.
Chatham, and Gravesend, 144, in London, Chatham, and Chilham,
142 ; and South-Eastern, Headcorn to Rye, 217, in Rye, Ten.
terden, and Headcorn, 197; being duplicate plans for the same
or portions of the same scheme.
Kentish Coast
London and Gravesend, via North Woolwich
not having been brought before us by the promoters as substantive
schemes, in a position to apply to Parliament in the present ses-
sion, at the same time as the other schemes in the district, and
being for detached objects, are not included in this report.
This reduces the list of substantive schemes which we have had
to consider to the following:—
South-Eastern Company's schemes:
Hungerford Bridge to Chilham (North Kent) Wo. 229
Hungerford Bridge to Tunbridge and Paddock Wood ...... 221
Maidstone to Rochester
Branch to Deal and Walnut' ... 913
Tunbridge to Hastings
Ashford to Hastings 215
Croydon Company's Schemes:
London, Chatham, and Chilham • • 142
London and Ashford_
New and Independent Companies :
London, Chatham, and North Kent l4B
Central Kent
34
Rye, Tenderden, and Headcorn .
These schemes may be classed according to the objects which
they have in view.

I.—The South Eastern Company's scheme, Hungerford Bridge
to Tunbridge and Paddock Wood, No. 222 ; the Croydon Corn.
pany's scheme, London to Ashford, No. 125 ; have for their prin
eipal object the shortening and improving the present line of corn.,
munication to Dover and the Continent, by cutting off the angle
of the South-Eastern line at Reigate; and the Central Kent,
No. 34, has partly the same object in view, combined with that of
local accommodation, and extension to Canterbury and Deal.
IL—The South-Eastern Company's scheme, Hungerford Bridge
to Chilham, No. 222 ; the Croydon Company's scheme, London to
Chatham and Chilham, No. 144 ; the London, Chatham, and
North Keat, No. 148; and to a certain extent, the Central Kent,
No. 34, have in view the accommodation of North Kent, including
the districts along the Thames as far as Canterbury.
The South. Eastern scheme, Branch to Deal and Wahner, No.
219, and a portion of the Central Kent scheme, are for extending
this communication beyond Canterbury to the Downs; and the
South-Eastern scheme, Maidstone to Rochester, No. 205, is for
conallet.ing-&-kik in the North Kent system, by uniting it to the
existing line to 'Maidstone.

111.—The South-Esstem Company's scheme, Tunbridge to
Hastings, No. 211, and the Rye, Tenterden, and Hastings scheme,
Ne. 195, are for extending new lines ftom the interior of Kent to
Hastings ; and the South-Eastern Company's scheme, Ashford to
Hastings, No. 215, is for completing the coast line of communica.
tion, sanctioned by Parliament last year, from Brighton to liastirtge
A reference to the map, which is deposited to accompany this
report, will make the different lines referred to more easily under-
stood.

We may, at the outset, state our belief, that the two principal
objects first enumerated, viz., the formation of an improved line of
communication with Dover and the Continent, and the accommo.
dation of North Kent, must be kept distinct. A North Kent line
can only be rendered useful or profitable by running very frequent
trains, with numerous stoppages; while for the Dover and conti.
nental traffic, speed, punctuality, and facility for dispatching ex-
press trains at short notice are highly important,--conditions
which could never be satisfactorily attained upon a line encum-
bered with the short traffic of such places as Chatham and Rochester,
Gravesend, Woolwich, and Greenwich.
Even if the distance, therefore, between London and Dover
could have beensomewhat reduced by a North Kent line, we should
have been of opinion that the present South-Eastern line, improved
by cutting off the angle at Reigate, would have afforded a prefer.
able continental communication; and when we find that by such
improved line the distance may be reduced to 75} miles, which is
actually shorter than by any line that has been projected in can.
nexion with a North Kent line, it appears to us too clear to admit
of doubt that some scheme for the purpose of effecting such im.
provement, must be admitted in preference to a North Kent line,
as a basis of a system of railway communication calculated to
afford the best practicable outlet for continental traffic.
The only scheme which professes to unite the diffrent objects of
accommodation for the North Kent and local traffic, with improved
continental communication, viz. the Central Kent, No. 34, illus-
trates the impracticability of such an union. As a North Kent
scheme, it signally fails in accomplishing the principal objects of
such a line, and which are attained by the other schemes. It does
not go to Woolwich or to Sheerness, and passes at such a distance
from Chatham that it would be comparatively of little use as a con-
nexion between that arsenal and other points ; it avoids the mass
of population lying along the River and Old North Kent Road
at Woolwich, Craytord, Dartford, Erith, on this side of
Gravesend, and gives no accommodation to Faversham, Milton,
and the district between Chatham and Canterbury. It likewise
passes at such an inconvenient distance from the principal towns
which it professes to serve, such as Gravesend, Rochester, Stroud,
Chatham, and Maidstone, as compared to other projected lines,
that it would afford very insufficient local accommodation, and
would compete, at a very great disadvantage, with steam-boats.
and other modes of communication. The delay, inconvenience, and
expense that results from placing important towns upon short
branches, or giving them stations too distant for ready access, are
matters of universal complaint wherever they have been experi.
enced, and a large proportion of the Railway Bills of the present
session result from thee nits of such towns to place themselves upon
through lines of communication. In one remarkable instance, the
Birmingham and Gloucester Company now propose to abandon
several miles of their existing line in order to remedy, at a heavy
expense, the error formerly committed in leaving Worcester and
Droitwich at a short distance from the railway.
On the other hand, considered as a Dover line, it would involve
the construction of about 52 miles of new railway of an extremely
difficult and expensive character, in order to shorten the distance
to Dover by an amount not greater than is attained by the South-
Eastern Company's scheme, No. 221, by the construction of 33i
miles only of new railway.

