The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser

THE ROSEBUSH AND FISHGUARD 7 RAILWAY. A meeting of persons interested in the formation ( of a line of railway from Rosebush to Fisbguar was held at the Town Hall, Fishguard, on Thurgda} the 5th instant. There was a very large attendance amongst those present were :—Sir Hugh Owen, Mr Worthington, Glynymel; Col Jno. Owen, Mr J. B. Macaulay, Mr Cropper, Mr Hugh Owen, Mr Walters, Mr Warren, Mr Le Hunte, Mr E. Eaton Evan". Haverfordwest; Mr W. Davies, Haverfordwest; M B. Harries, Neeston Rev W. Rowlands, Fiehguaio. Rev Mr Walters, Maenclochog; Mr H. LI. Harriej Cefynydre Mr John Thomas, Landshipping House Mr W. H. Jenkins, Pantypbilip; Mr Broomfield, London; Mr Hnghes, London; Mr Lee, London Mr Williams, Drim Mr H Davies, Haverfordwest; Mr Thomas, Lochtorfin Mr Thomas, Trehale Mr Matbias, Letterston; Mr W. Jones, Haverfordwest; Mr Harries, Trellan, Rev. Mr Peacock, Stonehall; Mr Nicholas, Garndwran Mr Thomas, Trebover Mr Anstie, Fishguard Mr Lawton, Milford Haven Mr Richards, Mathry Mr Reynolds, Treglemais. On the proposition of the Rev Mr Walter?, seconded by Mr E. Eaton Evans, Sir Hugh Owen was unanimously requested to preside. On the motion of Mr Macaulay, seconded by Mr W. Davies, the Rev. W. Rowlands was appointed Vice-chairman. The Chairman, in opening the business, said :— Gentlemen,—I am sensible of your kindness in oaying me the compliment of appointing me chair- man of this very large and influential meeting. I could have wished that some person more largely connected with the county than II am had been placed in the chair: but I hold the unenviable position of an old man, and yon have paid me the compliment of electing me to fill this place, and I shall be happy to discharge the duties to the best of my ability. It is many years since I was in this Hall, and I am glad to see so many old friend. whom I can remember for more than 40 years. (Hear, hear.) After having received so many proofs in bye gone days of the good will and friendship entertained for me by the people of the neighbour- hood of Fishguard, who probably formed too high an estimate of my character, I should consider it very ungrateful on my part if I did not do anything in my power for the advantage of a town with which so many of my family before me were inti- mately connected. (Applause.) The object iI, flailing this meeting together is, as you know, to draw yon out of that seclusion in which you have been so many years: you have been almost in what one might call a back settlement, and the proposi- tion to be put before you is to bring you more into the inner world. If that can be done, as it assuredly ean with your assistance, yon will reap the benefits of the beautiful neighbourhood you possess, and your harbour will attract capitalists to it, who will then know there is suoh a place as Fishguard, and that thero is a population connected with the large distriet aionnd it, who are now, from the war. t of communication, almost sbut out from important, parts of the kingdom. I hope you will do your part in aiding the promoteis of this scheme, who have really in a most liberal manner come forward to do you this important service. (Hear, hear;) 1 do sincerely hope you will take advantage of this scheme. My presence here to-day is a guarantee that I do think a railway would be an incalculable benefit to you, for I assure you I would not be here to-day if I did not think so. I do not think the soheme oan be in better or more honourable hands than in those of the gentlemen, through whose exertions this meeting has been called together. (Applause.) It is not for me to occupy your time with details of the proposed line, as there are a great many speakers who will address you. I will call upon Col Owen to address you. (Hear, hear.) Col Owen Mr Chairman and Gentlemen,—It hat been my happy privilege to have been present on two occasions at meetings connected with the project we have in hand today. I had the good fortune to be present when the first sod was cut and the barrow trundled by that estimable lady Mrs Macaulay. (Loud applause.) On the second ocoaaion, 1 had the privilege of being present at the inauguration of the opening of the railway which was celebrated by a banquet at Maenclochog. Now, gentlemen, it is a thoroughly recognised axiom in colonial life that the pioneer seldom or never lives to see the benefits resulting from his enterprise. (Hear, hear,) It is- also an axiom that those who tread quickly on the heels of the pioneer do reap those benefits. (Hem, hear.) We are now trying to tread in the heels oi the revered pioneer of the railway t« this district, the lamented Mr Cropper. (Applause.) 1 thoroughly identify myself with this soheme becaust I believe it to be a genuine one, and I assure you 1 would rath9r cut off my right arm than lend myseli to anything I did not think was a good scheme. (Hear, hear.) I believe it to be thoroughly genuine and I have three great reasons for identifying myseli with this scheme. The first is,—on the plea 01 humanity, and 1 hope you will listen to this. I do not know whether you have witnessed it or not, but I have on a sweltering hot day seen poor cattle com- ing down from Llandeloy to Haverfordwest, and huddled together in a cattle train without one drop of water. I have recalled to myself on such occa- sions, the beautifully expressed idea in Longfellow's 1 Psalms of Life,' where he speaks of them as dumb, driven cattle." Dumb —yes, they were dumb, their tongues hanging out, and their flecked sides if they could have spoken, they would have said—" bhame on yoa, man, you ought to have done better for us." 1 have now done with the plea of humanity, and come to the plea of feasi- bility. Men cleverer than myself have sbown that instead of coming down the Gwann, by arrang- ing to go, as it is proposed to do, to Puncheston, Little Newcastle and Letterston, they would tap a richer country. And when we get to Goodwick it is not to be supposed for one moment that we are to stop in that green field where the proposed present terminus is shown. I look upon you as men who have too much common sense for that. We should soon see the railway carried on a mile or so further when capitalists see the advantages of the locality. The line would be brought to the Cow and Calf," and that would mean wharves and jetties. These would mean labour, and labour means food ana consumers of food. Who are going to supply thai food ? The farmers of the north part of Pembroke- shire. Hiring got to that point, we have othei matters to consider. Thousands upon thousands 01 lives have been lost upon this iron bound coast, ane man has done nothing to improve the advantages oi the place. I have noticed—I dare say a great many have noticed also,—that Providence—some people call it Providence and others call it Nature, I call it the Great Creator—lays down a grand outline and leaves man to fill it up. (Hear, hear.) He has laiu down a solid foundation for a harbour of refuge in placing the Cow and Calves—I believe there art nine altogether,—here, and what you have to do it to recognise the natural advantages of your Bay, and do what yon oan to get these rocks, whioh are perfectly useless where they are now, toppled down, cemented and concreted, to make what the ancients called a mole, which would be the means of saving thousands of lives. (Hear, hear.) I sincerely hope Ion will do all in your power to assist this scheme, I have seen too much of the stagnation of this county you know what stagnation in trade means. Stagnation in trade means County Court nrst the Bankruptcy Court next, and shutters up afterwards. (Laaghter.) You all understand this well,—I do not lay it offensively at all, but we have none of us done our duty. We have been looking at the ocean instead of workings We know what stagnation of the blood means it means death and as we do not wish you to die, we are going to galvanize you—to put a little fresh life into you, for you are worthy of it. I shall leave it to other people to talk aboui the traffic: we shall have excursion boats fronu Wexford, and I hope we shall go to Wexford. What does that meM ? I will tell you. I dare say you have been in an excursion boat, but it means trade. Every excursionist likes to take away a little fjemento or souvenir of the place he has visited ne may take a trinket; another