The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 7, 1845

SING PRICES OF
SHARES

TII
P TOWNS IN ENGLAND
LND IRELAND.

' I
1'
''S)

Oct. Oct. Oct.
3. . a. 4.

Oct. 1 Oct. 1 Oct.
4. 4. 4.

10256;

- I -
2%1 -

11273¢

2174
%P
.-P
' - P
27/4

2 11,,i 1 21

38
24

- -
4;i, -

iq4l -

4;j -
4%, 5%
GOM -
55;

2 p 1
3% p

!2i-N

2%i 2%

4%
150yi

B%P

slipl

4

7Vol)
43i

is
5%

28s pi

143;9d1

-4
:,',i I --

21A
- 1-
-

'lll -
773 1 -

ins p
122 s p

24Ul -

13%
30s p
1726 p,

- I
510

-
-

_ -
14 -
3M -

834
-
1 -

6% -
- I -

658 p -
6N -

lore 1

-65 s I

; I -

8a -9
i I =

North Devons, 13/4 p.—Exeter, Topsham, and Exmouth
(Daw's line), 3/4 p.—Ditto (Head's), 76 p.—South Walee,
7%—Eastern Counties, New, 71/.

SHEFFIELD, Ocr. 4.
STOCK EXCITANGL.—The sales are—Sheffield and Man-
chester, Quarter Shares, No. 2, 18 ex new—Derby and.
Crewe, 5%—Derby- and Gainsborough, 414—East Lincoln-
shire, 63/4—Goole and Doncaster, 63/4—Grimsby and Shef-
field, 2514—Ditto, Quarter Shares, 6%—Grimsby Railway
and Dock Extension, 11%—Manchester, Midland, and
Great Grimsby, 6%—Sheffield and Lincolnshire, 73/4—Wake-
field and Harrogate, 51/B—Wilts, Somerset, and Southamp-
ton, 21. 17s. 6d.

