PETERSFIELD.]—PORTSMOUTH DIRECT RAILWAY VIA GUILDFORD.— It was officially announced on Monday, that this new route of railway, from Portsmouth to London, would be opened for public traffic on Saturday, the 1st of January, by the South-Western Company, who have leased this new loop line, which diminishes the journey to about 74 miles, and will afford the public an opportunity of reaching London in about two hours. We can state positively, from high authority, that the melee at Havant, noticed in another column, will not prevent the line being opened on the day named, arrangements being already made for the conveyance of passengers to and from Havant, to the trains, until the present differences are adjusted. In the meantime, we hope to see such alterations at the different junctions effected, to prevent the continual delays by trains not meeting to exchange passengers going in different directions. The first train, a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class one, is advertised to leave London every morning at 7.15, and Portsmouth, at 7.40.The morning mail bags will be dispatched shortly by the 8.17 train to London, from Petersfield; by this new regulation, the dispatch will be two hours earlier than heretofore, which is not at all approved off. A great boon will be conferred to the public, by having a receiving box at the station. Mr. Barnard, the Station-Master, and his staff of officers, have already entered on their duties.
(See also 01-Jan-1859)