ccomplishment of several local schemes.

Conspicuous among them was the Llanidloes and Newtown. Though an
isolated link in itself, it was intended to form part of a chain that was
to stretch from Manchester and the industrial north to Milford Haven, a
famous Welsh seaport, and this dream was constantly in the mind of local
promoters whenever and wherever such sectional schemes were discussed.
On October 30th, 1852, a meeting was held at Llanidloes, with Mr. Whalley
in the chair, at which the project was cordially adopted, a committee
formed to further its achievement by raising the necessary subscriptions,
and arrangements made for carrying the fiery cross of propaganda to
Newtown and Rhayader, and as far afield as Aberystwyth. On this
effective errand Mr. Whalley and his coadjutors stumped the countryside,
and "inn bills" began to form no inconsiderable item in the promoters'
balance sheets. But nothing can be accomplished in this world without
effort and expenditure; and to the missionaries' warning words against
"the evil of conceding to an overbearing leviathan neighbour any
privileges calculated to endanger the independence of their little
company," we are informed by a chronicler of the day, "the county nobly
responded, and petitions were sent from every district, praying for the
recognition by Parliament of the principles so ably enunciated by Mr.
Whalley."

The "little company" had, indeed, good reason to be apprehensive; but
fortune favoured its course. Before this onslaught, even the
"overbearing leviathan" quailed. After long and costly struggle in the
Parliamentary committee rooms, accommodation was reached, and in the
House of Commons the Montgomeryshire promoters' scheme passed with flying
colours; but an unfortunate error, by which the levels were proved to be
some 18 feet below the Severn water, wrecked it in the Lords. In August,
1853, however, the scheme received Parliamentary sanction, and out of the
long list of "provisional directors" appointed the previous year, the
first board was formed. They were:--Mr. Whalley, chairman; Mr. W.
Lefeaux, vice-chairman; Alderman E. Cleaton, Llanidloes; Alderman Richard
Holmes, Llanidloes; Mr. Wm. Lloyd, Newtown; Mr. Edward Morris, Oxon,
Shrewsbury; Mr. T. E. Marsh, Llanidloes, and Mr. T. Prickard, Dderw,
Radnorshire. Mr. Rice Hopkins was the engineer, Mr. T. P. Prichard,
general manager, and Mr. John Jenkins, secretary. Mr. Jenkins, however,
soon transfe