may prefer a photograph, another may take some article of the staple industry of the country, and another may like to take a wife. (Laughter.) We must not be drones any longer we want to be a hive of working bees, and so make Fishguard a hive of thriving industry. I will venture to say this—that it wiii not be long, though I may not live to see it, before these benefits will be realised and there are people present who will remember my words-I speak them as words of prophesy—and who when sitting in their household ingles will say that the men who are here today were wise in their generation and if you help us, that you also were wise in doing so. and they will feel gratified that in the assistance they rendered on this occasion, they helped to herald and usher in the dawn of a glorious day. (Applause.) Chairman: I will now call upon Mr Walton, the engineer, to explain the course of the proposed line, and the mode by which it will be accomplished. Mr Walton: Mr Chairman and Gentlemen :—I Claim the indulgence of this meeting as I am an en- tire stranger to the neighbourhood, and therefore T trust I may kindly count npon your generous sym- pathy while I address you for a few minutes. In calling your attention to the soheme before you, I may say that it is not the first time you have heard talk of a railway to Fishguard, but I think I can say this confidently, that this is the very first time that people have come to you to talk about a railway to Fishguard at soch a small oost as the one Which can now be constructed. I have made myself perfectly familiar with the various schemes proposed to the public for connecting this place with the Great Western Railway by railway, and the lowest estimate of any soheme I have seen pre- face! has been something like £200,000. I say at the outset that the traffic connected with the line would not be sufficient to justify such an expenditure, bat the line which is now before you can be con- structed at a oost of £90,000. I, therefore, say thai its capabilities are such as to justify this expendi- ture. Assuming that you have nothing more to depend upon than the local traffio of the neighbour- hood, I shall be able to show you that this line Will earn you a five per cent dividend. (Hear hear.) I leave to speakers who will follow me the great question of the Irish traffic: I am by no means in- sensible of the value of this traffio, but I am not in a position to give you authentio information in re- ference to it, and I think it would be wasting your time to enter into details on that part of the ques- I tion. I will call your attention to the line before < me: I have prepared the map placed before you, and the proposed line is shown by the red colour. The line commences by a junction with the Matu- Ctochog Railway, which, as yoa have beard, was ( instructed at the expense of the late Mr Croppe » hom you all consider to have been one of the best ><»nefactorsJ the county of Pembroke ever had. Loud applause.) We propose to commence thf ine at the terminus of Mr Croppei's railway a' tb, tosebush station, [and then travel in a westerh 1.1]}8e to Moivil, JPqjpcheston, Little Newcastle. Jordanston. Manorowen, and Goodwick. The total length of thitf fine is 11 miles, and as I have j.ist told you the estimated expenditure is £89,000. [ aware thatrMn looking I\t the map, some would disposed to 8ay II The Engineer cannot be up I) bis work, for if he wanted to go to Goodwick and Fishguard, why did be not go straight to those places, instead of taking a circumbendibus rorte ? In mj opinion the longest way round is often found to be the shortest way there, and I will show you it is sc. in the present case. Some years ago, careful plans and careful estimates were prepared for a line down the Gwaun Valley to Fishguard, and Goodwick. The total lengt) was about 11 miles,-9 miles to Fishguard and two miles to Goodwick. Assuming the money was precisely the same as the estimate for the line I am now speaking about, you get a total length of 9 miles to Fishguard as against 14 miles to Goodwick you spend the same amount on that line as the longer line, but the longer line is earning you an income of 14 miles, and you get tollage on 14 instead of 9 miles. (tlea»-, bear.) Those who are acquainted with the features of the neighbourhood know perfectly well that Rosebush is about 800 feet above the sea level, and taking the level from Rosebush to Fishguard, it would give you a drop of 800 feet, and this at a uniform gradient foi a distance of 9 miles would be 1 in 50, but by making a detour we should get 1 in 80. You will see that this line will be very much easier for traffio in the first place, and then again by making this circumbendbus route we get almost a surface line. (Hear, hear.) The works on this lino are exceptionally light: there is no tunnel: the public bridges average about one a mile, whilst by the line proposed to be carried down the Gwann, you had expensive cuttings, expensive embankments, expensive bridges, and very heavy gradients. There- fore, it must be patent to you that on the engineer- ing question alone, the circumbendbus route is the far better line of the two. (Hear, hear ) I will take you a little bit further: if you take the line down the valley of the Gwaun, what districts does it ac- commodate ? It is on the top of the hills at on^ time, and down in the valleys at another; away from the population; and away from traffic whilst if you take the line to Puncheston you have a first rate agricultural centre; at Little Newcastle you have a still better centre, and carrying it on to Letterston, you oome to the heart of the district. 1 think the line to Letterston will undoubtedly pay if you carry the line a little further you are in the immediate vicinity of Mathry—a place not well known to me, but people who know it tell me it is an important oentre, and that the traffic of Mathry will undoubtedly be brought to this line. (Sear, hear.) I will just enter for a few minutes into the question of cost. I have been familiar with railway construction for some years I was for about seven years on the staff of a large railway oompany in England, and since then I have been much concerned in laying out railways in different parts of the king- dom. I think you will agree with me that the East- ern Counties of England are upon the whole about the least likely to attract railway people, because they have no manufacturing traffic. The returns from the poorest lines that have been constructed show conclusively that if you can make a line of railway in an agricultural district for something like £5000 a mile, you can earn a dividend of 5 per cent. (Bear, hear.) The Pembroke and Tenby line which you know well, from the returns given, earns some- thing like f20 a mile per week in traffic. Assuming for a moment that this line is to depend upon locsl traffic for support, is it unreasonable to suppose-that r,ue local traffio will amount to £12 a mile per week, instead of £20, which the Pembroke and Tenby line produces ? JB12 a week per mile on this railway will give you £8,736 earnings, and deducting 50 per cent for working expenses, you will have £4,368 profit, which is about five per cent on £87,500, the estimated cost of this line. (Hear, hear.) I am perfectly prepared to base my arguments for the success of this line upon local agricultural traffic *lone, and from what 1 know of the district I am convinced that the agricultural traffic alone will give £ 12 a mile per week, and if it does that, you are sure of your five per cent. When this traffic comes o be supplemented by the Irish traffic, I really Hesitate to speculate as to what your dividend will ne. You have a great field before you, and if you are wise in time, and if you are bold, 1 have no doubt Fishguard will become as attractive a place for people from a distance as oan be found anywhere. Hear, hear.) As I am to be followed by many speakers who have a greater acquaintance with the neighbourhood than I have, I will now sit down, out before I do so, I wish to say that I shall be very pleased to answer any question you may wish tu ask. (Hear, hear.) There is just one point I will refer to you may say to me:—" We have only your word for the accuracy. of these estimates," and my word being that of a total stranger to you, may act be of very much importance in your eyes. The estimates I have prepared