The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-25 00:00:00

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distinct Company, who as owners
be expected to haze a competing
?refore shall at once exclude the
lerue from our consideration.
:he other schemes, it appears to us
4* the import and export trade of
yj, ,ides the construction of some one
tee of railway to the port of Goole. Although this port
can hardly be considered as a rival of Hull, which must,
in all probability, continue to command the greater part
of the extensive foreign trade to the north and east of
Europe, carried on from the manufacturing districts
through the Humber, it is one of considerable importance,
whose trade, which has suffered much from the advan-

tage afforded to Hull of being the sole point connected by
railway with the interior, is likely to receive considerable
increase when a similar advantage shall be extended .to,
it. For the coasting trade especially, consisting in the
import of corn and agricultural produce for the use of
the manufacturing districts and in the export of coal,
the port of Goole offers considerable advantages, and
the trade already carried on is very extensive.
The corn market of Wakefield, which is one of the

largest in the kingdom, and the principal eat, epo t for the
consumption of a great part of the manufacturing dis-
tricts, is supplied, to a great extent, by corn grown in
the counties of Lincoln, Cambridge, and Norfolk, and
shipped coastwise to the coast of Goole, whence it, is
forwardet4by the Knottingly and Goole, and Aire and
Calder Canals. The quantity of grain thus passing
through the port of Goole to Wakefield is stated to be
not less than 15,000 quarters per week, in addition to
large quantities scot to Leads, and in other directions.
Wool and other produce of the eastern agricultural
counties is also conveyed by the same channel to the
manufacturing districts in large quantities ; and this im-
port trade is chiefly balanced by an export of coal, lime,
&c., affording return freighte.
Keeping these circumstances in view, it appears to us
that the principal objects to be attended to in laying
down a line of railway fur Goole, are best attained by the
Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole scheme.
The Barnsley, and Goole, and Doncaster and Goole
schemes provide only for the oartial attainment of one
of the objects referred to. viz. the export of coals. They
are laid out principally with a view of affording an outlet
from the Silkstone coalfield to.Goole, and although this
may be a very desirable object, IN, hardly sufficient to
justify the expenditure of the large sums-required, when
the same object may be attained almost equally well, in
addition to others equally important, by combination.--.._
The Wakefield, Ppnteirnat, sokem., inronar
nection with tile Main line from London rill' Cambridge
and Lincoln to York, will accomplish the following

objects :

1. It will provide a direct and independent line for the
largest and most important branch of traffic existing at
Goole, viz, that of corn and agricultural produce •to
Wakefield and the manufacturing districts.
2. It will, at the same time, by its connexion with
other railways, afford a good railway communication
from Goole in every direction, viz. by the London,
Lincoln and York line, to the metropolis, and to the
north and south ; and by the Manchester and Leads,
and North Midland lines to Manchester, Leeds, Brad-
furd, Halifax, Sheffield, and the whole of the manufactur-
ing districts, and of the West of England.
3. It.will thus off ard a direct communication from the
nearest coal field, that of Wakefield, and one only a few
miles circuitous from that of Silkstone, in addition to a,
communication with the Durham coal field, by means of
the north( ru line:.
4. It will accommodate an important intermediate dis-
trict, including the borough of Pontefract, With a popu-
lation of 12,000, and a considerable malting trade ; and
Knottingly, a place known fur its excellent lime quarries,
from which about 65,000 tons of lime are exported
annually.
5. It will afford a good connexion from -Leeds, the
West Riding, and the manufacturing districtS, to the
main eastern line from London to York, and OW supply
the purpose of a necessary branch from that line.
These objects seem to us abundantly sufficient to jus-
tify the construction of the Wakefield, Pontefract, and
Goole line, the estimated cost of which is only '365,0001.
It is true that the same objects might be attained more
economically, though less perfectly, by substituting for
the Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole line, either the
branch from the York and North Midland Railway, at
Brayton, the estimated cost of which is only 105,0001,
or the Leeds branch of the Lincoln, Leeds, and York

