The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-17 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

H. G. IRELAND,

92, BOLD-STREET,
BEGS most respectfully to inform the Nobility and
Ladies of Liverpool and the Vicinity that he has
always ready for inspection one of the
LARGEST RETAIL STOCK OF FURS
to be found either in or out of the Metropolis, (certainly
the most select,) and being solely his own Manufacture—
s great advantage over the mere seller—he is in a position
to answer for every article sold. At the present moment,
he has several

WHITWORTH'S PATENT ROAD AND STREET
CLEANSING MftlINE.
TWENTY-FOUR of these AMines are employed in
cleansing Manchester, which was formerly considered
the dirtiest town in England, but is now admitted on all
hands to be the cleanest. By aid of this Machine streets
can be cleansed three times oftener than under the old
system without any increaself expense. The Machine
has been adopted in London, by the Commissioners of
Woods and Forests,4ii the line of RegenWtreet, White-
hall, Parliament-street, &c., and it has'also been intro-
duced into Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Dublin,
Sheffield, &c.

• Applications for Licenses to be made to the PATENTEES,
Chorlton-street, Manchester.

EDINBURGH, LEITH, AND GRANTON RAIL-
WAY COMPANY.
INCORPORATED BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT.
CALL OF TWO POUNDS TEN SHILLINGS
PER SHARE.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that in pursuance
of a resolution of the board o ' ectors, the proprie-
tors of shares of the New c in this Company are
hereby 'required to Pay INSTALMENT of TWO
POUNDS TEN SHIJIt INGS STERLING, on each
of their respective Shares, on or before MONDAY, the 6th
day of Jandary next, to any of the undermentioned bank-
ers. Interest at the rate of Five per Cent. per annum
will be charged on all sums that remain unpaid after the
6th proximo.
London.—Messrs. Williams, Deacon & Co. Birchin Lane.
Liverpool.—Messrs. Leyland and Builins:_

Edinburgh.—The City Of Glasgow Bank, Hanover-street.
By order of the Board of Directors,
A. G. FIELD, Secretary.
Edinburgh, 12th December, 1844.

SHEFFIELD, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, AND
MANCH ESTE R RAILWAY.

CALL FOR THE THIRTEENTH INSTALMENT
ON THE ORIGINAL AO SHARES.
THE DIRECTORS of the SHEFFIELD, ASH-
TON-UNDER-LYNE, and MANCHESTER
RAILWAY having resolved to m CALL, under the
provisions of their Act of orporation, for an IN-
STALMENT of FIVE NDS PER SHARE upon
the ORIGINAL E HUNDRED POUND
SHARES, NOTIC S HEREBY GIVEN, that the several
Proprietors of those Shares in the Capital Stock of the
said Company, are required to pay the said Call, or Sum
of Five rounds, upon each of their said respective
Shares, on or before the second tify of January next, to
one of the Company's undermentioned Bankers, at their
respective Banking Houses, namely :
At Sheffield .. To the Sheffield and Retford Bank.
Manchester The Union Bank of Manchester.
Liverpool.. Messrs. Leyland and Bullins.
London.... Messrs. Glyn, Hallifax, and Co.
London.... The London and Westminster Bank.
Interest, after the rate of Five Pounds per Centum per
Annum, will be charged •on all Calls which shall be in
arrear after the said second day of January, and during
such arrear Shareholders will lose their claim to Interest
upon any previous payments of Capital.
The Directors take this opportunity of stating, that it
is their intention to make further Calls upon the £lOO
Shares, until those shares shall be paid up in full.
By order of the Directors,
JOHN PLATFORD, Clerk and Secretary.
Manchester, December 4th, 1844.

ORLEANS, TOURS, AND BORDEAUX
RAILWAY.

SECOND REPORT fifiTHESHAREHOLDERS.
THE Directors have the pleasure to inform the Share-
holders, that three of their number, accompanied by
the. Engineers of the Company, have just completed a tour
of inspection over the section cf this line between Orleans
and Tours, preparatory to the deli!gr.y-to the Company by
the e Governmnt.
_to/7

Of the il4 kilometres (72,011e5) comprised in this dis-
tance, there are 94 kilompfres ready for the immediate
/ commencement of Ibe b lasting and laying the rails. The
maining 20 kilometre re in an almost equal state of for-
wardness, except i he immediate vicinity of the city of
Tours, where the arthwork is very light.
A formal dem nd to put the Company in immediate
possession of that portion, of the line will be made forth-
with.

