The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-08 00:00:00

DIRECT RAILWAY S.

The classification, by the Board of Trade, of railway
projects, including those which they have reported
against, as well as those on which they have reported
favourably, is now complete ; and the various measures
will be forthwith referred to Select Committees of the
House of Commons. It is impossible to over-estimate the
importance of railway legislation. It is a question of
great national interest, and ought, therefore, to receive
the most careful attention of Parliament. It is to be hoped
that the COmmittees will enter on the discharge of their
duties with a proper notion of the momentous in-
terests which aro involved in railway matters.
There are other and higher considerations connected
with railways than those which relate to the claims
of rival companies. The great question of public
convenience Is involved in many of the struggles which
are about to take place before Parliament, between the
promoters of opposing projects. It were impossible to lay
down any specific principle fur the guidance of the Legis-
lature, which would admit of universal application. There
are peculiarities incident to most projects, which
would prevent the application in all cases of ptinciples
which apply in particular cases. But as a rule, or ge-
neral principle, the view entertained by Sir Robert Peel,
and which he expressed ten or twelve days ago in Par-
liament, is undoubtedly the one which ought generally
to be acted on. The Premier laid down the proposition
that the lines which are most direct, and consequently
the shortest, ought to be preferred, unless where there
I are peculiarities in the projected line which would jus-
tify a departure from the rule.
Whatever conclusion Parliament may come to on
this point, it is not to he denied that the country enter-
tains the same view as Sir Robert Peel. The direct
lines are everywhere the favourite lines. They are so not
only because in the nature of things they must be the
cheapest, but because by travelling by them there will
be a great saving of time. To most persons this i 3 as
great an object as the saving of money. To
many,—to all whose avocations are numerous
or urgent, it is more. Supposing, for example,
that a person was proceeding from London
to York, and that he could get in four hours and a half
by either of the direct lines proposed between the two
places, while if he has to go by the circuitous route of
the Eastern Counties and the Cambridge and Lincoln
lines, he cannot accomplish the journey in less than six
hours, is it not evident that a saving of an hour and a
half in time would lyt a far more important object to
thousands of persons, especially to professional men, than
the mere saving of a few shillings—supposing there were
such a saving—in the charge for travelling ?

Let us me-ntion another—caw illustrative of the de-
sirableness of adopting the direct drinciple. There
are two lines proposed for connecting Edinburgh, Glas-
gow, and England, by means of Perth, with Inver-
ness.and the northern counties of Scotland. By the
Aberdeen route, the distance would be nearly seventy
miles greater than by the proposed direct line
from Perth to Inverness. It cannot for a mo-
ment be supposed that Parliament would prefer
the termer line to the exclusion of the latter, and
thus compel the public to travel nearly seventy
miles out of their way, and that, too, at a great addi-
tional expense. In many cases—and in this one among
the number—local necessities may justify the construe
lion of a circuitous route, but for all national purposes
the direct routes must be preferred. The public has a
right to demand this. Sir Robert Peel has again and
again expressed himself decidedly favourable to it, and
Parliament will, therefore, we trust, acquiesce in its
adoption.
We dwell with greater earnestness and emplif!:ls on
this point, because, if the direct principle te departed
from in one case, that will be pleado'!, as a precedent
for departing from it in anoth'er, and thus a seri-
ous injury will be inflicted on the community. We
do not say that there may not be cases in which,
owing to peculiar circumstances, a deviation from
the direct principle may be justifiable, but such
cases must,- in the nature of things, be very rare.
Direct routes must necessarily not only be the most ex-
peditious, but the cheapest, and in all respects the best
adapted to afford accommodation to the public. Mr.
Thomas Duncombe is about to bring forward a motion
to prevent any further injury being done by the reports
of the Board of Trade. It would be well if some Hon.
Member would summit a resolution to the House, be-
fore the railway Bills are referred to the Committees,
pledging the House to a preference for the direct prin-
ciple.—Morning Advcrtiser.

COURT CIRCULAR.
The Queen and Prince Albert, attended by the Hon. Miss
Hamilton, Colonel Arbuthnot, and Colonel Bouverie, rode
out on horseback yesterday mornin_g.
Their Royal highnesses the Prince of Wake, Prince
Alfred, and the Trincess Royal, were taken an airing in a
carriage-and four yesterday. Her Royal Highness the
Princess Alice was taken an airing in the Royal Gardens of
Buckingham Palace.

