The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 25, 1845

mitted to the Board ; as soon as its decision was made known
it satisfied me that it carried with it the impress of good sense,
and was calculated to advance the best interest of the country.
Wishing to ascertain the feeling of the parties along the line
and of the country generally, and requiring some calculations
which could only be made after personal inspection, I employed
my friend, Professor Oliver Byrne (of whose capability and talent

not mixed up with the question. A grant of 10,000/. a
year is paid out of the Consolidated Fund to make
up small livings in Scotland to 1501. a y ear,
though there are ample teinds for that purpose
belonging to the E:tablished Church. The landlords
robbed the Church of a part of the tithes, and some of
the descendants of these very landlords, on religious
principles, voted with Sir ROBERT INGLIs against a
paltry grant to a Church which had been robbed of its
entire inheritance. The union of robbery and religion
exhibits strange phenomena. The Church of England,
too, the wealthiest Church in the world, has
received large subsidies from the State—enough to
provide for the religious instruction of the whole Irish
people—yet that fact is lost sight of, and the wrath of
the voluntaries is reserved for the unfortunate
Irish. Their day of relief, however, is at
hand. Neither Sir ROBERT PEEL nor Sir
JAMES GRAHAM could urge any reason for
refusing them an act of justice, and they are still sup-
ported by that consistent party which suffered so much
for Ireland, and finally carried Catholic Emancipto ion.
Lord Howrcx last night spoke out as he has alway,
done, like a statesmen and a man of honour. " I have,"
said he, " always regarded the Church of Ireland in the
same light as my Right Hon. Friend the Member for
Edinburgh. I have always regarded the maintenance
of the Irish Church on its present footing as contrary
to every principle of justice and policy. I believe, in
my conscience, the maintenance of that Church has
been the great obstacle to the spread of the Protestant
religion. I am so persuaded of the truth of the
great principles of that religion, that I firmly be-
lieve, if they were given fair play, if they were not
weighed down by the injustice of the system to
which they are united, they must in three centu-
ries have taken root and flourished in the soil
of Ireland as they have (lone in other countries."
Lord PALMERSTON, though belonging to another school
of polities, was no less explicit. "It is impossible," said
his Lordship, " that the present state of things in Ire-
land, as regards the religious establishments of the two
sections into which the country is divided, can be per-
manent. Yeti have there a population of about eight mil-
lions, very nearly seven millions of whom are of a religion
different from the eigh th;million—you have a large Church
Establishment, which is appropriated to the instruct
tion of only one half of the Protestant minority—by
an annual grant you have contributed to the reli-
gious instruction of the remaining portion of the Pro-
testant minority. Can you then, for a moment, con-
template as permanent a system under which six and
a half or seven _millions of the poorest of the people
of Ireland receive religious instructions frown a
priesthood dependent upon eleemosynary contribu-
tions ; who go from house to house, from farm to farm,
and from cabin to cabin, collecting the wretched pittance
for their' precarious subsistence ?—(Cheers.) What-
ever may be the feelings of a large portion of the House,
and whatever the feelings of a large portion, I admit, of
the people of this country, I maintain that a provision
for the Roman Catholio priesthood is a measure which
Government and the house, at no distant period, will be
compelled, from a sense of justice, to entertain."

acres; it formerly was 700, but twelve or fourteen years ago 150
additional acres had been added to it. The line approached within
400 yards of the residence, and close to a flower garden. Lord
Harborough had, within the last few years, laid out somewhere
about 80,0001. in ornamental improvements. Several ornamental
cottages on the grounds would either be cut off from the main body
of the park, or else destreyed.

- . .
I entertain the highest opinion) to inspect the country between
Dublin and Galway, examine the proposed lines, and give his
opinion thereon—which, in the shape of a report, together with
my book, entitled " Statistical Evidence in favour of State Rail-
ways in Ireland," published in 1841, I laid before the Board of
Trade.

Sub-Committee (No. 3.)

