The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-03-25 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

FORM OF APPLICATION

To the Committee of Management of the Birmingham
and Oxford Junction Railway Company.
Gentlemen,—l request that you will allot to me
shares of £2O each in the proposed Birmingham and Ox-
ford Junction Railway Company, on the terms and con-
dition% of the Prospectus, and I undertake to pay the
deposit of £2 on each share alloted to me, and to sign the
necessary deeds, when required
Dated the day of

, 1845,

Name

Place of abode

TO THE PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE
ABERDEEN AND INVERNESS RAILWAY.
GENTLEMEN,—I am aware that the applications
which were addressed to you by certain legal gentle-
men in Aberdeen for the :use of your names in promoting
the very desirable object of Railway communication to
the Counties North of Aberdeen as far as Inverness, be-
yond the expression of a wish to establish this means of
transit, contained little or no information as to the details
of the scheme by which it was to be carried out. That
these details were not supplied arose from the simple fact
that they were not in the possession of the parties who
made the applications. It is true, indeed, that Mr. Gibb,
the engineer, had previously made a cursory examination
of the country over which the proposed Railway was to
' pass, but certainly no survey had been made, nor any
.communications held, as they ought to have been, with
the parties locally interested, more particularly with the
parties in the northern counties. While, therefore, it is
not surprising, that
,you should have lent your names to
a design so laudable in itself, it is to be regretted that this
was done without more careful inquiry into the bear-
ing of the scheme to which your names have now been
attached. It is natural that parties interested in the
South Aberdeen Railway should wish to secure the whole
northern traffic for Aberdeen, and that the project should
be warmly seconded by the proprietors through or near
whose estates the proposed Northern Railway:is in-
tended to pass. But it is not the less certain, that
either as a connecting Line between the Northern
and Southern Counties of Scotland, or as affording
local accommodation, the projected Line is a total failure.
The Report of the Board of Trade is founded on in your
Prospectus as approving of the extension of Railway com-
munication beyond Aberdeen, according to the surveys
which were represented to them as then in progress; but
this sanction cannot, in any view, avail the parties, seeing
that it was given in ignorance of the plans for a much
more extended and direct line of communication with the
South. Neither does it by any. means appear, from that
Report, that the Board considered it an indispensible part
of the system of Railway communication to the North of
Scotland, that it should be formed through Aberdeen.
" The Scottish Central Line to Perth," they state, "must
be assumed as the basis of a system of Railway commu-
nication for the Northern portion of Scotland;" and rightly
so,—for, from this point necessarily diverge the great
Lines of Railway towirds the whole North East of Scot-
land on the one hand, and the North of Scotland on the
other. Both of these require separate lines of communi-
cation; and to compel the
injurious
one to be dependent on the
other, would be to place it in an disadvantage. So
long ago as April last, a Committee of Inquiry, which
embraced nearly the whole Noblemen and Gentlemen, and
Commercial Interests of the North, was formed through-
out all the Northern Counties, with the view of ascertain-
ing the most direct and effectual line of communication
between Inverness and Perth,—that being the point of
convergence of all the Railways in the Central District of
Scotland. Under their auspices a Survey has been com-
pleted for a line of Railway from Perth to li7erness, through
the valleys of the Spey and Athol ; and it has been an-
nounced, that the Prospectus of this line will immediately
be issued. The Engineer's report shows that it can be con-
structed at a very moderate expense, the works being
light and simple, without tunnels or heavy works of any
description, and with only three bridges of any magnitude.
The gradients are for the most part of the very best work-
ing character, and the steepest such as the Board of
Trade, in their recent Report on the Scotch Lines, sanc-
tion, as proved to be capable of being worked with ease
and safety pp Eitglish lines with the heaviest traffic.

Then, in regard to distance. The length of Railway, by
the circuitous route by Aberdeen, is, as nearly as can be
computed, certainly not less than .... 204 miles.
The exact distance has not been stated in
your Prospectus, because, as there is every
reason to believe, the surveys have even
yet not been completed—
While the direct route to Perth is only ...... 134 miles.