have been carefully checked by an important and responsible firm of contractors in this neighbourhood, Messrs Appleby and Liwton, and I think the names of those gen- tlemen will be a sufficient guarantee of their bona fides. (Hear, hear.) Mr Appleby, whojcame into this neighbourhood a few years ago, is the contractor for the Milford Docks, and he has now most ener- getically brought those docks to a state of comple- tion. (Applause.) I think Mr Appleby's opinion is entitled to some respect at your hands. Mr Appleby and Mr Lawton have been over the line they have checked the estimates, and they are prepared to tell you they are within the mark, and that a contractor can be found who will make the works for the money I have placed in these estimates. (Loud applause.) Chairman I will now ask Mr Lawton to address the meeting. Mr Lawton Mr Chairman and Gentlemen The little I have to say to you will not take me many minutes. I hardly think the meeting wouict ijftre to have ita attention occupiea by my speaking, md I have simply to mention a few facts, aud to bring before you some matters to which Mr Waitun interred iu the last part of his speech. As you know, Mr Appleby, some four years ago, commenced the Milford Locks. When we came down there, the people of the district shook their heads, and assured us we should never be able to make anything of them. However, Mr Appleby, by hl8 energy to a very great extent, and also the energy of the friends who were connected with him, by trying everything "ud moving everything, has brought these docks to within £40,000 of completion. (Loud applause.) I have no doubt that Pembrokeshire men will be glad co hear that this sum of £40,000 has been secured, and before next March we hope to have steamers in the Milford Docks—(loud applause)—and before the end of the year to complete our contract and to hand the docks over to the shareholders. (Renewed applause.) I only mention this matter to gtye some reason for my being present at this meeting at all: my reason is that having been iour years at Milford Haven, and having a large interest in those docks, we feel that anything done for the good of Pembroke- shire will do some good to Milford. (Applause.) We feel that Pembrokeshire seems to have been for some time almost at the end of the world, and although its natural advantages and formations are such that every man who has travelled flays there is no place like it,—that there is no coast with such natural advantages, yet it appears from some un Known cause—a cause which I am totally unable to explain—that up to tho present moment very little indeed has been done to develop what Nature has done for Pembrokeshire. (Applause.) We sincerely hope that the dawn of better things id beginning, and trust we shall be connected in name with its pros- perity, as having done perhaps some little to briny Pembrokeshire into that state in whioh it ought tu lie. (Hear, hear.) I sincerely hope—and I am sure 1 have every confidence it will be w-that the Aliiford Docks will be a success—a tremendous success. (Hear, hear.) I hope, too, that Fishguara and the places around will not only have an agricul- tural line, doing the traffio which Mr Walton ha- named, but that before many years elapse it will be doing a large trade with the sister isle, and it is very likely it will do business with America aud other Jistant countries. All great things have small be- ginnings, and looking at thenne from a practical and jontractor's point of view, I am sure Mr Walton, the engineer of the line, has taken a very wise course, in vhat he has done. I went over the line with him ind Mr Appleby, and from our inspection we were ot opinion that it could not be constructed in a better .od a cheaper manner. You have inserted the thin 'nd of the wedge by making the line in the cheapest possible way, and I fully confirm what Mr Walton uas said as to the line being made for £5,000 a mile. There is no line of railway in England, Scotland, or Wales which can be made for much lesa than that, nd you will have a good line whether we make tae railway or any other contractors do BO I am sure from what I have seen of the line that you will t od contractors who will make it for the estimate Riven. That being the oase, I hope when the money ia obtained, some of the capital will be found by the inhabitants of the county. I hope the interest felt in i will be as genera! as possible, and those who can put down a sovereign only will do so, and I will tell you why. If you cannot afford to make the line en- tirely yourselves, it will be necessary for the directors to go into the great commercial cities-London, Liverpool, and Glasgow, to look for subscriptions! It they can show that the men who live and have been born here have such confidence in the under- taking as to put down their mites, they will find the money, but if they can only say they have received no support from the district itself, you cannot ex. pact those who have never seen the place and can n Jt know muoh about it, to put down their money. (Hear, hear.) I would urge upon you to get as many persons to subscribe as possible a number 01 shares subscribed for by several persons is better than a large number of shares taken by an indi- vidual subscriber, as I think a number of local snbsoribers would be a proof of the confidence felt in the line. (Hear, hear. I have nothing further oc add, except to again confirm the statement thjt the line can and will be made for the estimated cost if the money be forthcoming (Applause.) Mr Cropper (who was received with cheering) said: Mr Chairman and Gentlemen,—It is very iind of you to oall upon me to speak on this ques- tion, and I feel highly flattered by your doing so. So much has been said to you about the likelihoou )f this line being a good thing for your pockets, that • I will not go into more details on that subject, ex- ™pt to refer to the great increase which must take place in the value of your lands. L aseholders and *ndowners, and tenants as well as landowners, will io doubt be largely benefitted if this line 'he carried brough their district. The tenant will derive great advantages by being able to get his produce into the best markets, and to ob'ain the necessaries for his farm. (Hear, hear.) With regard to ° the traffic with Ireland, I think that when this linens brought to Goodwick, there is no doubt at all you will get a very large influx of traffic from Ireland. There is a iiue completed or nearly completed to Rosslare, and •lie distance from Fisbguard to Rosslare is as many f you know, the shortest passage between England Ind Ireland. (Hear, hear.) There are many people, -apbciaify in the South of Ireland, who will be glad 'o get over to England by the shortest vay, and thus make a short journey to London and other places. The South of Ireland is a great cattle district, and probably you will have a large traffic in cattle from that district. It would be a short passage, and as Col Owen put it, we have not only to look at the paying aspect of the question, but also to consider the humanity of it. You can buy cattle, horse?, pigs, and sheep much cheaper in Ireland than here, and when you have facilities to get them over, yon will be able to fatten the stock, and if you sell at the prices you obtain now, you must put money into your pockets in that way. I am sorry I am anable in a pecuniary way to give support to this scheme, but inasmuch as my father toas done a portion of the work to secure tbis means of commu- nication, I have a rigbt-if anybody has a right —to ask you to help yourselves. (Hear, hear.) I am sure I would not ask you to do so if I did not think it would be a good thing for you. No doubt it will be a good thing for you in a pecuniary sense, because it will bring traffic to my line, and the greater the traffic the more it will pay me. But unless I thought it would be advantageous to youi county, I would not come here to ask you to support it. I may sell my line I do not wish to do so I wish to keep it myself, and I have a great wish to help on this new line. (Hear, hear.) I mean t. stick to my line, and I hope we shall get another right through to Goodwick, and that we shall oe able to complete the work which my father first intende (Hear, fitar.) I wish to tell you that I mean to di ill in my power, ae regards working agreements and matters of that