HUDDERSFIELD, Ocr. 4.
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Essex and Suffolk,
18 p.-Leeds and Liverpool Direct, 74-Manchester, Bir-
mingham, and Welsh Junction, n-Nottingham and Bus-
Inn' 4%-Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, 19-
Waketield and Bradford, 61. ss. 9d.
-YORK, OCT. 4.
STOCK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Durham and Sun-
derland, New (guar. 5 per cent.), 5/. 6s. 6d.-Eastern Union
Extension (Norwich), 54-Midland, New, 27i/1-Newcastle
and Darlington Junction, New (Brandling), 581/,-North
British (Cariisles), 51A-Caledonian Extension, 41/,-Coven-
try, Nuneaton, Birmingham, and Leicester, 4X-Derby and
Gainsborongh, 414-Grand Union, 41. Gs. 6d.-Leicester and
Bedford, 4A-Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle Junc-
tion, 8-Lynn and Ely, 71,; ex call-Manchester, Buxton,
&c., 101/i-Newcastle and Berwick, 205-North StarThrd-
shire, 834-North Western, 6%-South Midlands, 9-Welsh
Midlands, 41/ -West Yorkshire, 15-Wi4.s, Somerset, and
Southampton, 124.
EDINBURGH, Our. 3.
STOCK Exea!asn sales are-Aberdeen, 4/. 165.-
Aberdeen, Banff. and Elgin, 2/. 13s. 6d.-Airdrie and Bath-
gate, 41. 155.-Arbroatii and Forfar, 251.-Ditto, half Shares,
15!-Armagh and Portrush, 3/.-Banffshire, 2!. 10s. Gel -
British and Irish Union, 4/. 95.-Belfast and County Down,
31. 155.-Cambridge and Lincoln, 51. 2s. 6d.-Caledonian,
151. 12s. 6d.-Caledonian Extension, 41.165.-Caledonian and
Dumbarton, Si. 2s. 6d -Clydesdale Junction, 221.-Direct
Northern, 3/. 2s. 6d.-Dundee and Arbroath, 37/.-Ditto,
New. 181.-Dundee and Perth, Si. 10e.-East of Fife, 3/.
Ms.-Edinburgh and Bathgate, 41.55.-Edinburgh and Glue-
gnw, ex news, 741.-Ditto, half Shares, 14 prem.-Ditto,
Quarters, 19/. 10s.-Ditto, New, 151.-Edinburgh, Glasgow,
and Dumbarton, 1/. 12s. 6d.-Edinburgh, Leith, and Gran-
ton, 261.-Ditto, Preference, 21/.-Edinburgh and Northern,
31. 55.-Ditto, Newpcn t, 11. 153. 6d.-Ditto, Lochgelly,
Edinlsurgli and Perth, 4/. 165.-Edinburgh and Peebles,
31. Ils.-Forth and Clyde Junction, 31. 165.-Glasgow and
Ayrshire, 731.-Ditto. New Stock, 21/. 12s. 6d.-Glasgow
and Belfast Union, 3/. 175.-Glasgow and Garnkirk, 451.
-Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, 21. 55.-Glasgow and
Greenock, 221. 10s.-Ditto, New Stock, 10/. 155.-Ditto,
Preference, 21. 55.-Great North of Scotland, Si. 175.-In-
verness and Elgin, 11. 125.-Kilmarnock and Ardrosaan,
Si. 155.-London and York, 71.- Zll(;nkland and Kirkintil-
loch, 33/.-North British, ex news, 261.-Ditto, Halves, ex
ne‘ks '
. 71. 55.-Ditto, Fifths 71. 65.-Ditto, Carlisles, 4/. 19s.
-North Wales Mineral, New, 61. 55.-Perth and Inver-
ness, 31. 45.-Scottish Central, 121. 12s. 6d.-Scottish Mid-
land, 51.-Scottish Western, 21. Ms.-Shrewsbury, Oswes-
try, and Chester, 71. 55.-South !Micland, St.-Shrewsbury
and Hereford, 21. 10s.-Stirling and Dunfermline, 31. ss. 6d.
-Tean and Dove Valley, 3/. 12s. 6d.-Wishaw and Colt-
ness, 58/.

cupidity in their various offices, retard its advance in the
glorious mission it has to perform. Because we are
the friends and advocates of the railway system, we
are desirons of lopping off its imperfections, wherever
they are discovered. On the opinion which we have
here given, as to the policy of full publicity being given
of the state of works in the course of their construction,
we are borne out by a recent act of the Belgian Govern-
ment. Forest eing that the benefits of railways will

always be regulated by the power they have of
responding to the demands of the public, they have
wisely decreed that their first formation shall be watched
with a jealous eye ; and that, whenever it is deemed
necessary to enforce upon those who execute the works
a due performance of the contracts they ent:r into, re-
ference shall be made to the last court of appeal, the
public, by making known to them the actual state and
condition of the works. This determination once taken,
there is small probability that ever it will be found ne-
cessary to be carried into effect—the knowledge that
such a corrective hangs over them will keep the parties
to the observance of their duty. These remarks, al-
though they have been called firth by complaints re-
specting the llavre line in particular, we intend to apply
generally to every line in the course of construction.
With respect to railways yet to be constructed, we
would avail ourselves of the experience which the past
has given us to avoid the justice of the censures we
have f.lt ourselves bound to pass upon this occasion.
We would advise directors to be cautious in taking
the first step after gaining the concession of their
line ; that is, in fixing upon the party who shall
construct it. Whoever or whatever that party may
be, it should be a stringent condition that he be nut
a director, that he be not one of the company, or
that his interest in the deposit be not so great as to give
him a preponderating influence in the deliberations of the
society. The party, whether a company or an indi
vidual, who undertakes the execution of the works,
should stand in his natural position as a servant, under
certain conditions, of the directors. If, on the contrary, he
be ene of their body, or has an everwhelmine influence
in their deposits, he will execute the works not as they,
but as he, may think proper. and will be his own judge
into the bargain. T m
There will be no control over hi
except that which his own immediate interests may
dictate. The disadvantageous Position which we have
here supposed is the very one respectively occupied by
the Directors of the Havre line and thjdr contractor.

