The Sun. — London, England, 1846-03-26 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMOAS, March 25. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock. SECOND READINGS. The following Bills were read a second time, and ordered to be committed, viz. : Furness and Windermere Railway. London and Birmingham Railway (Leamington Extension and Covent. v and Rugby Stations Enlargement). Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, and Forth and Clyde Navi gation Junction. Edinburgh avid Glasgow, and Wishaw and Coltness Railways Junctiiin. Edinburgh and Glasgow, Monkland and Kirkintilloch, Bal lochney, and Slamannan Railways Junction. Midland Railway (Birmingham Extension). London and Birmingham Grand Junction, and Manchester and Birmingham Railways Amalgamation. Midland Railway (Darfield to Elsecar, and other Branches). London and Birmingham Railway (Aylesbury Railway Purchase). Leicester and Birmingham Railway. Great Grimsby, Louth, Hoincastle, Lincoln, and Midland Junction Railway. Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Manchester Railway (Worsborough Branch). Leeds and Thirsk Railway (St. Helen's Branch Deviation). East Coast Railway. THE TEN HOURS' BILL. Sir G. STRICKLAND presented a petition from Preston in favour of the above-named Bill. The meeting at which the petition was agreed to was most numerously attended, and presided over by the Rev. Mr. Parr, the vicar of Preston. EDINBURGH, GLASGOW, AND SCOTTISH CENTRAL JUNCTION RAILWAY BILL, On the motion that this Bill be read a second time, Mr. FOX MAL'LE moved as an amendment, that the Bill be read a second time upon this day six months. Lord DUNCAN observed, that notwithstanding his Hen. Friend had moved that the second reading of the Bill be postponed for six months, he trusted the House would allow it to go into Committee, where its merits might be fully dis cussed. He had heard that there were other Amalgamation Bills which were opposed to this, and which the Hon. Member as a member of the Amalgamation Committee had allowed to pass without opposition. Be (Lord Duncan) did not think it was quite fair of his Hon. Friend to con:e down now, is endeavour to influence Hon. Gentlemen to oppose the further progress cf the Bill, especially as he (Lord Duncan) was quite ready to meet him in discussion on its merits. Mr. FOX MAULE observed that his Noble Friend was entirely wrong in the charge which lie had brought against him. He trusted that his Noble Friend would withdraw the charge against him of having canvassed any Hon. Member to come down with him, and oppose the further progres of the Bill. In opposing this Bill, were he guided by the interests of his own constituents, he should be the last man to throw any obstacle in the way of its being car ried. In fact, he opposed this Bill in opposition to the opinion of his own constituents in the city of Perth. His opposition to the Bill was founded on public grounds alone. in order to prevent the through communication between the north and south from falling into the hands of a great monopolising body. When he gave notice of his intention to move that this Bill be read a second time this day six months, the subject had not come under the notice of the Classification Committee. It was not now his intention to press that motion, but he should be satisfied with the simple motion, that the Bill be read a second time on this day six weeks, in order to let it come under the motion for the postponement of the consideration of all railway amalgamation Bills. There were several distinct lines of railway communication proposed between the north and the south. Theo had a line which went by Newcastle, along the coast, into the city of Edin burgh, and continued its progress to the north by the Queen's Ferry. Another line was by the London and Birmingham Railway,. on to Lancaster, and thence to Carlisle and the north. Then there was the Caledouian Railway. Another means of communication was proposed by the Scottish Cen tral Railway; and, finally, a trunk line, by the west coast, was proposed to be constructed. What, he would ask, did the promoters of the Bill now under discussion propose to do ? Instead of amalgamating in a continuous line in the east coat district, they proposed to come into the centre trunk railway communication of Scot lan, and amalgamate themselves with a short line of forty miles in length, thereby rendering it utterly impossible that a direct communication in a northern direc tion should be obtained. The Caledonian and the Scottish Central Railway had been permitted to be constructed, on the express condition that a direct communication between the north and the south, giving the best facilities to the public convenience, should be carefully preserved. He was anxious that the question of railways should be clearly settled by that House ' and he apprehended that that could be done within a period of six weeks; and he would, therefore, instead of moving that the Bill be read a second time that day six months, content himself with moving that it be read a second time that day six