The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-16 00:00:00

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Manchester trade, found it npcesssry to apply to some of the
gentlemen connected w"...ti that trade in Lout,. to u,,port
them.

They were referred to me by some of the lea ling houses in
91,e trade; here, and I was requested to report my opinion, not
of any line, but of the propriety of their uniting with the
aPPlicants. Before I was able to report upon the prudence of
rtiPn with capital and influence, uniting with men not known
to Possess either, I was sent for to a meeting of " the Board"
tti Cornhill. and was told that the landlord was urgent for his
rent; and I was asked to pay that rent and take the Solieitor-
-1_,113 of the Company. I declined the office, but made the
r,nsance, that I might have time to report. The result wa
ta,rat union was not thought desirable, and the matter died.
441 • Remington's name was used on that occasion.
About this time, in the year 1844, Mr. Mulock advertised
that he Ind taken up Mr. Remington, and intended to form a
Company.
)4r. Mulock also found it necessary to obtain the support of
the trade ; he sought it, and was referred to me. He came to
me, wows. *flied by Mr. Wedlake, of the firm of Cowes.
rale, and a
Wedl ke the well-known and respectable solicitors,
in London.
!n consequence of this, I again had an interview with the
Principal houses in the trade in London; and they gave me in-
troductions to many of the leading firms in 'Vatic-I
-tester, whom
I saw On the subject.
my return, I made my report to those who deputed me;
and they resolved that it was not desirable then to form a corn-
Deny,
Mr. Mulock and Mr. Remington thought differently, and
they adverti ed a Company, with the names of gentlemen as a
Provisional Committee, w•io afterwards resolved that the Com-
Pany should not proceed.
formingg all this tirne the enly question was the pr opriety of
a Company, not the merits of Mr. Reming:on's choice
of a ihm. •
The gentlemea who instructed me knew, without the aid of
either of us, that a straight line is the shortest, and that the
zlightest practicable, would be the best, and this of itself
ed the route.
, The document which was then prepered by me, and signed
loeyssifloan, simply
nyofthe leading houses 'in the trade, and is in my Pc's-
stated—
That a more rapid communication between London and
Manchester by railway ,s of the highest necessity.
" That it is of paramount importance to the trade and manu-
factures of the kingdom that such communication between the
metropolis and the
northern parts of the country should not be
Pendent upon one line of railway only."
These statements the subscribers understood and could
tjtinalici It would have been absurd and bootless to have asked
xtlereattilo men to express an opinion upon the engineering
"it' of a line of railway not in being.
air
the i.• Remineton informed me that he bad not rurreyed
411° su4ested, but said that he had gone over the court-
so as to enable him to say with confidence that his line
_al the only line that could be formed, and I believed it. He
batnaturally anxious to obtain the appointment of engineer,
°at he was unknown to the parties by whom I was requested to
Let, and they were desirous, if the matter proceeded, to have
the line to be chosen approved by an engineer more generally
own. He was unwilling to have this reference made, except
t° one gentleman, and the matter ended.
It is fortunate for me, now that the absurd imputation is
lasde ainstfilching" his line, that I have found
the map of the line which he issued in 1840, and on comparing
It with the map he now issues, I find that the two are essen-
tially different.
In IE4O his line ran to Leicester, taking the Midland Conn-
'' 4'es Railway the whole distance from Leicester to Derby ; re-
!arising at Derby it proceeded to Leek and :Macclesfield, neither
touching Cheadle or Uttoxeter.
does sHi present line does not touch the Midland unties, and
nOt go to Derby, and whoever knows anCytohing of the
riflintsy, or has Mr. Remington's present map, can see the
tportaet and extensive change which this necessarily makes
uctween the two. He has, then, so far as making red lines on
'nap gives title, entitled himself by a chesp and easy process
t° two lines, and his friends accuse me of filching one, but do
bat condescend to say which. They at the same time proceed
t °show a motiveless plunder for a valueless abstraction, by ac-
cusing me in a second count of not publishing any line.
As to his first line, Mr. Remington said it was impossible to
?lake a better, and I have his printed plan before me, asking
241840 four millions to make it.
Te make his second line so essentially different, I have his
Plan and prospectus before me, asking for three millions to
make it.
I have also before me another of his prospectuses, asking for
'caldtal of five millions to make it.
dileieCrinasg he sasef he has carefull gone over these various and
lines, his judgment must be sadly at fault.
Had the trade determined its avail themselves of his services,
i, would live been necessary to have drawn ,his attention to
these serious variances, but that neeessity did not arise.
f "Ir. Remington's friends have, in their sFeeclses, con-
founded the formation of a Company with the drawing of a
l.:11e on a map, end lieve assumed the chili-sill absurdity that to
'tie a line on a tea gives a title to the Hue of road and to the
°nice (=nzillerr.
1,80 f,r from taking either of Mr. Rieni:ngi on's abstractions,
uave net even been guilty of the 5.n of originating " The
'Area London and Manchester Railway Company," which is
?tally the offending point.
In this yeer Messrs. Sudlow, Sons, and Torr, as they assure
!tic, without knowing anything of Mr Remington or ever hay-
g beard of his lines, reeistered and a Ivert 1-ed, without my
knowledge or privity, a Direct Line from London to Man-
Viester. They also applied so some of the principal houses in
he trade, and were referred to me; and then, and not till then,
dill' hear ir.
,
might then, as Mr. Remington did, have registered another
'imnpany by adding another word to vary the title, but I was
4'4 guilty of the folly of endeavouring to establish two Cam-
Panies for one purpose, and of wasting the funds of both; but
as the trade here was of opinion that a direct line must, and
Ought to be formed, with the consent of Messrs. Sudlow and
C 0.," Inv name was added to theirs, and I was requested to
Inlet:nit the, views of the trade here to their friends in Man-
chester, which I did—received their authority in writing again,
as the house here thought teat signatures given a year before
°tight not to be used when circumstances had altered, and opi-
nions or interests might have changed.
far from adopting either of Mr. Remington's lines, the
eanagi„-
e•ommittee of this Company determined to have a
sine surveyed for themselves, and they gave authority to Mr.
RS nc- to pent .nally survey the country, and give them his
opinion of the best direct practicable route for a line.
If ruling a line on the map between given termini constitutes
ownership, I admit Mr. Remington's title to as many lines as
e rules, and I have not interfered with his efforts to realize
them,