Hence the complaints that have been publicly made re-
specting th• defective condition of the works have not
drawn forth a single observation, but have been treated
with contemptuous silence, because the contractor re-
ports to the director, and the director is the contractor.
Another strict rule should be observed by Directers in
future contracts, and that is, that the interests of their
engineer and those of their contractor should not be
identical. The want of due precaution in this matter,
on the Havre line, has been productive of much well-
founded complaint.
We will now proceed to Paris, and show what has
been done to secure a railway communication thence to
Germany. For a line projected from Paris to Stras-
bourg there are no less thin four competing companies.
At present the interest of the public seems to be equally
extended to every one of the four candidates. Not one
of them that we are aware of offers any pretensions that
ought to secure to it a monopoly of public favour ; we
shall therefore dismiss them from our consideration, and
proceed to state the advantages of the line as a grand
means of communication from London to the German

frontiers.
This line is more desirable for France than it is for
England, because another, perhaps tasier, and at all
events as convenient a means of reaching Germany from
London so as to avoid France altogether, has recently
been broached, and shall come in for a share of our no-
tice before we have concluded this review.
It is by a line to Strasbourg only that France can
secure to herself the full advantages of easy commer
cial intercourse with Germany. With a branch to
Bale, the Strasbourg and Paris line will put the
capital of the fashionable world into direct comma-
nicae.on with Switzerland, southern Germany, and
Prussia ; and with these countries, we have the
authority of statistical documents published by the
French Government for saying,France transacts business
annually to the amount of 300,000,000 of francs, or
12.000,0001. sterling. The line has been surveyed, and
particulars respecting the localities through which it has
to pass, have been drawn together with much care and
fidelity. It pa:.-tes through no less than fifteen depart-
ments, having a population of nearly seven millions of
inhabitants. But the position in which it presents itself
to our mind as the one pre-eminently commanding public
interest, is that of its being the natural branch from the
trunk line of Havre to Paris, thus leading us direct from
the sea to Germany. Strasbourg, Germany, and Swit-
zerland, receive annually, on an average, by land-car-
riage from Havre, upwards of 100,000 tons of cotton
and other colonial produce. The long, dreary, and
tedious way by which this merchandise is conveyed by
roulage through the very heart of France by no means
contributes to the adrince of commerce ; on the con-