The stupendous bridge over the Loire, at Mont Louis,
had the last arch keyed-in in the presence of these gen-
tlemen. It is a noble structure of 12 arches, cacti 25
metres span (82 feet English,) end is built with the
beautiful stone of the country. It reflects the highest
credit, as indeed do all the works on the line, upon the
Government Engineers, MM. Foulon and Morandiere,
upon the latter of whom, more especially, has devolved
the direction of the lower part of the line.
Not only the masonry, but the earthwork also is com-
pleted, with the exqusite finish which ,characterises all the
work of the French Engineers. The embankments arc
constructed in successive layers of from half a metre (20
inches) to a metre in thickness, laid in from barrows or
carts. The slopes are dressed off with the most careful
very
yc uttotpi g s
Tahries
mfacedode vvoi tf h
csotrei
snter
upitchings
naplii;nueiccoliissitmon'otoreatneldxlepensive than is usual in our railway works
in this country ; but we are not quite sure that it is not
cheaper in the end. At all events the Company, who have
to work and maintain the line, have abundant cause to
rejoice at the carefulness and solidity of the construction
throughout.
After much deliberation and considerable difficulty with
the Department of Public Works, the joint station at
Tours for this and the line to Nantes is definitively fixcd
to be at the very gates of the city, which will be an im-
mense convenience to the public, and no small advantage
to the city itself. The plans are approved, and the erec-
tion of the buildings will be commenced forthwith. The
company will have an independent station at Orleans also,
communicating with that of the Paris and Orleans Com-
pany. The other stations will be commenced without
delay, and have been deferred hitherto only that the
wishes of the Company might be consulted as to the sites
and general disposition of the buildings.
About 100,000 metres cube of coarse sand and gravel,
for ballast, extracted from the bed of the Loire, during
the summer months, is already carted on the line ready
for use, and excellent material is at hand for forming the
bottom layer, to bed the sleepers on.
The Directors have the satisfaction to announce, that
they have accepted the proposal made by the eminent con-
tractors, Messrs. Mackenzie and Brassey, to undertake
the construction of the upper works, and the efficient and
complete stocking of the whole line from Orleans to Bor-
deaux, comprising every requisite to render the railway
fit to be opened to the public, by successive sections, fJr
a gross sum which presents an economy of upwards of
3,000,000 francs upon the Company's capital 65,000,000
francs.

The proposal embraces the opening of the section from
Orleans to Tours by the Ist of August, 1845 !
The Directors would here beg to recal to the recollec-
tion of the shareholders, that the detailed estimate of the
Government Engineers, as embodied in the Report on the
law on this railway, by the Hon. Mr. Dufaure (page 48
and 49,) amounted to 70,000,000 francs ; and that more
than one of the competing Companies estimated the re-
quisite capital at 75,000,000 francs.
If, therefore, your Directors have obtained an economy
of upwards of 3,000,000 of francs upon the smallest capi-
tal, after providing for everything that can be required for
opening the whole line to public circulation (except the
furniture for the stations and the tools for the workshops,
which will be amply covered by 500,000 or 600,000 francs,)
they trust it will be taken as an indication of the spirit in
which they have entered upon the important trust com-
mitted to their charge, and by which their subsequent
management will be governed.
Your Directors need not dwell upon the advantage of
this novel event in the history of railways, for the Share-
holders to have a guarantee, at least six years beforehand,
that the subscribed capital is sufficient. The word
guarantee is used advisedly, because the well-known
wealth, as well as the skill and experience of the firm
in question, can leave no doubt that they will accom-
plish, and in the least possible time, whatever they under-
take.

In conclusion, your Directors beg to state that the re-
maining 2,000,000 francs to complete the caution money of
4,000,000 francs required by the French Government
were duly deposited in the proper office on Saturday,
the 6th of December instant. The whole of this sum
is deposited in "Bons du Tresor," bearing interest after
the rate of 3 per cent. per annum from the date of the
deposit.
The statutes of the Company, as definitively settled,
have been submitted for the approbation of the Conseil
d'Elat, and the completion of this formality is expected
as soon as the usual administrative requirements can be
gone through.
RICHARD PATERSON, Chairman
of the London Board.
Offices, 2, Conel-court, London, Dec. 13, 1844.
J. D. BARRY, Chairman of the Com-
mittee of Management.
24, Rue de Rivoli, Paris, .1), c. 11, 1844.

