The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-04-02 00:00:00

the advantage to either of the rival Companies of having
the traffic pass so many miles round by their respective
lines _ _

As regards the town of Dumfries, the Committee of the
Caledonian Railway have already made it a part of their
instructions to their engineer to provide a branch to that
town, which will have the effect of bringing it, by upwards
of sxity miles, nearer to Edinburgh, and at least five miles
nearer to Glasgow, than by the projected Glasgow, Dum-
fries, and Carlisle Railway. The town of Kilmarnock is
already provided with Railway communication, and there
is certainly nothing in the barren and hilly district be-
tween it and Dumfries to repay, by any local traffic, the
cost of making a Railway up the valley of the Nith.
It is evident, therefore, that both Edinburgh and Glas-
gow will be best served by the Caledonian line. Dumfries
would, comparatively, be injured by the Ayrshire line,
which would pass through it, whereas if it be made the
terminus of a branch to the Caledonian, it will draw all
the population and traffic of the surrounding country to
itself, If diminution of distance and consequent saving
of time and expense induce travelling, the Caledonian line
is the best. If economy of construction and of working
be beneficial to the public, then the line attended with
least expense, combining both streams of traffic to Edin-
burgh and Glasgow, leading by the most direct route to
Sterling, Perth, and all the North of Scotland, and giving
the greatest amount of accommodation to the public in
general, however it may be at variance with the private
interests of rival lines, is the one which should be prefer-
red. And that line undeniably is the Caledonian.
In conclusion, the Committee are convinced that, how-
ever the prospects of the Ayrshire, and the Edinburgh
and Glasgow Railways may be apparently identified with
evtrerre Eastern or Western Lines, that which has the
power of drawing to itself the whole traffic of East, West,
North and South, in spite of all the efforts of rival com-
petitors, is sure, in the end, to succeed ; and that line is
the one recommended by the Government Commission..
era, after the fullest inquiry, and on the most minute in-
vestigation of all the evidence submitted to them by the
promoters of the various schemes, and whose decision was
by none more courted than by the very parties who are
now opposing it by all the means in their power.
Looking at the circular hereto annexed, every one must
perceive that the meeting at which you presided is a part
of a crusade against all projects, however beneficial they
may be to the public, which are supposed to interfere in
any way with the interests of the Glasgow and Ayr, or
Glasgow and Edinburgh Railways, and that such meetings
are held for the purpose of dissemminating, in an irre-
sponsibly way, whatever statements Shareholders may
make against the Government line of Railway. The Pro-
visional Committee have deemed it due to themselves
thus to notice and expose the first of these unjustifiabie
attempts; but, in future, they will leave the public to deal
with them as they may think they merit.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant,
Signed by order of the Committee,
J. H. HUMFREY, Secretary.

(Copy of Circular alluded to.)
TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE EDINBURGH AND
GLASGOW RAILWAY.
Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Office,
Glasgow, 181 h March, 1844.
SIR,--I am instructed by the Board of Directors to
forward the subjoined extract of a resolution, passed by
them this day, on the subject of the several projected
lines of communication between England and Scotland.
The Directors feel it to be their duty, not merely to
guard your interests in the internal arrangements of the
line committed to their charge, but to discountenance any
external projects that may seem to threaten its prosperity,
and to support such as promise to be beneficial to it; and
they are anxious that you should be alive to the bearings
of the various projected lines on the prospects of the Edin-
burgh and Glasgow Railway, and be able to aid the board
in their exertions for your benefit. They would urge on
you strongly, the advantage of the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow Railway, of your showing every encouragement to
the East and West Coast lines, viz.: the " North Bri-
tish," and the " Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle," and
of your doing everything in your power to discountenance
the " Scottish or Central Union," and the Caledonian
Railways," the, latter of which will be highly injurious to
your interests.

The Directors have the less hesitation in making this
communication, as, from their local and personal know-
ledge, they feel satisfied that the interests of the public
of Scotland are, in this instance, identified with those of
your Railway.

I am, Sir, your most obedient srrvant,
(Signed,) H. G. WRIGHT, Secretary.

At a Meeting of the Provisional Committee of the Ca-
ledonian Railway, on Saturday, the 23d of March, 1844,
there were present,
Messrs. J. J. Hope Johnstone, M.P. for Dumfries-
shire.

William Lockhart. M.P. for Lanarkshire.
David Dickson, of Hartree,
Robert Monteith, of Carstairs,
Being a quorum,
Resolved,--" In consequence of certain statements re-
ported in the Railway Times of this day, as having been
made at a Meeting, at Glasgow, of the Ayr Railway Com-
pany, on the 20th instant, that the letter, of which the
above is a copy, be sent to the Chairman of that meeting,
and published in the Railway Times and other papers."