Independently, therefore, of the other objections to this line,
arising from the character of its works, which are of an exces-
sively difficult and expensive character, the want of any pro-
vision for an independent access to the metropolis, and the cer.
tainty that under these circumstances it could not maintain. he
character in which it claims support, of an independent line,
enough appears in its general character to induce us to report
our unhesitating opinion, that in this case there are public
reasons which, to the best of our judgment, appear conclusive
against the scheme.

With regard to the Croydon Company's scheme, London to
Ashford, No. 140, the same objection applies as compared with
that of the South. Eastern Company, viz., that by the construc-
tion of 48 miles of new railway from Sydenham to Ashford, it
would only reduce the distance to Dover by the same amount
as the South-Eastern Company's scheme, by the construction of
34 miles of new railway. In this case, however, a mere corn..
parietal's of distances does not show the Ibll force of the objection to
the Croydon Company's scheme, since the South. Eastern Com-
pany's Branch is a good locomotive line, with gradients
generally moderate, and in one case only as steep as 1 in 102;
while the Craydon Company's line, although involving heavier
works, and longer tunnels, has nearly one.third of its distance at 1
in 50. A reduction of the actual lengths to equivalent distances,
according to the established formulas, would show a great advantage
to the South-Eastern scheme over that of its competitor. .
tul),
The intrinsic superiority of the South. Eastern scheme No
as a means of effecting the most approved comn
that we
un l e(ation with
Dover and the Continent, appears, therefore, 5
fed bound to state our opinion that, on
have been . .
proposed in corn.
onpu public : cvidest,
rounds, it merits
a preference over any of those
which
petition with it. Even if the its of the competing schemes
had been more equally btlatnecrendmerlVC should have been disposed
Company, having already ex_
to think that
eSocaapthit.
in carryinga out a great national work,
pended such a Itahreg
preference in executing an im.
had a fair claim to be allowed
when
of that work, snore especially offering
improvement
portant
such guarantees as are hereafte
r mentioned ; but we repeat, that the
intrinsic superiority of the South-Eastern scheme in this quarter
appears to us
so decided as not to require the aid of such con.
siderations.
adopting this line the public
By will obtain a Saving of 12 miles
in distance, or of at least half an hour in time, as compared with
the existing route to Dover and Folkstone, and will secure as short
and good a line of communication with the Continent as the nature
of the country will admit of.

We next come to the consideration of the schemes—London,
Chatham, and Chilham (No. 142) ; London, Chatham, and North
Kent (No. 148) ; and South. Eastern, North Kent, Hungerford
Bridge to Chilham (No. 222)—proposed for extending railway
communication in North Kent.
The importance and population of the district thus proposed to
be ace ,mmodated, the immense amount of traffic already existing
by other modes of conveyance, and the fact of several schemes being
in the field, promote(' by substantial parties, each anxious to un-
dertake the enterprise, appear to justify us in assuming that some

* The figures refer to the number in the alphabetical list of
railway projects lodged with the Board of Trade.

