The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 1869. THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 147, 25 June 1869, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 1869. THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Although unable to corroborate a rumor published this morning by our too sanguine contemporary the Colonist, to the effect that West Coast Railway debentures are in considerable demand in London, we have the greatest pleasure in being able to inform ouj; readers that the scheme has found favor at home, and that there is every probability of a Company being formed to cany it oufc. The Government have received a letter from Mr. Morrison, the Provincial Agent iv London, enclosing a lengthy communication from Lieutenant Colonel Maude, of tbe Royal Engiueer*?, from which it is evident tbat he has, as he there states, made himself conversant with the whole of the details ef the proposed railway. Colonel Maude says that he has consulted several gentlemen of discretion aud experience on the matter, and that after studying the papers and plans, they have come to the conclusion that the scheme is perfectly practicable under certain conditions which he proceeds to state. The letter is of such a length that we are unable to give it in full, but must proceed to touch jupon some of its mam poiuts. Tho first condition is that the proposed Company should immediately send out an engineer and pioneer staff to examine and report upon the line of country, and as this would involve a considerable expense, 5,000 acres are to be handed over to the Company at once. Colonel Maude goes on to state that it is " absolutely essential that the principal pari, if not the whole of the labor, must be exported from England; that so large a population as would undoubtedly be required to be taken out for this purpose, namely about 2,000 laborers and artificers, including tbeir wives and families, also a portion of the engineer's staff, would require a separate department of municipal control; for this purpose it is proposed to place them under the charge of an officer of experience, who -would be the Sheriff of the new settlement, (to which it is proposed to give the name of New Lancashire) and act under the orders of the Superintendent." Pending the reply ofthe Superintendent to the propositions contained in his letter, Col. Maude is preparing a preliminary prospectus, based on the terms of Mr Curtis's letter, and the printed reports, which is to be laid before the noblemen and gentlemen who have interested them selves in the matter, and whose names we may observe, include a large number of the aristocracy and leading 'x&qiL of England, and, if it niefct their approval to*, ba placed before the public. Mr. Wring's estimate of tl*e capital required ia considered to -he far too low, and the proposed. Company &ay£ thought it necessary, injnTj^injg their caleifl^tion®, to double it and ;to set it down at two millions instead' of one, as originally estimated . by- Mr. Wrigg. We had almost omitted to mention that one of the features of the scheme is to make the employes of the Company .shareholders thus giving them a direct interest in their work. Colonel Maude concludes his letter as follows, — " In conclusion, I may say, thafc, pending these necessary precautions, there appears nothing in the opinion of those I" have consulted, to prevent the successful formation of such a Company, even at the present unfavorable moment,: and that all events, enough capital would be raised in this country to enable the line., to be commpnced at an early date, while the progress of . its development' would, it is belieygcj^ apefedily tend-to the discovery and bettef|a|»preciation of those sources of

mineral wealth from which the Company would in all human probability, derive ft very large dividend." We regret that we have not been able to lay the whole of Colonel Maude's letter before our readers, but we have published sufficient to show that the railway scheme is no longer the mere chimera it has been considered by some of its opponents.