kind, to help the new line, aud ale. during its construction. (Applause.) I will no1, detain you with any further remarks, but would urge you to come forward yourselves, and put your money in the line and see what return it will bring you. (Applause.) Mr Macaulay (who was well received) said Sir Hugh Owen and Gentlemen,—I am very much pleased at the way in which you have called upon me to address you, and feel that a great honour har- been done mo. I have had a great deal to do with the line at Rosebush, and confirm everything Mj Cropper has stated. He has been placed in a mosi peculiar position he came into this property, ac. to a certain extent conld not teli how he would deal wiih it. But I may preface anything I may say u this meeting by staling that in all that he coulu do he has proved himself his father's own son. (Loud applause.) Now I want to say a few words— as few as I possibly can, but I happen to have to do with the railway on the other side, and unfortu- nately I am obliged to trouble you at length. The Maenoloohog line was opened in order to develop the quarries at Rosebush in the parish of Maen- clochog. Last year we were increasing, increasing and increasing. I do not say that in order to make any vague statements, but everything we havt done has been most carefully arranged by figures, accounts have been kept, audited, and vouched for, and I say there is not the slightest doubt as to the accuracy of any of the statements I make to you. They are not the visions of my own brain. The 118 year we worked these quarries on a large scale we pro- duced 554,525 slates from Prescelly Mountain, these added to the slabs, building ^stones, grave stones, &o., amounted to a weight of..4,612 tons 15 cwt. This year we have not worked. the quarries they belong to Mr Cropper, but they have not beeL worked for reasons which are fet forth to a oertaiL degree in the prospectus. What I wish to draw youi attention to is this: Mr Cropper had the wholt scheme in his head as clearly as the light of day he saw the value of this district, and the certainty of the future prosperity and wealth of north Pein- tMkeehire he saw the value that was to be realise;. <IIi the distriot itself in which the terminus war situated, but as I said before we are working thast quarries on a small scale. But aput from lhi, value, I have the pleasure to inform you that thit year we have carried 5963 tons 4 cwt of genera; i^oods, that is to say, not slates from Rosebush. There may be a few slates from Maenclochog whicL is undeveloped, but lime coal, culm, corn, flour, and other kinds of things, the demand for which has sprung up in this district since the advent of the railway, and which, had I been addressing you iu 3 years to come instead of at the present moment, 1 thoroughly believe will be three times the amount (Hear, hear.) That is the amount we have passeu through for 10 mouths, I have taken the figures a the end of October, so that in the course of twelve- months we shall have carried 7,155 tons 12 cwt oi goods, exclusive of slates from the Rosebush quarries, for which the line was originally constructed. (Ap plause.) In addition to this, we are carrying in the aggregate 23,972-witbin very few of 24,000—people over the little branch of nine miles ofraiiway thai is to say, every month we are carrying 2,000 peopk who make use of the railway—a number which com- pared with the population of the village of Maen clochog would seem, if one were not speaking from actual figures and facts, to be delusive speculations The population of the village of Maenclochog is 300. and I remember people asking me when the line wa; projected who was going to travel over the line. They said—" Are you going to be the single passen- ger travelling between Clynderwen and Maen clochog?" (Laughter.) I could only say that 1 hoped I should have a mate here and there once a week or once a month-(loud laughter), because 1 did not know as a fact whether I should have one. Well, I am now stating this hct at a public meeting that in a single year we have conveyed 23,972 people. (Luud applause.) In reference to the quacries, o course I do not wish to do more than generally refo to them. I do not wish to push forward the Rose- bush Quarries I leave that- question out altogether they are Mr Cropper's, and he can do as he liket- with them. I merely wish to state that there h slate in the district;—on Mr Le Hunte's property, M: Philipps, of Picton's property, at Sealyham, and at different places which this projected line wiii tap, and there will be plemy of traffic if properly developed, and put into some adventuresome hands. (Applause.) There are adventuresome hands in these islands, or else where would the railways have been, which have spread like a net work over the kingdom. (Applause.) There is slate enough in tht country there is demand enough for lime; there is demand enough for cattle; there are people enough who are willing to pay their fare there it corn enough in short, there is business enough to support this line, if the right people will only comt forward at the right time to develop this under. taking. (Hear, hear.) You know what railwayt have done in other parts of the country, and it resit entirely with yourselves to make this one of the most paying concerns ever heard of in this county. (Loud applause.) Mr Le Hunte, in rising in answer to the call of the ohairman, was heartily applauded. He said Mr Chairman and Gentlemen,—I have not much to say, except to refer to what has fallen from Mr Cropper, and I am glad to have the opportunity oi expressing my sense of the deep obligation we are under to the la e Mr Cropper whom he represents. (Applause.) The part of the county in which I am very much interested, and the people for whom 1 am very much interested, are indebted to him be- yond anything I can express, and I hope that the line will be extended now to Fishguard. (Applause.) I think it wiil. Mr Cropper has almost taken the wind out of my sails in referenoe to the Irish traffio. I live in Ireland, and can state exactly the positioL we are in there, and can comtirm what be has stated. There is a railway down to Rosslare, and a pier in deep water, wi h from 18 to 21 feet at low water. The railway is about half made, and the pier itsell in rapid course of construction, and within the yeai 1879 we shall have trade from that pier. (Hear, hear.) I do rot say that trade would at once begin' with Fishguard it must begin at first with Milford. If you take the proposition now before you, and hell to finish this railway, you would have trade here a Kishguard, and you should go in for a pier, and io wo or three years you would huve a trade with Rosslare. I have found that some of the large com- janies in the South of Ireland do not believe in thi- <hort passage they did not believe in the possibility of making a deep water pier at Rosslare, and only lately when they see its completion they have be- lieved in it, and now I do find a very great interest. We are to have a meeting at Waterford of the different railway companies who are interested in using this passage, and you may be sure I wiii triug Fishguard before them. (Hear, hear.) I will tell them of this meeting, and I have no doubt yon svill see gentlemen coming here to investigate the capabilities of Fishguard. We shall see exoursion steamers pioneering and trying the way first, and my Fishguard friends will see my Wexford friends, and my Wexford friends will see my Fishguard friends. I am happy to say we shall have one or two representing this railway over at Waterford when we have our meeting. (Hear, hear.) The benefits which will arise from this undertaking will not stop short with thej line at Fisbguard. It will bring increased employment for people, and 1 have no doubt myself that Goodwick will become a favourite bathing place. It is sheltered from the north, and it must beoome one of the most popular bathing places in the kingdom once railway commu- nication is established. I hope we shall help for- ward this undertaking in every way, and that we shall cast about to see how we can make this project more and more useful to the county, it will be useful to Milford Haven it will bring a current of trade this way, and not only make the county richer but it will develop Milford for the great purposes for which Nature intended Milford—that is, a great sea going port