The course of the line, pursuing the Croydon line inland for
six and a half mil:•s to Sydenham, and thus avoiding Woolwith
and the population along the North Kent-road, and giving -
Gravesend only a circuitous route to London by a branch, ap-
pears too :'manifestly inferior to that of the other North Kent
lines, for national and local purposes, to require comment. The
comparison, therefore, lies between the South •Eastern Compassy's
scheme, No. 222, and the London, Chatham, and North Kent,
Ne. 148.
In their general features and objects, these two schemes art
nearly identical. They both pursue the general direction of the
Old North Kent road by Woolwich, Gravesend, Rochester, and
Chatham, and thence to the same point, Chilham, on the
South. Eastern Company's line, from Ashford to Canterbury, which
affords the nearest practicable route to Canterbury. They both
throw off a branch to Sheerness, and accomplish, more or less per..
fectly, the great national object of placing the naval and military
establishments of Sheerness, Chatham, and Woolwich, in direct
railway communication with one another, and with the metropolis.
In the most difficult and important features of the lines, such as
the passage of the Medway at Rochester, and of the Lines at Chat-
ham, they are substantially the same.
The President of the Beard, having communicated with the
Master-General of the Ordnance, has ascertained that, while in
some points of detail each scheme is considered objectionable, and
may require modification, there is no such substantial objection to
either as to require its rejection, or to give any decided preference
in a comparison of the two.
The chief points of difference between the two schemes in other
respects appear to be-
1. In the mode of passing Woolwich, and the course pursued
thence to Gravesend.
The North Kent line keeps above the town of Woolwich,:cross-
ing the Artillery-ground, and thence skirting Shooter's Hill, and
keeping inland by Crayford and Dartford.
The South-Eastern Company's line passes through Woolwich,
close past the gates of the Dockyard and Arsenal, and thence along
the marshes by Erith to Gravesend, accommodating the populous
inland district by a second line diverging from the Tunbridge line,
No. " l 1, at Eltham, and thence passing by Bexley to join the first
or North Kent line, near Dartford.
The arrangement proposed
.by the South-Eastern Company ap-
pears decidedly preferable, in point of public advantage and local
accommodation, as passing close to the Arsenal and Dockyard at
Woolwich, as giving superior facilities for the conduct of the public
service, on the one hand, and for the uninterrupted passage of frequent
trains, calculated to meet the wants of a dense population, on the
other, by the alternative line, and as serving mere places and a
arger population by the two lines than could be served by one.
This arrangement, however, will involve greater expense and
greater interference with house property; but this latter confide.
ration we are precluded from entertaining.
2. After passing Chatham, the two lines slightly diverge, the
South-Eastern Company's line keeping more to the north, on the
low ground, and thereby shortening the length of the Sheerness
Branch, and the distance to Sheerness, and increasing that ter
Canterbury about miles.
3. The comparative distances by the two lines are—
North Kent Line, London to Chilham, 55i miles from the pro-
posed terminus at the Bricklayers' Arms.

South-Eastern Line, London to Chi!ham, 531 miles from the
Bricklayers' Arms, or 371 miles from the proposed terminus at
Hungerford-bridge.

On the whole, therefore, there appears no such diTerence be-
tween the two schemes as to give any very decided preponderance
to either; and we have, therefore, had recourse to the other• con-
siderations stated in the beginning of this report, in order to de.
termine between them.
The public advantages which the alternative of giving the line
to the South-Eastern Company appears to present, are the
following :

I. The security afforded by an existing Company, which has
already expended upwards of three millions and a half, and is in
the receipt of a great income, with the prospect of a large increase
when the French lines are opened, which they offer to pledge for
the completion, within a reasonable time, of all the works they un.
dertake, is greatly superior to anything that can be afforded by a
new Company, however respectable.
2. The connt'rion of this portion of the Kentish Railway system
with the Company to which the greater part of such system has
been already intrusted, and which is now proposing other unop-
posed links in a comprehensive scheme of communication, will
greatly facilitate the convenient and economical ;corking of the
whole.

3. The same concentration of interest will enable the South.
Eastern Company at once to afford a greatly superior metropolitan
terminus to any that is proposed by the North Kent Company, or
that could be afforded by any independent Company; an advantage
which is the more important when it is considered that from the
amount of traffic that must necessarily flow over the Greenwich
and Bricklayers' Arms lines and the proposed Hungcrford Exten.
sion, and from the limited space available for station room, the
traffic could scarcely be conducted with safety, and certainly net
without extreme inconvenience, unless under one control and
management.

