The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-21 00:00:00

IMPORTANT
RAILWAI_MEETING
AT CAMBRIDcrE.
..
t.
0,
CAMBRIDGE, WEDNESDAY EVENING.-may a meeting .
of the inhabitants was held at the Town- I,:m..rorsiiance ',--
of a requisition to the Mayor, to take into colitgrilifiettitiMk•
numerous railway projects in immediate connexion with the
town. Mr. Hudson, accompanied by Mr. Waddington, De-
puty-Chairman of the Eastern Counties Company; Mr. R.
W. Kennard, Mr. Routh, Mr. Duncan, the law clerk, and
other gentlemen connected with the Company, arrived by
the train which reached Cambridge at half-past ten, A.M.
The Town-hall was filled, and amongst the gentlemen pre-
sent were many of the members of the University.
Mr. J. J. Deighton, the Mayor, took the chair. He was
accompanied by Mr. Hudson, Mr. Waddington, Mr. Pym,
Mr. Cobbold, and the other gentlemen who attended as de-
putations from the respective Companies.
Mr. Harris, the Town-Clerk, acted as Secretary. _

The following gentlemen were present representing the re-
spective Companies :
EASTERN CouNziEs.—Mr. George Hudson, Chairman ;
Mr. David Waddington, Deputy Chairman ; Mr. E. Fisher,
Mr. S. Anderson, Mr. R. W. Kennard, Mr. W. Routh, Mr.
Duncan, the law clerk.
LINCOLN AND EASTERN COUNTIES JUNCTION (from Hull
through March to Cambridge)E.—Lord C. Bentinck, Mr.
Winckworth, Mr. Lyston, Mr. . Breary, secretary.
WISBEACH, ST. IVES, AND CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION.—.-MIISS/1.
J. Fryer, Nortor, R. Ward, Cooke, F. Lumaden.
CAMBRIDGE AND OXFORD.—Mr. W. Wiltshire, M.P., Rev.
H. Arlett, Messrs. E. Forster, C. Cobbold, W. Ekins, Henry
Hope, secretary.
MIDLAND AND EASTERN COUNTIES (from Cambridge by
St. Neot's and Northampton to Worcester).—Messrs. John
Chevallier Cobbold, of Ipswich, Chairman of the Eastern
Union Company, and of the Ipswich and Bury St. Edmunds;
Francis Pym, of Biggleswade ; Captain Page, of Somerton ;
the Rev. Francis Hall, rector of Fulbourne, near Cambridge;
William Gee, of Bishop's Stortford ; John Hill Day, St. Neot's;
John Carrington, St. Neot's ; Thomas Elgood, St. Neot's ;
Marion Welstead Stonely Hall, Kimbolton ' • Cuthbert Cur-
tis, George Abbey, Northampton ; and John Allan Ransome,
Ipswich.
BEDFORD AND CAMBRIDGE EXTENSION.—Messrs. T. J.
Greene, Mayor of Bedford; Captain Newland, T. Barnard,
T. A. Greene, J. Elger,_.H. Parker, H. Pearson, secretary.
NEWMARKET AND CHESTERFORD, WITH A BRANCH TO
CAMBRIDGE.—Lord George Manners, Messrs. James Fairlie;
Timothy Tyrrell, Francis Fuller, W.P. Isaacson, T. Caldecott.
BURY ST. EDMUNDS AND CAMBRIDGE UNION EXTENSION.
—Messrs. J. Chevallier Cobbold, J. Allen Ransome, J. F.
Saunders, secretary.
CAMBRIDGE AND COLCHESTER JUNCTION.—Lord Sussex
Lennox, Messrs. Halpin, J. S. Christopher, secretary.
On behalf of the London and York Company there were
present, Mr. Francis Pym and Mr. John Nathaniel Foster.
The MAYOR, in opening the proceedings, said only those
lines that have been advertised in the Gazette, as being
ready to be brought before Parliament at the ensuing session,
will be considered at this meeting. In the next place, it is
not intended to come to any decision at the present meeting
upon any of those lines, but merely to hear whatever may
be brought forward in favour of or against them, and also
any explanation that may be offered about them ; after
which resolutions will be proposed to form Committees for
various purposes in connexion with these projects, and to
make arrangements for another public meeting, to take place
on some day subsequently to the 30th of this month, by
which time all the companies who purpose going to Parlia-
ment in the ensuing session must have deposited their
plans.
The first group consists of the Eastern Counties, Cambridge
to Lincoln; Lincolnshire and Eastern Counties Junction
(from Hull, through March to Cambridge) ; Wisbeach, St.
Ives, and Cambridge Junction. Group ll.—Cambridge and
Oxford; Midland and Eastern Counties (from Cambridge, by
St. Neot's and Northampton to Worcester) ; Bedford and
Cambridge Extension. Group lll.—Newmarket and Ches-
terford, with a branch to Cambridge ; Bury St. Edmunds and
Cambridge, Eastern Union Extension. There is besides a
ninth line, the Cambridge and Colchester Junction.
Mr. PRYKE—I beg to say that the Harwich, Birmingham,
and Central Junction line is not there.
Another Gentleman remarked that the Harwich, Cam-
bridge, and Stour Valley Company did not intend to apply to
Parliament next session.