trary, it has been, and is still the cause of much retarda-
tion, consequent depression in trade, and cor-
responding injurious consequences to the com-
munity. This line is also susceptible of other branches
besides the one to Balt ; and it is in contemplation to
construct one from Froyard to Metz, and one from
Metz to the Prussian frontier vid Sarrebruck. Although
we are the advocates of peace and not of war, yet the
same principle holds good in France as well as in Eng-
land ; there also, as with us, the best way to remain at
peace is to be prepared fer war. For the purpose of
facilitating the transport of troops to the German fron-
tier, the line to Strasbourg, as well as its branches, is
admirably calculated. If ever an invasion of France
should be attempted from Prussia, the blow would un-
doubtedly come by the valley of the Sarre. The French
Government understand their position in that respect
well ; that valley they look upon as almost the most
important outpost on their extensive confines ; .and, in
accordance with their recent policy, they will neglect
nothing that would tend to guard them against a sur-
prise. The line, with its branches, will form a sort of
triangle, from each outer terminus of which the
French could pour their forces over the frontiers with
rapidity. A French force by means of this line and
its adjuncts, could readily be brought to bear upon
Mayence by the valley of the Sarre, and from Stras-
bourg upon Wurtzbourg, `Vey mar, Leipzig, Wur-
temburg, Berlin, Stnttgardt, Augsbourg, Ratisbon,
South-Eastern
ern Munich, Vienna, Tubingen, and Ulm. The
n ch
, either from Bois-le-Duc, or from
Nancy to Bale, by Neufchateau, Epinal, Remiremont,
Saint Maurice, and Massevaux, permits the rapid con-
veyance of forces upon Bale ; and from Bale they
FMreutnieihcheeahnldd
penetrate
might bear upon Schuffhausen, the Lake of Constance,
sb etrhge,the
Tlche
inerep re,
Byto the
centre of the Duchies of Luxembourgh and of the Rhine,
by the way which leads to Mayence, to Frankfort, and
by Coblentz and Westphalia to Berlin. That part of
the frontiers of France lying between Thionville,
Strasbourg and Bale, are exposed to the Prussians, the
branchan
German Confederation, and the Austrians. 'With all
these promised advantages both in a military and
commercial view, it is quite certain that the Stras-
bourg will meet with every encouragement from the
French Government.
There are no new features in the lines to the south
worthy of remark, except that that portion of the line
which leads from Orleans to Kerzin, on the Orleans and
Bordeaux Railway, is expected to be opened in the
month of October or November next.
The Northern Railroad has so recently been described
by ourselves, that it needs little farther observation at
the present moment, except to record the important fact
of the adjudication, which took place on the Bth ult.,
and which has been in favour of the great coalition of
the various rival lines, under the powerful influence of
the house of Rothschild. The adjudication is for a term
of thirty-eight years : and immediately on its announce.
ment, the shares of the new company went up in Paris
as high as 171. prem. Considerable firmness will be
given to this important enterprise when the scrip of the
new consolidated company are issued, which we hope
the directors will not long delay.
Quitting France, and proceeding in a northerly direc-
tion, we are arrested by the activity that is going on in
Belgium, for the purpose of completing all her ways of
communication, whether by railway or canal.
Before we notice what is now going forward in Bel-
gium in this respect, a few preliminary observations on
her present position and tendency may not be out of
place.
Since the period of the revolution which placed King
Leopold upon the Belgian throne, this country has made
rapid progress in agriculture, commerce, and manufac-
tures ; and at the present day it is quite certain that no
state in Europe offers more solid and permanent advan-
tages for the investment of capital. The policy of its
government is to encourage the spirit of private enter-
prise, and the association of foreign and domestic
capital for all purposes of public utility ; and this,
taken in connexion with the dispositions of the
people, presents a bright prospect for a future com-
mercial career. Her geographical position on the
map of Europe renders it next to impossible that any
traffic of importance can be carried on without her roads
being called into requisition. It is well known to every
one who has paid attention to this flourishing kingdom,
that she is provided with minerals in great abut:dance,
and that her collieries are those from which a great part
of France receives almost exclusively its supply.
The present system of Belgian railroads is incom-
plete. The north and south, the rich provinces of
Hainault, Tournay, and the French and Belgian Flan-
ders, had hitherto no continuous railway connexion with
Bruns( le. The Lille and Valenciennes line, by Douay,
by attracting travellers to Brussels by way of Valen-
ciennes, vve.uld have an injurious tendency towards Bel-
gium. It was considered therefore indispensable, and of
the highest utility to the country, to establish a junction
between the west and the south; the first section of which
would he from Monsern to Tourney. An elaborate sur-
vey and report thereon has be en made by the Belgian
aultorities, the result of which is to estah!ish the feet
that one of the lines which must effect the object of cons
piecing the general reseuu of railways contemplated
by the State, must pass from Tournay to Jurbise. which
would, as observed above, connect the west with the
south. The immense utility which this road would con-
fer upon the important localities through which it would
pees is an important consideration for the Government.
The valuations that have been made with great care, and
without the slightest exaggeration, prove incontestably
that the minimum net produce to be expected from a line
between these two points, would yield a profit on the
capital embarked in its establishment of more than
17 per cent. The calculations of a Government
officer exhibit a profit to the Government of one million
francs a year upon an outlay of six millions of francs.
Although the inclination OF the Belgian authorities ap
pears at present to be in favour of executing this line, at
some not distant period, by the State alone, yet, as it will
1;e found necessary fur the State to borrow funds for that
purpose, it is not impossible that it will ultimately be
considered advisable to grant the concession to a body of
English capitalists. The line is intended to pass Lenze,
Ath, and the valley of the petite Dendre to Jurbise, and

a glance at the map of Belgium will readily convince one
that unless such a line be executed soon, the traffic from

