The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-04-15 00:00:00

GREENOCK RAILWAY.

On Friday, a meeting of the shareholders was held in the
Sheriff Court-hall. Provost Macfie having been called to the
chair, stated that the object which the provisional committee
had in calling them together was, that they might here read a
report of their proceedings since last meeting.
Mr. James Turner then read the following report:—
" In obedience to the resolutions of the general meeting of
shareholders, held on the Bth day of January last, the Provi-
sional committee beg to report, that immediately af:er the ap-
pointment they turned their attention, in the first place, to the
very important duty of the employment of engineers qualified
'to give a " Flying Survey.'' Ist, of the most direct line of
railway communication between Glasgow and Greenock; and,
2dly, of the line which,. in their opinion, was likely to prove
most advantageoae to the interests of the company • and they
directed that the.reports should be accompanied with an esti-
mate of the expense of the construction of the railway.
" Reports have accordingly been received from Messrs.
Grainger and Miller, and M r..Geddes, of Edinburgh, and Mr.
M'Quisten, of. Glasgow, civil engineers; and it is very grati-
fying to the committee to inform their constituents, that
although these gentlemen differ in opinion in regard to the
line which ought to be adopted, they all agree that the country
lying between this and Glasgow is in every respect most
favourable for the construction of a railway, and that it will not
be necessary to pass through or injure' any of the pleasure
grounds which are scattered through this very rich and popu-
lous district. The gradients, in the language of Messrs.
Grainger and Miller, are such as are seldom to be found in any
railway of similar extent.
" The committee do not presume to offer any opinion upon
the reports of the engineers, because they consider the question
thereby involved as one of the most vital importance to the
success of this great undertaking, and which alone can be
satisfactorily decided by engineers of eminence. They would
therefore simply estimate that it is their intention, provided they
are authorised by the general meeting, to employ one or more
!eminent engineers to compare the plans on the spot, and advise
which of the proposed lines, or what other line, ought to be
preferred. "
The next point to which the committee directed their atten-
tion was, the propriety of increasing the number of shares front
10,000 to 12,000; and, after most mature deliberation, they
came to a unanimous resolution that thisincrease was a prudent
and expedient measure; but that, in the meanwhile, the actual
appropriation should be restricted to 11,000. And it is most
satisfactory for them to have it in their power to state, that ap-
plications for shares have been received to the extent of 17,677.
" These applications have all been most anxiously consider-
ed and investigated, and 11,900 shares have been appropriated;
and although the applicat'
ns of many individuals, who might
have been eligible as share ders, were unavoidably rejected,
the cotnmittee have no hcsi ation in saying, that the selection
of names which they have made is such as cannot fail to insure
public confidence, and they trust, be productive of very import-
ant advantages to the general interests of the undertaking.
" The committee have also had under consideration the pro-
priety of immediately calling up the deposit of £l per share;
and with this view have made arrangements with the' several
banks in Greenock for receiving the money. In order to save
unnecessary expense at the outset, and a competition to offices,
which the committee think ought at present carefully to be
avoided, they have authorised their chairman to subscribe the
1 requisite receipts, and to lodge the amount received in accounts
opened with the banks in the name of the company. The share-
holders will therefore be shortly waited upon for the deposit of
' £1 per share; and the committee recommend that the parlia-
mentary contract and subscribers' agreement should he drawn
out and engrossed, with as little delay as possible, for the signa-
ture of the shareholders. The committee also suggest that so
soon as these deeds are ready, a circular should be addressed T
l each of the shareholders, specifying the place where they wi
that
lie for signature, and at the same time distinctlyintimating,
if any shareholder shall refuse or neglect to sign these deeds
within the time fixed by the committee. and mentioned
din t
the
notice, he shall be held to have forfeited his shares and eposri.
money, and be considered to have withdrawn from the
advise
taking. Should any shares be so forfeited, the committeet d
that they should be placed at their disposal ; and they also re-
commend that scrip be issued to the parties signing the
deeds,
in exchange for the receipts granted to them fur the deposit
'j paid on their shares.
" It is anticipated by the committee that the deposit of El
per share will be sufficient to enable them to defray the expense
of the employment of eminent engineers, and catrying through
the act of parliament for the incorporation of the company ;

f

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but as it is proper-that they should have ample funds at their
disposal, they recommend that they should be authorised to
_make a further call to the extent of two pounds per share, should
they find it to be necessary.