weeks. Mr. COLQUHOUN said, that as he had been appealed to on this question, and as lie had no private interest whatever in the matter, lie could give an impartial opinion. He hal taken a warm interest in the passing of the Scottish Central Railway Bill during last session, and he did so, not on pri vate, but on public grounds... The Beard of Trade, in their report, had stated that it was desirable that that Company should receive the support of the Legislature, because, of all other lines, it would give the most important outlet to the district of Scotland through which it was proposed to pass. He would now turn to the case mentioned by the Noble Lord. The ground taken by the Noble Lord was this, that the Scot tish Central Railway should be connected with a railway that travelled, not from north to south, but from east to west. Now he conceived that nothing could be more inconvenient than that, because if they were to travel from the south of England to Scotland, the railway that Jay from east to west would force travellers as much as possible to go round by Glasgow on the one .side, or by Edinburgh on the other, and so swell their traffic as much as lay in their power. Oa that ground, then, it was desirable for the public interests that the Scottish Central Railway should be prevented from an exclusive monopoly of the districts lying between the east and west of Scotland. He would say that it was not for the public advantage that the proposed amalgamation should be made between the railways lying from east to west and north to south of Scotland. He believed that the House had good reasons for entertaining their suspicion on the question of amalgamation.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") He thought it was but right that a Committee should be ap , pointed to consider that question, and state in their reports how far amalgamation of railways would suit the interests of the public. He did not mean to say that amalgamation should not be permitted in some cases. He should, on the grounds stated, give his support to his Hon. Friend. Mr. W. PATTEN could not see how the decision of the Committee, which he had moved for a few nights ago, could have anything to do with the case of the railway in ques tion.—(Hear, hear.) That Committee, as the House must recollect, had been appointed for the purpose of considering the Bills of amalgamation now under the consideration of Parliament. The Hon. Member concluded by moving the temporary suspension of all amalgamation Bills. Lord DUNCAN said that he was very much delighted to hear the speech of the Hon. Member for North Lancashire (Mr. Patten), and he must say that he believed the Hon. Member who had moved the amendment had had some com munication with the directors of the Caledonian Railway. Why did he shrink from that amendment, and why did his " six months" dwindle into six weeks? The Scottish Cen tral was a most unfortunate company, and ho hoped that the House would not add to their misfortunes by adopt ing the amendment, which he conceived to be unjust. The directors of the railway thought it would be better for them to amalgamate, and their rates and fares would then be discussed in a Committee in a much better manner than by any discussion in the House. The amalgamation, at which the lion. Member was so much alarmed, did not ex ceed eighty-one miles in length. He trusted the House would fully consider the question as a great benefit to Scot land. Edinburgh and Glasgow were the principal centres into which all the traffic must converge. He hoped the House would not, therefore, consent to the motion of the Hon. Member, to read the Bill a second time at the end of six weeks. Mr. F. BARING considered that. as the House had ap pointed a Committee to inquire into the principles of amal gamation, the House should keep the amalgamation Bills before the House in their own hands until they had received the report of the Amalgamation Committee, and the rules which they considered necessary to be laid down in the case of new railways. Sir G. CLERK thought the House ought to agree to the suspension of amalgamated Bills until the House was in possession of the report of the Committee. He thought the House should, however, act upon a general rule, and suspend all the Bills, and not allow an advantage to any one Bill over another. He would recommend the motion of the suspension of the present Bill for six weeks to be withdrawn as the report of the Committee might be laid upon the table of the House before the expiration of that period. And he did not see why this or any other Bill should be delayed beyond that period. lir. FOX MAULE consented to withdraw his motion. Mr. LOCH hoped that the House would not agree to the proposition of his Hon. Friend, but let the Bill take the usual course of all other Bills. The traffic between London and York was as nothing to the traffic which existed between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Lord EBRINGTON entreated the House not to be led astray by quarrels between Hon. Gentlemen, let them take a genet al principle and act upon it, and the question would be whether they were to adopt some rule on which they were to act in future, or permit the different Committees to come to the most conflicting opinions.