Their, Royal Highnesses the Hereditary Grand Duke and
Duchess of Mecklenburgh-Strelitz visited the Queen yester-
day at Buckingham Palace. •
Her Majesty, accompanied by the l'rinee of Wales, and at-
tended by the Lady in Waiting, took an airing in the after-
noon, in an open carriage and four, and visited her Royal
Highness the Princess Sophia, at Kensington ; Colonel Ar-
buthnot, Equerry in Waitin, attended on horseback.
The Queen and Prince Albert, attended by the Countess
of Charlemont, the llon. Miss Stanley, the Earl of Hard•
wicke, Colonel Arbuthnot, and Colonel Bouvcrie, honoured
the French Plays with their presence yesterday evening.
DuoitEss of GLOUCESTEII.—Her Royal Highness
was better yesterday. The Queen called at Gloucester
House in the afternoon to make inquiry after the health of
her illustrious relative. The Queen Dowager, the Duchess
of Kent, and the Duke of Cambridge, paid visits to the
Royal Duchess in the course of the dAy.

Her Majesty the Queen Dowar, attended by the Hon.
Miss Eden, visited the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge yes-
terday, at Cambridge House.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent has issued cards
for a dinner and evening party on Friday, the 18th inst., at
Clarence House, St. James's.
The Duchess of Kent visited the Duke and Duct' acs of
Cambridge yesterday Her Royal uwith her
.
Majesty the Queen Dowager at Marl '•.611 ..611 House in the
evening.
The Duke of Cambridge jind the Hereditary Grand Duke
of Mecklenburgh St7,:i.itz honoured the performance of the
French lave Tvith their presence yesterday evening.
Th,! kirtind Duchess Stephanie of Baden.—Her Royal
riighness accompanied by
his Serene Highness Prince Ed.
yard of Saxe Weimar and the Duke of Hamilton, and attended
by the Baroness de Strumfeder and Baron Roth de Schreck-
enstcin, left town for the residence of the Duke of Devon.
shire, at Chiswick, at twelve o'clock yesterday. The Noble
Duke accompanied his illustrious visitors through the grounds
of the villa. A dejeune was afterwards served.
The Grand Duchess and suite returned to town at four
o'clock, in two carriages and four.
His Serene Highness Prince Ernest of Hesse Phillippstahl
visited the Grand Duchess after her return, at the Duke of
Hamilton's residence in Portman-square.
A deputation from the City of London had an interview
with Sir Robert Peel yesterday, at his offiicial residence in
Downing-street. The deputation consisted of the Lord
Mayon, Mr. Alderman Humphery, Sir James Duke, Mr.
R. L. Jones, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Prior, the Town Clerk the
City Remembrancer, and the City Solicitor. ,
The cclesiastical Commissioners for England had a meet •
ing yesterday at the Office in Whitehall- place. There were
present the Bishops of Chester, Lichfield, Ripon, and Worces-
ter, and the Dean of Westminster.
Mr. John Wood, Chairman of the Excise, had an interview
with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday.
Dispatches were sent off yesterday evening from the Co-
lonial-office, for the Governor of Hong-Kong.

DEPARTURE OF THE CALEDONIA FROM LIVER-
rooL.—The steamrship Caledonia Captain Lott, sailed at
eight o'clock on Saturday evening, Halifax and Boston,
taking out her full complement of passengers, not less than
60,000 newspapers, and an equal number of letters, and a
bearer of despatches from Government to Mr. Palif,nbani,
Minister at Washington, conveying the :.:ciaration of the
Government respecting the corz.on, for which purpose her
detention from Friday Co Saturday was, no doubt, ordered by
the Admiralty. She was telegraphed off Holyhead at half-
vast fiT49'skitclt on Sunday morning.

THEATRES.
DRURY-LANE,,
This house was crowded to the ceiling last evening
long before the rising of the curtain. It was the first
appearance this season of Duprez ; no wonder then that
all the lovers of music in London congregated together
within the walls of Old Drury to do him honour. The
opera was Guillaume Tell, and Duprez sustained his
original character of Arnold—that character in which
he was first introduced to a British audience, his earliest
character, perhaps his greatest and his best. Ile was
superb last evening. The sweetness of some of his tones
cannot be surpassed, and so exquisite is his expression
that he completely carries away his auditors—now
melting them to tears by his impassioned tenderness—
now rousing them by his martial enthusiasm. The last
scene is the crowning triumph of the opera, and never
was Duprez greater. lie was called fur at the conclu-
sion and loudly applauded. Then there was a call for
Miss Romer, who, as Matilda, had sung and acted de-
lightfully ; and after a short time she appeared, led on
by Duprez. 'Th►e opera, which was very well put upon
the stage, was followed by the ballet of Robert and
Bei trawl.