His friends confound the formation of a Company with the
making, or rather the marking, of a line, and scold me be-
se the trade have themselves formed a Company.
uThat is the cause of a thing without which it would not be.
ltlr. Remington had been appointed engineer to the Com-
:7 they would not have heard of this preposterous claim to
usemde the engineering world from an important tract of coun-
t:l. But, because a young man has published a map with a
fine ruled upon it and has asked the public to grant him, first
,°.llr millions, then three, and afterwards five millions to realize
1
:13 crotchet, he argues that the country for railway purposes is
tabooed to all other engieeers.
'rill
ayeuppos that previously to the
aimformaion of our great
ell some aspi..ing tyro had published ap with an im-
guible or a singularly difficult line, had then contended that
ve London and Birmingham, and Great Western Companies,
zjre bound to take bias a. an engineer, and that the great
e Inds of the engineering world ought to be' shut out from the
11,-QuntrY he had marked upon his map, would the railway
:hose
have listened to such irnane drivelling? And could
ta9o who contended for so wild a theory have hoped to sus-
"l their charace a for sanity whilst upholding it?
liVeril% those who hold such twaddle in the Tewn-hall of
2anchester, sink in intellect below Johanna Southciatt, for
addres-ed herself to the ignorant, but they go to the
212 ens and the Areopagitw of railway science to publish their
tuity.
Mr. Remington cannot be ignorant that in 1840 many ob-
35tions were mooted against his line, and that, amongst other
serious
objections, it was stated that it required at one place
an embankment eighty-one feet high, and three miles long, and
°old have taken eight-en years to form it.
tlHeing accused of stealing his b-to the widely different sumstris, I am bound to repel
:le accusation ; but I confieemyself s
eqU:red upon the face of his own athertisements to show that
their
product was not worth stealing, and that as those for whom
acted have capital and character to lose, it was my interest
10 avoid committing them to a gentleman whose reputation as
all engineer his yet to be won. and to steer clear of a line pre.
rlliled by its parent in so unformed a state that he did not
a°w, when he offered it ter three millions, that it would re-
-1"e five to matere it. .
divaßemington, or the friend wh o wrote the article in the
Express, says I stole the hesem ready made." I
tasnre them I have not stolen the embankment spoken of.
I do not affect engineering knowledge, but, irrespective of
the
embankment Allied to, a very moderate qutntity ofcaution
^nultt induce ant o .e to p u.e, ere he ads e,l a t eropany to
adopt a plan for winch ucts wide as those Mr. Remington
a' named had b. en asked by its p' eet.
I have not, an, ii thus assailed. said a word depreciatory of this
teutleman's plans; for railroads are not made by verbal squab-
,lin,l4l ; but 1 am sure that you will feel that, b..ing accused of
• 'nag) practice," " filching," and " stealing," if 1 had left the
I!l_lputations unnoticed, I might, and should probably, have
"en taken to have admitted because I gad not denied, -charges
blade iii language so gross end injurious.
I am, Sir, yours respectfully,
W. H. ASHURST.
P.R.—Since writing the above, I have had put into my
;nd. the Morning Herald of the 23d of May last only, and
f there find tnat 3.1 r. Remington advertised his line, and asks
11°I. Two Millions only, in 40,001 shares of 501 each ; and I
fate also had brought to me a prospectus, issued by him in 1844,
41'1_1: Direct London, Manchester, and York Railway. For
`nig he asks Seven Millions.
Have the York Company stolen their line from him ?
y asking severally two, three, four, and five millions for his
rnposed excursion to Manchester, he proves that, apart from
.4" morality of the thing, it would be egregiously foolish to
any line from so vaeiable a Genius.