line, to Normanton, in connexion with a short branch to
Goole. But the former of these schemes would give no
accommodation to Pontefract, and the intermediate dis-
trict, and would involve a considerable circuit upon most
of the traffic in corn and coals
.to and from the interior,
in addition to the delay and inconvenience of compelling
all this traffic: to pass over the most crowded portion of: .
the York and North Midland Railway, the inconvenience
of which has been already referred to in the Commis-
sioners' Report ; and through the Normanton station,
which is already the centre of such a large amount of
traffic, and where the space is already limited.
The other scheme of the Lincoln, Leeds, and York
Company's Leeds branch, is also open to the latter ob-
jection, and is imperfect for the reasons which have al-
ready induced us to consider the main scheme with which
it Is connected as inadmissible, and bscause no Goole
branch in connexion with it is actually proposed.
Under these circumstances, and considering that the
traffic is likely to be sufficient to support a good line to
Goole, we hare no hesitation in reporting our opinion
that the Wakefield; Pontefract, and Goole line, appears •
to us to deserve a preference oyor_thnaehhasTariseetty tom-
Intinicatio'n in the northern and north-eastern portions
of Lincolnshire, 'which, although not dependent oa the
decision of the main question between London and York,
are in some measure connected with it ; viz.—
The
Great Grimsby and Sheffield, and
The Hull and Gainsborough.
The former of these lines runs from Gainsborougb,
by Glandford Brigg, to Great Grimsby, with branches
to New Holland, opposite to Hull, and to Market Rasen,
while the latter runs directly from Gainsborough to
New Holland. An inspection of the map will show that
these are directly competing schemes, and that.. the
former is much more comprehensive in its object, corn-
prising the accommodation of the important agricultural
district of North Lincolnshire, and the connexion of its
principal market towns with one another, with Lincoln
and Gainsbcrough, and with the port of Great Grimsby,
which is 'represented as capable of great improvement,
while the object of connecting the Ferry, opposite to
Hull, with the main eastern line of railway, is accom-
plished by only a slight circuit._ These considerations •
appear to us to be decisive, more especially as we do not
think that, owing to the interruption of. nearly three -
miles of ferry across the Humber, and to.
.the
great shortening in the railway communication
from Hull to the south, which will be effeckd
by the proposed main line by way of Selby,
any line from New Holland Point is likely
to be of material advantage to the town of Hull.
The accommodation of North Lincolnshire, therefore,
appears to us to be the main object ; and as this is much.
better effected by the Grimsby line, which is likely to
ufford great benefits to an important district, while, at
the same time, there is fair reason to hope, from the
estimates of cost and traffic, that, it will be able to sup-
port itself, we have to report our opinion, that it appears
to us. upon public grounds, to deserve a preference.
With regard to the lateral con munications further to
the south, we have already stated our reasons why the
Branch of the London and Birmingham Railway to Bed-
ford, which at a slight cost, the estimated capital being .
only 125,000/., affords a communication both with Lon-
don and Birmingham, and the manufacturing districts,..
appears to us to be unobjectionable on public grOunds;
and also why the Branch from the. Northern and -
Eastern lino at Hertford to Hitchin and Biggleswado
would appear, in the event of the rejection of any trunk
through that district, to be deserving of sanction.
The Ely and Bedford line, projected in the same
district, appears to us to be one which at some future
period may be required, but which can hardly be
considered at present until the main question of the
trunk lines in that quarter has been decided, and a
sufficient time has elapsed to consider the effect of that
decision ; and we therefore recommend its postponement.
The only remaining lateral schemes are those of the
Midland Counties from Nottingham to Newrilk and
Lincoln, and Syston to Peterborough.
We are not aware of any opposition, on public
grounds, to either of these lines, and they are calculated
to afford considerable local accommodation to the dis-
tricts traversed ; more especially in the conveyance of
corn and agricultural produce, and of coals. When
lines of this descriptic n are thus proposed, for the ac-
commodation of an unoccupied district, by an existing
Company, with ample resources to ensure their com-
pletion and efficient working, and when, as in this in-
stance, they interfere with no other existing or pro-
jected Railway, we are aware of no public reasons which
should lead us to report them undeserving of the sanction
of the Legislature.
There are some points of detail connected with the
pa-,sing of the Syston and Peterborough line through the
town of Stamford, and the crossing of a public road
there on the level, to which we beg, however, to direct
the attention of the Committee on the Bill ; and also to
the mode of effecting a junction with the other lines in
or near Peterborough.
We now proceed to recapitulate briefly the conclusions
at which we have arrived, and the leading results, with
reference to a great national system of railway commu-
nication, which we have had in view in submitting for
the consideration of Parliament the- recommendations
contained in this Report.
The adoption of the Cambridge and Lincoln, and nor-
thern portion of the Direct Northern lines in connexion
with the line of the Northern and Eastern, which will
shortly be opened to Cambridge, and with the Totten-
ham and Farringdon-street Extension, will afford an in-
tegral and indopendent trunk lice to the north, which,
having regard to gradients, is probably as short, in
point of time, as could possibly be constructed ; with a
first-rate metropolitan terminus ; passing through the
principal towns on the eastern tide of the kingdom be-
tween London and York, by the 'amt.., the first stage of
which has been already sanetioned by Parliament, and
which has been always considered as the most natural
and desirable.
By this line, from the completion of the portion as far
as Cambridge, and from the extreme facility of execu-
tion of the remainder, all the public advantages that can
reatonably ha anticipated from economy of construction
will be insured. The completion of the whole under-
taking within a moderate period, and whatever may be
the state of the money market, or rise in the price of
labour and iron may, from this cheapness of construc-
tion, he r;.ndered certain by the introduction of proper
clauses. The existence of the undertaking in a state of
independence, affording to the public whatever benefit's
may be justly expected to result from the existence of a
second trunk line from London northwards, and from
the indirect effects of competition, will be also rendered
Much more probable than could possibly be the case if
an expensive line was sanctioned, less capable of carry.
ing at low farep and sustaining coropetitio. at too ;tuna