The Committee met to .day at twelve o'clock, in room No. 13.
The Committee consisted of Mr. Agliontly, Chairman, Mr. T.
Egerton, Mr. Broadly, Mr. Stansfield, Mr. Thornely, Captain
Jones, and Mr. Aldam.
ERE WASH VALLEY RAILWAY.

The attention of the Board was drawn to portions of that work,
which were most important—namely, to resolutions of the Grand
Jury of the county, and the county of the town of Galway, Spring
Assizes, 1836, in favour of the line surveyed by Messrs. Bald and
Henry, civil engineers, and to their valuable report on that line,
and on the port of Galway, for which survey and report I paid 5501.
sterling, of which sum 250!. has only been repaid, and that by
the Irish Eastern and Western Railway Company.

In this case, in which Mr. Hall appeared for the promoters of
the Bill, the Committee decided that the standiil orders were
proved.

The great advantage of a breakwater at Mutton Island was also
strongly recommended in that most valuable report, and all ven-
tured to hope that Parliament would grant the small sum of
10,0001., the estimated cost of that work, which was required to
complete the harbour of Galway.
_ . . _

- The evidence taken before the Select Committee of the House of
Lords in 1836, with a view of improving the intercourse between
the United Kingdom and the North American Colonies, contained
so much valuable informaticn on the western harbours, that 1
a'to called their attention to some of the Most material portions of

It—namely, the evidence of Sir John Burgoyne, Viscount Beres-
ford, and of his Grace the Duke of Wellington ; also the very
valuable testimony of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Walter Otway,
Captain Henry Haynes, R.N., Captein Sir John Franklin, and
Captain F. Beaufort, Hydrographer to the Admiralty; from all
*which evidence, especially that of Admiral Otway and Captain
Haynes, the Board must have perceived the absolute necessity of
attending to the western harbours of Ireland, and esptcially to Gal-
way—so necessary at all times, but doubly so, before the country
shall be engaged in war—to avoid the great danger in which vessels
trading to the United Kingdom are exposed from the enemies'
cruisers.

I have marked, on both maps in single red, the line approve,: of
by the Board of Trade, and in double red, Messrs. Bald and Henry's
line, both from Dublin to Galway,
On map No. 1, I have shown all the lines that are proposed to be
" '

made—those that have met with the approval of the Board of
Trade, that have been rejected—recommended for postponement—
and those not decided upon. On map No. 2 are those approved of
by the Board—to which are added a few lines that I think will
meet with the approval of the Beard—one in particular from Rath.
downy, on the Cashel line, to Portumna, passing through a rich and
populous country, situated on the River Shannon, at Lough Derg,
navigable for steamers.

The branch line from Drogheda to Kells was a favourite project
of mine, and I war among the first to propose its being made some
years since, in connexion with the Preston and Wyre Railway, and
paid out of my packet 3001. towards the survey and preliminary
expenses. _ _ _

It is worthy of the deepest attention of all classes in Ire.
land, and indeed I may s.ry, of the empire at large, what Professor
Oliver Byrne states in his report, as to the advantage of the steam-
tugs in towing vessels out of the port of Galway, for so soon as this
railway shall be completed—that moment vessels will be prepared
fitted up on the principle of the screw propeller, to navigate
between Galway and New York, and I have the assuranze of par.
ties competent to form a just opinion on the subject, that twelve
days on the average will be sufficient to bring the correspondence
&c., from the greatest city in the United States of America, to
the capital of the British empire; a sum of one million sterling,
will be ample to purchase vessels, and form the establishment
necessary for such an undertaking, and I venture to state, that a
company formed for this purpose will make an enormous profit
from the correspondence alone, without mentioning passengers,
&c. &c., whilst the charge for freight and carriage, will, I am in-
formed, be less than one half of what it is at present.
I remain, Gentlemen your devoted friend,
THOMAS BIRMINGHAM.
16, Tichtield.terrace, Regent's Park, ttpril 25th, 1845.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES
(THIS DAY.)