LONDON AND SOUTH ESSEX.
, A meeting of the inhabitants has just been held at Rochford,
".0 take into consideration the merits of this line, which pro-
144's to supply south Essex with railway facilities, and to open
emmunication between London and thit coast by a line from
be Stepney station of the Blackwell Railway, to the port of
barnham, on the river Crouch, with branches to Grays, Til.
"7, Southend, Barking, Rochford, Ockenden, and the agri-
tehldatir.ural towns in the district. Mr. A. Holt White took the
Tite, the architect, in the absence of Mr. Locke, the
tltKineer of the line, and Mr. Tyerman, the solicitor to the
irmfmny, accompanied by Mr. Flower, architect, of Southend,
ttended foe the
T purpose of explaining the project.
rrE opened the proceedings by stating that an Act had
bee" passed for extending a braniih of the Blackwell Railway to
bajeleEastern Counties line at Stralford, and about a quarter of
this from the Stepney station it was proposed that
South Essex line should branch off. It would then
raa the Regent's Canal, and about a mile and a half
arther
e the river Lea ; it would then pass through
Vest Ham and Plaistow, close to the town of Barkirig
keeping midway between the high road and the river,
3 near as they could eastward, close to Dagenham a
Drench was thrown off to Tilbury Fort. The line then
!fsatitrued midway between the too villages of North and
known as
near the estates of Sir 'l'. B. Lennard,
tellogtu as Belhui, whose support they confidently hoped to re-
iet It then continued between Brentwood and the
Thames, and touched upon the high road at a point near
1,
iorkford, passing north of Rayleigh, to a point near Hockley
%Pi and continued in a straight course by Canewdon
~.41le
the Crouch ; a branch turning south on the other side
Plurnherow Mount, would pass Rochford a little
east, and continue in that direction to Southend
hue gradients were extremely favourable, there were no
ineelst no formidable cuttings, Rochford would be 37
es front Fenchurch-street, and Southend 40 miles. The
t:e„vvould form a new and a shorter route than at present
4,1 `!le continent ; vessels might conveniently stop and unload
: ‘-routh
atste , and then send their cargoes by rail to 131ackiivall,
of having to go up the Thames and encounter the na-
tolion of the Pool. The distance ty this line. from the coast
lig tills would be 200 miles, to Rotterdam 173, to Antwer'
46,.. to Ostend 98, to Dunkirk 77, to Calais 75, to INlarg:.
',tot The present distance to Hull from the Pool was 262, to
tOu terdans 214, to Antwerp 210, to Os. end 1:A, to
Ukirk
H
tt, S, and to Calais 111. The Crouch at low
Was deep enough for the navigation of the largest cul-

