The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-10-30 00:00:00

INCREASE OF CHURCH ACCOMMODATION.

The Churchwardens of St. Jude's Church have issued the
following circular to the members of the congregation, calling
upon them to imitate the noble example of their affectionate
pastor, and provide church accommodation for those who
are living in a state of spiritual destitution. We hope that
this eminent minister of Jesus Christ will receive every en-
comagement in this labour of love.

Liverpool, 24th October, 1835.
Sir,—We beg to hand you the annexed copy of a letter
from Mr. M`Neile, and to request the favour of your attend-
ance at a meeting of the congregation at the School-room,
under the Church, on Monday morning next, at half-past
nine o'clock, for the purpose of considering the proposal of
our beloved Pastor, and we trust his wish will meet with a
response which will mark our sense of the privileges we enjoy.
WILLIAM JONES, Churchwardens.
JAM ES LAUGIITON,'
TO THE CONGREGATION OF ST. Juntes CHURCH,
ivEnPOOL.
My dear Friends and Brethien,—We are intrusted with
the Gospel, the glorious Gospel of the grace of God : to em-
brace it, to enjoy it, to adorn it, to propagate it. Many thou-
sands of our fellow-townsinen never bear it. They are be-
yond our reach, beyond the reach of all the Christian minis-
ters and congregations in the town. They have no oppor-
tunity., no church room, even if they were willing to seek it,
and they are natutally unwilling. They must besought; and
there is no one to seek them.

__ ........
I have brought this subject before you. I have explained
its causes, and urged its claims. O a late occasion, encoura-
tt
ged by tour affectionate confidence, I proposed that as a con.
greyation (but not of course to the exclusion of any of our
friends) we should build a church, and by so much diminish
the evil.

The object of Ibis paper is to bring this proposal practically
before you. 'flint We should build a church somewhat simi-
lar to our own, St. Jude's; not quite so large, not nearly so
expensive; but under the management in detail o' the same
trustees. Also,—That our contributions' should be all free do-
nattons; looking for nothing in return but the happiness of
seeing another thousand or fourteen hundred of our fellow-
towasineo enjoing mm hat we enjoy in time and for eternity
—the happiness of ministering of our substance in furtherance
of the cause for which Christ died.

There are difficulties in the way of every good work in this
fallen world. But be not deterred. External difficulties
vanish like sutniner clouds before the rising sun of ;t resolute
niind. It is a lingering reluctance within that avails itself of
the crs', "There is a lion in the street." Be resolved. Sup-
ply the funds. And the deterring mountain connected with
site, patronage, &t.., will become a plain.
'o the poor among you, 1 would say, do thy diligence
gladly to give of thy little. To the rich, I would say, leave
our poorer friends but little to give.
1 am, always, my dear Brethren,
Your faithful servant for Christ's sake,
IlliGll APNEILE.
•
St. Jude's, Oct., 1838.

coNTllieuTioN,;.
Rev. Hugh IVi'Neile

In consequence of this letter from the Churchwardens, a
meeting was.held yesterday morning. 'l'h.-weather wgs un-
favourable, but those who attended coutributed-above Two
TittAleadd Potindo in the redo:

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL ST"INDARD.