Making a difference in favour of the latter of.. 70 miles.
Is it to be supposed that the seven Northern Counties
are to submit to being sent round by such a detour? It
is quite plain that the Aberdeen tine, as a main trunk, can
be no boon to them ; as the bulky articles, which form
the staple of their produce, could not be forwarded by that
line to the south, except at a cost which may virtually ex-
clude them from the market ; and all travellers to the North
or South, besides loss of time, would be taxed with a heavy
per tentage corresponding to the increased distance. Look-
ing to it locally, on the other hand, this line affords no
accommodation. Elgin and Inverness have already ex-
ercised their undeniable privilege of providing themselves
with a line, with which it is the merest wantonness in any
other party to interfere. This line has received the
sanction and support, not only of the whole local interests,
but also of the public, for within one week Shares to more
than three times the amount of the required capital have
been applied for. Again, the Counties of Banff and Aber-
deen do not receive from the proposed Northern Line the
Railway accommodation which they are entitled to expect,
and which can alone be of service to them. In the anxiety
to procure a short through line for the North, it is made
to pass along the least productive portions of these coun-
ties, leaving the numerous towns and villages, and the
thriving and highly-cultivated lower districts of Buchan
and Banffshire, which sooner or later must have a Rail-
way of their own—totally unprovided for. These facts
prove how hasty and ill-considered this project has been ;
and, as a further evidence of this, the line has been so
selected as to run for 16 miles out of Aberdeen,—and
these necessarily through its most productive part—nearly
parallel to a Canal, which fully meets the wants of the
district.

One other remark as to the statistics of your Prospec-
tus. The population of the Counties through which the
trunk line and branches pass, is there stated at 384,094,
—being. as might be demonstrated, fully three times the
real number within the operation of the line. But what
is still more extraordinary is the increase in the Traffic
which the projectors have discovered since the publica-
tion of their original Prospectus of sth February last.
There the passenger traffic was stated at £67,000
The goods at..

£115,000

Which, after deducting for workingand ex-
penses one-third of the gross amount.... 38,330

Left a surplus oE ..... £76,677
or about 7 per cent, on the estimated cost. The months
which have elapsed since last October, and upon which
the Traffic in your second Prospectus is founded, are ne-
cessarily the least favourable for traffic throughout the
whole year ; and yet the traffic has been raised,—
The passengers to
The goods to, . .. „ 76,413
the latter, by the way, being a proportion
as large per mile as that of the Edin-
burgh and Glasgow Railway,—

Which, after deducting a third for working
and expenses....

£174,716

58,238

Leaves
or very nearly £50,000 more than the projectors were
able to raise their traffic to scarcely six weeks previous;
and this, too, although the very important branch to
Fort George has been abandoned! If the Public rely for
their dividend of 10 per cent. upon such loose state-
ments as these, they deserve to smart for their sim-
plicity. How are you to explain the fact, that the traffic
returns of the Inverness and Elgin Company, who un-
deniably occupy the best part of the line, are just in the
proportion of about one haft' to this imaginary estimate
of fraffic,—being only £31,145 for 444 miles?
The conclusions from these premises are inevitable. Ist,
That as a through line this Railway will be useless to the
whole country north of Elgin;-2d, That it does not
afford the local advantages which justify an outlay so
great ;—And 3d, That instead of the promised dividend
of 10 per cent., the project must, for the reasons already
stated, be a ruinous one to the Shareholders. It will be
for you, Gentlemen, to consider whether it would not be
more proper, instead of lending your countenance to a
project so crude and ill-digested, to direct your attention
to the formation of a line, which, while it afforded suffi-
cient communication with Elgin on the west, would re-
ally meet the wants of the Counties of Aberdeen and
Banff; seeing that the proposed direct Central Line from
Perth, with the Railway between Inverness and Elgin,
furnishes to the Northern Counties all the local accom-
modation' as well as direct communication with the
south, which they require.