Mr. SMITH, one of the deputation from the Harwich Docks
and Cambridge Company, complained that although that
Company had been invited to send representatives to the
meeting, there was no mention made, of their line in the list
submitted to the meeting.
The MAYOR then referred to a large diagram hung up in
view of the meeting, and on which were delineated the va-
rious projected lines touching at Cambridge.
Mr. Rotrrn, as one of the representatives of the Eastern
Counties Company, said the Eastern Counties Company had
already made a line from Cambridge to London.—(Hear,
hear.) He might further state that they were prepared to go
to Parliament for a line through Peterborough and Lincoln
to York. They had also taken up a line from Bedford to
Cambridge ; and further, they had determined on forming a
line from St. Ives to Wisbeach. He need not dilate on the
importance of those branches to Cambridge, they must be
apparent to all parties; at the same time he admitted that
there might be other schemes which might serve the town
better. It was the intention of the Eastern Counties Com-
pany to deposit their plans, and apply to Parliament for a
line between Waltham-cross direct to the town of Bedford.
These were the objects the Eastern Counties Company had
in view ; and it would be satisfactory to all parties to know,
that the Company had the means to carry them out, and
that their projects went through districts that might be tra-
versed with dispatch. Within last year they had constructed
nearly one hundred miles of country, and opened them to
the public within twelve months from the time their Bill had
passed. If their line was sanctioned by Parliament, it would
pass through a country affording great facilities, and the
people of Cambridge might depend on it that the same energy
would be exerted to carry the project into execution that had
been hitherto manifested with respect to similar projects by
the Eastern Counties Company.—(Cheers.)
Mr. FOSTER said if the Eastern Counties line to Hull
was adopted, it would obviate the necessity of making the
proposed line from York to London.
the MAYOR then called upon any gentleman who ap-
peared on behalf of the Lincolnshire and Eastern Counties
Junction (from Hull through March to Cambridge) to state
his views.

Mr. WiNcKwonnt said he appeared under very unfa-
vourable circumstances, in consequence of the illness of
some of the managing committee, and important engage-
ments of the chairman and deputy chairman. He had re-
ceived so short a notice that he was scarcely prepared to enter
upon the merits of the line he was called upon to represent.
The Lincolnshire and Eastern Counties Junction was to
bring by the shortest route the whole traffic of that im-
portant district, commencing at Hull, and terminating at
the great town of Cambridge. It was scarcely necessary,
in addressing gentlemen of business—well acquainted with
the district—to inform them that the line would be of great
importance to the south. The promoters of the line were
quite aware that agricultural districts were not so suscep-
tible of so great or so paying an amount of traffic as the
commercial and densely-populated districts. He was old
enough to recollect when large ships from the Baltic and
the Continent came to the port of Hull on account of:its
proximity to those ports. A good deal of that traffic had
subsided; but it might be shown that this traffic might
be brought back. He had spoken of the saving of dis-
tance, by which he meant the saving of time. The com-
pany which he represented relied greatly on the passenger
traffic ; but on these points he did not think it would be ne-
cessary to trouble them with any details. One of the great
advantages their line possessed was, that it was a very level
one, and would not cost more than 8,0001. or 9,000/. per mile.
That, as they were well aware, was a very small estimate in-
deed; but still it could be effected for that amount. He had
also to state that the Company were not copacious of any op-
position. They had secured the approval of the landowners,
and not only so, but the most influential amongst them had
spoken in the highest terms of the necessity of the line and
the immense amount of benefit it would confer on the district
through which it would pass.—(Hear, hear.) It might, in-
deed, be alleged as an objection, that some proposed lines
would intersect that which he advocated. So far from con-
sidering that an objection, he thought it would be highly ad-
vantageous, inasmuch as the lines which might cross it, or
be brought into proximity with it, would act as so many
feeders. This line (the Lincolnshire and Eastern Counties)
would in return prove a very valuable feeder to the Eastern
Counties, which line, next to the one proposed, would profit
most largely if they succeeded in obtaining Parliamentary
sanction, as they confidently anticipated. The line, he
might state, had been very carefully surveyed by a gentle-
man who was well qualified for such a duty. Lord Charles
Beauclerk had also been over the line. The opinion of his
Lordship and the surveyor fully confirmed the views enter-
-1 tained by the Company, and they were now in a position
most positively to state, that they would be quite ready for
the necessary deposits at the proper period, namely, the 30th
of November.