Ste,—From the ready manner with which my last com-
munication was complied with, 1 am induced to trouble you
again, in the hope that I shall meet with a similar favor.—
The proprietors of the Great Western Railway have been al-
most worn out with assertions and reports prejudicial to that
undertaking, upon the imbecility and want of talent exhibited
both in the Directory and Engineer. For my own part, I
have never riven credit to them, knowing the cause why they
are circulated. As a proprietor, I look with extreme regret
at the conduct pursued by Mr. Hoyes (and that "gentleman
with whom he had the honour to act") at the two last meet-
ings held in Bristol; and I have no hesitation in saying, that
in my opinion, they carry their interference too far, and that
the language made use of by Mr. Hoyes, to degrade and in-
sult the directors and Mr. Brunel, was perfectly uncalled for,
and unbecoming a gentleman. The government of the Great
Western Railway could not possibly be placed in the hands
of any body of men, of higher standing iu society for honour
and integrity, than those who hold the helm at the present
moment; and what better security could the proprietors have
for the accomplishment of the great work without either fraud
or jobbing ? It is, therefore, that I admit some little credit
is due to Mr. Hoyes for his candour in argument, as he plainly
shows, and declares his object to be, the superseding of Mr.
Brunel, by some Scotch engineer: and, acting with a strong
power, he fancies, that it is the duty of both engineer and
directors, at his command and decree, to become subject, and
obey. Ter say the least of Mr. Hoyes, it is palpable, that
he is a hold, ambitious, and aspiring man : but who, or what
he is, 1 know nut ; but this I know, that he shell never make
me subservient either to his caprice or designs. I confess
that I was considerably surmised, and not a little disgusted
with Mr. Heyworth, because he is a man who pretends by
precept to give instruction on moral and political philosophy--a
man who protests against persecution in all its fronts; and yet
he condescends to lose himself, by inveighing in the bitterest
ear oiler against Al r. Brunel, under the smoothest language,
and aids in Mincing that ind.vidual to abandon those designs,
which in his conscience he believes to be true; and 'limn
which he stakes his reputation, that ihe best interest of the
proprietors is to be protected. What ',lee can this be called
but au act of persecution, and not one iota less than that
which Galileo of old suffered from the bigots of that day. It
may be said that the distinction of principle adopted on the
Great Western may admit of this rancorous proceeding, but
though that may be urged ostensibly as an argument, yet I
do not believe the question to be one of economy or expense,
but who is to become the first railway engineer in the king-
dom. Shall it be Brunel? I say yes, if the directors and a
majority of the proprietors stand to his support like men.
He is no doubt, in the mind of every thinking man, designed
to arrive at that climax. Messrs. Hoyes and Co may say
that they are acting for a general good ; but before I can
place implicit faith upon their assertions, let the see what
mischief has been done. Have they shown it? Will they
show it ? I think not, for although the consideration of Mr.
Brunel's report occupied their attention for upwards of six
weeks, yet they could not sustain one single objection. Mr.
Heyworth did attempt something like entering into par-
ticulays, but displayed (as a Grand Junction director) such a
want of knowledge, that they may be called, with propriety,
nothing but assertions; and, when he arrived at that point,
wherein he attempts to prove that a locomotive engine will
travel up a gradient of ten feet per mile with as little diffi-
culty and expense as up one of four feet, he must have ap-
peared pet feet ly ridiculous. (Allow me to refer him to a re-
port drawn up by Lecke and Vignoles some time ago, upon
a North Manchester line, and he will learn something to his
advantage upon gradients and inclined planes, and resistive
power.) Notwithstanding these assertions were made, it is
believed, more with a disposition to hint, than to substantiate,
how did Mr. Brunel reply ? Why with the temper of a Fe-
nelon, and in the most satisfactory manner, he explained
away every objection that bad been advanced ; and still not
without letting Mr. Heyworth know, that he could appreciate
the spring of action, and the desire of affecting the worst feel-
ings of the proprietary towards himself and the plans adopted
on the Great Western Railway. But truth is powerful, and
will prevail. The Great Western Directory have given the
proprietors an estimate of every section of the line, a thing
which no other railway directors have ever complied with, and
yet Messrs. Hoyes and Co. (without showing fixed data,
that it will cost anything like the London and Birmingham
Railway) rant about the flights of Mr. Brunel's imaginative
mind, prowling upon their capital. Now it is admitted by a
great number of individuals, including many of the most
scientific, that the seven-foot guage and longitudinal timber
bearings, are developing that desideratum so long wished for,
viz., economy, safety, speed, and comfort. As regards
economy and safety, let it be borne in mind that the Great
Western Railway is to cost £4,750,000 for 1171 miles of
railway, commencing in London, and touching on its route,
the towns of Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Reading, Sciv-
enham, Wootton Bassett, Chippenham, and Batb, and ter-
minating in Bristol; and that it is proved, without a doubt,
that the maintenance of the road can be (and is) contracted
for at the rate of £6 per week per mile. And it is also proved,
that the locomotive engines have rim nearly six months with-
out a single axle having broken, or a single run off the road,
having taken place. This proves that the engines upon the
Great Western Railway are as superior in their working parts
to those used in the London and Birmingham, and Grand
Junction, as a good English lever watch is for keeping time,
to a Geneva skeleton. And why is this? Because the works
in both the former, have a greater freedom given to them,
than those of the latter. Perhaps Mr. Heyworth will give,
at sonic of the future meetings, a short lecture upon the loco-
motive engine, and on the watch, showing this not to be the
case ; although he cannot deny, that in six months, twenty-
five locomotive engines broke their axles on the Grand Junc-
tion line : and not unfrequentiy do the public hear of similar
incidents at the present time upon all the railways of 4ft.
811 n. guage. Professor Babbage states, that he had examined
twelve railways tor the purposeof disabusing the public mind,
and the result of his experience was, that the Great Western
steed second for comfy! t and ease, sod probably, when he
stated that, he was doing the Great Western an injustice, for
when he travelled upon it, it was at the rate of forty miles
per hour. In speaking of comfort, it may he said with safety,
that there is no comparison between the Great Western mid
the other great lines in operation. You are not stowed like
pigs in the second-class coaches, and of the first class it may
be said, that the directors and engineer have calculated upon
the conveyauce of the most respectable part of the com-
munity, for the most fashionably dressed lady may travel to
Windsor, or any other pat t of the line, without putting out
of form any part of her attire. Independent of this, the po-
lice and porters are much better managed than with the
Grand Junction or London and Birmingham. Justice de-
mands, and 1 think Mr. Hoyes (and those with whom he has