jutting out into the Atlantic. (Applause ) f:16Be meaeures will help to develop the great natural advantages of the county, and I am sure we shall always look back with great pleasure to this i meeting here, and when the work has been aocom- plished, the county will bless the memory of Mr II Cropper for having given it its first start. (Loud I] applause.) Rev. T. Walters: Mr Chairman and Gentlemen e —I am porry I am not in speaking order, as I am, 1 as yon see, labouring under a severe cold, but not- ¡ withstanding the cold I could not be absent from this meeting. I see a large multitude before me, and you appear to be of the same opinion as myself— that we ought to have a line down to Joodwick and Fishguard. I had the pleasure of celebrating the opening of the line made by Mr Cropper, of blessed memory, to Maenclochog, and now 1 can speak from experience. I really appreciate the great boon that he has conferred upon that barren country. If we have a line to Maenclochog, which as you have heard only contains 300 inhabitants, all poor people, surely you ought to have it to this large town, and de- velope your great sea port i bere. (Hear, hearv) You know very well that God created nothing in vain: He never created this wonderful harbour for nothing, but I am afraid we have been behind very much, and our forefathers worse than we are, in developing this country. We have heard the lucid explanations of the engineer, which I liked very much. You reo member what he said about the paying part of the scheme, but, dear me, we do not seek a large divi- dend we look forward to having good accommoda' tion. (Hear, hear.) I am getting an old man I have heard my worthy patron, Mr Le Hunte, whom [ am glad to see here to-day, speak of the great things that have been done on tbe other side of the Channel, and many of you must derive advantage from their work. Those who traffio in cattle, who over and trade in Ireland, and bring back beasts to fatten on our fertile lands, surely they will profit oy the work that is being done. If we all look for a percentage for our money in our lime, surely Mr Cropper would have never brought the line to Maenclochog. (Hear, hear.) He was God-sent to <18, and what may be found at Maenclochog nobody knows until the golden pickaxe develops these mountains. You do not know but that in bringing lown the line, they may perhaps find a leaden ore or indeed gold. I am sure you Pembrokeshire people are nut so sanguine as to expect to get five or seven per cent for your money. If any of you put your money in this line. it is not like patting in that Scotland bank. (Hear, hear.) If.ou lose everything here, you will not be called upon to pay in addition to your investment. (IJear, -hear.) If you invest £100, you will not be called upon to pay £500.-[A Voice: £ 1500.]—I thank you, sir that is a consideration worth thinking about. I am sura >y the multitude before me that you are all anxious for the line to Fishguard. I do not say I am a prophet or the son of a prophet, but I heard some me prophesy that when we had the line to Nhen, clochog we should see a great many visitors coming here in search of health. Mr Macaulay was fortu- nate enough to find a chalybeate spring, and I have vitnessed thousands of people coming to our hills- some in search of health, and tourists in search of pleasure, and to breathe our pure air. (Hear, bear.) You will at once see the practicability of bringing our line from Rosebush down to Fisbguard. Tile listanoe is eleven miles, and if we are unanimous with regard to having the line and put our shoulders j tue wheel, we shall get help. There are a great many people in England, where are heaps of money aid in store, pernaps fir this line, who will give us support if they find we are ready to do our part; bu' ■ve must not ask them to help us if we sit still and to nothing. Every man oan do a little: you will •see from the prospectus whioh will be issued, that, the shares will be £10 each. There are a great many people who can help to that extent: if they :ctunot take many, they oan take one, and 1 would age you to put your shoulders to the wheel, and do aot look on and do nothing, A line of railway is use- ful & convenient, and much more comfortable to the inhabitants: we get our coal at Maenclochog much cheaper than we used to do, and have plenty of it. You have heard the statement made by Mr \Iaoaulay if it pays to bring goods to Maenclochog, aow much more will it pay you to bring the line to Fishguard ? Once the line is made, thousands will -ome from England to visit you they will leave the Pembroke and Tenby route, and como here, which vill have all the interept of a new place. I have promised to go to Ireland: I have never been io the Green Isle, and I am anxious to go there, and this siew route gives a shorter passage, which will be a .;reat advantage to you who deal in cattle. When 7 ;u go to Ireland, you must go to Milford, but when all arrangements are completed, you will have direct jommunica'ion with Ireland from your own place )y the shortest possible route between the two jountries. You have heard much of the facilities, )ut having talked with Mr Le Hunte, I know for a act that they have been at work on the other side tor years, He has been here before speaking of the ievelopment of this harbour, and now this scheme is before you. Do not let the opportunity slip out jf your Lauds let us come forward as one man, and jut our shoulders to the wheel by taking shares. One person may be able to take one, and some may ake 200. I only wish I had the purse strings of .ome people I would use them to bring down this line. (Hear, hear.) There is one other remark I vvish to make when this liue comes to Fishguard, you must have the traffic of St. David's. There is [' vast country about Letterston, and it is a rich sountry. They will be able to take their cattle to he best markets, and bring lime to their land. They will be able to make double their rent, but I vish to say little about that for fear the landlords ùayadvance your rents. (Laughter.) You have a fast country from here to St. David's, and you know he district as well as I dp. You have all the tratlie vhich will pay a gdod dividend, and if it will not jay a good dividend at first, let us wait until the ine is developed. Resources will come from quarterc you never expected if we do our best we shall get uelp. Tha Pembrokeshire people are a kind people [ have been 20 years in the county, and I have found the people—from the poor to the rich—a very ^ood sort indeed. I have proved it: I never weut from the oounty I have stuck here and I am likely f.o stick here. (Hear, hear.) If you endeavour to .vork like one man you will get this railway to Fish- guard. (Hear, hear.) I have had a proposition put into my hand, in favour of this undertaking. Surely after what Mr Cropper has done, we ought not to uesitate. He has done the worst part: he has had til the collar work to do. (Hear, hear.) I venerated ¡ue oil gentleman, and loved to look in his benevo- lent face. I am glad I am here to see suoh a good nart, & I will venture to say on my own responsibility that if we do our best, this gentleman, (Mr Cropper) vill not leave us behind. There are rich relatione "ao we know feel an interest in this scheme, and vhen it is carried out we shall bless the memory of aim who had it in contemplation and to whose unex- ampled fgenerosity we owe the Maenclochog line. I hope Pembrokeshire gentlemen will open their purses and take shares: If I work day and night, ] vill take one hundred shares. (Loud applause.) rhe reeolutiou I have to move is this :—" That uaving heard the explanations of the engineer and jontractors, this meeting is of opinion that the Hosebush and Fishguard Railway will greatly con- Juce to the material prosperity of the county, and pledges itself to support the undertaking." I am jure you will not allow the work to go on without youi assistance: we have the finest county in Wales [ do not say in England, because I do not know much about it. But our& is the place for health. People come down by thousands: we have no in- jurious manufactures or noxious works to vitiate the iir, and many thousands come from great distance, o Maenoloohog for the benefit of the mountain air. (Applause.) Mr W. H. Jenkins, of Pantyphilip Mr Chairman and Gentlemen—I am very glad indeed to see such 