THE CHILDREN OF THE IRISH PEASANTRY.-It will
be seen from what I have said that nothing could be more
extreme than the poverty of the Irish peasantry. And yet,
notwithstanding all the hardships through which they ha% e
to pass on their journey through life, I never saw a set of
finer-looking children than those you meet with in the
poorer districts of the country. They far surpass, in the
comeliness of their little countenances, the children of
this country. 1 saw hundreds of them whom, from the
regularity of their features and the symmetry a their
foams, I thought perfect pictures.

THE LIVERPOOL DOCKS.

We this day present our readers with a Plan of the
whole range of the Liverpool Docks—now in use, in
course of formation, or intended ; together with a Plan
of the intended Railway Tunnel from the Waterloo Dock
to the Edge-hill Station, showing the streets and parts of
the town under which it will pass the whole sheet form-
ing a specimen of modern typography which—we may
anticipate, without vanity—will be considered an achieve-
ment in the art which has never before been accomplished.
Independently of the sharpness of outline, and the facili-
C..% for producing rapid impressions at a common printing
press, which this new principle in composition affords,
(and which originated in our own office,) another novelty
introduced is the printing in two colours, or rather inks;
the black defining the larger number of docks, those con-
structed and in full operation, and the blue* those in pro-
gress, or about to be formed with all expedition, for the
requirements of the port. The new Dock Warehouses
round the Albert Dock (not yet completed) are also in-
serted in blue, as is the line of the intended Tunnel; and
all the principal streets along the chain of docks, and the
others leading from them, chiefly at a right angle, into
the town, to the eastward, being also given, the compara-
tive extent and position of our aggregate dock accommo-
dation is at once obvious. The total area of the docks
(upwards of 20 in number, including basins and passages)
is 120 acres and 4270 yards ; and the extent of quay space
is 9 miles 1551 yards,—an amount of accommodation
(and that of the most secure character) for shipping,
which, regarded with reference to its magnitude combined
with its concentration for commercial purposes—the
whole forming a range of less than three miles in length,
and closely skirting the town on the seaboard—is not
equalled by any port in the world.
It may be acceptable, prior to giving a description of
the recent works, to prefix a few historical reminiscences
connected with the rise of the port, for which we are
chiefly indebted to Mr. Kaye's " Stranger in Liverpool,"
and Mr. Lacey's " Pictorial Liverpool." It is stated
(from tradition) that King John visited the town at the
beginning of the 13th century, on his way to Ireland ;
that he resided, during his stay, at a house near the Din-
gle (still known by his name); and that the Tower was
built by his order, " to protect the shipping and har-
bour." In 1338 Liverpool was called upon to furnish
one ship and six men to the levies made for strengthening
the naval power of the kingdom, and to assist Edward
111. in his expedition against France. In 1540 (Edward
the Sixth's time) there were but 12 vessels sailing from
" Lyverpoole"; total burthen 177 tons, with 75 men.
There are now from 18,000 to 20,000 vessels sailing from
the port. of an aggregate burthen of about 2.300,000 tons.
In 1619 Chester (previously the larger port) had 15 yes-
sels, total tonnage 383; Liverpool (then considered a
creek of Chester) 24 vessels, of, in all, 462 tons. It was
ordered by the Corporation in 1663 that " no more boats
should be built in Frog-lane" (now Whitechapel). The
Old Dock—the cradle of Liverpool as a port, and now
the site of the New Custom-house—was commenced in
excavation in 1699, but was not completed till nine years
afterwards. The vessels belonging to the port were, in
1708, 84 in number, tonnage 5187, and_ about 350 fre-
quented it. Tfie first vessel sailed for Africa in the fol-
lowing year, and was of only 30 tons burthen. The
" Dry Dock" (now Canning Dock) was commenced in
i 717. In 1720 the inhabitants were about 10,440. In
1734 the Salthouse Dock (since enlarged and deepened)
was excavated ; and in 1767 George's Dock was formed,
at a cost of £21,000. The latter was in 1825 reopened,