On the other hand, the effect of giving this line to the South.
Eastern Company will unquestionably be to place in their hands a
monopoly of the railway communications of a very large and im-
portant district, which would be to a certain extent obviated by
giving the line to an independent Company.
The general question of the prospect of advantage from railway
competition has been already discussed. In the present instance
there are several reasons which appear on the one hand to render
the existence of any permanent competition peculiarly problema.
tical, and oa the other to obviate many of the objections that may
.
be urged against monopoly. .....•

. .
The want of a good independent metropolitan station, and the
possession by the South-Eastern Company of the lines beyond Can-
terbury, as well as of the other communications of the Kentish
district, are circumstances which, according to all pre►ious ez.
perience of railways, must operate most strongly to bring about an
amalgamation.

The pressure of steam:boat competition is also another circum.
stance which would naturally tend to make the railway interests of
the district combine for mutual defence.

This latter circumstance also altar& the best possible guarantee
against the existence of any injurious monopoly against the public.
With steam-boats carrying passengers from London to Gravesend
for Is., and even 6d., the fares upon any line of railway in North
Kent must always be very much lower than the point to which
they could be reduced far a continuance by any practicable legis-
lative enactment, or by any conceivable railway competition. The
existence of the Thames as a free water.highway, must also
always keep the railway charges on goods at a very low limit; and
in fact render anything like monopoly, in the proper sense of the
word, impossible, unless all the steamers, vessels, and barges in the
river, as well as the North Kent Railway, could be amalgamated
with the South-Eastern Company.

The question would stand thus on general considerations, inde.
pendently of any specific guarantees or advantages offered by the
South-Eastern Company, as securities against the apprehended
effects of monopoly, and as inducements to the Legislature to give
their schemes a preference. The South-Eastern Compasy have,
however, voluntarily offered the following guarantees and ad.
advantage, to be secured by clauses in their respective Acts t
I. They ofihr to complete the coast line of communication-front
Hastings to Ashford; an undertaking which, left to itself as an
unassisted commercial speculation, might remain long uncompleted.
g. They offer to complete the communication to Deal, in con.
ney ion with their line already sanctioned from Canterbury to
Ramsgate and Margate, which the North Kent Company are not
at present prepared to undertake.
3. They offer to extend their Bricklayers' Arms line to Hunger.
ford.brldge, and to render their station there available for the
purposes of &common central metropolitan terminus, should it here.
after appear to be practicable and desirable.
4. They offer to pledge the whole revenue of their existing line
for the completion of all the lines undertaken by them, within a
reasonable period.

5. They offer to lay down the electrical telegraph along their
line, whenever it may be required for the public service.
6. They offer to place their whole system, including the old Si
well as the new lines, under the operation of the option of revision
and purchase contained in the General Railway Act of last year.
7. They offer to except instead of their present maximums of
Sid. per passenger per mile on the present distance of 88 miles to
Dover, a revised tariff, fixing a maximum of 3d. per mile on first.
class passengers, and 2d. per mile on second-class passengers, in
carriages protected from the weather, to be calculated on the
shortest possible railway distance between London and Dover. or
74 miles.
cheap trains each way daily, at Id. a mile,
m
orlioubtpnoolater:ileyscctho,effimpneuretedrpos:ethberesTyoeawbonstf
8 . They offer to run over their whole
psyrsotveinidedofwirtatiilwseaayts,
lawn:
protected from the weather, under the conditions of the Act of
last session, instead of one train only as required by the Act.
It
appears
us
ctahpaatb lthese
ca conditionsrying tlie
oefxitslitienigr being allowed to execute a line for the accommodation of
ifeoarve no doubt
North Kent. which le, to say the least,fearfvuolulyr eqasutaol
losuecabi
aa nddecindaetdiopnraelpfdaenratabgceeto yinantyh
eobeitrh
best consultedw, by giving the
that the interests of the public will
tnedatiloinneal point of vie
preference to
advantages,to th their projected eca
of chain of coast communication, have been alreadyadevoemr completing etg a
by
y
Parliamentary Committers, and are manifestly of great public im-
portance. It is, therefore, with great satisfaction that we find,
that among the schemes which will be submitted to Parliament for
its sanction as commercial enterprises, and as combining at the
same time the greatest amount of local accommodation, are lines
which will have the effect of completing this coast line, of which
the foundation was laid last year by the sanction given by Parlia.
ment to the Brighton and Hastings, and Brighton and Chichester
line, almost uninterruptedly from the Thames to the Land's End.
The only important link in this chain which was not likely to be
undertaken as an independent commercial enterprise, was the con.
nexion between Hastings and the Sonth.Eastern line in the direc-
tion of Dover, for the completion of which we have now the
guarantee of a Company who have ample means to fulfil their en.
gagement, and who are alone in a position to work such Rae, if
constructed, with efficiency and with a fair prospect of success.
The effect of sanctioning the schemes of the South.Eutertt
Company, in connexion with the schemes already sanctioned or
proposed by other parties, will be to place the metropolis, the
dockyards and arsenals of Deptford, Woolwich, Chatham, Sheer.
ness, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, the Downs, Dover, Hastinirva
Brighton, Southampton, Portland, Weymouth, and all the Pen'
cipal ports of the southern coast as far as Falmouth andsoPen•
s;
ranee, in direct railway communication with one another,.
by
to admit of the transmission of intelligence In a few minutes
the electrical telegraph, and•of
.trooPs, tares and ammunition,
in a few hours from any one point to anyl
gam,oet r of this extensive '
line. By the proposed extensions
btbge there
thup
portent is
also every prospect that Woolwich,
t places above specified, will be placed in uninterrupted milt
s t*Chauth°