Franco to Brussels must merely skirt the frontiers I
of Belgium instead of crossing an important portion I
of the kingdom. Next month we intend to give a
detailed account of its prospects, drawn from offi-
cial documents, which we have carefully compared
with the receipts of existing lines coining under our own
observations. In the mean dine pass on to notice a
concession that has recently been made by the Thigian
Government to an English Company for the execution
of a line of railway from Liege. to Namur. It is to
commence at Liege with two branches, which unite be-
tween Ougree and Flemalle, thence forming but one
branch to Namur. There will be a station at Seraing,
Jemappes, and at Huy, independent of those at the ter-
mini at Liege and Namur. To the same Company is
conceded also a line from the collieries of the centre
to Meinage and to Mons. Among the names of those
who form this society, we have noticed that of Andrew
Spottiawoode, Esq., of the Union Bank in London, as
• giving great weight and stability to the character of the
concern.
The concession of this line is, as the Frereh would
say, en felt acccnipli, yet we are desirous of drawing
attention to some of the peculiarities that have marked
the conduct of the Belgian government in grantig the
concession. The first peculiarity that forcibly strikes
us is that which we find embodit.d in the following

passage :
The iron necessary for the road shall be had from
the foundries of the country (Belgium), provided always
that it can be delivered at a price which shall not go
beyond 10 per cent. over that which may be had from
abroad and delivered at Antwerp. The locomotives,
carriages and waggons, shall be made in the country
lgium), but in c:•liscquence of the improvements
which may be imported from foreigners, in the fabrica-
tion of lecomotivei, the concessionnaires are empowered
to purchase such as may be necessary to serve them as
models."

This passage, whilst it furni-hes proof of the paternal
care bestowed by the Belgian Government upon the
welfare of its subjects, is a remarkable proof that the
true principles of political economy, which have success-
fully made their way in this country, have not yet come
to be appreciated by our Belgian neighbours. Let us
hope that railways, which bring civilisation and enlight-
ened views in their train, may rapidly impartio them a
right way of thinking on these subjects, not only in re-
gard to the construction of railways, but every other
branch of commercial enterprise.
In another place the Belgian Government have imposed
the following conditions upon the cone,ssionnaires:—
" The corcesionnairos of the Liege and Namur Bail-
way cannot, on any occasion, place any obstacle to the
establishment of branches ; nor can the estshliahment of
such embranchments g re rise to any claim for indem-
nity on their part
ment shall devise or authorise the construction of canals,
roads, or railroads, which shall cross the conceded rail-
road, or any of its branches, the concessionnaires cannot
put any obstacle thereto, nor reclaim, on that account,
any other indemnity than the reimbursement of the
eventual augmentation of the expenses of support. . .
. . If in the course of the first ten years of this con-
cession (we should have stated that the concession is for
90 years) there shall be constructed in France, in the
valley of the Meuse, a railway from the frontier to
Vireux, or any other part of that valley, the cones's-
sionaires will be bound to prolong the Liege and Namur
Railway by Dinant to the frontier. The delay accorded
for this purpose will be three years, dating from the act
of the French Goverement which shall ensure the execu-
tion of the railway on its own territory. The clauses
and conditions of the present caheirs des charges will be
in every respect applicable to the section from Namur
to the frontier."
We have quoted these passages to bear us out in the
inference we draw that the Belgian Government has no
intention of slackening its progress in railway works,
but that on the contrary, it contemplates a magnificent
extension, which holds out every prospect of future ad-
vantage to the community.
As a proof of the stringent manner in which the Bid-
gians make their conventions with English companies,
and by way of information to any of our countrymen
who may contemplate future eneagements, we subjoin
also the following passages, which we presume arc or
will be applicable to every concession hereafter granted