after being widened by 214 yards. The total number of
vessels in 1752 was 437, including upwards of 60 in the
African trade, which continued afterwards greatly to in-
crease, and to add to the wealth of the merchants and in-
habitants, until the commencement of the American war.
About 30 years afterwards, the commerce of the port had
doubled that of Bristol, which was before ahead of it.
The act for constructing the King's and the Queen's
Docks was obtained in 1784, and the Customs duties
yielded that year £618,684. The King's Dock was opened
in Octob-r 1788, and the Queen's in April 1796, the last
costing £35,000. Up to its completion the existing docks
had cost about £120,000. In 1800 the act was obtained
to build the Prince's Dock, yet the finest in the town ;
but it was not commenced until 14 years afterwards, and
was opened on the 19th July, 1821. The cost of this
dock was, including the marine works, £561,059 ; and
exclusive of the land, £461,059. The fine marine parade
on the westward of it is 750 yards in length, and 11 yards
in breadth. Shortly afterwards Parliament sanctioned
the formation of the Brunswick Dock (the largest of the
whole in area, being with its passage above 12 acres), and
also the filling up of the Old Dock , the erection of a custom-
house and public offices on its site, and the converting of
the Dry Dock into a wet dock. The last got, in 1837, the
name of the Canning Dock. The Waterloo Dock was
opened in August, 1834. It may be here stated, that
steam boat, o I,re not introduAd in the Mersey until 1815.
In 181 S there were but three houses and a few scattered
cottage, at Woodside.—The rapid accumulation of wealth
by poration of Liverpool may be conceived from
the f ,et that at a meeting of the Common Council in 1837,
it was announced by Mr. R. Radcliffe, the. late Town
Clerk, that the corporate estate had doubled itself in
forty-five years. and was then of the value of three
millions! In 1838 the first steam voyage across the At-
lantic, from this port, was made by, we believe, the
Sirius. It was afterwards very successfully accomplished
by the Royal William, a fine, but comparatively small
vessel for ocean navigation, belonging to the City of Dub-
lin Company.
The ALBERT DOCK and WA REHOUSES (the operations
at which we noticed last year) are now rapidly approaching
towards completion. The dock and passages, it will be
seen, cover a space of 7 acres and 3,423 yards, with
abundant quay room. The warehouses round it will, it
is expected, afford facilities for loading and discharging,
which will render this dock one of much more dispatch in
proportion to its size than any other in the town. The
dock is of such depth as to accommodate vessels of the
largest tonnage. The walls, es is the outer or sea-wall.
are of the most solid masonry, principally of gran te, and
the cement used is made from the Halkin mountain lime-
stone, mill ground, and which shortly after being user'.
becomes as t •nacious and irresistible as the granite itself,
which it is not therefore found necessary to hew and dress,
fol. jointing courses, excepting for appearances, any angular
form with a somewhat smooth outer surface being quite
sufficient, as the whole becomes, as it were, molten and
congregated into one equally solid mass. The curiosity
is, that this new mortar sets almost instantly, even under
salt water, and that although the walls to the river or the
dock, saving where they have received a superior finish in
squared blocks of stone at the top, are stronger than any
of our former dock walls, which are principally of huge
blocks of freestone, they present a rugged, irregular, and
patchwork appearance, by no means so pleasing to the
eye. The whole has been constructed under the arrange-
ment end superintendence of Mr. Hartley, the Dock Sur-
veyor, who has had more experience in mural dock archi-
tecture than perhaps any man living. An immense num-
ber of huge piles were driven, by steam, along the new
sea wall (which e c .oaches considerably on the bed of
the river) and also under the warehouses, to secure the
foundations of the heavy superstructures. There are two
entrances to the dock basin from the river, separated by
an island of huge granite between the locks, and on which
is erected a handsome lodge for the gatemen. There will
be a spacious promenade along the whole river side of these
erections.

