The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-01 00:00:00

Bradford Company, a concern whose total capital is only 400,0001.,
and which is not yet completed. The Leeds and Dewsbury line
has no guarantee whatever. Looking at the formidable nature cf
the works upon these lines, the doubtful prospect of a remunerative
return, and the-position in which they are placed with reference t•
other lines, we must be blind to all the analogies furnished by
railway experience to overlook the contingency that in the event
of the present period of excitement having passed away before the
undertakings are completed, portions of them may be abandoned or
left unfinished for considerable periods, a result which, from the
complete net-work of connecting parts proposed to be established,
would be highly injurious, and all danger of which would be com-
pletely obviated by giving a preference, under proper conditions, to
the scheme proposed in connexion with the Manchester and Leeds
Company.
It certainly appears to us, that if the general advantage of the
public and of the important districts connected with the railways
in question is to be taken as the test in deciding upon the claims
of the different schemes proposed, the offer of these gnarantees, in
addition to the other advantages pointed out, must be held to give
a preference to the scheme of the West Riding Company.

It may be convenient to include in this report certain other
schemes in the same or adjoining districts, and which, to a certain
extent, may be affected by considerations of a character similar to
those already referred to.
The extension of the Leeds and Bradford Railway, sanctioned
last year, to Skipton and Colne, has been mentioned as affording an
useful alternative route horn Leeds to Lancashire. Its principal
claim, however, rests upon its being an useful local line, opening
up a considerable extent of country hitherto unoccupied. From
Shipley, where the line branches off from the Leeds and
Bradford Railway, up the valley of the Aire, to beyond
Keighley, the line traverses a district of considerable and increas.
lug manufacturing importance in the worsted trade, of which Brad-
ford is the chief emporium ; and the connexion of this district with
that town and Leeds must be looked upon as very desirable in
completing a system of railway communication for the West
Riding. Beyond Keighley the line traverses an agricultural die.
trict, of which Skipton is the centre, from which large quantities of
produce are sent to the densely-peopled manufacturing districts in
the vicinity. Both as affording a means of transport for this pro.
duce, and for the excellent lime of the same district downwards,
and as giving facilities for the cheap conveyance of coal. upward',
the line promises to confer much local benefit on the towns and
districts which it traverses, both on the Yorkshire and Lancashire
side. Its gradients are good and easy, and there seems a fair pro-
bability of a traffic sufficiently remunerative on the capital of
500,0001. required for its construction. We are accordingly aware
of no public grounds why it should not receive the sanction of
Parliament.

The Burnley branch of the Manchester and Leeds Railway from
Todmorden appears almost a natural consequence of the other ex-
tensions connected with the last-mentioned line, which will place
Burnley, a thriving manufacturing town, with a population of
11,000, in railway communication with Blackburn, Preston,
Fleetwood, and the whole north of Lancashire. Tl. is Branch,
which is only eight and a half miles in length, and est4nated to
cost 240,0001., will thus connect many of the large and important
towns or. the Manchester and Leeds line by the shortest mute
with the North of Lancashire, besides affording local accommoda-
tion. We arc aware of no opposition to it on public grounds, and
of no public reasons why the sanction of Parliament should ue
withhed.

The extension of the Manchester and Leeds Company's present
Heywood Branch for four miles to Bury, is opposed by a com-
peting line from Bury to Heywood, proposed by the Manchester,
Bury, and Rossendale Company. Of the utility of the Branch, as
giving a connexion between Bury and the populous districts
beyond, with Oldham, Rochdale, and, through the Manchester and
Leeds Railway, with Wakefield, Leeds, Hull, and the eastern part
of the kingdom, there cannot be a question, indepen-
dently of the success of the proposed Bolton, Wigan,
and Liverpool line, of which, if sanctioned, it is an indls.
pensable link. The Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool Company have,
accordingly, included it in their scheme, but they will be equally
satisfied to meet the Manchester and Leeds line at Bury as at
Heywood ; and, accordingly, the question appears to lie between
the Manchester and Leeds, and the Rossendale Company. With
regard to this point, the Manchester and Leeds, and Bolton,
Wigan, and Liverpool Companies, contend that, upon public
ground;, it would be highly inexpedient to place a short link of
four miles in what must, in all probability, become an important
through.line of communication from some of the chief manufao.
turing towns of North Lancashire to the east of England. in the
hands of a Company like the Manchester, Bury, and Rossendale,
formed for quite different purposes, and avowedly seeking the pos-
session of this branch merely as a protection against possible com-
petition. A more inconvenient arrangement for the public could
hardly be imagined than that a mile and a half to Heywood
of the short line of less than six miles between Bury and
the Manchester and Leeds Railway should be in the
hands of the Manchester and Leeds Company, and the re-
maining four miles to Bury in that of an independent Com-
pany, with no identity of interest. This argument appears
to us decisive, in addition to the advantages which the Manchester
and Leeds Company are in a condition to offer for conducting the
large local traffic between Bury, Oldham, and Rochdale, and the
places on their line. Had the Heywood Branch not been con.
structed, it might perhaps have been a question, whether the
whole line up to the junction might not have been placed in the
hands of the Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool Company, of whose
scheme it is a component part. But as the Heywood Branch is
already made, there can be little doubt that it will be better, even
for the purposes of the Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool traffic, that
the junction with the Manchester and Leeds Railway should be at
an important town like Bury.