The accounts from Madrid are to the 17th inst. On that
day the Chamber of Deputies adopted the war budget.
Senor Moumw had proposed an amendment for the purpose
of placing the provincial regiments, or national militia, in
their former position, and thereby making a saving of
20,000,000 reels, but he withdrew it at the request of the
Minister of War, who said every possible reduction consistent
with public safety had been made in the army. The follow-
ing piece of gossip appears in one of the Opposition papers :

Group No. 2.
LEEDS AND MANCHESTER LINE.
FRIDAY, FIFTY( DAY.
The Committee sat at the usual hour this day, and made
arrangements for the more convenient conduct of the proceedings,
the crowd for the last few days having made the heat of the room
intolerable.

Mr. TALBOT had an application to make to the Committee.
Though they had closed their case, still there was one witness, an
engineer named Asterisk, whom he wished to examine as to the
tunnel ; he could not have examined him yesterday as he was
under examination in another Committee.

"TOLEDO, APRIL 15.—Yesterday evening the son of the cele-
brated English Minister, Sir Robert Peel, who is an attache to the
British Embassy at Madrid, arrived hither. At the moment that
the said foreigner's carriage passed the post of the Alcantara gate,
the carabineers on duty approached in order to examine it.
Without any other ceremony, Sir Robert Peel's son presented to
the carabineers a pair of doublc.barrelled pistols. In return for
this delicate attention the carabineers rushed to their arms,
being anxious to repay the young foreigner in the same coin,
and to make him understand that, in such matters, Spai.iards
are net a sluggish people. This amicable interview might have
been attended with very unpleasant consequences, had it not been
put a stop to by the interposition of the civil employis. The poli-
tical chief, being informed of what was passing, sent for the
Englishman, when the latter said, with the candour which charac.
terises the English, that he did not understand the Spanish lan-
guage, and that be had presented his pistols to the carabineers for
the sole purpose of ascertaining whether a duty must be paid on
them. The political chief being convinced by this satisfactory
reply, suffered the ycung foreigner te depart. Ohl if he had been
a Spaniard," . .

The CHAIRMAN said that, having examined two engineers upon
that point yesterday for two hours, the Committee conceived they
had had engineering
evidence enough.
Mr. Barff, dealer in wool at Wakefield, deposed that 14,410,000
lbs. weight of the wool imported into Hmddersfield came from the
erst, and that should come from Hull by the Manchester and
Leeds line, either by land or water ; it usually came by land in
winter and by water in summer, the latter being cheaper then. It
would, in his opinion, be verydesirable that the proposed line should
be in the hands of cne company, the Manchester and Leeds.
To Mr. BAINES-IS a shareholder in the Manchester and Leeds
Company.
Mr. Anderton, worsted spinner—By the table of imports he
perceived that the import in the wool trade into Huddersfield from
the east was seven times more than that from the west.

...- -
Mr. Hawkshaw, engineer, deposed that he had measured the
proposed line, and his estimate was, that the continuation of the
branch from the Leeds Junction to Huddersfield would cost
100,0001.
Mr. TALBOT intimated that he had closed his case.

The Three per Cents. were done at 35i at 60 days; the
Five per Cents. at 25 9-16 at 60 days; the Coupons at 28h
at 60 days; and the Debt without interest at 8i at 60 days.