tiers, but it was said that an improved access at the mouth o
the river would be an advantage. The committee had,
however, been informed by pilots, and at the Trinity Board.
that such an objection only arose from the want of a good
channel being buoyed off. The river being now used
only by ships of unimportant burden, no pains had been taken
respecting it. It was not intended to have docks; but,
as the shore was steep on this side, by continuing the line
into 15 feet of water, by means of a pier, colliers might
trauship their coals into waggons adapted to the rails, and
which would also travel upon the ordinary road without un-
loading, which system had been also propose•i
on
the London and York line ; such waggons could be taken off
the line at a point the most convenient. The Provisional Com.
mittee depended a great deal upon the traffic of coals from this
branch to the east of London, thus avoiding many of the pre-
sent heavy charges, and also the delays so constantly occasioned
to vessels on the Thames. As he had before said, the line
crossed the river Lea and the Regent's canal, and at convenient
points ; coals might Le supplied by these means to the parts
north of the line. With regard to Barking, there was a con-
siderable fishing trade carried on; there were a great many
populous villages down the line to that point, the inhabitants of
which would, to a great exter.t, take advantage of railway
communication. From the Crouch there were great facilities
for communication with many parts of the Continent, and that
river being by rail only 40 miles from London, an express train
might gain in an hour that point on the coast at present only
attainable by a very long and circuitous voyage. To Ostend
and other places there would be a considerable saving of time,
though the distance might not be shorter. Ile need hardly say
that the terminus being in Fenchurch-street was a great advan-
tage to an agricultural district ; nothing could be more con-
venient than a station there.
Mr. JAMES GILES moved and Mr. KELWORTH seconded
the first resolution in favour of the line, which was put and
carried unanimously.
Mr. TYERMAN adverted to the great benefit to the agricul-
tural interest that must ensue, by affording a quick and cheap
conveyance of the agricultural produce, in which this county so
richly abounded. At Crouch there would be a commodious
place for embarkation and debaikatien.
After some observations from Messrs. Rankin, Keyes,
Comfort, Taber, Lucas, Giles. Baker, and others, thanks were
given to the deputation for their attendance and explanations.