—(Hear, hear.) He .regretted that the Committee was appointed, for he considered that the Government should have brought a Bill upon their own re sponsibility before the House to regulate these Bills. He considered the Government had abdicated their functions in not eta - :ding more by the reports of the Board of Trade last year. Mr. J. S. WORTLEY considered that the motion of the Hon. Member would not lead to any benefit, but, if it were car r'ed, might injure the Company; fur if the Bill were now read a second time, it would by no means advance them, as they would not proceed further until they had received the report of the Committee .on Amalgamati on B ills. Mr. H. JOHNSTONE considered that the Bill ought to receive a second reading, providing th at further proceedings should be postponed until they received the report upon which they were to form a judgment upon the merits of the case. _ _ Mr. P. 31:STEWART was of opinion that, the Raue • appointed a Committee on Amalgamation Bili„ shosulld'avbaldoge by the reports of that. Committee.—(Hear, he ar .) upa had come to the House to propose the second reading of the. Lo ndon end Birmingham line, which stood for that day ; but if the House opened the door to a second reading of the Edi n . burgh end Glasgow Bill, he (Mr. Stewart) would immediately follow and claim a like right for the London and Birming ham Bill.—(Hear, hear.) If the House should concede to the motion of the Hon. Gentleman, they would, in his opi nion, be only stultifying all their former proceedings. Mr. FORBES felt no -personal interest whatever in the line, except the interest which he was assured every Honourable Gentleman present felt, namely, a desim to do justice to all parties concerned.—(Hear, hear.) Now, if the Bill were read a second time, it would be merely a reading pro ibrmrt, as no further steps would be take% in the matter. Ttie CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it ap peared to him that the House having adopted a certain course, they could hot depart from it, though he was not prepared at that moment to offir opposition to the second reading. Mr. FOX MAULE begged to withdraw his original . , ti,m, and to substitute fort—" That the Bill be — suspended until the Amalgamation Committee have reported on it, as well as on all other amalgamation Bill?."—(dear.) There being cries for a division, strangers were ordered to withdraw, when the House dividtd— For the second reading T Against it Majority in favour of the second reading... —6 On our return to the gallery, we found Sir GEORGE GREY addressing the House. He hoped, if The Committee of Classificntion should report against the Policy of amalgamations, that the House would allow of a motion hereafter to rescind th e or d er f or re f err i ng thi s Bill to the Committee, so that the Committee might not have the trouble of sitting on a Bill the principle of which had been condemned by the House. Mr. WILgON PATTEN hoped that they would deal with all these Bills in the same way. Mr. F. MAULE said if this was to be a pro forma pro ceeding only, and he was at a future day to be at liberty to move that the order for the committal of the Bill be dis charged, of course his object would be gained. Lord DUNCAN said the promoters of the Bill would not take any further step until the report of the Committee was before the House. They merely wished to place this Bill in the same situation as the Caledonian Bill. The Bill was then read a second time. EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW (FORTH AND CLYDE) RAILWAY BILL. This. Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be com mitted. EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW (WISHAW AND COLT NESS) RAILWAY. This Bill wls read a second time, after a few observations from Lord EBRINGTON. EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW, AIONKLAND AND KIRKINTILLOCH, BALLOCHNEY AND SLAMAN NAN RAILWAYS JUNCTION BILL. After a few observations from Mr. FOX MAULE, this Bill was also read a second time. The following Bills were also read a second time, viz.:— Furness and Windermere Railway. Midland Railway. Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester and Sheffield Railway. Leeds and Thirsk Railway. East Coast Railway. And reports on the following Bills were brought up by Mr. GREENS : Glasgow, Paisley, and: Kilmarnock Railway Amendments and Branches (No. 1.) _ Bury Gas. Woodstock Roads. Brighton and Chichester Railway (Steyning Branch.) The following Bills were read a second time : Blackburn and Darwen Railway. Blackburn and Clitheroe Railway. Belfast Gas Bill. London and Birmingham Grand Junction. Grand Junction and Manchester and Birmingham Railway Amalgamation. London and Birmingham (Aylesbury Purchase. The second reading of the Election Notices (Ireland) Bill, and the County Elections (Ireland) Bill, which stood for to day, were postponed, in consequence of