_ .
Captain Lawes wished to explain part of his evidence of yester-
day. Since he wai examined he had learned that there was an
agreement in writing between the Canal Company and the Leeds
and Manchester Company, and he would get a copy of it for the
Committee, but he had never seen it.
Mr. Bassias then rose, and said he would trouble the Committee
very shortly with a few observations in reply.
Mr. TALBOT hoped his Learned Friend would recollect that he
appeared for the Leeds and Dewsbury line, and that should not be
lost sight of. it being a district branch.
Mr. Bstrcza said if the Huddersfield and Manchester line should
be carried, the Dewsbury line would not be looked for. With re-
spect to the Bill now before the Committee, he would call upon
the Committee to affirm the proposition contained in the preamble
of this Bill—namely, that it was the one which would prove to
be of greatest public utility ; and in addition to that they had the
fact , that this Company had the power to form the whole line
from Staleybridge and Cooper.bridge. Then the report of the
Board of Trade stated that if the Committee should be satisfied as
to the utility of the line, its claims were paramount. He would
next call attention to the evidence of Mr. Locke, who was the
engineer whose reputation was at stake, as he had declared
that the line could be made within the 'estimate. As to the ob.
sat a
before
andilel wanted
tunnel, with such a propo-
n jection to a single line of rails in the tunnel, all danger could be
very easily avoided by a little care; but then the Bill had
a clause empowering the Board of Trade to compel this
Company to make another tunnel, if that should be
deemed necessary; and the Bill contained another clause
giving power to raise money for that purpose. It was given
in evidence that there was at present one line terminating within
one mile of Huddersfield, with several manufactories on both sides
of it, and a great number of people conypsenttainntttlhythepyaatssitnthagelkteoLdeaednedaf fromatnh
those de
dangertrs
to have their lino
c
singlen
the Committee. Then the Committee
Manchester
nhn mills ls ;
Company t wieale: at
in a
a that
edand
.tot
eseen thatf t i
had the evidence that the people of Huddersfield were decidedly
against the Manchester and Leeds proposition, and in favour of
the one he was now advocating. The Learned Counsel then
went on to comment on the evidence of the different
witnesses at great length, and contended that every word the
Co
Tmhme i teeeemhad
eheardnweerndte tore
dconfirme
et
theee
ructdi i t
nodf tthhee icne Wt
te
nth:
tEeSe
representing.
having remained in consultation some time, strangers were re-ad-
, milted, when

The French Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday adopted,
with a slight alteration, the first clause of the Bill for re-
ducing the Five• per• Cent Stock, which is as follows :—the
Minister of Finance is authorised to effect the reimbursement
of the Five per Cents. at the rate of 100 f. for each sf. of
rente, or the conversion into Four-and••a-Half per Cent. de-
clared not convertible for seven years. Silence on the part
of the stockholders was to be interpreted as acceptance of the
offer thus made. Stockholders were to be allowed twenty
days, for France, to make their demand for reimbursement, a
month for Europe or Algeria, and a year for other countries,
dating from the day on which the ordinance should be issued
fixing the conditions of the present Bill.
The alteration was a guarantee of ten in place of seven
years against the reduction of that stock when converted into
the Four .and-a-Half per Cents. The second clause was
under discussion at the hour of post. The report of the
Committee on supplementary and extraordinary credits for
the year 1844.45 has been completed, and was to be laid
before the Chamber on Wednesday. The revenue, it states,
was expected to yield in that year a surplus of 24,947,8361,
but had yielded nearly twice as much-42,000,000f. ;
yet, owing to extraordinary credits upon the treasury, there
had been a deficit of 24,123,500 f. The Committee are
strongly opposed to such a ruinous system, and state that
" such a result is calculated to make the Chamber most seri-
ously reflect. If, in a year in which general prosperity has
yielded a surplus revenue of 42,000,000 f. more than the
budget had reckoned, we close the same year with a deficit
of more than 24,000,000 f., what would the situation of our
finances be if unfortunate circumstances were to diminish or
stop up several sources of our revenue at the same time that
they aggravated the charges that weigh on our coun-
try ? If, from the interior of France, we turn our eyes
to the great powers of Europe, we find that they are
restoring an equilibrium between their receipts and their
expenses; that they are reducing their debts, and effecting
savings, as if, in anticipation of events that may compel
them to bring into play their whole strength, they were re-
serving resources for the future, and providing for all con-
tingencies. Thus it is that at the moment we are about to
close the financial year of 1843 with a defalcation of
39,826,728 francs, England is closing that year with a sur-
plus of receipts of 36,118,706 francs."
Among other items in this financial document are 44,0001.
as compensation to the owners of two British ships which
had been expelled unjustly by the French authorities from
the Bay of Portendick, and prevented frem taking a cargo el
gum which was ready for loading. Notes had been ex-
changed on the subject between the Cabinets of London and