.;I


*ay cornmUnleation, through the metropolis, with other parts of
the kingdom.
The other advantages offered by the South-Eastern Company are
Sufficiently obvious. We have already referred to the Reports of
the Select Committee of last 'sesaion," to show the importance at-
tached by them to the obtaining from- existing Companies, volun.
lazily and witholtt incurring any suspicion of breach of faith on the
part of Parliament, securities for the future in the shape of an op-
tion of revision and purchase, resembling in their general effect
those which the ' Legislature, after very full consideration, has
thoughtit advisable to adopt with regard to new railways. a
It will be observed that in the case of the South-Eastern Corn.
pany, not only are these guarantees offered, but also a present limi-
tationof charge, and amount of accommodation to the poorer class
of.paseenSers. which will ensure the working of the whole of the
Senth-Easterra system upon terms more favourable for the public,
both as regards fares and accommodation, than are usual upon
other railways. As regards the North Kent portion of the system,
indeed, we regard any legislative maximum as of comparatively
link importance, since the charges of the railway must always
be...kept down at an exceedingly low point 14 water coapetition ;
but as regards the great line of continental communication and the
internal local traffic of a great part of the'district, it is unquestion-
ably highly desirable to obtain a specific guarantee against the
adoption of a system of high fates, which, under the present Acts
of the South-Eastern Company, might be at any moment resorted
to if the Directors thought it expedient for their interests to adopt
the course which has frequently been pursued by other Companies.
The conclusion, therefore, at which we arrive, in regard to the
schemes proposed in the North Kent district is, that to the best of
our judgment a very decided preponderance of public reasons exists
in favour of the South-Eastern scheme, No. 222, Hungerford.
!seldom to Chilham, in preference to any of the competing schemes.
The same reasons induce us to express a' similar opinion, that as
regards the South. Eastern Company's scheme, No. 213, Extension
to Deal, and No. 205, Maidstone to Rochester, which are portions
evidently required to complete the system of Kentish railway corn-
mnetication, and the South-Eastern Company's scheme, No. 215,
Ashford to Hastings, which is an important link in the coast line
of communication, we are aware of no public grounds why they
should net receive the sanction of the Legislature.
The only remaining schemes are those proposed for forming new
railways from Tunbridge and Headcorn to Hastings. With regard
to these, it seems sufficient to say, that the question having been
contested at great length before Committees of both Houses last
session, who rejected the Headcorn line, on the ground that it was
inconsistent with the coast line to Brighton, which was calculated
to aSbrd at the same time a greater amount of local and national
advantage; and no new circumstances having transpired to affect
the grounds of that decision, but on the contrary, the proposal of a
line from Hastings to Ashford affording an additional outlet, not
then contemplated, for traffic from Hastings and its neighbourhood
towards Dover and Canterbury; we are aware of no sufficient public
grounds to justify a reversal of that decision, by the sanction of
lines which, under present circumstances, would go far to render
the line sanctioned last year incapable of sustaining itself as a sol-
vent undertaking.
This argument appears decisive against the Headcorn line, which
is identical with that rejected last year ; and, as regards the
South. Eastern Company's line froth Tunbridge, although it would
effect some shortening of the distance between Hastings and
London, this does not appear to us a sufficient object to admit of a
different conclusion.