the absence of Sir James Graham. The order of the day was then read for the second reading of THE TURNPIKE ROADS (SCOTLAND) BILL. Mr. FOX MAULE hoped that the House would pass this Bill. His only object in rising to support the Bill was the public interest ; he had no personal motives whatever to serve in this case. Had it not been for the et, ing evils which were proved to have been perpetrated by drunken and dissolute carters purchasing intoxicating spirits, at the differ ent toll houses, is Scotland, on the Sabbath, he should not have interfered with this matter. He thought that, upon the ground of morality, the House would allow the Bill to be proceeded with. Sir JOHN M'TAGGART should oppose the Bill, unless some clause was introduced to limit the sale of liquors at toll-houses. _ _ Mr. FORBES thought it a most uncalled for Bill. Mr. P. STEWART said the law, as it then stood, placed the justices of the peace in Scotland in a very difficult position. There were shameful establishments existing in Scotland —he alluded to those toll houses which were situated in a thickly populated districts, and the turnpikes were inaccessible to travellers who, like himself and other Hon. Members, were of a sober character, in consequence of the great accumulation of car riers' carts around the toll-house, the drivers of which were inside drinking the worst kinds of spirituous liquors. Let the House restore the law of Scotland to its original purity— let the turnpikes be what they were originally intended to b,?, stations for the tell-collectors, and not drinking houses during the day, and at night the rendezvous of poachers. Mr. B. DENISON would support the principle of the Bill, he would also suggest the introduction of a clause to prohibit the sale of liquors within half a mile of any turnpike. Mr. HODGi.-.ON would support tha Bill, if a clause was introduced limiting the license to certain cases. ' ' Mr. FOX MAULE said he was quite willing to introduce a clause preventing the sale of spirituous liquors, except in cases where refreshment could not be obtained unless at a distance of five miles. Mr. F. MACKENZIE said he was quite willing to move for a Committee to take into consideration the whole state of the question of licensing in Scotland, and he wished the Hon. Member not to press his motior. Mr. H. DRUMMOND said he was not there to say there were no abuses under the system, very far from it, and he was most anxious to see a thorough reform effected in the system ; and, therefore, on these grounds he most decidedly should support the measure.—(Hear, hear.) The House then divided, when there appeared— For going into Committee Against it Majority for going into Committee —l2 The House then went into Committee. After some discussion, in which Mr. STUART WORTLEY and several other Hon. Members took part, Clauses 1 and 2 were agreed to. On clause 3 being read, Mr. FOX MAULE moved to insert the words, " that no toll-bar shall b 3 licensed for the sale of wines or spirits, if the said toll-bar shall be within five miles of any house situated from the turnpike-road, which may be regularly licensed by the magistrates or justices of the peace fur the time being, for the sale of wines or spirits." On a division there appeared— For the amendment Against it Majority against it Another division then took place in consequence of there not being forty Members present on the previous one, when there appeared for— _ •*" The orignal clause l9 Against it Majority in favour of the original clause —2 Upon our re-admission into the gallery we found Mr. FORBES MACKENZIE on his legs, moving an amend ment to reduce the distance to half a mile. The Committee divided, when there appeared— Against the amendment In favour of the amendment lB Majority . against the amendment —1 The clause as originally proposed was then agreed to. Mr. FOX MAULE intimated that he did not wish to pro ceed further with the Bill after the opinions which had been expressed. The House then resumed. LAW OF SETTLEMENT.' Colonel WOOD moved that the Bill printed in 1823, in reference to this subject be reprinted aLd laid before the House.—Agreed to. PUBLIC-HOUSES IN SCOTLAND. Mr. F. MACKENZIE gave notice that on Friday next he would move the appointment of a Select Committee to in quire into the mode of granting licenses to public-houses in Scotland. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the house adjourned at half-past Four o'clock. RAILWAY COMMITTEES. (YESTERDAY.) HOUSE OF LORDS. WATZItrORD,NVZX7I,I7.73,V7NC=.I+OW, A.NTP zunaaN. Their Lordships Committee on this Bill met to-day at twelve o'clock in the Lord Chancellor's Court—present, Lord Auckland (Chairman), Lord Kinnaird, Lord Sydney, Lord Colville, and Lord Rossie. The object of the line Is to connect by railway the principal ports and towns on the east coast of Ireland. The length of the contem plated line is 163 miles—the estimated cost (including the branches to Carlow and Wexford) is 2,000,0001. The engineers are Mr. Brunel, Mr. Farren, and Mr. Gibbon. After the usual formal evidence had been put in, Mi. J. GEORGE, counsel for the Bill, called Mr. Farren, who was examined at great length as to the engineering advantages and diffi culties. The evidence of this gentleman was corroboratel by Mr. Gibbon. Mr. HATCUELL, on the part of the Carlow Ralway Company, op posed the Bill, End en es-examined the witnesses at great length, 1:s did also PERCEVAL BARRE.