in that country.
" 16. The concessionaires will conform as much as
possible, in their propositions and projects, prepared by
virtue of the preceding article, to the measures adopted
for the construction of the national railway.
" 17. The Minister of Public Works may add to the
propositions and projects in question such modifications
as he may judge necessary or useful, for ensuring the
entire execution of the provisions of articles 1 to 10, of
the present cahiers des charges. The concessionnaires
will be held to conform themselves entirely to such
modifications in the course of the execution of the works,
nor can they evade the observance of any of the projects
approved of by the Minister of Public Works, without
his previous and formal authorisation.
" 18. The concessionaires will undertake, at their
own expense, risk, and peril, and without any charge on
the State Treasury, to execute all the works of whatever
description, whether foreseen or unforeseen, without
any exception or distinction, as well as to provide all
furniture for the preservation and renewing of the ma-
terial acknowledged to be necessary for the establish-
ment of the railway from Liege to Namur, for its work-
ing and for its subsequent maintenance. This clause
must be considered as the basis of the contract; the
parties understanding that in all possible cases it will
receive the broadest applications, particularly in every-
thing that concerns the indemnities which may, by virtue
of the dispositions in vigour, be due to the authors of
projects anterior to the railway from Liege to Namur.
e 19. The putting the concessionnaires into possession
of all the properties (whether of buildines or not of
buildings) necessary for the execution of the works, the
occupation of all landssfor the extraction of the carriage,
and the deposit of materials, will take place in the same
manner as in case of works decreed as of public utility,
in the name of the State, but at the diligence and the
expense, exclusively, of the concessionnaires.
" 20. The concessionnaires will remain solely and ex-
clusively charged with all indemnities, and all expenses
which may occur, to the profit of whomsoever it may
happen, for the construction, the maintenance, the work-
ing, the support, and repairs of the railway and its
dependencies.
" 21. The concessionnaires cannot take advantage of
any appropriation, nor commence any works, before
having justified, to the satisfaction of the Department
of Public Works, the realisation of a first deposit in
Belgium of three millions of francs, including the eau-
tionemoney required by the following article.
" 22. TITe seution-money of one million of francs, fur-
nished by the-e..encessionnaires, will remain as a security
for the fulfilment of their engagements. That sum will
remain deposited in the hands of Government without
any interest; and will restore to the coucessionnaires,
by fifths, according as they shall have executed works,
or acquired properties valued at double the sum of that
of which they reclaim the reimbursement.
" 23. If, within the delay of one year, after the pro-
mulgation of the law of concession, the concessionnaires
have not justified the realisation of the deposit of three'
millions of francs required by the article 21, or, if within
that delay they have not commenced their works, they
will be, by law, deprived of their concession, unless they
have been withheld from the want of being put into pos-
session in any shape whatever.
"24. The concessionnaires will be deprived of all their
rights, if the works are not completely achieved within
the delay fixed by the 13th article, and according to the
provisions of that article, and also in case the works
shall not be half completed at the expiration of sixteen
months.
" 27. If during the execution of the works it be ac-
knowledged that they are not executed conformably to
the rules of art, and to the clauses and conditions of the
present cahiers des charges, the administration may
cause them to be demolished and reconstructed, in
whole or in part, at the expense of the concessionnaires."
We promised to notice a project for communicating
with Germany from London, otherwise than through
France.
A project has been spoken of by which a ship canal will
be cut from Antwerp to the North Sea, for the purpose
of conveying heavy merchandise, which now has to go
by the navigation of the Scheldt, incurring a loss of
time in the transit of goods of one week, which can be
performed in six hours by the projected canal. Along
the banks of this canal a railroad is to be con-}
structed, which will convey passengers the same dis-
tance in two hours. The making of this canal will faci-
litate the transit of merchandise into Germany • and so
far will be no insignificant competitor with the Havre
trunk line, and the line from Paris to Strasbourg, inas-
much as many of the vessels that now discharge their
cargoes at Havre would then proceed on to Antwerp.
The West Flanders project is another means by which
the travelling public will have access to Germany. On
this project Mr. George Stephenson has given a report,
the result of his personal survey on the spot, from which
we gather that the line is to pass from Calais, by Grave-
lines, to Dunkirk, Furnes, Dixmude, Lich tervelde, Thielt,
Deynze, Courtrai, Merlin, Wervieq, Ypres, and Pope-
ringhe. From Fumes to Dixmude the country is not
only favourable for cutting the line with little expense,
but it is also of such a character as to furnish a great deal
of traffic in cattle fed on the spot, destined for distant
markets. From Dixmude to Lichtervelde the line bears
the same favourable character ; but from the latter place
to Thielt there are undulations, not however of a serious
nature, the material being of an easy character to work,
but the slopes will be required to be fiat, as the material
holds water, and is liable to slip. From Thielt to Deynze
the line is again highly favourable. At Deynze it joins
the State Line, about ten miles from Ghent, which con-
nexion will be easily made, and form a complete com-
munication between the rich agricultural districts of
Fernes, Dixinutie, Roulers, Thourout, and the whole of
the centre of West Flanders, with Ghent, Ante erp, and
Brussels.
The to'al length of this line is about 37 miles, and the
population of the towns through which it passes (ex-
clusive of small villages, which are considerable) stand
thus :