With the exception, therefore, of the small portion of this
latter line which connects Tunbridge Wells with the Sauth-
Eastern Railway, and which will be an useful branch for the
accommodation of that town, we have to report, that there appear
to us to exist public seasons which ought to be decisive against
the schemes, Ne. 195, Rye, Tenterden, and Headcorn, and No. 211,
Soutls-Eastern Company's Tunbridge to Hastings.
In,conclusion, we beg to draw attention to the passage of the
Fifth Report of the Select Committee of last ye3r, in which it is
stated, in recommending that reports should be made to Parlia-
ment by this department upon railway schemes, "That AO such
report should be held to prejudice the claims of private persons,
the examination of which should be altogether reserved to the
Moue" of the Legislature."

In submitting to Parliament, in conformity with the recommen-
dations of that Committee, the results at which we have arrived,
with a view to the information and assistance of Parliament in
gbrnsing a judgment 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 have arrived at these re.
suits Solely upon public grounds, and to the exclusion of all consi.
derations bow far such results might require to be modified by a
due regard for private rights and interests.

DALHOUSIE.
C. W. PASLEY.
D. O'BRIEN.
G. R. PORTER.
S. LAING.

RAILWAY COMPANIES.

A RlM'Ric by Name, of each RAILWAY COMPANY subject
thereto which has complied with the Sixth Clause of the
Act of last Session for the Regulation of Railways, which
came into operation on the Ist November, Teagling the
Hours of Starting of the Trains running in compliance
therewith, and the Speed of such Trains; with the Date of
such Compliance, as respects the Carriages having seats,
and being protected frem the weather.
Haute of Railways. Hours of Departure from
H. M.

*resit Western

9 30 a.m....Bristol.
Bristol and Exeter

2 0 p.m.... Exeter.
Cheltenham and Great Western ..... 3 17 p.ra....Swindon.

12 16 p.m....Cirencester.
Oxford Branch

1 35 p.m....Oxford.
Birmingham and Derby 12 15 p.m....Derby.
Midland 3 45 p.m....Birmingham.
Railway North Midland ... 650 a.m....Leeds.
Company. 6 I p.m....Derby.
Midland Counties

40 p.m....Rugby.
North Union 6 0 a.m....Preston.
6 0 p.m....Preston.
Aerated 7 30 a.m....Parkside.
7 30 p.m.. Parkside.
• ' Bolton and Preston: 8 5 a.m....Preston.

8 45 a.m....801t0n.
Eastern Counties, Col 7 45 a.m....London.
Amalgamated chester Line ....•• 5 0 p.m....Colchester.
Northern and Eastern, 9 0 a.m....London.
or Cambridge Line 5 40 p.m....Stortford.
Bristol and Gloucester 9 15 a m....Glo;icester.
4 30 p.m....Bristol.
Edinburgh and Glasgow „.
1 30 p.m....Glasgow.
Grand Junction

6 30 a.m....Liverpool.
Lancaster and Preston ... 7 20 a.m....Lancaster.

9 0 a.m....Preston.
London and Birmingham
2 30 p.m....Birminghaur.
London and Croydon
Third.class carriages with
all the trains.
London and South-Western ...
7 15 a.m....Gosport.
• 8 0 a.m....Southampton.
London and Brighton, and Shoreham 6 30 a.m....London. .

6 35 p.m....Brighton.
Manchester and Birmingham 7 30 a.m....'Manchester.
3 30 p.m....Birmingham.
Manchester and Leeds 6 45 a.m....Manchester.

_
5 40 a.m....Leeds.
Newcastle and Darlington
11 30 a.m....Darlington.
Sheffield and Manchester 9 45 a.m....Manchester.

