The Sun. — 1846-06-15 (London, England)

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.  Captain CLAXTON then proposed the health of Charles Saunders, Esq., the Secretary, which was drunk amid great cheering. The company then broke up, and the work commenced of endeavouring to find the different carriages in which parties had performed the down journey. This was attended with some little trouble, and, in some cases amid much laughter, the whole train having been reversed for the up journey . All confusion was, however, soon got over, and the ladies who had honoured the directors with their company having been safely ensconed in their res. pective carriages, the train started for London at two miuutes past four o'clock. The highest speed attained on the return joarney was about 64i miles an hour and it was half-past six o'clock before the train arrived at the Paddington terminus. Thus a journey of nearly 240 miles was accomplished in less than five hours, and in this short space of time we passed twice the peaceful cemetery of Mensal-green ; Wormwood Scrubs, alike famous for its being the arena for the display of the household troops of cavalry, and the favourite spot chosen by duellists ; the head-quarters of the Earls of Essex and Warwick prior to the battle of Brentford ; the Priory of Berrymead, lately the residence of Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, but now of the Sisterhood of Le Sacre Ceeur de Jesus ; the Abbey of Twyford, which owes its origin to the late John Willan, the opulent stage-coach proprietor, who, selecting this spot for a residence, little imagined that it would behold his favourite and productive mode of travelling totally superseded; the Hanwell Asylum, generously devoted by the liberality of Englishmen to the reception of the indigent insane ; the village of Iver, which alike to the artist, the antiquary, and the angler, is replete with objects of interest and attraction ; the proud Castle of Windsor, the seat :of royalty from its foundation by the Conqueror; Eton College, famou • alike for the misfortune of the monarch that founded it, the learned men that received their education there, and its Eton Montem ; Runnemyde, where the Barons extorted Mugna Ghana from King John ; the seat of the descendant of the founder of Pennsylvania ; the church which suggested to Gray his Elegy on a Country Church Yard ; the village of Bray, famous for its vacillating vicar ; the remains of the once famous abbey of Reading, founded by Henry the Ist, and consecrated by the haughty prelate, :Thomas A'Beckett ; Chosley, rendered memorable for a monastery founded by Ethelred, in atonement for the murder of his brother, King Edward the Martyr ; Wautage, the birth place of Alfred tho Great ; the Box Tunnel, one of the most stupendous works of modern times ; Bath, oace so renowned in the world of fashionable invalids; but since the days of Beau Nash terribly degenerated, and Bristol, the Omega and Alpha of our journey, the " Metropolis of the West" and the " City of Merchant Princes." Accompanying the excursion were a number of scientific gentlemen and others conversant with railway matters, who were unanimously of opinion that the engine had done all that was expected of it, and that engine,niwotnooht uhatlil;;egb beetnl been ackneroe rnapositewti performance eopogrrreaamkrbufalgofynore emar awnlpb tcrao oesuwvtehaadsa as yet been paralleled marvellous,mstoTai lthteohdu hthasnat sdthp, tsefheoatdra trip iwpwonhwueeilwlndl dnot much fullye sshtgepoteewtpleceeadorr mthfdienspee perfect safety, cno‘ so' ynanßuf tveaehi txtnyat of nnhhgaawf ss ittthahhsbee heypGeeeunatabvublyigoec es been loads, thata,a' displayed obtained still tl pdai al and bydhi yt will ei cgdoher tn degbbir no ear ded e gwoai of speed the narrow gauge supporters. We trust that the time is not far distant when the directors will take another trip, in order, if possible, to settle finally the question so much of late agitated between the broad and narrow gauges. The public are entitled to this, and will doubtless look for it ; but when we say this we feel bound to admit that the public are greatly indebted to the directors of this company for what they have already done. Among those who attended the excursion we noticed Colonel Pasley, Lord Alfred Churchill, Mr. Brunel, Mr. Stephenson, Mr. Samuda, Charles Russell, Esq., M.P., Charles Saunders, Esq., Captain Claxton, and several persons of rank and distinction.