SCOTUS

Edinburgh, 20th March, 1845.

PROSPECTUS OF THE
INVERNESS AND ELGIN RAILWAY,
Passing through the Towns of Nairn and Forres, with
Branches to Findhorn, and Lossiemouth or Burghead.

CAPITAL, £300,000, IN SHARES OF £2O EACH
DEPOSIT, £1 PEEL SHARE.

PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE

The Provost of Inverness

The Provost of Elgin
The Provost of Nairn
The Provost of Crornarty
Andrew Belford, Esq., of Glenfintaig
Donald Cameron, Esq., of Lochiel
Sir Duncan Cameron, of Fassfern, Bart.
Arthur Cant, Esq., of Millfield
Alexander umming, Esq., Merchant, Inverness
Duncan Davidson, Esq., of Tulloch
Patrick Dewar, Esq., Banker. Nairn
John Ferguson, Esq., Wine Merchant, Inverness
George France, Esq., Wester Lovat
Robert Fraser, Esq., Brackla.
Simon Fraser, Esq., Merchant, Inverness
E. S. Gordon, Esq., Advocate, Edinburgh
General W. A. Gordon, of Lochdh, C.B.
Donald Grant, Esq., Dean of Gould, Inverness
Patrick Grant, Esq., County and Sheriff-Clerk of Inver-
ness-shire
Thomas Houstoun, Esq., Kintradwell
Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, of Grange and Fountainhall,
Bart.
John M'Ewen, Esq., Merchant, Inverness
Neil M' Lean, Esq., Factor on the Estates of Kilravocb,
Cantray, &c.
Cluny Macpherson, of Cluny Macpherson
Major Nl' Pherson, of Glentruim
Major D. M'Pherson, Inverness
James Macgregor, Esq., Factor for Lord Abinger and
others
Dr. John M'Kenzie, Kinellan, Commissioner for Sir
Kenneth Mackenzie, of Gairloch, Bart., and for
Colonel Hugh Baillie, of Redcastle, M.P.
William Mackenzie, Esq., of Muirtown
Mackintosh, of Mackintosh
William Mackintosh, Esq , of Geddes, Convener of the
County of Nairn
George Mackintosh, Esq., yr., of Geddes
John Mackintosh, Esq., Wood Merchant, Nairn
Colonel D. Macpherson, Burgie House
John Malcolm, Esq., Senior Bailie, Nairn
David Monro, Esq.. of Allan
Archibald Hill Rennie, Esq., of Ballilisk
Arthur J. Robertson, Esq., of lushes
Bailie D. Rose, Inverness
Hugh Ross, Esq., of Crowarty
John Bethune Ross, Esq., Advocate, Edinburgh
Colonel John Gray Ross, of Strathgarve
John Ross, Esq., Berbice Cottage, Inverness
William Simpson, Esq., Merchant, Inverness
Andrew Smith, Esq., Senior Bailie, Inverness
Captain J. Stewart, of Lesmurdie
Charles Waterston, Esq., Manager Caledonian Bank,
Inverness
(With power to add to their number.)
ACTING ENGINEER.
Joseph Mitchell, Esq., F.R.S.E.
BANKERS.
_ _

The Caledonian Bank, Inverness, and its Branches
The Union Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh
Ditto Ditto, Glasgow
Messrs. Barclay, Bevan, Tritton, and Co., London
Manchester and Liverpool District Bank, Liverpool.