The WAREHOUSES are built in detached piles, vaulted I
throughout from top to bottom, with rows of massive iron
pillars and iron beams to support the arches. Each is of
4 spacious stories, the first floor being 121 feet high, the
second 111, the third 10 feet, and the fourth 81 feet. The
vaults below are immense, exceeding indeed all conception
of even the subterranean abodes of the dead under the
larger Egyptian pyramids. These are approached by !
flights of stone steps, and the whole vaults (averaging a
height of 8 feet) comprise an area of 27,457 square yards !
They will be largely available for the storage of wines,
spirits. &c. The entire area of warehouse room, including
the vaults, is 138,805 yards. The four floors of the ware-
houses above ground would contain 234,950 bales of cot-
ton, and a large additional quantity might on emergencies
be stowed in the quay sheds. The doors, joists, window
frames, roe's and staircases are all of iron; no timber is
employed, and the floorings will be of a fire-resistifig com-
position, so that the whole may be strictly termed " fire-
prrof."
The parliamentary estimate of the cost of the Albert
Dock, the basin, and river wall, was about £217,448, and
that for the vaults and warehouses £317,106—making
altogether £531,554. The cost of the land, including the
Canning Graving Dock, was £247,711, making a total
outlay of £782.265.
The formation of the new docks in progress, or in-
tended, are proceeding (especially at the north end of the
town) with the greatest vigour, many hundreds of men
being employed, aided by the most approved modern ma-
chinery. They will in all probably be finished within three
years, and will comprise a capacious dock for sea-going
steamers. From the upper one of three of them that run
in land to the eastward, there will be a communication
with the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which will afford
great commercial facilities.
As another proof of the increase of dock accommodation
in Liverpool, it may be stated that in 1734'the amount of
the dock dues was only £BlO. In 1830 (only 96 years
afterwards) they amounted to £151,330; and last year to
£208,190. We have the prospect of a very considerable
increase this year. The ordinary income of the joint es-
tates of the corporation and the docks (still annually in-
creasing) is, at the present time, rather more than
£340,000.
The present number of ships, sea-going, belonging to
the port is 1380, of an aggregate burthen of 360,000 tons.
The number of foreign or other vessels frequenting the
port within the year is 4000; and that of coasting vessels
9500. The dock duties for the year ending 24th of June,
1844, were £208,190 17s. Id. The Customs receipts for
the two years preceding the present were—_

