The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-25 00:00:00

This Line will join the Chepstow, Forest of Dean, and Gloucester
Junction Railway at Chepstow, and extend westward near to
Plercifield, the far-famed Windcliff, and Tintern Abbey, to the towns
of Usk and Pontypool, and over the centre of the great iron and e-al
field of South Wales. passing near to and through the midst of the
extensive iron works and collieries of Monmouthshire and Glamor-
ganshire, to join the Aberdare branch of the Taff Yale Railway,
which connects Merthyr Tydvil and Aberdare with Cardiff—thus
forming a much more direct and almost straight Line—by means of
the railways already made and projected between those immensely
populous districts, and the centre of the kingdom and London, by
means of which the journey by land will be shortened between the
metropolis and this great seat of industry to four and a half, and
between Newport and Cardiff to dye hours, which at present, even by
the aid of existing railways, cannot be performed in Ws than from
ten to twelve hour,.
It will be found by reference to the official census of 1831 and
1641, that the average increase of population of the county of Mon-
mouth exceeded that of any other county in England or Wales ; this
fact is referred to as illustrative of the rising importance of the
country through which this railway is intended to pass, and of
the very large passenger traffic which may reasonably be ealculated
upon.
The town of Usk, with Ragland, and the rich agricultural district
for many miles around, are supplied by carts from the vicinity of
Pontypool with coal and lime, which are there obtained at a cheap
rate, and in return cattle and provisions of all kinds, hay, corn, and
pit timber to an enormous extent, arc sent to the iron works and
collieries, where the consumption is immense. This traffic alone
must necessar4 ensure a considerable revenue to the Company, in-
dependent of the great traffic from the manufactured iron, fire
bricks, and paving stone, which is of superior quality, and in great
abundance. The present cost of conveying and delivering iron and
tin plates ftom the works to London, including transit to the port,
shipping charges, freight, and insurance, amounts to little less than
20s. per ton, whilst by this railway, and those it is intended to join,
the average cost at the rate usually charged for such goods on rail-
ways will effect a saving of at least 25 per cent., and be conveyed
within twenty-four hours, instead of the average voyage round the
Land's End of three, and not unfrequently six weeks, and with the
very important advantage of delivering the iron free from rust,
which is unavoidable on a sea voyage, in small bars more particu-
larly, causing a deterioration of from 15s. to 20s. per ton at least.
This railway, by means of the Chepstow, Forest of Dean, and
Gloucester Junction, and the Birmingham and Gloucester Railways,
will open Birmingham as a market for the manufactured iron of
South Wales, from which it has been in a measure excluded, from
the difficult and expensive transit by the RiVer Severn and Canals.
Large quantities of iron ore, known as" Htematete ore,"is imported
into Wales, from Lancashire, Cumberland, Devon, and Cornwall; whilst
ore of a similar quality, and equal productiveness for Iron making,
exists in abundance in the Forest of Dean, and may be raised and
delivered from thence by means of this and the Chepstow, Forest of
Dean, and Gloucester Junction Railway to the different iron works
in Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire at an average of from 25 to 30
per cent. less than it costs at present, and at the same time leave a
handsome remuneration to the Railway Companies.
The Committee of Management have gone very carefully into
estimates of the goods traffic eseecially, and they feel justified in
expressing a decided opinion that the revenue from this source alone
will yield 5 per cent. on the proposed capital of the Company, in
adaition to the revenue to be derived from the other traffic.
This Railway will pass close to, and within a few miles of, all the
iron and tin works of Monmouthshire, and the principal part of
those in Glamorganshire ; and the following short statistic of the
extent of those stupendous undertakings will give an idea of the vast
importance of the present project. The iron awl tin works com-
mence at Pontypool, and are-
1. The Pontymeile Tin and Iron Works of Capel Hanbury Leigh,
Esq.
2. The Blaendare Iron and Coal Works of R. J. Blewitt, Esq.,
M.P.
3. The extensive Tin Works of Messrs. Conway, Messrs. Tether-
gill, and Messrs. Jenkins
4. The Pentwyn, Golonos, and Varteg Iron Works and Rolling
Mills of Messrs. Williams
6. The British Iron Company
6. The Blaenavon Iron Company
7. The Nantylylo, Messrs. Bally, Brothers
a. The Coalbrooke Vale, Messrs. Brewer
"9. The Cwn Celyn and Blaine Company
10. The Beaufort, Messrs. Bally, Brothers
11. The Ebbw Vale, Messrs. Darby
12. The Victoria Company
13. The Abbellarne, Poutymister, and Tydee Tin Works, Messrs.
Lewis
14. The Tredegar Iron Company
15. Thi Shirhowey, Messrs. Darby
16. The Rhymney and Bute Company
17. The Dovvlais Iron Works, Sir John attest, Bart., M.P., and
Company
18. Carfartha. Wm. Crawshay, Esq.