nt wseulpypeoor'te I oocfk ,LoSridr
Exeter's George Greypt.
Group T.
SYSTON AND PETERBOROUGH RAILWAY.
T
the construction of the New Crosa.station,y,
gavehe
lion
iih which he v engineer of the London and Croydon Railway,
in
filwree.acsh
Gregory,raeir: Committee
nwh,
detn t
evidence to-day a t
plane. Nearly all the passengers' and
goods trains stopped at that station, yet no particular inconveni-
ence had been experienced from the inclination. It was not equal
to a level,
yet still no great difficulty had been found in working
the line on this account.
:,(317ticeanreisnpecicitnientgi
Mr. Giles, civil engineer, examined—Had seen the sections of
Mr. Stephenson's line. There was a large tunnel proposed to be
made, and the line was planned to cross the Welland twelve times;
n several of the cases by wooden bridges. These would require
to be often renewed, perhaps about once every twenty years. He
was acquainted with the town of Stamford, and knew St. Mary's.
hill, which was inclined I in 13, and came close down on the
station. That was a preat objection. He knew of no
railway in England where such a crossing as that
proposed at the end of the bridge in Stamford had been
made. Its being so near to the bridge would cause a great in.
convenience to the inhabitants in passing over the bridge front
one part of the town to the other. He had proposed a station
himself, outside of the town, on an inclined pine, but where
the station was placed he should make a level where the carriages
stopped of 1,000 feet. The station, in such a position, he
thought would be much more convenient to the whole
town, and afford with the removal of a house,
easy access to the fairs and markets. The inclines at Liverpool
and New.cross were greater than the one he proposed, and both
were connected with stations. He considered an assistant engine
would be necessary at this incline for heavy trains, but the
extra expense would be very trifling. lie considered his line gene.
rally superior to that of Mr. Stephenson's. It was 21 miles shorter
than the latter. It only crossed the river Welland once, and hid no
tunnel. The cuttings were general:y good. Altogether he considered
that in lands and works a saving
of 30,0001. or 40,0001. in the
construction would be effected. From the nature of the cuttings
he proposed a quantity of fine oolitc stone would be opened up,
and there would be no necessity to construct wooden bridges. That
stone, he believed, would become the object of considerable traffic,
and command a ready market in London. He considered the line
which lie proposed between Stamford and Hockham as superior to
the parallel line the Company proposed to form as part of their
integral line.
In cross-examination, Mr. Giles said that he originally surveyed
the line at the desire of the Earl of Exeter, and reported to him,
as he (Lord Exeter) had objections to the line. There was an
inclination in witness's line at Hockham, which was one in 132,
and three miles long. The largest inclination was that in which
he proposed to place the Stamford station, three and a half miles
long, and one in 106. The station with the proposed 1,000 feet
platform was near the centre, being at the distance of one and a
half from the top of the incline. The station proposed to be con-
structed at etamford.bridge would be an annoyance to the people
crossing the bridge, though lie did not apprehend much danger
from it under good reetrlatious. lie considered Mr. Stephen.
son's station as the most convenient for a passengers' station ; but
not so for goods. The other in that respect was much more pre-
frrahle. Another objection he had to Mr. Stephenson'e station
was, that it would destroy all the existing wharfs on the river at
Stamford.
This closed the case for Lord Exeter, Sir John M'Neill, civil
engineer, who was to have been examined in addition, not having
been able to give his attendance.
The petition of Lord Harborough was now gone into, Mr.
Whateley appearing for the Noble Lord.
Mr. Giles was the first witness examined. He did not con-
sider the line should be take's through his Lordship's park.
There was no necessity
for it. It might be taken to the westward
of the park, by making a deep cutting and a tunnel of 900 yards.
The expense would be more but the line would be equally good,
and the gradients about the same. This diversion of the line
would be half a mile shorter, It could also be taken by the east
side of the grounds, providing it were taken along the level
of the canal, in which case it would be a most excellent
line. It would then still go through his Lordship's park, but not
so near as in the Company's present plan. The tunnel and extra
work to the westward would be about 45,0001., but he thought
that the compensation due to Lord Harborough, for going through
his park, wouldreduce the difference one.half, as that nobleman
in his opinion ought at least to receive 20,0001. for the damage.
Mr. Clayton, land-surveyor, deposed that the cutting through the
grounds would sever nearly 100 acres from the park.
Mr. W. Babling, land steward to Lord Harborough, gave evi.
denoe respecting the character of the park. It contained about 850