In 1842 -
In 1843
And in 1844, (by anticipation,) nearly
being an increase on the previous year of nearly half a
million.
* A few copies were printed with red instead of blue.

The Globe of Saturday put forth a statement that the
Chancellor of the Exchequer contemplates a reduction of
the Three per Cent. Stocks, but no credence is given to
it in the monied circles.

We have the satisfaction to announce that another of
our townsmen has been eminently successful, at Cam.
bridge, in obtaining university honours. The Hebrew
and Divinity Scholarship, founded by the late Mr.
Crosse, to which only bachelors of arts of the first year's
standing are eligible, has just been awarded to John
Herbert Jones, 8.A., of Jesus College, and son of the
Rev. J. Jones, M.A., Miaister of St. Andrew's, in this
town.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED
BIRKENHEAD, MANCHESTER, & CHESHIRE
JUNCTION RAILWAY.

The deep interest with which any project which pro-
poses to facilitate and cheapen the communication be-
tween the River Mersey and the manufacturing district
around Manchester is-naturall! regarded by the people of
Liverpool, has induced us to offer to our readers the fol-
lowing description of the above important line, prepared
from an inspection of the parliamentary plans lodged with
the Clerks of the Peace in Chester and Preston. In doing
so, and in any remarks which we may offerin the coarse
of our notice of it, we would distinctly have it understood
that we have no disposition to puff into undue importance
this or any other line. If we are to have a rival line, to
protect the important communities of Liverpool and Man-
chester against the monopolising spirit which appears to
actuate the management of the existing communications
both by land and by water, we should perhaps be led to
prefer a line of railway from this side of the Mersey.
Such, we have no doubt, is the feeling of the majority of
the people of Liverpool. We must, however, bow in sub-
mission to the circumstances in which we are placed: The
vast power of the companies which, now united, threaten
to bar all direct approach, by railway,from the east, com-
pels us to welcome a Cheshire line; and we do not think
it will be very difficult to prove that, in furtherance of the
success of such a line, local jealousies being set aside, it is
the duty, as it is the interest, of the peuple of Liverpool
to join their influence with the legislature to that of itsen-
terprising projectors on the other side of the river. With
these few words of preface we proceed to our description.
The main line of the railway in question commences at
the Hooton station of the Birkenhead and Chester Rail-
way, in the township of Childer Thornton, about six and
a half miles from Birkenhead, and eight from Chester,
from which point it diverges towards the estuary of the
Mersey for a short distance, in a curved line, with a ra-
dius of sixty chains. It then proceeds in a nearly
straight direction by Little Sutton, which is left a little to
the south, and runs across Stanlow Meadows, passing
south of the village of Ince at a distance of three-quarters
of a mile, to Elton, at which point the branch from Ches-
ter joins the main line to Manchester and Stockport.
From Elton the main line proceeds, slightly curving to-
wards the river Mersey, over Hapsford Moor, and past
the village of Helsby ; runs close by the back of Fred-
sham, and forward to the valley of the river Weaver, over
which and the Weaver Canal it is carried on arches, by a
viaduct 860 yards in length, 63 feet above the river and
the canal, and 59 feet above the valley between. This is
the only important work of masonry upon the line. From
the end of the viaduct it proceeds, for a little above a
quarter of a mile in open cutting, towards Beech Wood,
which it passes under by a tunnel 2200 yards in length,
and emerges a few hundred yards to the south of the vil-
lage of Stockham. From the mouth of the tunnel the
line proceeds for a short distance in open cutting and then
in embankment, over Hindley Wood and Warford, to the
Grand Junction Railway, which it crosses, at an elevation
of 32 feet, about two-thirds of a mile to the south of the
village of Kekewick.
From this point the line runs for about two miles on
the southern side of the Grand Junction Railway, atabout
200 yards distance, to the village of Moore, (where the
proposed branch, of one mile in length, to join the Grand
Junction Railway leaves,) and continues onward to Lower
Walton, where another branch line, about a mile in length,
called the Latchford Branch, diverges to Warringtonßridge.
From Lower Walton the main line proceeds. slightly curving
to th enorth-east, by Stcckton Heath to Thelwall, leaving
Grappenhall 3-4ths of a mile to the south, and thence, in
a straight line, by Statham, Rush Green, across the turn-
pike road from Lymm to Warburton, about half a mile to
the north of the former, and 4-sths of a mile southward of
the latter, by Barnslane and Hooley Hill, leaving the vil-
lage of Dunham Massey about half a mile south, to Broad-
heath, where it crosses the Duke of Bridgewater's canal at
an elevation of 15 feet. It then proceeds on to Altrin-
cham, which it passes on the north side, about 2-3ds of a
mile from the centre of the town, and a quarter of a mile
from the northern outskirt.

From Altrincham the line runs for nearly four miles
immediately alongside of the Duke of Bridgewater's canal
to Stretford ; and leaving the canal, where it bends to the
left, pursues the direction of the turnpike road from Stret-
ford to Manchester, which it passes under, close to the
Manchester Botanic Gardens, in 17 feet cutting. It
then crosses the Bridgewater Canal at an elevation of 12
feet 6 inches, the Old Quay Canal at an elevation of 18
feet, and the River Irwell, near Throstle Nest, at an ele-
vation of 32 feet. These crossings are accomplished with
works, of a very inexpensive nature. The line now
proceeds by Ordsall Hall, which it leaves to the left,
through Ordsall Wood to Regent-road, Salford, which
it passer in a cutting of 18 feet, at the point of its
intersection by Oldfield Road, and joins the Liverpool
and Manchester Railway where the new line through Sal-
ford to the station in Hunt's Bank diverges from the line
to the old station in Knott Mill. An " alternative line"
is given in the plans, running fr)rn Ordsall Wood to the
north of that just described, and terminating in a junction
with the Manchester, Bury, and Bolton Railway at the
point where it crosses the Oldfield Road.
The length of line to be made frcm Hooton Station to
Manchester is 35 miles. 7 furlongs. 5 chains, which, with
61 miles, the distance from Birkenhead to Hooton, makes
the distance from Birkenhead to Manchester about 424
miles.