" In conclusion, the committee beg to recommend that in
addition, the most full and ample powers be confined to them
to employ engineers competent to examine the several reports
already, obtained, and to point out the best line for the railway,
and also to make the requisite parliamentary surveys, and in
general to adopt every measure which they may consider neces-
sary either for Obtaining the act of parliament, or fur the
general interests of the company. They desire, however, it
may be understood that the surveys and the heads, of the bill
be submitted to a general meeting of the company for their
sanction and approval.
(Signed) " WM. MACFIE, Chairman.
" Greenock, 7th April, 1836."
Mr. Turner also read the reports by Messrs. Grainger and
Miller, Mr. Geddes, and Mr. M‘Quisten, who had all surveyed
the ground between this and Glasgow. The documents were of
great length, and described very minutely the views of their
authors.
Messrs. Grainger and Miller's report recommended that the
starting point at Greenock should be the vacant ground near
the Theatre, and between the Mansion House and the Assem-
bly Rooms, and that the deptit for goods should be on the vacant
ground south of Messrs. Macfie and Co.'s Sugar Works.--They
also propose a branch to the harbours. The line crosses De-
lingburn Burn, East Stewart, Cartsburn, Stanners,.and Arthur
Streets, and thence by a tunnel under the high ground behind
Cartsdyke. Generally speaking it keeps near the river, and
crosses the Cart about half way between Paisley and the Clyde,
and terminates in Eglington-street, Glasgow. The length of the
railway by this roue is twentv-one miles and four furlongs. The
highest level, which.is at Bishoptown, is forty feet, and the ter-
mination at Glasgow thirty-two feet above the level of Greenock
Docks. From Greenock to Ladyburn one mile is level. From
Ladvburn to Robert-street, Port Glasgow, 2. miles and 185
yards, the gradient is as lin 1114. From thence to a point
near Firilayston, 2 miles 1 furlong, and 58 yards, I in 813.
From thence to a point below the road to Bishoptown, 5 miles 3
furlongs, and 7 yards, lin 835. From thence to the Paisley
and Renfrew Railway, 4 miles, 2 furlongs, and 187 yards, 1 in
885. From thence to a point near Parkbouse, 5 miles, 3 fur-
longs, and 7 yards, 1 in 1577: and from.thence to the depot at
Glasgow, 6 furlongs, and 127 yards, level. The expense is es-
timated at 414,00 per mile. . ,
Mr. Geddes takes his departure from Glasgow on the south
side of the river, at a free plot of ground adjoining Dundas-
street. In passing along, he keeps nearer Paisley than Messrs.
Grainger and Millar. Indeed, till he reaches Bishoptown he is
generally higher than the line of these gentlemen, but thence
downward the lines vary very little. The depot in Greenock,
he proposes to establish immediately north-east of St. An-
drew's-square. The gradients are as follow :-
2940 yards level.
3720 yards, a rise of 1 in 700
4309 yards, a fall of 1 in 2200
5280-yards, a fall of lin 792
5007 yards, a rise of 1 in 1500
3000 yards, a fall of lin 600
4439 yards level
2600 yards, a fall of lin 600
2762 yards, a rise of 1 in 3000
. . , 4119 yards, a fail of lin 2000 •
The total length of- the main line is 21 miles and 1216 yards,
and with proposed branches 25 miles and 916 yards.
The expense he estimates at £302,926.
Mr. M'Quisten proposes leaving the South Quay of the
Broomielaw in a line with the West-street of Tradeston, and
keeps farther from the river than either of the others, passing
on the south side of Paisley, Johnstone and Bridge of Weir.
He communicates with Port-Glasgow by an inclined plane, and
skirts the side of the hill, near the top of the arable land to
Greenock. Crossing the deep chasm below Wallace's Leap at
Devol's Glen, he proceeds along and appends another inclined
plane near the Strone, which comes down the banks of Carts-
burn, and a third from Drumfrochar, reaching to the west side,
of the Mansion-house. The length of the line he considers to.
be 241 miles. The gradients taken in a flying survey were as
follow:

Ist mile
2d do 2O
0

3d do • 0

4th to 6th do

7th do , 0-
Bth do 0
9th and 10th do 34
11th do 0
12th to 1Bth do
19th to 24th and i do 0
Inclined plane at the level of
Greenock

The entire expense he calculates at £230,000.'
The Provost said it must be obvious from the different views
of the gentlemen, whose reports they had beard, that it would
be necessary to apply to some eminent engineer to decide as to
the best one.
On the motion of Ninian Hill, Esq., of Greenock, M.D.,
seconded by Thomas Turner, Esq., of Greenock, Banker, it was
unanimously resolved-
-Ist, That the report of the provisional committee be received,
approved of, and adopted by the meeting, and printed and cir-
culated among the shareholders; and
2dly, That the provisional committee be invested with all the
powers recommended by the report to be conferred upon them.
On the motion of Roger Aytoun, Esq., of Greenock, Banker,
the thanks of the meeting were unanimously given to the
Provost for his conduct as chairman : and the meeting separated