THE RICHMOND RAILWAY.—The royal assent hav-
ing been given to the Act empowering a Company to
make a railway from Richmond to the Falcon bridge,
Battersea, where it is intended to join the South-Western
Railway, surveyors have for several days past been ac-
tively engaged in marking out the line, and estimating
the value of the various properties through which this
line will pass. According to present arrangements, the
railway will be commenced in the Brouclw eye Richmond,
where a handsome terminus will be erected. It wit'
then run nearly parallel with the Richmond• road, as
far as East Sheen, leaving Kew a mile-and-a-half dis-
tant on the left. It will afterwards cross Barnes-
common, having a station as near to the high read
leading to Hammersmith-bridge as convenient, and run-
ning alongside the Upper Richmond-road, will cross Put-
ney High-street by a cutting of from twelve to eighteen
feet in depth, over which a bridge will be thrown to
continue the old thoroughfare. This cutting will be
continued to North-fields, Wandsworth, where a viaduct
will be commenced and carried across the road leading
from Wandsworth to Putney, through a row of houses,
called Point Pleasant, across some marshy land to an
extensive osier bed. Here the excavation will have to
be carried eighteen feet deep before a foundation can
be obtained for the viaduct, and in consequence of the
tides overflowing this part, it will be the most difficult
undertaking on the whole line. Continuing the viaduct,
a double-arched bridge will cross the Wandle, after
which the works, meeting with little engineering diffi-
culty, will be rapidly continued to their termination at
Falcon-bridge, Battersea, where men are already at
work. There will be stations at Putney and Wands-
worth, and the whole line will be opened on the Ist of
May next.
MANCHESTER AND SOUTHAMPTON RAILWAY.—It is
intended to begin near the Southampton Docks, and
thence by Redbridge on Southampton Water, Romsey,
Stockbridge, Andover, Ludgershall, Marlborough, Swin-
don, Cricklade, and Cirencester, to Cheltenham, where
it is to join the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway.
The effect will be to reduce the distance from South-
ampton and Birmingham sixty-four miles, to Manchester
and Liverpool seventy-seven, and to Chester eighty-
three, besides which it will save fifteen miles between
Swindon and Cheltenham, and eighteen between Ciren-
cester and Cheltenham. One of the most interesting
facts in connexion with Southampton, and one of the
most pregnant proofs of the vast benefits which
may accrue from railway accommodiation, is the
vast increase of the trade of Southampton ; for
whereas the exports of Southampton in 1832
were only of the declared value of 62,1631, in
1845 they will exceed 3,000,000 L, while the number of
passengers embarking and disembarking for foreign
ports is 10,000 in each year. The connexion of this line
with the port of Southampton will of course create a
most valuab:e traffic, but there is also a considerable
local ttuffie bet .veen the towns of Andover, Stockbridge,
Romsey, Redbridge, and other towns in West Hemp-
shire with Southampton, which is now the great port of
that district, and which with its increasing resources is
calculated to become the port for a great part of the
south of England. The great obstacle at present to ves-
sels unloading goods at Southampton is, that they can-
not obtain return cargoes ; but the present line will give
them access to those districts which will provide the re-
quisite supply, and so greatly extend the trade of the
port.—Railway Herald.
BRIGHTON, LEWES, AND HASTINGS (HASTINGS, RYE,
AND ASHFORD Erressioe ).—On Friday the Bniehton and
Hastings Ashford Extension Bill received the royal assent.
The confirmation of the fact received here on Saturday oc-
casioned a most lively feeling of congratulation in the breasts of
every one connected with the trade and prosperity of the
borough. The joy of the inhabitants was expressed in every
outward form, the town band paraded the streets, the church
bells were rung, boys and men huzzaed, and the
tradesmen met and toasted " Success to the Rail-
way" at railway speed. By the passing of this Act of
extension the full hopes and wishes of the inhabitants are
consummated. A new era is about to dawn on us. By the
completion of this line, direct communication will be opened
with the whole of the pleasure towns of Kent. From the
progress of the works between this place and Brighton there
is little doubt that the line will be opened by March next
as far as Bopeep. The completion of the remainder of the
line to Ashford will rest with the South-Eastern Company,
the Bill with all it powers as obtained by the Brighton and
Hastings Company being handed over to them. The Act
expressly provides that the tunnels into the Priory and the
whole line shall be commenced simultaneously, that the line
shall be completed within three years after the passing of the
Act, and that if it is not completed in that time no interest
shall be payable on any part of the South-Eastern capital until
it is completed. This is an assurance of a speedy realisation of
our hopes. By it Rye harbour, which will be doubtless much
improved by the expenditure of 10,0001., will be made avail-
able to us ; and ultimately we may entertain hopes of seeing
permanent harbour here.—Brighton Guardian.
CHELTENHAM AND OXFORD.—The committee of this un-
dertaking met on Saturday, at Cheltenham, when Mr. Brunel
gave a detailed account of his survey of the line. Captain C.
B. Lindsay was appointed Secretary. It was announced that
the deposits on the proposed capital (360,0001.) had been paid
