The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-26 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,

LONDON AND DUBLIN DIRECT
COMMUNICATION.
On Monday last an important meeting of members of
parliament, and other gentlemen friendly to the " Great
Holyhead Railway," recommended by the commissioners as
the best London and Dublin direct communication, was held
in the Thatched House Tavern, St. James's, London, in
order to consider the best means of forwarding the measure,
Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., in the chair.
The meeting was called by John Uniacke, Esq., Mayor of
Chester, and chairman of the Chester and Crewe Directory,
for one o'clock, and soon after that hour we observed the
following gentlemen in the room :—Lord R. Grosvenor,
M,P. ; John Jervis, Esq., M.P.; G. Wilbraham, Esq.,
M.P. ; Sir W. Somerville, Bart., M.P. ; Sir Robert Bateson,
Bart., M.P. ; Sir D. Orlando Jephson, Bart., M.P. ; Mor-
gan John O'Connell, Esq., M.P. ; the Hon. W. 0. Stanley,
M.P. ; Hon. Mr. Phipps ; Owen Meyrick, Esq., Anglesey ;
Elliott Fuller, Esq. Anglesey ; Corbally, Esq. M.P. ;
W. Smyth O'Brien, Esq., M.P. ; Captain J. W. Deans
Dundas ; Captain Charles Dundas, M.P. ; Nicholas E.
Vigors, Esq., M.P. ; Captain Paget, M.P. ; Hewitt Bridge-
man. Esq., M.P. ; W. Roche, Esq., M.P. ; G. Evans, Esq.,
M.P.; H. Grattan, Esq., M.P.; Thomas Redington, Esq.,
M.P. ; Mr. Serjeant Lefroy, MX. ; Ed. Davies Devon-
port, Esq. ; Dr. Bagnall, Chester ; J. Wyatt, Esq., St.
Asaph ; R. Pritchard, Esq., Llwydiarth Esgob, Anglesey ;
John Uniacke, Esq., Mayor of Chester ; H. Kelsall, Esq.,
Chester; G. Stephenson, Esq., C.E. ; A. Read, Esq.,
&c. &c.

His lordship said they were met on a most important occa-
sion, and he was glad to see the meeting attended by so many
influential individuals, each having at heart the best means of
connecting the two countries by improved means of commu-
nication. He did not feel it necessary to trouble the meeting
with all the communications that had been received. He would
only advert to two, one from Mr. Carr Glynue, chairman of
the London and Birmingham Railway, stating that he should
have much satisfaction in forwarding the object in view.-
The next was from Mr. Halliday, secretary of the Dublin
Chamber of Commerce, a powerful body, which recognised
this project as one most desirable for the interests of Ireland.
After describing the superiority of this line nearly in the
terms of the commissioners, the noble chairman said, that
whereas the line or lines recommended by Mr. Vignolles,
whether through Worcester or Shrewsbury , communicated
only with unimportant districts, until the last reached Wol-
verhampton, the Chester and Holyhead line brought Ireland
into immediate connection with all the important manufac-
turing districts of Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and Lancashire,
which was almost an empire of itself, and also of the magni-
ficent port of Liverpool, as well as being the best line for
London and Dublin Direct communication. Now, as these
advantages belonged exclusively to this line, and without
lessening its utility in fully realising the general object, he
thought they dad made out a strong case for the considera-
tion of the government and the legislature to give them their
best aid on public grounds. (Hear.) Having said thus
much, lie would now only ask their attention to the proposi-
tions which would be submitted for their approval.
Sir Robert Bateson, M.P. said that since he had come into
the room the first resolution had been put into his hand, with
a request that he would move it. As an Irishman, and deeply
interested in the safest and best means of communication be-
tween the two countries, and particularly between London
and Dublin, he could have no possible objection. His great-
est object was to promote the union of the two countries to
the greatest possible extent. The reports of both the engineer
and the commissioners said thatthis line was practicable, and
that no difficulty existed ; and therefore he did think that the
Chester and Holyhead line being also the most direct as well
as the most desirable, and one that it was the common inte-
rest should be constructed. (Hear.) He should not take
up more of their time, but move the first resolution.
Mr. Fuller Meyrick seconded the resolution, which was
carried unanimously.

Captain Deans D-undas said that the first resolution having
been carried, still there was another battle to fight, namely,
to do away with certain portions of the standing orders so far
as regarded the progress of this bill ; or the probabilty was,
that they would not be able to get it into parliament for two
or three years. (Hear.) He therefore moved the second
resolution.