4 noble audience here to-day, and to meet so many of one mind in supporting this project, and trying t" io at Fishguard what we really ought to do, and what thousands have been talking about doing for many years past. Efforts have been made, aud if the projectors had only the same heads and hearts AS the parties present, I believe that the money already cpanded in looking at Fishguard and seeking out '.he means, would almost have sufficed to make the railway that these gentlemen are prepared to bring uere by the present scheme. The principles are thoroughly laid down, and the plans are so clear, that there are few persons who cannot fail to see dow the railway can be carried out. My friend, Mr Walters, has just said that he would work day and aight before he would fail to put down his money for 100 shareB. I know the Fishguard people well: I mow them to love them, and I do not think I am /ery much hated by them. (Hear, hear.) Well, it iomes to them Mr Walton has said it will cost a sertain amount of money I believe we can actually nake tbe line ourselves if every man will do bi" part as Mr Walters has said he will do his, we oan make the line almost without other assistance. (Applause.) If we should fail to do our duty, we thall give such an example by our failure to other people that they will not help us. If people cannot put down their hundred ten-pounders, seme can taite 50, others 20, and others five, and if people wil! only unite, each doing a little, the support of many ^mall shareholders will amount in the aggregate to a large sum, and will show to other people the deep interest felt in the line, and encourage largb capi talists from other places to invest in the line. As for the paying question, the line must pay: il cannot very well help doing so. I shall be delighted to see a line of railway constructed, as, for one thing, it will enable me to have lime down for my farm at the prices of other places. (Hear, hear.) We should be put on an equality with Haverford. west, and if I could purchase it at 10s per ton, 1 would at once buy 80 tons instead of a smalier quan- tity, as I am compelled to do at present. (Hear, hear.) I cannot go in for 100 shares in the line, but I will go in for some, and I hope that parties who are owners of land, through which the line will pass, will render all the assistance they possibly can. Every legitimate influence I can exercise on behaii of the scheme, I will use, aud with regard to land in whioh my niece is interested, I can promise you on her behalf that it will be at your command at any time on the same terms as you get the other land required for the line. i have grea> pleasure in seconding the resolution moved by Mr Walters. (Applause.) Mr Broomfield Mr Chairman and Gentlemen,— Allusions have been made to some matters, upon which I shall be glad to make a few observations. In the first place, I would say that the meeting to- day is to me one of considerable disappointment. When we got down here, everybody said that Welsh- men would look upon us with a very unfriendly eye indeed: the reason assigned being that we w^re not Welshmen. People said—" You are English- men you are come down from London, and every- body will look upon you with very great suspicion." But when I stand here, and have an opportunity of seeing the very friendly way and the very friendly spirit in which you have received us, I must confess [ am very agreeably disappointed. (Laaghter.) We have heard so muoh from the gentiemen who have spoken to you about the scheme, aud their explana- | lions are so'lucid and so thoroughly satisfactory Rnd j sufficient, that it is not necessary for me to Bay more than a word or two. As I listened, it seemed to me that there were one or two things which were overlooked; or rather have not received quite so much consideration as they ought to receive. I will refer to them for a moment or two before the resolu- tion' iB put to the meeting. "In reference to Mr Cropper's line, it was stated that he would retain it far the present in his hands.™That is a very impor- tant consideration indeed. Mr Cropper does not spend very much time in this part of the country, and no doubt it would be a very convenient thing to him to diBpose of the line. It is, therefore, quite possible, if he were to do so, that it may get into the hands of people who do not know so much about the district, and who may'not be so favourably dip- posed as he himself is. Therefore, at considerable personal inconvenience, he means to retain pos- session of his line at present in order that he may assist you. (Loud applause.) Will you allow me to say a word also about the St. David's traffic you all know that the stretch of country in that direction is a very important agricultural district indeed. Thsre is reason to anticipate that a junction will be effected by a line from St. David's with our line somewhere about Letterston. There can be no question in the mind of any reasonable person that this St. David's section willjbe an important feeder to our line. (Hear, bear.) There is another thing l^would mention.^ We are goiog'.to make a line, oreourse right through to Fhhguard, but we shall not be bound tojcomplete onr line before we begin to work it. We have reason to anticipate, such is the state'oflour arrangements, and havinp gone carefully into the matter,—we have reason to anticipate that when we oomplete the first four miles, we shall be able to open them, and begin work, and when we have completed another distauce of four miles, and thus completed a section of eight miles, we shall be able to open that section," and by working those portions of the line just comple'ed, the line will be earning a dividend for the share- holders while we are going on making the rest of the line. (Applause.) That is a very important consideration. I will just say one word in reference to the shares. Some persons seem to think that the shares being £ 10 each may cause some embarrass- ment. It is perfectly true they are £10, but a person is not obliged to pay the whole £10 directly he applies for shares (hear, hear). Payment is spread over a considerable period, and the interval between those periods is strictly fixed, so that the directors oannot have 'the whole of the amount at once. I wish to make one other remark before I sit down. Everybody knows how wonderfully watering places rise in importance and value. There has arisen of late years a perfect mania for running off to watering places. It has arisen from the fact that 'he pressure of our social life is so excessively heavy. that people are obliged to have some recreation, and 'hero is no recreation which so well answert- the purpose of restoring the physical and mental strength as a visit to the sea side. Those who know Torquay, Brighton, Hastings, Tenby, and Bournemouth know that all theFe daces have risen immensely within the last few vears they have risen in a'most remarkable manner vhen connected with a line of railway. Lmd has increased in value: houses have been erected; H number of tourists have been brought into the neighbourhood, and there seems to be every reason to be confident, that directly this line is brought to Fishguard, similar results will follow. (Applause.) I have only one word to add to what I have said. Two gentlemen would have liked to have been present at this meeting: I saw them both in London, and they expressed very great regret that they could not attend the meeting. I refer to Mr Arden, who feels a deep interest in the line, and Mr Philipps of Picton Castle. (Hear, hear.) Mr Philipps would have liked very much to have been here, and would have put himself to some in convenience to have come here, but such was the state of his arrangements in London that he could not possibly attend. It is very likely that this meeting will only be a pro- visional one, and that we shall have another, and Mr Philippa said that ia that case—" You may count upon my attending it almost as an absolute cer- tainty." (Applause.) Rev. W. Rowlands; Mr Chairman "and Gentle- men,—I did not intend to say anything at this meeting, I am very glad to see so many hero, and to see some prospect of improvement and of having a railway to Fishguard. I remember some yean ago meeting here with Admiral Gray, and having «mo conversation with him on the other side of the town. He said to me one thing which I had n01 thought nor heard of before: he was perfectly; sur- prised and astonished at the beauty of the formation of the sea coast at Fishguard, and said to me in b very solemn tone—" God has done great things foi Fisbguard, but man has done nothing." (Hear. bear,) There is only one thing required now," ie said, and what do you think it was. Nothing," he said, but that the Government of the day shot b come down and see the place, you will have a rail- way here and you will have a harbour of refuge." I called bis attention to the road at Goodwick where so many vessels are sheltered in the time of oomint storm, and I told him that, I counted one evening 84 vessels there, and I added tWat if the wind were turoe. only one point to the north east, they would be al on the rocks. He wail perfectly shocked. M.