Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-01-10
Europe and North America
.a. Railway.

Railway. r
During the summer we gave some &C.
count of the "pian for shortening the
time cf passage bef,oeen NeU York and
London" and of the great Railway
Convention held at Portland, July 81,
and succeeding days, in aid Of the
scheme. We are now furnished with
copy of the proceedings of that Conven-
ton in pamphlet of some lSO pagers.
with map showing the relative dis
tances between New York and London
by the commonly sailed route and by the
one proposed by the plan before US.
which contemplates the shortest sea
voyage from the easternmost point in
Nova Scotia to the West coast of Ire
land, a distance of 1900 miles.
By this plan il is proposed to reduce
the time of passage from New York to
London in sir days.
The pamphlet before US is cot up in a
most creditable style, and gives
lst. The plan as originally presented
to the Legislature of Maine.
2d. The proceedings OF the executive
committee of management.
3d.. The doings Of the Railway Con-
vention.
4th. The charter of the European
and North American Railway, granted
by the Legislature OF Maine.
The Convention ot Portland was, we
understand, one of the most interesting
spectacles ever presented in this or any
other country. Delegates were present
| from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick,
New Foundland aud Canada, and from
the Northern States of the Union. The
speeches on the occasion were charac-
terized By the most enlarged and liberal
sentiments; and for force of diction, ele-
gance of composition and beauty of IL
lusiration, are said to have rarely been
surpassed. 1t was generous outpour-
ing of fraternal feeling and of enlarged
| philanlhrophy. All parties seemed to
have been carried away by conscious
pride that the old English family of
colonists, after seyenty.ive years separa-
tion, had met to renew the vows of fra
ternal fellowship forever.
Speeches were made by the leading
officials Of the Provinces, such as
Messrs. Uniacke, Attorney General os
Nova Scotia; Wilmot, Attorney General
of New Brunswick.
/ Among the speeches, those of ]. III.
GRAY, member oil the Parliament OF
New Brunswick for the city of St. John.
and of Gen. Dearborn, of Massachu-
sets, are said to have been particularly
admired.
This movement seems to have, attract--
ed great interest throughout the British
Empire, and the completion of the rail-
way line from Dublin to Galway. in the
present plans of steam navigation be-
tween the two continents.
The distance from New York to Hall
fax, by railway, will be nine hundred
miles, as follows:
From New York to Portland. $50 m.
Portland to Watervale, 50
Already built. 49,
Waterville to Bangor, 80
Bangor to St. John, N. b., Eco
st. John to Nova Sco,ialine, l34
Line of New B. TO Halifax, l24
4
I Total, 900
II requires four hundred and sixty
eight miles of road to be built. OF this
distance, from Watervile to Bangor is
soon to be put under contract, making
four hundred and eighty-two miles fin
ished, and requiring four hundred and
eighteen miles more to be built in addi-
tion. Of this portion, ninety miles are
in the State of Maine, two hundred and
fourteen miles in New Brunswick, and
one hundred and twenty -four miles in
Nova Scotia.
4. 1t is proposed to make this line from
Bangor TO Halifax of four hundred and
eighteen miles under one company, anG
for that purpose to get concurrent char
ters in Maine, New Brunswick, and
Nova Scotia. Maine has already gran
ted the necessary charter, with capital
of $4,000, 900, and the plan is 10 adopt
the same charter in New Brunswick and
Nova Sco,ia, by a simple act constituting
the Maine company corporation in
each Province.
| Tie Legislatures of New Brunswick
and Nova Scotia are expected to assem-
BILE in january next. Between Portland
and Montreal the line of railway is in
rapid progress at each end, and will be
completed in October, 1852.
SCENE BY "PHAzMA," JR.--"Firss
i class in geopraphy. come Rill srno,.