The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-03 00:00:00

HARWICH AND SOUTHEND.

SAFFRON WALDEN, FRIDAY EVENDIO.—This day an ad-
journetl meeting of the inhabitants of this town took place
at the Rose and Crown Inn, for the purpose of affording the
promoters of the Thames, Southend, and Northern and
Eastern Junction Railway, an opportunity of explaining the
local advantages of that fine, and to determine how far they
would benefit this portion of the county.
The following lines were also interested in the decision of
the, meeting :—The Northern and Eastern Junction (liar-
Nvich to Biggleswads), Maldon, Witham, and Braintree, Me-
tropolitaa Junction, Colchester and Cainbridge, South Essex
and London, and Southend.

Mr. G. YOUNGBIAN, the mayor of the town, was called to
;he chair:

Mr. H. CorrAm, the acting engineer, then went into a
lengthened detail of the course, embankments, cuttings,
&c. The junction with the Northern and Eastern Railway
would be at the Wcedon station, and according to the sur-
veys it was arranged that the line would pass Saffron Wal-
den, about a mile distant, and continue its course to Thaxted,
though proceeding nearer to the town than the former.
Mr. G. GIBSON advocated at some length the proposed line
called the Northern and Eastern Junction, from Harwich to
Biggleswade and Bedford.
A lengthened discussion then ensued as to the course of
the two lines in the vicinity of the town, and to the probable
opposition of Lord Braybrooke, through whose property the
line would pass.
The MAYOR. said he fully understood that his Lordship
was resolveded to offer the most determined resistance to
any line passing along his estate. Relative to the line they
were met to consider, he believed that he spoke the opinion
of the meeting in saying that the Harwich line was preferred,
and that the town had pledged itself to support it.

THE MANCHESTER AND LEEDS AND THE
MIDLAND RAILWAYS.

We understand that the negotiations for a treaty of al-
liance between Mr. Hudson and the Manchester and Leeds
Railway Company have been brought to a satisfactory can-
elusion. We do not pretend to give the ipsissima verbs of
the formal agreement, which we have reason to believe has
been actually signed between the contracting parties, but we
have no hesitation in pledging ourselves to the perfect ac-
curacy of the following summary of the various points em-
braced in the arrangement :
The Manchester and Leeds Company are to become lessees
of the Hull and Selby line jointly with the York and North
Midland ; the Manchester and Leeds Company binding
themselves, tso far as they can do so consistently with the
proper accommodation of the public, to forward along the
York and. North Midland and the Hull and Selby Railways
all traffic from Liverpool and Manchester to Hull ; and the
York and North Midland Company, on their part, agree-
ing, so far as the public convenience will permit, to send all
the traffic from Hull to Manchester and Liverpool along the
Manchester and Leeds line. The York and North Midland
agree that the traffic from Manchester and Liverpool, &c.,
to Goole, shall be sent, so far as it can be done consistently
with public convenience, by the Wakefield, Pontefract, and
Goole Railway; the Manchester and Leeds Company binding
themselves not to oppose the York and North Midland Cora •
pany's constructing a line from Selby to Goole. The traffic
conveyed by the Manchester and Leeds Company to Not-
manton is to be carried onwards to Selby by the York and
North Midland Company at proportional rates, in the propor •
tion at present existing if less than an equal mileage rate,
and in any case not to exceed an equal mileage ; and in the
event of misunderstandings arising, as to deficiency of power
or loss of time in forwarding the traffic along the York and
North Midland Ike, the question to be submitted to, and
arranged by, the engineers of the two companies. Perhaps
the most interesting article in the agreement is that by
which the Manchester and Leeds and the York North Mid-
land directories withdraw themselves, " as far as possible,"
from all alliances opposed to the interests of their respective
companies, and agree, not merely to ab.tain from taking an
unfriendly course against each other in future, but to culti-
vate an amicable understanding on all matters and on all
occasions on which they cal do so in accordance with a due
regard to the accommodation of the public. If we are not
misinformed, Mr. Hudson and Mr. Houldsworth especially
bind themselves personally to see this article of the agree-
ment carried into effect. Mr. Laing is named as referee,
should any difference arise in regard to the construction of
this last provision, and his award is to be binding upon both
parties in all matters except as regards the Leda and York
and' York and Hull schemes. It is agreed in reference to
them, that unless Mr. Laing should decide that the Man-
chester and Leeds Company are to withdraw from all
connexion with them, Mr. Hudson is to have the option
of declaring the agreement null and void. All other differ-
ences which may arise respecting the agreement are to be
settled by arbitration, and an application for Parliamentary
sanction, if necessary, is to be made in the ensuing session.
We believe we may add, that there is not the slightest
doubt of the whole agreement being fully carried out. The
shareholders of the two companies are not a little indebted
to the conciliatory feeling displayed by their chairmen ; all
idea of personal enmity, if any such ever existed, was at
once cast to the winds by both Mr. Hudson and Mr. Houlds-
worth. It would be injustice, however, not to state that
the prime mover of the whole of these pacific arrangements
was Mr. Laing. That gentleman's former connexion with
the Board of Trade has already rendered him favourably
known to the public, and the amount of general talent, rail-
way knowledge, and diplomatic skill which he has evinced
on the present ()erasion, must largely add to the reputation
which he had before acquired.