SOLICITORS.
Messrs. Martin and Ross, Edinburgh
Messrs. G. and P. Anderson, and Charles Stewart, Esq.,
Inverness.
IN submitting to the Public a scheme for the construc-
tion of a Railway along the south shore of the Moray
Firth, and connecting the towns of Inverness, Nairn,
Forces, and Elgin, the Committee consider that there is
no situation in Scotland which affords a more certain
prospect of profitable investment.
The country through which it passes is nearly a perfect
level. The length of the line, with the branches to the
ports, is 414 miles. The main line passes from Inverness
to Elgin, through the towns of Nairn and Ferrets. The
whole adjacent district is rich and fertile, and contains a
large and thriving population. It includes ten of the
most important market towns of the north of Scotland, in
which at least 50 considerable markets are annually held.
Within this district also, and branching off to the south
of the main line, lie the fertile valleys of the Spey, Find-
horn, and Nairn, and the Great Glen of Scotland, be-
tween which and the different towns along the line, and
the sea.ports, there is an eztensive and daily-increasing
intercourse.
This district is so situated, that all the main highways
from the north and west, including those by the ferries of
Kessock and Fort George, centre upon it. Besides the
ports of Inverness, Nairn, Findhorn, Burghead and Los-
siemouth, it comprises the basins and quays of the Cale.
donian Canal, and the military station of Fort George.
Along the main line from Inverness to Elgin, besides a
large passenger traffic by posting and private conveyances,
there are eight daily coaches (four each way.) The traffic
must be greatly increased when a more rapid communica-
tion is opened up between the termini and the intermedi-
ate towns and villages. .

Another and large additional traffic will be brought upon
the line by the London, Leith and Aberdeen steamers,
which call at Lossiemouth, and Burghead, landing their
passengers for Inverness, Nan!), and the country beyond,
at either of these ports, instead of taking them, as at pre-
sent, by the circuitous route to Invergordon, where they
are detained for several hours.

The line will also afford great additional facilities to the
trade which has hitherto been carried on by a steamer and
sailing vessels plying between the Moray and Nairnshire
coast and the Little Ferry in Sutherlandshire, as, on the
opening of the railway, regular and efficient steam com-
munication between these points and others on the Sutber-

land and Caithness coasts, will necessarily be established.
By these arrangements, in addition to the existing traffic
by land, and that carried on by steamers to Inverness, the
greater part of the traffic, both in goods and passengers,
from Inverness to Sutherland and Caithness, will be
brought along the line.
The inquiries into the traffic, which have been carefully
made, shew the following results :
The annual number of Passengers of all sorts,
and doubling those by Coach and other c,n-
veyances, between Inverness and Elgin, and
the towns along the line, according to the
Parliamentary Rules, amount to 87,640,
which, at the average of 4s. for each pas-
senger, yields .. £17,528 0 0
For Mails and small Parcels, &c..
The probable Revenue arising from the trans-
port of Carriages, Gigs, Horses, Dogs, &c.
taken at an aver ge of only three per cent on
the Passenger Traffic, the per centage usually
taken in similar lines being five, yields 52) 0 0
Cattle and Sheep
General Merchandise, Heavy Goods, includ-
ing Stone from the Quarries in Morayshire
and Nairnshire to the west, Timber, Farm
Produce, Coals, Manures, Fish, Spirits, &c. 7,500 0 0
Goods Traffic on the 8ranche5..........
Passenger Traffic on Ditto .. 468 0 0

£31,145 0 0
The engineering works of the line, from the unusually
level nature of the country, and its passing over a light
gravelly soil, are of a very simple character. There are
no tunnels or viaducts, and the country abounds in all the
materials, with the exception of iron, necessary for the
construction of a railway.

The capital has been set down at £300,000, and the
revenue as above stated, after deducting the usual allow-
ance for working expenses, and assuming one third of the
capital to be borrowed, according to the ordinary practice
of railway companies, at the usual rate of interest, shews a
clear return of upwards of eight per cent.