The branch to Stockport commences at Altrincham and
proceeds to Timperley, skirting the north side of the turn-
pike road from Altrincham to Stockport, to the Royal
Oak Inn, where it crosses the road and runs forward in a
south-easterly direction to the Royal Thorn Inn, where a
branch diverges from it to Cheadle. From the Royal
Thorn the line rims directly to a point of the River Mer-
sey, called Old Ford, half a mile south of Northenden ;
then proceeds by the side of the river for about two miles ;
crosses it into the township of Heaton Norris, and termi-
nates in a street in Stockport called the Brinksway. A
short branch of about a mile and a furlong runs to a junc-
tion with the Manchester and Birmingham Railway at the
Heaton Norris Station. The length of the Stockport
Branch is 7 miles. 4 furlongs, 5 chains.
The Cheadle Branch, which we hare already said di-
verges from the Stockport Branch, near the Royal Thorn
Inn, on the Altrincham and Stockport turnpike road,
proceeds by Sharston Green, pass. a about one-third of a
mile north of Northen Etchells, and runs by Cross-
acre Green and Schoals Hill to Cheadle Mosely, where it
joins the Manchester and Birmingham Line at Lady
Bridge, about half a mile from Stockport. The length of
this branch, measuring from its junction with the Stock-
port Branch, is 3 miles 6 furlongs, 8 chains.
The Chester Branch leaves the main line about a quar-
ter of a •rile west of Elton Hall, and passes through the
township of '1 hornton-in-the- Moors to Stoke. From this
point it runs for about a mile and a half by the side of the
Ellesmere and Chester Canal ; and, passing under the
turnpike road from Birkenhead to Chester, joins the
Chester and Birkenhead Railway at Upton Bridge. The
length of this branch is 5 miles, 2 furlongs, 4 chains.
The gradients of the line and the profile of the country
over which it passes are of a most favourable description.
For the first six miles from Hooton, the lowest inclina-
tion is 1 in 398, and the highest 1 in 211, the mean gra-
dient bring between the two, or about 1 in 320. A con-
siderable portion of this distance is traversed close upon
the surface; and of the short cuttings and embankments
which present themselves, the deepest of the former is 29
feet and the highest of the latter 22 feet, The next 5-1-
miles are of a still lighter character, with improved gradi-
ents, to Frodsham, where there is a short cutting for
about a quarter of a mile, the deepest point of which is
51 feet. Beyond this cutting the viaduct over the valley
of the Weaver occurs, and next the tunnel, the length of
which has already been stated. Of the character of the
strata through which it is to be carried, we are not in.
formed. The almost level form of the surface above,
however, and its inconsiderable height, present great faci-
lities for executing the works expeditiously and cheaply,
the depth of the necessary shafts in no part exceeding 80
feet. The line emerges from the tunnel mouth into an
open cutting of 55 feet in depth, which graduates down to
the surface in less than a quarter of a mile. From this
point it proceeds for a miie and a quarter, in embankment,
to the end of the 16th mile, after which it runs for four
miles, over slightly undulating ground, and with an al-
most level gradient, to the 20th mile, the deepest cutting
being about 20 feet, and a considerable portion being on
the surface. From the 20th to the 34th mile there is not
a single work of importance, the whole being of an ex-
tremely light description, and the greater portion surface
I work.

The Chester and Stockport Branches are characterized
by similar levels and works, the heaviest of which are
contained in the last mile of the Chester Branch,approach-
ing Upton Bridge. These; however, are quite inconsi-
derable when compared with the works on some existing
lines.

From the foregoing data it will be perceived that the
total length of railway to be constructed is miles, viz. :
Miles. Furlgs. Chns.

Main Line from Hooton Station to
Junction with the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway
Chester Branch
Grand Junction Branch 1 0 0
Stockport Branch
Bowden Branch ........ .. 2 0 2
Cheadle Branch (from Stockport Branch) 3 6 8
Latchford Branch

Total Railway to be constructed . 56 5 2+
We may explain that this does not include the alternative
branch to the Bolton line, 2 miles, 2 furlongs, and 8
chains in length, which, if adopted, will render unneces•
sary an almost equal distance of railway from its point of
separation from the main line to the junction with the Li-
verpool and Manchester. The total capital sought to be
raised under the act of Parliament is 41,000,000, with
the usual borrowing powers.
The most interesting practical question which presents
itself on an examination of the whole scheme is the nature
of the case which can be made out by its promoters before
Parliament. As a line from Birkenhead to Manchester,
merely, it may with some justice be objected against, on
account of its greater length than the existing communi.
cation on this side of the river to Manchester, over which
it shews an excess of upwards of 1] miles. Viewing it,
however, merely in this light, there are circumstances
which may induce the Board of Trade, in the first in-
stance, and Parliament afterwards, to regard its claims
with a favourable eye. The legislature has already given
its sanction to undertakings in the neighbourhood of Wal-
lasey Pool, which must involve an outlay of upwards of a
million sterling ; and it must not be forgotten, that the
Crown itself, from its claim to the land to he made on
both sides of the Pool, is deeply interested in the success
of those undertakings, and bound to forward every legiti-
mate scheme by which such success can be secured. No-
thing, certainly, can be conceived more likely to advance
such an end than an expeditious and cheap communica-
tion with the manufacturing districts to the eastward.
Looking, too, at the interests of the communities on both
sida of op mergy, the legislature may fairly examine