We have to report therefore, that, on public grounds, it ap.
pears to us that the branch of the Manchester and Leeds Com.
pany is preferable to the competing scheme of the Rossendale
Company.

The Barnsley Junction.—This is a line 9i miles long, with an
estimated capital of 300,0001., proposed for the following objects :-
1. To afford an alternative line from Manchester to the east, by
making a short cut from the Sheffield and Manchester Railway, at
the Penistone summit, to the North Midland Railway near
Barnsley.
2. To give a communication both to the east and west for the
manufacturing town of Barnsley and the surrounding district.
3. To open up the Silkstone coal field.

It might have been doubtful how far the two first objects would
have been sufficient to jestify the requisite outlay of capital, or to
affbrd any prospect of adequate remuneration, mere especially as
the line, from the steepness of its inclination, being a continued
rise of 1 in 95 for 9 miles, from near Barnsley to Penistone, is not
well a'apted for through-traffic. The opening of the Silkstone
coal field appears, however, to be an object of very considerable
importance, more especially with the prospect of a great extension
of Railway communication throughout the eastern and central
counties of England. We think, therefore, that if this object is
properly attained, it is sufficient, in connexion with the other two,
to warrant the construction of the Barnsley Junction line on public

grounds.
Representations have been made to us, to the effeot that this
object is not properly attained by the line in question, which is
said only to skirt part of the coal field at a level too high for con-
venient access from the principal pits, in order to attain the eleva-
tion necessary to carry a line with locomotive gradients to the
Penistone summit. This is a point upon which, if we had
been able to command more ample means of investigation, we
should have been desirous of obtaining more accurate informa-
tion, being of opinion that the opening up of the Silkstone coal
field for transport towards the east and south, ought to be consi-
dered as the primary and paramount object of the line in question•
We must content ourselves, however, with directing the special
attention of the Committee on the Bill to this point, and stating
that in expressing an opihion that there are ne sufficient public
grounds to prevent the sanction of Parliament from being given to
the Barnsley Junction line, we have proceeded on the assumption
that the line does, as represented by the promoters, open up in a
proper manner the Silkstone coal field.

The Huddersfield and Manchester, and Sheffield and Hudders-
field Junction, are also lines connected with the district in ques-
tion, the consideration of which we reserve for another report, as
they appear to us to depend upon questions of detail not materially
affecting any of the lines already enumerated.

In conclusion, we beg to draw attention to the passage of the
Fifth Report of the Select Committee of last year, in which it Is
stated, in recommending that reports should be made to Parliament
by this Department upon railway schemes, " That no such report
should be held to prejudice the claims of private persons, the
examination of which should be altogether reserved to the Houses
of the Legislature."

In ►ubmitting 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
forming 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.
sults solely upon public grounds, and to the exclusion of all consi-
derations how far such results might require to be modified by a
due regard for private rights and interests.
DALHOUSIE.
C. W. PASLEY. G. R. PORTER.
D. O'BRIEN. S. LA ING.