Flumes 4.757
Dixnride 3,614
Lichtervelde
Thielt

Deyrze
The extension of this lin,- to Dunkirk and Calais will
be of great bunefit, the grout.d being extremely favour-
able for a railway, and if made will form a direct Com
munication from the abovementioned ports to Brussels.
From Courtrai to Merlin, as: also from Mersin to Wer-
vicq, the country presents great facility for the continu-
ance of the railway. Piceeding from the latter place
to Ypres, the route pursued will require some consider-
able cuttings to obtain favourable gra-lients ; the mate-
rial is of the ~t.une description as lifoi'anentioned, while
~n the contrary, from Ypres to Ptimrng;he the line is
carried over a very favourable district, passing through
the centre of a very rich hop and flax district, of which
Courtrai is the market. A deviation from the line laid

down in the map between Merlin and Ypres has been
suggested by going round to \Venice/. The It-ngth of
this lime now defined is about twenty-five miles, and the
town population stands thus :
Courtrai
Alenin
Wervicq
Ypres
Poperinghe
It commences on the State Lino from Brussels to
Teurnay and Lille, at, the station at Courtrai, aral forms
a junction at the station of the state line from Brussels
to Ostend, at Bruges, passing through the following
towns :
Courtrai
Lindelede 4,187
Isegheni
Routers • 10,320
Lichtervelde ... 6,194
Thourout
Bruges
The length of this line is about thirty miles, while the
distance of the State Railway from Courtrai to Ghent,
and from Ghent to Bruges, is about fifty-one miles,
showing a saving of twenty-one miles by this railway,
which must ensure the whole of the traffic between these
towns.