And added to which, in the vicinity, are the extensive works and
collieries in the Aberdare Valley.
And on either side of the intended railway are collieries raising
and vending about one million and a;half tons of coal per annum,
which it is not unreasonable to expect will be greatly extended, by
the facilities offered through the intended railway.
In the districts of Merthyr, Aberdare, and westward, there exists
an inexhaustible abundance of a peculiar description of coal, which,
though inflammable, is nearly smokeless, and is found to be superior
in quality for steam purpose. to any yet known. In the London
market it meets with a ready sale at 30 per cent. higher than any of
the best north country Hartley's ; and notwithstanding the high
price, so highly is it esteemed, that the present importation amounts
to nearly 100,000 tons per annum. This coal fbr the most part is
brought from a distance of 24 miles, and shipped at Cardiff, from
whence freights to London have averaged from 10s. to 1 le. per ton
during the past year; but so uncertain is the supply to the metropo-
lis, owing to the scarcity of ships on the Welsh coast, and the long
and precarious navigation round the Land's End, that many who are
udo& to adopt their engine grates for its use, are deterred from
the too great uncertainty which exists against obtaining a regular
and constant supply; these difficulties will be entirely superseded by
the proposed railway, and those it Is intended to join, with the great
additional advantage And impetus to increased use and consumption,
that it may be delivered to the consumer at from 2s. to 3s. per ton
less price than at present. Under such circumstances, it will not
appear unreasonable to those unacquainted with the trade, to expect
that the consumption in the metropolis alone will be increased four-
fold, whilst a new-found trade will be opened out with Ckepstow,
Gloucester, Cheltenham, Witney, Oxford, and the numerous inter-
Mediate towns to London, where steam coal is used.
It MIA been considered more judicious tokerm a separate Company
for the Extension line from Chepstow to the Taff Vale, than to alter
the Chepstow, Forest of Dean, and Gloucester Junction Railway
Company at present, but powers are proposed to he taken for uniting
the two Companies hereafter, with the assent of their respective
Boards of Direction.
Preference will be given to those locally interosted, and to the
holders of Shares in the Chepstow, Forest of Dean, and Gloacestet
mi,illerralefedreigntcreicttootfhe3fmo.
Junction Railway.
atn will
hth
l ,s
roew
atandGa Importancemorganithof this
forming a direct line of railway communication between the great
ire, with the
:'e
heart of the Kingdom and London.
It may confidently be stated that in connexion with the Chep-
stow, Forest of Dean, and Gloucester Junction Railway, there is
not a line of railroad in the Kingdom which offers greatr advan-
tages to the Shareholders than the present. Provision will he made
in the Act of Parliament which will be applied for in the next ses-
sion to limit the liability of the Shareholder to the amount of his
shares, and to allow four per cent, on the calls.
Until an Act of Parliament shall be obtained, the affairs of this
whom
Compatamerny shalis given to allot l be under the c
theontrol of the Managing Directors,
to
Shares, anti to apply the funds of
the Company is payment of all the expenses Incurred in its forma-
tion, and in the preparation of the Plans and Sections submitted to
Parliament.
Power will be applied for in the Act (and in the meantime is
hereby given to the Managing Directors as above), to raise any addi-
tional capital, to extend or abandon any branch of the line, to make
branch lines, or enter into any arrangements, by
amalgamation or
otherwise, with any other company or companies, and also to nomi-
nate the first Directors of the Company.
Applications for Shares, in the form annexed, to be made to the
Solicitors, or to Messrs. Carden and Whitehead, Threadneedle Street,
and Messrs. Backhouse and Co.. No. 4, Angel Court, Throgmorton
Street, London ;—Messrs. Hall, Brothers, and Co.. Cheltenham ;
Messrs. Tate and Nash, Bristol ; —Mr. Thomas Evans, Bath;—
Messrs. Bradley, Ford, and Parker, Manchester;—Messrs. H. Davies
and Co., Dale Street, Liverpool ;—Messrs. Chantrell and Boys, Leeds ;
—Messrs. Wilkinson and Earle, Hull ;—and Messrs. Labertouche and
Stafford, Dublin.

To the Provisional Committee of the Welsh South Midland or Chep-
stow, Forest of Dean, and Gloucester Junction Railway Extension.
I request that you will apportion me shares of 201. each, in
the Welsh South Midland or Chepstow, Forest of Dean, and Glouces-
ter Junction Extension Railway ; and 1 d hereby undertake to lic-
i,
cept the same, or any less number you ma_ lot me, and to pay the
deposit of 21. 2s. per share, and all future ca thereon, and to sign
the Parliamentary Contract and Subscribers' Agreement when re-
quired.

Dated this
Name in fu11......
Residence •
Business or Profession
Name, Residence, and Profession of Referee..... ......
Usual Signature of Applicant ..............

day of

WELSH SOUTH MIDLAND, or CHEP-
TION
STOW, FOREST of DEAN, and GLOUCESTER JUNG.
EXTENSION It A I LIVAY.
11°toe herebY given that no Application for Share in ttliisobl
g,
cluz rintivcci Inter the let of October next._