It is proposed, in the first place, to lay down a tingle
line of rails, with the usual passing places, until the traffic
shall be more fully developed. The bridges are, however,
to be built, and the land purchased for a double line.
Besides the advantages above enumerated, arising from
the local traffic, there are other and important sources of
revenue, to which it is proper to advert. The west end
of the line will connect with the Caledonian Canal, which
originally cost £1,000,000, and on the improvement of
which £200,000 are now in the course of being expended
by Government. These improvements, which will be
completed before the Railway comes into operation, will
greatly increase the navigation, both of steamers and
sailing vessels on the canal, along which, even at present,
two steamers ply twice a-week, while a large and powerful
steamer is to be placed, on the opening of the Canal, in
the direct Liverpool trade. The whole of this extensive
traffic from Glasgow, Liverpool, &c.,towards the counties
of Banff, Nairn and Moray, must necessarily pass along
the proposed Railway.

On the other hand, towards the east, the line will be
continued by the contemplated railway from Elgin to
Aberdeen,—thus connecting all the towns and manufac-
turing districts on the west of England and Scotland,
through the Caledonian Canal, with the rich agricultural
country to the east of Elgin, and onwards to the city of
Aberdeen, and other towns on the east coast of Scotland.
Besides constituting an important link in the direct east
and west communication of this part of the kingdom, the
present railway must of necessity form the northern out-
let of the contemplated great direct Central Railway from
Perth to Inverness, in continuation of the Scottish Cen-
tral and Caledonian Railways, thus completing the short-
est possible line between England and the southern coun-
ties of Scotland and the north ; and, from its position in
this respect, the Inverness and Elgin Railway will become
the channel through which will flow the whole traffic be-
tween the north and south.

The Capital will be divided into 15,000 shares of £2O
each. The parliamentary deposit of five per cent to be
paid upon the shares being allotted, and the Subscribers
to sign the Parliamentary Contract and Subscriber.'
agreement, when required.

Power will be taken to pay interest at four per cent. on
the amount of the subscription paid up till the line is
opened, and no Subscriber shall be answerable for more
than the amount of his subscription.
Applications for Shares to be made, in the form an-
nexed, to Messrs. G. and P. ANDERSON, Solicitors, and
Mr. CHARLES STEWART, Solicitor, Inverness, the I've-
rim Joint Secretaries; to Messrs. MARTIN and Ross, 37,
Castle-street, Edinburgh; Messrs. EDWARD WCALLUM
and COMPANY, Stockbrokers, and Mr. WILLIAM CLEL-
LAND, Stockbroker, Edinburgh; Mr. JAMES GRANT,
Writer, and Mr. GEORGE GATHERER, Writer, Agents at
Elgin; Mr. WILLIAM SCLANDERS, Writer, Agent at
Forres ; Mr. ADAM DAVIDSON, Town-Clerk, Agent at
Nairn; Messrs. SETON and REID, Sharebrokers, Glas•
gow ; Mr.W.H. OLlPHANT,Sharebroker, Perth; Messrs.
OSWALD, GEORGE, and COMPANY, Sharebrokers, Aber-
deen ; WM'S. SCOTT, CARTHORN, and SCOTT, No. 16,
Throgmorton-street, London ; Mr. W. S. I. MAY, Share-
broker, and Messrs. FRASER and TAYLEUR, Sharebro-
kers, Liverpool ; Mr. HENRY WODEHOUSE Sharebro-
ker, Manchester; Messrs. GRAYSTON and EARLE,
Sharebrokers, York; and Mr. JONATHAN DREWRY,
Sharebroker, Newcastle.

(FORM OF APPLICATION.)
TO THE PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE INVERNESS

AND ELGIN RAILWAY.
GENTLEMEN,—I request you will allot me
Shares, of £2O each, in this undertaking, and I agree to
accept the same, or any smaller number that may be al-
lotted to me, to pay the deposit thereon, and sign the Par-
liamentary Contract and Subscribers' Agreement, when
required. _ _

I am, Gentlemen,your obedient servant

Profession

N.B.—As applications for the Shares have already
been received to an extent greatly beyond the whole Ca-
pital, the Committee beg to intimate that no applications
can be received after Thursday, the 27th current.
March 18, 1845.