11 23 .. Woodhead
fiouth-Eastern
5 0 p.m....Dover.
Yarmouth and Norwich
12 0 noon...Yarmouth.
York and North Midland 7 40 a.m....York.
7 30 a.m....Leeds.
7 30 a. m.... Sel by.
7 35 a.m....Normanton.
SPEEI3.—An average rate of not less than twelve miles an hour
for the whole distance on the railway, including stoppages.
DESCRIPTION or CARRIAGES.—SeAted, and provided with the
means of being entirely closed, so as to exclude the weather, with
provision for the admission of light and air.
Drs or CoMPLIINCE, as respects running Carriages provided
with seats, Roofs, and closed at the sides. —lst of November, 18441
subject to modifications in certain cases as to the description of
carriages, with respect to protection from the weather, that would
In considered satisfactory by the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade.

The following are the dates of compliance of the undermentioned
railway companies, after correspondence with the Board of Trade,
Its regards the whole of the said conditions :
Midland Counties
Eastern Counties November 23.
Bristol and Gloucester
Grand Junction
London and South-Western December 16.
Manchester and Birmingham December 5.
Newcastle and Darlington
Sheffield and Manchester
South-Eastern
• ♦nd in the case of the following railways the correspondence has
ot been yet closed, as regards certain minor details :

Edinburgh and Glasgow.
York and North Midland.

Railway companies which have not complied with the 6th clause
Of the said Act—Nil.
Steps taken to recover penalties provided by the said Act—Nil.
D. O'BRIEN.
Railway Department, Board of Trade, Feb. 10, 1945.

DEATH OF Ma. LAMAN BLANCHARD.—It is our
most painful duty to announce the sudden death of
Leman Blanchard. lie had lately suffered a severe do-
mestic affliction; and his unceasing anxiety during the
progress of the long and harassing illness in his family,
which terminated fatally, bad so injured his own health,
that fits ensued, which finally led to his death. He died
shout half-past one o'clock on Saturday morning, and
has left four orphan children to lament his loss. Mr.
Blanchard is well known in Periodical Literature. His
graceful verses, his lively stories, his wit that
never had a touch of malice, are known to
many readers. There, perhapa, never was a man
who had a readier pen. A poem, an essay, a witty
paragraph, seemed to spring spontaneously from his
brain. There was an amenity in everything he did.
And, indeed, how could it be otherwise, seeing that he
himself was the very impersonation of kindness and
goodness of heart. Mr. Blanchard was long in the service
of Literature. He was a member of the press, in various
wives
for more than twenty years; beginning young,
sad fighting
• an upward fight throughout—bravely
—independently, without envy or uncharitableness—
until he reached the age of forty-two, when he died.
We may
tearlessly assert that no man ever ran the
:anmemeiceas,reearndinsOhmiaasame circumstances, who left so few
any friends. These few facts
are addressed to strhy;a',3 His independence, his per-
severance, his untiritring-ad
kindness, and his many sterling
end amiable qualities
acquaintance or his friends. no demonstration to his
DEATH OF COLONEL STatrr.—This venerable
considerate bounty to
end respected gentleman, whose
the poor in the neighbourhood
at Briaing we have so
, on Tuesday
ften had occasion to record, died
d of the
last. In early life, during the troublouth
French war, the decease rendered essential services
services
to the Government, while commanding different
scents of Essex Militia in various parts of the kinntgdrggi;
sand having married a datighter of the first Dukoenlo
Leinster; his lady, in consideration of those services, was
created a BEtroness, which title on her death, about eight
years ago, deicended to her son, the present Lord Ray-
jeigh. The loss of this veteran officer will be deeply
le.oceretted by a large circle in his own sphere, and widely
felt by those who found the hardships of their lot amelio-
rated by his bounty.—Chelnaford Chronicle.
ERRATUM.—An error occurred in the report of the
oceedings at Oxford in the case of Mr. Ward, which ap-
peared in -The Sun. On the first division the numbers were
p 77 to aB, not 586, as incorrectly printed.
loath from the Cambridge Chronicle, that at
; eia meeting of the Camden Society, on Thursday evening,
- *be Preaident proposed that the society should be at once
diasolrad.
',I

ti !..1 .44

THE WEATIIER.-SuN OFFICE, FEB. 16.

NERMOMETER, Lowest, 31 ; Highest, 43 ; Noon, 37.
BAROMETER, 29.93.—W1ND, N.W.

.NoTE.—The figures which follow the words "Lowest" and
" Highest" denote the lowest and highest state of the
Thermometer during the.preceding twenty-four hours. All
the other observations are made at noon.