The working planq, sections, &c, of the district from
Bruges to Courtrai are in course of preparation ; and as
this part of the line is exceedingly favourable, the works
will be executed rapidly : it will connect Bruges, contain-
ing with its arrondissement, 111,000 inhabitants, with
Courtrai, containing with i!S arrondissement, 140,000
and a populous intermediate district. From the character
of the country, &c , there can be no dif&ulty in com-
pleting this section within a year.
The line from Furnes to Deynze may also be com•
menced as scon as the plans and sections are prepared.
In closing the review of continental railways, we are
desirous of calling attention to the fact of two companies
having been recently formed fur obtaining the concession
of and for constructing other lines on the continent. One
is called the Anglo-Belgian, and the other the Great
European. Of neither of these have our opinions been
sufficiently matured to warrant us entering at any length
upon their pretension.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.
GREAT KENT ATMO:;PHERIC.
A meeting cf the inhabitants of Faversham was called
on Saturday morning, at eleven o'clock, in the Town-
hall, by the Committee of the, town council, appointed
"to confer with any raila ay company that may
project a line thruuLh or near Faversham, with
a view to a settlement of such points and sugges-
dons as may tend to the advantage and benefit of the
town and port," for the purpose of meeting a deputation
from this Compony, consisting of Mr. W. A. Wilkinson
(chairman of the London and Croydon Railway), Mr.
Benjamin Baines, Mr. NV. Burchall (solicitor to the
Company), and Mr. William Cott (one of the sem-
saries). Some of the influential inhabitants of the town
were present. Amongst them the Right Honourable
S. R Luihington (formerly member for Canterbury and
late governor of Maclra;), Sir Thomas Montresor, Gen.
Gosling, the Rev. Dr. Birt, the Vicar, Messrs. G. Hilton,
E. Hilton, and others.
The Mayor (Mr. James Walker) was in the chair.
Mr. WILKINSON entered into a lengthy statement de-
scriptive of the course of the line, and of the advantages
which it would confer on the districts through which it
would pass. The lanes originally projected by the Lon-
don and Croydon had been greatly improved and ex-
tended so as to afford the greatest accommodation
to all the principal towns in the north and in the centre
of the county of Kent. As now remodelled they would
give the facilities and advantages of direct and inde-
pendent railway communication from London to Graves-
end, Rochester, and Faversham, which would have a
branch to Seven Oaks, Tonbridge, Maidstone, Ashford,
Canterbury, Dover, and Deal, the distance to all of
which would scarcely exceed that by the present turn-
pike roads. the main trunk line would pass by Faver-
sham about half a mile from the Mall. It would run by
the back of the church, past the Abbey Tavern, to the
Standard Quay, from which branches would issue to the
right and left along the various wharfs,,in order to afford
the utmost accommodation to those engaged in the
business of the town and port ; the Directors being most
desirous to meet in every way the wishes of the inhabi-
tants, feeling assured that that line which would afford
them the greatest convenience, whether fur the convey-
ance of themselves or their goods, at a great saving of
time and expense, would be the one most likely to meet
with their support, and the approbation of Parliament.
Several questions were put to Mr. WILKINSON, to
which he replied that the lines would intersect entirely
new ground in the north and in the centre of the county,
thus connecting important towns where trade was lan-
guishing from the present defective means of transit,
and many of which other lines, whether those con-
structed or projected, seemed specially to avoid. By
their line coals and timber would be conveyed from one
town to another speedily, and at a moderate rate.
The Right Hon. S. R. LUSIIINGTON wished to know if
the estimated charges for the conveyance of passen-
gers specified in the prospectus issued by the company,
would be strictly adhered to, and inserted in the Act of
Parliament ?
Mr. WILKINSON said they would. The company
pledged themselves to their being the maximum rate of
charges ; but he had every reason to believe that they
would be greatly reduced when the line was opened.
The Right Hon. S. R. LUSHINGTON said, after read-
ing the report, and the whole of the evidence adduced
before the Committee appointed by the House of Com-
mons to inquire into the practicability of atmospheric
traction, and the statements pro and con of the most
eminent engineers—Brunel, Sarnuda, Bidder, and others
—he had arrived at the conclusion that it - would ulti-
mately supersede the locomotive traction, and that those
who had expended large sums of money in rendering
lines available for that power would find their only re-
medy in the Insolvent Court.—(Laughter.)
Mr. C. HILTON stated, on behalf of the South-Eastern
Company, that when the proper time arrived he should
be able to make out as good a case in their behalf as he
did on a former occasion, when the town was unanimous
in its favour.
A vote of thanks was passed to the Mayor, and the
meeting broke up.