the honour to act) should show, that the 4ft. Biin. guage does
answer better than the 7-foot, or otherwise he should hold his
tongue. It don't follow as a matter of course, that because
the Grand Juection can pay a dividend of twelve or fifteen
per cent. per annum, it must be formed upon the best possible
principle; and the onus rests with Mr. Hoyes to show that if
five, six, or seven feet had been adopted, the result would not
have been so good, but would have been ruinous. Without
this, he has no grounds for attacking Mr. Brunei, for expe-
rience is proving, that if the Great Western principle had
been adopted upon the Graud Junction lice, the result would
have been better than it is. There is every reason for sup-
posing this, from the well known tam, that the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway has taken friun tittv to sixty per cent.
upon the gross invome to pay every incidental charge that
of the Grand Junction is unknown from the refusal of time
directors (Mr. Heyworth is one) to publish a detail of their
expenditure with the report. Neither the London and Bir-
mingham, nor the Gram! Junction can travel at a greater
average speed per hour thou twenty-five miles, (I don't say
this is not enough.) without jeopardising the lives of the pas-
sengeis and the merchandize traffic. li has been found ne-
cessary, to satisfy Messrs. Hoyes and Co., to employ an en-
gineer of the name of Hawkshawe, (to report with N. Wood
upon the Great Western,) of ahem I canuotspeak, not know-
ing anything for or against him, with the exception, that he
has countetamed by his report, which is already known in
par, the proceedings of Mr. Brunel upon the Great Western
Railway. Although I cannot say what the result may be,
upon the Lou reports to be submitted for consideration in De-
cember next, yet I do think it will be a vain effort to try to
subvert the principles upon which Mr. Brunel and the di-
rectors have comineuced and acted upon, and which it is to
be hoped, the proprietors will sanction as their onward course.
However, a dispassionate consideration should be given to
the subject, that the directors may not be paralyzed in their
exertions, as heretofore. Mr. Babbage states it as his opinion,
that little or no saving would accrue, by taking up the road,
and relaying it upon the 4f. Min. renege, as suggested by Mr.
Hawkshawe; and every unprejudiced person who has seen
the line will agree with him. 1 may here remark, that the
guage of 7 feet will take up very little mare room (say about
feet) than the 4ft. 82in., for the two inside rails of the four
lines en the Western, are placed closer than they are upon
the Liverpool and Manchester ; while: in the latter, all four
lines are at nearly equal distances. There is every reason for
supposing the wide guage to be more advantageous in every
respect, for it is well known by every engiueer's apprentice,
that the greatest sources of the wear and tear of the loco-
motive engine, are the extremely rapid motion of its working
parts, and the only way in which this can be remedied by
shortening the cylinder, and increasing the wheel. It may be
easily seen from this, the great advantages Mr. Brunel has
gained upon the Great Western, and even his enemies
(amongst whom I rank many engineers) are obliged to admit,
that by acting upon the principle of increasing the site of the
engine, the greatest saving in expense has been effected upon
every railway line in the kingdom. Mr. Wood, of the Liver-
pool and Manchester line, admitted at the late meetingat New-
castle, of the British Association, that increasing the size of the
driving wheels of the locomotive engine to 51 feet diameter, had
been attended with economy, and was a great improvemeht.
Now supposethe Liverpool and Manchester or Grand Junction
wanted to carry the improvement of enlarging the wheels of
their coaches and trucks to a greater extent than at present,
could they do so upon the 4 foot 81 inch guage? I think not,
for the laws of gravity must be consulted ere this could be
done, and this I believe to be one principal reason why, both
Stephenson and Mr. Booth, are converts to the opinion that
a 5 foot 5 or 6 inch guage is the best. In support of a wider
guage than 4 feet 81 inches, we have the candid repomt of the
Irish Railway Commissioners, also the Dundee and Arbroath
Railway, which has just been completed upon u b foot 6 inch
gauge, an account of which appeared in the papers a fort-
night ago. A most rapid change is taking place m the mind
of the public, and also in the opinions of many of the most
eminent engineers, respecting the advantages to be obtained
by laying railways upon longitudinal wood bearings, and no
doubt can be entertained, that before 10 or 15 years ate over
from the evidence which can now be adduced it its favour,
that it will emnpletely supersede the stone block system. All
that is wanted by the Great Western directors is a fair trial of
the Brunel system, and it is to be hoped that they will never
submit to alter it, until it be absolutely proved to be wrong;
not by Pretorian tumult and passion, but by calm reason and
consideration. The Great. Western, no doubt, will be open to
Reading, in June next, (if not impeded by Railway Jobbers
and trickery,) and the real comparative proof could be ob-
tained upon a six months trial, whether the expenses attend-
ant upon the Great Western principle, or that of the Liver-
peel and Manchester be the greater. To show this in a clear
light, and to put a stop to the continual jabber of many of
the northern proprietors, 1 would suggest, that the directors
should keep the account of income and expense upun the
36 miles to Reading distinct, and precisely in the same man-
ner and form as those of the Liverpool and Manchester,
is 31 miles.) It would be a great satisfaction to the
proprietary to see the advantages or disadvantages. 'the
Liverpool proprietors generally are too particular in their
opinions, and if Messrs. Hoyes and Co. would may act with
the same incessant assiduity in applauding that which is
really deserving in Mr. Brunel (iustead of condemning) they
would do infinitely more good, for the accomplishment of
that object, which they profess to have at heart, viz., the
restoration of confidence, and the completion of the road at
a moderate expense. Almost every body knows, that Robert
Stephenson, the much extolled, and justly celebrated engi-
neer, estimated the cost, and constructed the London and
Birmingham hallway, and that his original estimate was
£2,500,100. New that stupendous undertaking has cost
£5.000,000, or £45,000 per mile to complete, and will cost
more. It is laid on the stone block system, 4 foot See inch
gauge, and is 111 miles long. From this I should very
much like to know the reason why Mr. Hawkshawe should
recommend the Great Western line to be taken up and
relent upon the principle of the London and Birmingham,
as a means of protecting the proprietors from an enormous
outlay ; when the Great Stephenson has not been able to shea-
the advantage upon that principle. Unless Mr. Hawkshawe
can prove satistactorily, that the Great Western can be com-
pleted for £3500 per mile, upon the 4 foot 8 inch gauge,
(that is 1:5(00 per mile less than Stephenson's London and
Birmingham). 1 canine see the use of taking his advice; as
aoundant proof can now be obtained of the frightful expense
required in working the 4 feet S, inch guage in comparison
with the Great Western. Besides, a lasting stiema would
be east upon Mr. Stephenson, as a wilfully extravagant en-
einee.r, provided Mr Hawkshawe is enabled to lay a line
upon the same principle as the London and Birmingham, at
£lO.OOO per mile less. I am of opinion, that Mr. Brunel has
been newt unjustly 6streemid ; for ih hie **iambs OA) Gracia