MARKET NEWS.-(THIS DAY.)
COVENT-GARDEN.
Although, for the time of year, we had a fair average sup-
ply of most kinds of vegetables offering. the demand was
steady, at fully last week's quotations. Fruit was in better
request, at late rates : —Potatoes from 3s 6d to 5s
per cwt. ; Turnips, 2s 6d to 3s 6d ; Carrots, 58 6d to
; Coleworts, or Greens, 3s 3d to 4s ; and Leeks,
Is to is 9d per dozen bunches ; Apples, 2s to 4s; Pears, 3s to
8s ; Spinach, 216 d to 3s ; and Onions, 25 to 3s per half sieve ;
Forced Potatoes, 8d ; Pine Apples, 8s to lOs; and Filberts,
ls to is 6d per lb.; Savoys, Is 3d to 2s per dozen; Forced Rhu-
barb, Is 3d to 2s 3d ; ditto Asparagus, 6s to 8s ; Horseradish ;
2s to ss; Brocoli, 2s .to 4s ; and Celery, is to 3s per
bundle ; Oranges, 5s to lOs ; and Lemons, 8s to 12s ; and
French Beans, 2s Gd to 3s per hundred.
NEVITGATE Awn LEADENTIALL.
We had a very extensive supply of both Game and Poultry,
owing to which the trade was heavy, and previous rates
were with difficulty supported. Fowls sold at from 3s to 7s ;
and Chickens, 2s 6d to 5s per couple ; Hares, 2s to 3s ; Part-
ridges, 2s to 3s ; Turke,s, 3s to 78 ; Pheasants, 4s to 5s ; and
Geese, 5s to is each. The supplies of Meat being more than
adequate to meet the wants of the buyers, the general de-
mand was heavy, at barely stationary prices. Beef from 2s
6d to 3s 6d ; Mutton, 2s 8d to 3s 8d; Veal, 3s 10d to 4s 10d;
and Pork, 2s 10d to 4s 2d per 81bs by the carcase.
NEWPORT.
Prime Mutton sold readily at full prices, but all other
kinds of Meat were heavy. Beef, from 2s 8d to 3s 6d;
Mutton, 2s 10d to 3s 8d ; Veal, 4s to 5s ; and Pork, 3s 4d to
4s 4d per Sibs by the carcase. •
BILLINGSGATE.
There was a large supply of Fish, owing to which the
trade ruled heavy, on somewhat easier terms :—Turbots, 6s
to 188; Cod Fish, 2s to 8s; Plaice, 2d to 4d; and Whitings,
2d to Gd each ; Mackerel, 16s to 18s per 120; Salmon, 2s
per lb. ; Soles, 2s to 2s 6d per pair.
WECT2rECHAPEL.
We had a sluggish general demand, at barely stationary
prices :—Beef from 2s Gd to 3s 6d ; Mutton, 2s 8d to 3s 8d ;
Veal, 4s to 5s ; and Pork. 3s to 4s per 81bs.
EUNGERFORII).
Each kind of prime Meat was in steady request; but with
all other articles the trade was inactive, at previous currencies.
DREAD.
The prices of Wheaten Bread in the Metropolis are from
7d to 7id ; of Household ditto, sid to bid per 41bs leaf.
SIDE NX.ARKET.
Raw Hides, at per stone of 141bs :—Best Steers and Heifers,
5s 6d to 5s 10d ; Middling Hides, 4s 8d to 5s 4d; Inferior
ditto, 4s to 4s 6d. Sheep and Calf Skins, at per skin :
Market Calf, 6s Gd to 8s; Long-woolled Sheep, 4s to ss;
Short ditto, 3s 4d to 4s; Lamb Skins, is 3cl to is Gd; and
Shearlings, 6d to Bd.
RAT MARXETS.
SMITITFIELD.—Coarse Meadow Hay, 3/108 to 4/ 10s ; use-
ful ditto, 4/ 12s to 5/ 3s ; fine Upland ditto, 51 4s to 5/ 8s;
Clover Hay, 4/ lOs to 5118 s ; Oat Straw, 1/ 163 to 1/ 18s ;
Wheat Straw, Il 18s to 2/ per load. A fair average supply
and a sluggish demand.
CUMBERLAND.—Coarse Meadow Hay, 3/ 108 to 4/ 128 ;
useful ditto, 4114 s to 5148 ; fine Upland ditto, 515 s to 5/ lOs ;
Clover Hay, 4/ 8s to 5/ 16s; Oat Straw, 1116 s to 1/ 18s ;
Wheat Straw, 1/ 18s to 2/ per load. Trade tolerably active,
at full prices.
"WurnscuArmL.—Coarse Meadow Hay, 3/ lOs to 41 10s;
silOs useful ditto, 4/ 12s to 5/ 4s; fine Upland ditto, 5/ 5s to
; Clover Hay, 4/ 10s to 6/ ; Oat Straw, 1/16s to 1/18s;
Wheat Straw, 11 18s to 21 per load. Supply moderate and
trade firm.

DOVER RAILWAY.--Mr. Whitehead, the secretary
of the South-Eastern Railway, has resigned his ;office, owing to 11l
health.

DEATH or MR. WOODRUFFE.—Mr. Woodruffe, one
of the barristers practising in the Insolvent Debtors' Court, (lied at his
reeitionce at Bayswater, on Wednesday evening.