to the amount of 30,0001., had been invested in Exchequer-
bills, and that the plans and sections were in a state of for•
wardness.
CHELMSFORD AND BURY.—This Company have deter-
mined to extend their line to Thetford, so as to give the nearest
and most direct communication between London and Nor-
wich, without diverting the traffic from its old course.
CALEDONIAN.—Last week, on the commencement of the
works, orders were given by Mr. Wilson, superintendent of
the work, for the erection of a number of comfortable houses
at Evanhead, for the accommodation of the workmen employed
on the line, which are nearly finished.
NORTH SOMERSET.—A contemplated line of railroad,
designated " Ploughman's line," is occupying a good deal
of public attention in North Somerset. It is proposed to
make a line intersecting the country nearly midway from
north to south, forming a junction with the Great Western
at a convenient point between the cities of Bath and Bristol
(say at K eynsham), and another with the Bristol and Exeter
at Yeovil, penetrating Mendip at or near Marsbury Dip,
and travei sing; centrally the Mendip coal fields. The ad-
vantages of this, over any other of the contemplated lines
are, chat whilst it will afford a sufficiently easy route to the
metropolis, it will open a direct way to the manufacturing
dis-
tricts. ard the northern parts of the kingdom and South Wales;
and all ~rill furnish a cheap channel of transport for the bulky
trusures of the Mendip mines southward, to an unlimited ex-
tent.— Hampshire paper.
WELSH MIDLA ND. —Svrveys are now being made be-
tween Leominster and Kidderminster, and between Kid-
derminster and Birmingham, with the view of effecting a
direct communication between the mineral districts of South
Wales and the manufacturing town of the midland and
northern counties, that portion of the line between Leominster
and Kidderminster being already determined on, and it being
the intention of the Wel h Midland to carry out the continua-
tion from Kidderminster to Birmingham in case no similar line
shall be projected by some other company acting in co-opera-
tion with them.
Mr. Charles Lawrence has been elected chairman of the
Grand Junction in the place of Mr. Moss, and Mr. Robertson
Gladstone deputy chairman.
The Manchester and Birmingham have it in contemplation
to construct a branch from their main line at Knutsford to
the salt mines of Cheshire, affording accommodation to Stock-
port and Ashton, and supplying coal from the coal-held of
Poynton.
A new station is about to be erected on the Eastern Counties
line, at Hatfield Peverel, near Witham.
The Directors of the Grand Junction have determined on
making a further reduction in their fares. The fares will be
for travelling by select or express trains twopence farthing per
mile. The fare for first-class passengers is to be reduced to
twopence per mile ; the charge for second-class passengers will
be five farthings per mile ; and the third class will remain at
one penny per mile.
Sausau KY BRANCH OF THE SOUTH-WESTERN.—The
formation of the branch line to Salisbury, from the South-
Western Railway, is proceeding throughout the whole
extent of the line with the utmost expedition. It is confi-
dently anticipated it will be opened as early as May next. The
preparations for the branch from the Great Western line, on
the other side of the city, are also in very active progress;
and it is said that a strong effort will be made to get this
line opened to Bath as early as the line to Dishopstoke.
The liberal wages offered to induce men to labour on the works
is likely to prove inconvenient to some of the agriculturists in
the vicinity during the harvest.— liampshire paper.
Wissiecu. —A meeting was held at ;Visbech on Friday,
to determine upon the most advantageous measures to be taken
for securing railway communication between Wisbech and
the metropolis and the manufacturing districts. The
meeting was very fully attended. The Mayor stated the object
of the meeting. Several speakers followed, and in the end a
Committee was appointed to carry out the views of the re-
quisitionits.
LYNN AND ELY.—This Company propose to extend their
line from Wisbech to Spalding, in Lincolnshire, with the view
of affording to the port of Great Yarmouth, the city of Nor-
wich, and the ports of Lynn and Wisbech, a direct line of com-
munication with the Northern and Midland districts.
That portion of the Whitehaven Junction Railway, extending
from Maryport across the Derwent to Workington, is expected
to be opened for the conveyance of goods and passengers befone
the close of the present Lear.— Cumberland Pacquet.
CANTERBURY AND OVERD RAILWAY•—The Directors of
this Company have determined on extending their line to Hems
Bay. The necessary surveys and estimates are nearly completed.
RAILWAY STATION AT LEWES.—The Friars at Lewes,
which has been from time immemorial the resort of the judges
while on Circuit, has been purchased with a view to transform
p it into the station for the Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings
ate
-`hldr

REDUCED STEAM-BOAT FARES.—ThUrSday, t. r
the first time, several of the above-bridge steam-boats started
from London to Westmin,ter-bridge, at the reduced fare of
2d., for eadh passenger.

lAug.l4.
1 3%

.ug.l4.

,ug.l4

27%

RELATIVE CLOSING PRICES OF RAILWAY SHARES

IN THE

PRINCIPAL CITIES AND TOWNS IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND.

London' ip4:11." I cheater.l Bristol. I York.

Leeds.

lAug.l4.

lAug.l4.

Hull.

!Aug.l4.

iliudders-
field.

lAug.l4

'Sheffield

Glasgow,

Aug.l4.

Atig.l3.

Dublin.

Aug.l3.

51/s