Mr PRYME said he understhod they were constrneting
additional docks at Cambridge, and it was certainly desirable
that Cambridge sould be brought into more immediate com-
munication with that port. He had nothing to say which
would detract from the merits of the line which had first
been brought before the meeting; on the contrary, he
Shought it was a most eligible one; bat he just wished to
mention the fact that another line which had been proposed,
and which would connect Hull with Cambridge by means of
the Eastern Counties line, would be a little shorter.
He alluded to the line from Hull and Lincoln, crossing the
llumber, and thus coming to Cambridge.
Mr. E. FOSTER said he had for some years been advocat-
ing, with all the power he could command, communica-
tion with the north, as near the sea-coast as could be effected,
inasmuch as he believed it would be productive of incal-
culable advantages to Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk,
and the adjacent counties. They were all aware. of the
importance of the Fen districts, both in Cambridge and
a
Lincoln, and they were also aware that they required an
easy and speedy communication with the London markets,
as well as with the western districts. If the Lincolnshire
and Eastern Counties Junction line was adopted, it would
be well calculated to carry
.out these great and important
results.—(Cheers.) He might, however, state that the
Eastern Counties Company had already a project for a line
to March, and this might be extended to Hull. This line
would give equal facilities for communication with the
London markets. In the line projected to Lincoln he per-
ceived difficulties which appeared to him almost innumerable.
These difficulties arose from the Bedford level, of which he,
AS a commissioner,
could scarcely fail to be cognisant. He
firmly believed that the projected line from Cambridge to
Lincoln would be totally impracticable. There were several
rivers to be crossed, and marshes which would baffle engi.
neering skill. If attempted it could not fail to be calamitous
to the country, and ruinous to the shareholders who might
embark in such a Quixotic undertaking. The inhabitants
were aware that there was a line projected from Cambridge
to St. Ives, and thence to Wisbeach, and if that were carried
there really could be no occasion to carry out the Cam-
bridge and Lincoln. Some arrangement might, he thought,
be entered into with the London and York Company
for the settlement of that matter. The speaker con-
cluded by again urging the necessity of a line nearer to the
eastern coast.
The MAYOR inquired whether any gentleman appeared on
behalf of the third line in the first group, namely, the Wia-
beach, St. Ives, and Cambridge Junction.
Mr. JOHN FRYER rose, and said he had the honour of re-
presenting the Company projecting that line. He had only
to say, in connexion with it, that it was generally confer
dered a most important line, and that all the plans were
ready to render it competent for the Company to bring it
before Parliament in the,ensuing session. It was a line singu.
larly free from engineering difficulties, and would be construct-
ed at a very trifling expense in comparison with other under-
takings.--(Hear, hear.) Wisbeach was one of the largest
corn markets they had, and the cattle traffic in Lincolnshire
was very great. Both these interests would be materially
served by the construction of the projected line. Taken in
connexion with the proposed Hull line, it was the most im-
portant that could be adopted for the town of Cambridge.
It would bring all the traffic of Wisbeach and its neighbour-
hood through Cambridge by the Eastern Counties line.
Mr. F. PYM, as representing the London and York,
observed that the map which had been prepared for the