Mr. Uniacke, mayor of Chester. in seconding the motion,
said that he had had some experience in railways, having for
some years taken an active part in promoting, and most suc-
cessfully, projects like the present, which he considered of
great public as well as local utility. The honourable gentle-
man then went on to explain, that the reason of their not
having been able to give their notices in March was owing to
the report of the commissioners having been delayed by the
petition which compelled them to examine the line via Wor-
cester, and which he therefore thought fair grounds for sus-
pending that portion of the standing orders relating to the
giving of notices, &c. in March. With regard to the ten per
cen. deposit standing order, he did not wish to criticise the
conduct or opinion of members of parliament, but what was
the object of that order he did not know. Other countries
felt it a public duty to foster and encourage speculations for
facilitating intercourse, and ensuring the safest and speediest
transit ; but of this order he would say, that it was of most in-
jurious operation, as its effect was, not so much to check ran-
dom speculation, for that had pretty nearly checked itself,
but to prevent useful measures, and thus paralyse the best
energies of this great country. (Hear.) He was acquainted
with one project, cheap and easy to construct, passing though
a fine mineral and very populous district, and which there
was nothing to prevent being made, except the operation of
this order ; and the consequence was, that one spring of the
national wealth lay torpid, and the population were deprived
of that emolument they would otherwise enjoy. (Hear.) If
they could also get that order suspended as regarded this bill
—or what was more just, rescinded altogether—they should,
without any doubt whatever, get their bill in the next session;
and the project would be completed in the time stated by the
commissioners, namely, three years from the time of com-
mencing operations. (Hear.) He cordially seconded the
resolution, which was carried unanimously.
The Hon. Mr. Phipps proposed the third resolution, which
Mr. Elliott Fuller seconded, and was carried unanimously.
The Hon. W. Owen Stanley, M.P., in proposing the
fourth resolution said, the commissioners having determined,
after a full and fair inquiry which was the best line of com-
munication, he need say nothing of the merits of the Holy-
head project. In order to show that the general question of
direct communication between London, as the seat of im-
perial government, and Ireland, was always deemed one that
peculiarly belonged to the executive, and that, therefore, in
pressing that project upon the government which had the
sanction of their own commissioners, he read the following
passage from the report of the Irish Railway Commissioners.
[The hon. member here read a long extract in favour of the
introduction of railways, and the value of shortening the time
of transit between the two countries.] It thus appeared to
be the opinion of the commissioners to be the duty of the
government to interfere to promote this project by direct
agency. It was not too much, therefore, for them to call the
attention of the government to the question, particularly as
no sacrifice was required. In fact, he should prove front re-
turns on the table of the House of Commons, moved for by
Mr. Shaw, that it was a matter of economy ; and would save
£77,953 annually, exclusive of the cost of the packets.
(Hear.) He then proceeded to show from the returns the
loss on each station in 1838. _

Liverpool.—Cost of establishment.... £36,082
Receipts .............. 24,196

Loss ... .. ........ 11,886
Waterford.—Cost of establishment.... £22913
Receipts .............. 1,258

Loss
Holyhead.—Cost of establishment
Receipts..

23,716
Total loss in 1838.—Liverpool 11,886
Waterford
Holyhead 23,716

57,257
It was his intention to move for further returns on this
subject up to the present time ; but from present resources
he was able to show that there was an increased loss on the
Liverpool station, which making no further allowance for loss
on either of the other stations, made up the sum of £77,953.
For instance, the government had now a contract for the
conveyances of one snail for which they paid £9,000 annually.
This added to the expenses of the station in 1838, made the
sum of
Receipts for year ending 1840

Loss at Liverpool
Waterford
Holyhead

.. 32,582
.. 21,655
.. 23,716

£77,953
This sum did not, as he had before observed, include the
cost of the vessels. It was obvious, from the time in which
all Ireland could be communicated with from Dublin by
means of the Holyhead line, that if it was made, it would be
perfectly needless to maintain the Liverpool and Milford
stations. He then moved the fifth resolution. which was se-
conded by Mr. Jervis, M.P., and unanimously adopted.
The noble Chairman desired to state that it was the depu-
tation from the meeting last year that caused the commission
to be appointed, upon whose report they were now acting.
Mr. Grattan, M.P., moved, and Mr. Corbally, M.P., se-
conded, that the rlholutions be advertised in the public papers,
which was unanimously agreed to.
Lord Robert Grosvenor then left the chair ; and Mr.
Jervis being called thereto, Sir Wm. Somerville moved, and
Mr. Smyth O'Brien seconded, the thanks of the meeting to
the noble lord, which was unanimously responded to ; and
acknowledged by the noble lord.

The members_ of parliament present, and other gentlemen,
agreed to be of the deputation ; to them were added the
names of Sir P. Egerton, Bart., M.P., and D. O'Connell,
Esq., M.P., both of whom were unavoidably prevented at-
tending.
The meeting then broke up.—Chester Chronicle.

SECOND REPORT OF THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS ON

THE COMMUNICATION WITH SCOTLAND.
The report was laid on the table on Monday, and ordered
to be printed on Tuesday. The line to which the commis-
sioners have given the preference, we believe to be the one
up the valley of the Lone. On the motion of Lord Lowther,
however, the House passed a resolution for the commis-
sioners to investigate a line to connect the two inland lines.
The consequence is that the competition between the inland
lines being withdrawn, it is considered the Morecambe Bay
scheme will come into the field in rivalry with the line com-
pounded from the union of the two others. We understand
that great pains have been bestowed on this second report to
make it as perfect as possible by the commissioners, and the
Secretary Lieutenant Amsick.—Railway Magazine.

WEEKLY RETURN OF TRAFFIC ON RAILWAYS.
(From the Railway Magazine)