> ■riends,—you have heard what is proposed to bf lone. Lot us do what we can—everyone of us. (Hear, hear.) I am sure I will do what I can. (Applause.) I cannot speak much, but it is not talking we want. We want money, for it is money will brin^ the railway here. (Applause.) Give what you can lot every one help. There are others who know and understand the question better than myself, but I promise you there are none who have a warmer feeling in favour of extending the.railway to Fisbguard than t have. CApplause.) After a few observations from Mr Macaulay, the Ohairman put the resolution to the meeting, and it was carried with great oheering. Mr W. Davies, of Haverfordwest: Sir Hugh Owen and Gentlemen,—I did not intend to say anything, but lest you should construe my silence as opposi- tion to this scheme, I have great pleasure in stand- ing jup, and saying a few words. Nobody in the county of Pembroke, unless they are very deeply interested in other ways, can oppose or object to this scheme, which will undoubtedly contribute greatlyjto the success of this county. It will bring as, in the first place, in connection with the Great Western Railway after travelling over the line made hy the late Mr Cropper, whom we all respect and revere, for be certainly accomplished an undertaking which did great credit to himself and cannot fail to secure for hia memory great respect for very many years to come. (Hear, hear.) It also does this Mr Le Hunte has kindly put into my hands a state- ment, which shows that this line when completed, will bring us within 57 miles of Ireland. (Loud applause.) That is a most important view of it, and there is not the slightest doubt of it. It may secure a very large passenger traffic from Ireland to the Great Western Railway through yon. I have heard it said that the people of Haverfordwest are very much opposed to the making of this line. I do not, "e ieve it: the people of Haverfordwest have sense it may be opposed by a few, but the people of Haver- fordwest would not oppose a line of railway to Fish- guard, because they know that every line of railway adds materially to the prosperity of the county, and the prosperity of the oounty greatly effects the county town. (Hear, bear.) Our business is not confined merely to the town of Haverfordwest: the people of Haverfordwest are doing a large and ex- tensive business throughout the whole county of Pembroke. It is perfectly idle to talk of the people of Haverfordwest in that manner, and I will venture to predict this :—that if this line is brought to Fish- guard, it will be carried from Letterston to St. David's—a most important district, and that then you will find a little line brought down to Haverford- west, which will complete this little system of railways in the county of Pembroke. (Hear, hear.) I have no doubt at all that the upper part of the county will be supplied with a rail- way, and I can very well understand-we must not be surprieed at it—that Mr Bowen, your member very properly fights for a line of railway that would suit his own district and himself best. No one can find fauit with him for that it would give him easier iccess to Londoc, and that will in all probability be ultimately accomplished, but it will take some years to do it. This line of railway will contribute very materialiy to the convenience and prosperity of our county, because it is an ascertained faot that every -ailway advance! the value of the land in the distriot hrjugh which it goes. (Hear, hear) I have been nixed up to some extent with the landed interests for other people—not for myself unfortunatcly-(Iaugh. ler) -and in every district in this county laud has "cen raised in valuo 10 years' purchase through the introduction of a line of railway. (Hear, hoar.) That is an important matter. I remember land bought in this county for 20 years' purchase; we have in our office had to deal wittt thousands of pounds worth ot property, which was bought at 20 years' purchase. I speak vow of the valte of properly between 30 and 40 years a.;o. Well tbe same pro- perty has been sold at 3J years' purchase since the advent of railways. (Hear, hear.) What do you think if that faut ? You will hardly believe that to my own knowledge at auction sales some properties have realised double the amount given for them before the introduction of the railways. Take the case of the Pembroke and Tenby Railway; and go through the vttley. 1 have bad to buy and sellin that valley, an.; positively wilbin the immediate vicinity of the line the value of land has been nearly doubled. (Hear hear.) I strongly urge you to follow the example (I' (IIY friend, Mr Walters: if you suppoit the eeheme a- lib is doing, you cannot fail to make your line. (Heai, hear.) I confess if 1 had known I should have been' called upon to speak, I should like to b't1e been betlel informed as to the financial part of the scheme. 1 cannot stand here as I am at present without saying a word on that subjeot. It is a matter I should look to iu my own case, and I have n t Mifficient information to satisfy me. When the Milford Decks, with which my friend here (.Mr Lawton)-bad to do with, was first brought before the public 1 was asked to subscribe. I said I would sub- scribe with pleasure to the utmost of my power bu: before I did so, I asked-" Is there any contract entered into for making the docks. I wil! not subscribe until that contract is put before me, and fthen that it Ime, 1 will do so to the best of my ability." I au; very much pleased to hear indeed that this line of railway is to be made fa £.5000 or £6000 a mile: 1 = do not think anyone can c. ir.piain of that. Thnt sum includes purchase of land, or arrangements with land- owner?, and tbe figures have b' en tr?t<d and found to be accurate by ci-mpetent men—by tho 'gentlemen who are now finishing the Milford Docks, ar.d so far as the estimates are concerned Jyou may take them to be correct. But I should have betn (much better pleased to have contributed and put down my money if it could be -hown a contract was entered into or an arrangement made with that view. (Hear, hear.) The gentleman who jnet now jddressed you referred to the people of Wales as being suspicious of English- men. (Laughter.) Notja bit of it; be has been thoroughly misinformed, and must; have been spoken to by gentlemen who d'd not knov-tbefeelingso) Pembrokeshire men. Pembrokeshire men arc mixed up with Englishmen very much in everyday business, and there is no difference between them. (Hear, hear.) We are living in a [county of a peculiar kind, kn^wn as "Liule England: beyond Wales." (Hear, hear.) We are as much English asj the gentleman on the platform Welshmen do not suspect Englishmen why we suspect is because we have; been bitten, (Hear, hear.) There is no disguising,it; we have been bitten in past times.gijha^e been spoken to by persons privately on this matter, by gentlemen whe hare been bitten, and I have 'said I believe in [the sincerity of the pcntlem n who ore promoting'Hhif soheme, as men of buMncsP. (Hear, hear.) I promise £500, but I decline to ray that £.5CO until I am fatis- fiid the line of railway is Jto be made. (Hear, bear.) I am ready to pay n y £600, but; as I eaid before, 1 will not fay it until I am advised that tbe line will be made. I cannot stand here to mijlend anybody: mus-t be open and candi(?. I must bave a satisfacton pledge that the line will be trade, at all events t> Letterston. 