Paris, and Commissioners appointed, without coining to any
decision, when the question was referred to the arbitration of
the King of PRUSSIA, who awarded this sum, including
interest. The demands of the British Government were
stated at 1,903,608 f. There is also a sum of 55,000 f.
as compensation to British agents who were compelled to quit
Morocco when the French fleet bombarded the coast. These
grants are expected to excite some angry speeches from the
Opposition.
The following are additional extracts from the papers :
" In the sitting of the Swiss Diet of the 19th, it was decided,
after some discussion, that the Jesuit question should be adjourned
to the next ordinary scss:on in the month of July. The deputy of
Lucerne then demanded that the Diet should at once cashier the
officers of the federal army who had formed part, of the. free
corps. To this it was replied, that he was going somewhat
too fast for the slow machinery of the federative system. A
smart exchange of recriminatory language took place between the
deputy of Lucerne and M. Briatte, the deputy of Vaud. The latter
terminated the sitting by a strong declaration against the appre-
ciation of the late political commotions is the canton of Vaud
made by M. Guizot in his second dispatch of March Z. This de-

claration was inserted in the minutes,' and produced a marked sen.
cation in the assembly and the diplomatic corps."
" The Semaphore of Marseilles contains a letter from Damietta,
which gives an account of the termination of the affair in which
an unfortunate Copt was killed by the populace after most shameful
ill.treatment, and the French Consul's house was injured by the
mob. On the formal complaint of this gentleman the Governor
of Damietta, My Bey, has been condemned to degradation, to an
imprisonmens of six years in the fort of Aboukir, and to pay an
indemnity to the Copt's family. The ulemas of Damietta have
been also punished in the person of their chief, Haly Hafacy,
who is exiled to Tantah. Kahl Bey has been made Governor in
Aly Bey's place."
The Three per Cents. .closed on the Paris Bourse on the
23d instant at 851. 85c. ; the Five per Cents. at 118 f. 60c. ;
Orleans Shares, 1,2201. ; Rouen, 1,1051. ; Vierzon, 859 f. ;
Havre, 9221. 50c.; Avignon, 1,030 E ; Basle, 295 E ; Spanish
Actives, 40% ; Ditto, Three per Cents., 42 ; Ditto, Passives,

THE IRISH GREAT WESTERN
RAILWAY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Your papor being a great authority on railway matters,
you will perhaps find a corner for this exposition of railway
schemes in Ireland:—

To the People of Ireland, particularly to the inhabitants of the
provinces of Leinster and Connaught, and to those of the
county and the county of the town of Galway.
My Friends,—You will doubtless rejoice on the late truly wise
decision of the railway department of the Board of Trade, in favour
of the Irish Great Western Railroad from Dublin to Galway—the
line which we from the first advocated as the best—and which
had your strenuous co-operation all through. Look at the map,
every one must admit the justice and soundness of this decision,
from the enormous advantages to be gained by constructing a great
line of railway along a level that brings the Irish Sea and St.
George's Channel within a few hours of the Atlantic Ocean.
I wish to lay before you the course which my duty, as a friend
to Ireland, impelled me to pursue during the last six months—
findingosdir,,, t
n gi
n thatthe view,m tah variousthough
g:e plansi. not
goingehre Proposeda
s fa r a
appearedhaving
possible, which the
essential,sa me
rntoucmhe
determined on collecting all
btetyllofnedaring to recommend any lest my zeal in the cause might go
the information
together with facts that have been obtained,
I've devoted to the subject, I sub-