Western, he has calculated that it would cost from seven to
eight per cent more than if it had been estimated upon the
4 foot 81 inch principle, and yet, he undertakes to complete
the whole line, 117 miles in length, (6 more than the London
and Birmingham) for £4,750,000, or £650,000!! less than
the London and Birmingham, supposing it was upon the lat-
ter principle. If the crafty errors promulgated by deceit and
fallacy, were only rejected by the proprietors, and the di-
rectors and their engineer supported in their plans, no doubt
can reasonably be entertained, but, that the Great Western
Railway would be one of the best lines in the kingdom, both
as regards character and profit. It is to be hoped, therefore,
that Messrs. lloyes and Co. will discontinue thwarting the
directors about particular items in the expenditure, as it is
imposssible for any man in the present state of the theat
Western works to make a just comparison, either i❑ the en-
gineering or any other department, from the circumstance
that no two Railway Companies keep their accounts item for
item, alike. Notwithstanding this fact, the method which is
taken by Messrs. Hayes and Co. to display their erudition,
is a very extraordinary one, viz: that of perplexing, and
darkening everything which ought to be the province of
learning to simplify, and elucidate. There is at present, a
perfect unity of opinion and action, at the Great Western
Board, and I confidently trust, that Messrs. Hayes and Co.
will not again attempt to disturb it, but, lend their assistance
dispassionately to brieg the matter to a permanent and satis-
factery settlement on the 20th of Decenoer next; for be it
remembered, that if prejudice or passion be allowed to sit in
judgment upon the reports to be submitted, the ends of
justice will be frustrated, and an unfavourable termination
will be the consequence. In conclusion, I bee to refer to a
temperate, and well written pamphlet, " by a Shareholder,"
upon the merits of the Great Western Railway, as being
well worthy of the perusal and attention of every shareholder
in that line; and if Mt. Ileyworth, or any of those who at-
tempt to vilify the Great Western, would only take upon
themselves to reply to it seriatim, I for one, would be a pur-
chaser. There is also a good letter in last weeks Bristol
Gazette, from Doctor Carpenter, upon the same subject. 1
am rather surprised that. Mr. Noyes has never thought fit to
offer a reply to the cutting letter addressed to him by the
Editor of the Railway illajazine. Query. What can be the
reason ? I am, yours, .
WILLIAM WATCH, Shareholder.
Liverpool, 27th October, 1838.