1 am certain the county of Pembroke will do its dut v, and Fishguard will do its duty. Thi course I should adopt would be to subscribe a certajr sum and take a certain number of shares if there is b pledge given to the sat sfaction of a gentleman compe tent to understard it, that you will positively maki the linet) Letterston: and if you make it to Fi*h- guard, we will double i!. That is, I think, a fair way of getting on. If you make the line to Letterston. 1 will give you £250, and when you come to Fishguard, I will give you another £25(), making JESOO. (Hear, hoar.) If you irake it to St David's I will give you another.6500. (Loud applause.) Anu now I want to put this before you :—if I bad suspicion in anj shape or form, or cause for suspicion as to the integ- ri'y of this schcme, I sbould not be here today. 1 believe in it. (Hear, hear.) I believe in tbeginceritj Oc the promoters of the scheme, and I belie.vo in th« scheme itself. (Hear, hear.) You, gentlemen, will lam sure heartily contribute your quota: it is Mf iiving your money. It has been shown you by figures (although statistics of that sort are not always realised, yet they are sometime.")—that it will pay you a percentage on yourmoncl". As Mr Jenkins it I'untvphilip, has said, you must not lonk at tho oerccntage. I se" before me a large number of land- owners who are very wealthy men, and I can ayun vou, nentlemen, that the increased value of the lane in your dilltrict if rOO make this line 1<1 Fishguard, vill pay you hnndsome'y even if you were to give £ 500 a piece. (Hear, hear.) I tell tbe genllemer. present, what I have told many in private interviews who said thay did not mean to give anything, but who have ben convinced by tbe arguments put befure them—I tell you, gentlemen, that it wiil pay you nindaoraely, and that you are only subscribing tj im- prove your own property. (Applause:) You art shut out of the world Fishguard is a long way out if it, and I want to bring you into it. I have beer struggling for some vears with this object; but we have signally failed for want of money. We had ven ^o>d plana and very fair estimates; but when Wt ctree to finance the scheme, down it went. I do not wmt to be a party nor do I wish you to be parties t. my hopeless scheme. dare fay the gentlemen art all right Tith regard to tfie financial part ffit, and 1 dare say it will be all richt when you are called upor. to pay your money. When all this is right, you must be prepared to pay your money as I did in the case o the Milford Docks. This gentleman here—[referiin# to Mr Lawtoi]—took £600 out of my pocket: J promised £600 if they got a contractor, and bere In They had this gentlemen's firm, and I paid the £600, and I shall be happy 10 pay £.500 provided you can accomplish this schvme in the same way. (Hear. hear.) I hare no doubt there are gentlemen in thi> ounty who will support it like Mr Walters and taki SIOOO in shares rather than let it fall to the grounc HId thus lose the opportunity. If we could ge' 620,000 in the couuty, which I think we can do and ought to do, there will be no difficulty whatever in tht gentlemen who are promoting this soheme getting a contractor who will do the work aUonce. I wish ti bring this fact home to you the county of Pembroki #I ill be blnmed if the scheme is lost; if .620,000car be- raised in the county, contractors will be found whc vit) execute the work. (Hear, hear) I can tell yot hat contrart rs intimately acquainted with you car be found who will do the work for the sum named, provided £20,000 can be raised in ihe county. Look \t the value it will give to your land I have not t> toot of land here: there are very few districts ir. -vhich I have got any, but there are large landed pro- prietors :n the district through whose land the railway -ill go for miles, and we should expect that they wiii jive us £2000 or JE3000. If we can get every largt 'andowner through whose land the line will pats t.< ^ive us a few thousand pounds, and get aid from the lilltrict generally, the thing will be done. Tbere il ■ denty of money in Pembrokeshire: the only difficult) to f et at it. (Laughter.) Therewasatonetim. I spirit of opposition against the use of artificia nanures: the notion was entertained in tbis count\ that it was a great mistake to layout money in arti 'i''ial manures, and 30 or 40 yeara ago very little "a introduced into the county, for there was a belief tba it was not productive. Wehtvelivedtost-etha notion exploded, and manure to an enormous exten 18 now brought into the county, and so far as I cai judge, the farmers have made enormously by it. Wba [ would urge you to do is to introduce a railwa) ovbicb will add immensely to tho value of your land You can no more eecpect people to bring a railway into your district to raise the price of your properU than you can expect people to put artificial manur". in your land. (Hear, hear.) You should take tbt matter into consideration. If as Mr Jenkins hs pu it, it only pays you a small interest on your money it will remunerato you handsomely in other way? The transport of lime and manure will be made tl yoor own doors a. a muoh less cost, and yoa wil have an increased trade you will get home youi goods much more rapidly, and there will net be thi same necessity to invest largely in stock, because yet can get what you require in a few hours by iail. Tb< matter is one which you should well consider: YOt must do what you can to help yourselves, for unles: you do that you cannot expect these gentlemen tl couie down here and mal<e the line for you. M, Cropper was one among a million you never befort heard of a gentleman undertaking a concern of that kind, and carrying it out at his own cost. (Hear, hear.) You do not expect to get men to make a railway to Fishguard without your assistance. I sincereh hope you will do all you can, and that Mr Cropper, who owns the Maenclochog line and stands in tht shoes of the gentleman whose generosity constructeo it, will see the whole scheme carried out, and). carrying it out, we shall only repay in some measurt the representatives of the stranger who cooferrec upon u* one of the grestost boons ever bestowed upon any county. (Applause.) Let every man whe has influence bring it bear in aid of this scheme m) reverend friend has said he will do all he can and i everyone does what is in his power, the line will b( made hut at the same time we must not be expecteo to contribute our money if we are not certain that tht lIods will be turned up. (Hear, hear.) I hue I: message from Lord Kensington which I promised to deliver at this meeting. He would have been glad t- have been present here to assist in the promotion 01 the scheme, but he has been unexpectedly called to bi, duties in Parliament, and therefore his engagements in London have prevented his attendance here. (Ap- plause.) Mr liroomfield gave some explanations in reference t3 the mode in which the probable earnings of the line had been calculated. With regard to a guarantee, the directors had not entered into detailed and minute' arrangements with the contractors, but they had dis- cussed the question with them, and bad gone so far ir that direction as they were entitled to go. He satf that the directors would be willing to give any rea- sonable pledge which Mr Davies or any other gentle- man could under tbe circumstances require. Mr Anstie spoke in favour of the scheme, pointing out the advantages which a line of railway conferred on all persons engaged in business. Mr Hugh LI. Harriet (who wa. loudly called upon) said Mr Chairman and Gentlemen, — I have had something to do with railways projected to this place before this scheme was proposed, but at this lato houi I shall not detain you with any reference to them. I can only say that I shall be most happy (o do al' ] possibly can to further the objects of tbia company whenit_ooir.es into working order. (Applause.) 1 know it is the feeling of the Fishguard people and 01 the whole neighbourhood that if we can by any means have a railway, we shall only be tootbankfut to the directors "ho bring it. (Hear, hear.) It i- for us to do our part of the duty. Mr Daviel has asked a queation, which has been answered, and pUuse )1DG 80 18 FIJE #ND 8AUSFDCTORY- (AP- 0„ the motion of Mr Hughe., of London, seconded by ilr Worthing!on, of Glynymel, (who also spoke ,ery hopefully of the scheme) a cordial vote of thank, was given to bir Hugh Owen for his able conduct in the chair. Sir Hugh briefly acknowledged tho compliment, aDd he proceedings terminated.