% who appeared as counsel for opposing landholders. Mr. - BAKER appeared also for other parties. The details were not of an interesting character. the Nldence In detail was gone into respecting the traffic on the main and branches, which occupied the remainder of the day. SVUMMIZT AND CAILVJAVX. The Committee on_ this Lill met again to day, Lord Selkirk, chairman. The case for th 3 Mullingar Company was proceeded with. Seve ral witnesses were called in support of the sch eme , amongs t w h om were Lord Castlemain, Sir Percy Nugent, Sir John Burgoyne, &c. The witnesses were severally cross-examined, but their evidence went to show that the line of the Mulling,ar Company was one which would meet the wants of the country through which it passsed. HOUSE OF COMMONS. GROUP IX. -- TM Committee met to-day, at half-past twelve o'c..;oek, Lord Woreley in the chair, when lila further consideration of TELE GZASGOVir lUNCTION 11.131 Z-• noun TEnTaXNUS. was resumed. Mr. Cawi said, that since last night an arrangement had been come to with the Clyde River Trust, by whleh their opposition was withdrawn. A clause had been agreed to, which would give the trust the regulation of the rails to be laid down on the quay. Mr. Gule, civil-engineer, was recalled, and briefly re-examined, with the effect of showing that the nearest gradients and curves were on the portions of the line that would be used the least, being on the branch that joined with the Barrhead and Neilston line. The great ti attic would come from the Pollee and Govan, which would be a straight line. The forks at the harbour would be worked by horse power, and at the rate of four or five miles an hour, so that there would not be any inconvenience. Mr. Miller, civil engineer, examined. He agreed with Mr. Gale's estimate. They were quite ample enough. He had not surveyed the line, bat he had looked over the plans and sections of all the schemes, and he considered the Grand Junction one of the best. He did not think the gradients and curves ought to give any preference to the other two schemes. On a nominal line they were perfectly workable. It was quite practicable to reduce the line at the crossing of the Paisley road, so as to work locomotives if it was required. This could be done without a great increase of the gradient there. Generally, he preferred the Grand Junction to the other two. The witness was cross-examined, with the object of showing the difficulty of working the gradients and curves and the using of loco motives ; but the answers were only a re-iteration of the examination in chief. Mr. Robertson, a coal and mineral proprietor, was briefly examined, and deposed as to the superiority of the Grand Junction scheme over the other two, for all minerals coming off the Clydesdale Junction and the Pollee and Govan Railways. Mr. David Stevenson, civil engineer, was shortly examined in corroboration of Mr. Gale and Mr. Miller, when Mr. CARBOL announced that his case was closed. He had several other witnesses to call resyeeting the value of the land; but, in defe rence to the Committee, he would not call them then. Should any thing arise out of the case on behalf of Sir John Maxwell, he hoped th2Cominittee would allow him to call some of them on that point. _ _ ;;a M . making a ir e o t t l e t i h r eln Ls r e ep a lle id d to the ease of the Grand Junction at eeree length, contending that its promoters had failed altogether in traffic. The that they were not e parties traffic on to the same quay with the general bringing th e Lehi , especially in showing the necessity of s n who had been called on this point had admitted point the sot little evidence they gave, instead of bour traffic, yet ch acquainted proving the with the management of lutr ifgol,t to he established, had actual:) , strengthened the scheme which be had the honour of appearing. The Learned Gentleman then glanced at the engineering evidence adduced, showing its demeris I , i comparison with the Harbour maintaining i the decided Minertsi scheme, and concluded supe riority of the latter over the Grand Itiet :P s zn t t i h te e case en behalf of tlrand Junction Mr. sergeant MURPHY then proceeacd ag t u o i i: Sir Joists Maxwell, who petitioned scheme, on the ground that it had seriously damaged ' his property. The Leanied Gentleman was about entering into particulars when the Chairman directed the room to be cleared. On our re-admission the CHAIRMAN intimated that the Committee had decided the pream ble of the Grand Junction Bin was not prov e d, and, therefore, there was no necessity for Mr. her eant Murphy t o proceed in his opposition to it. Mr. TALBOT then replied on the part of the General Terminus ofcheme, oing over the evidence as bearing on tbe respecave merits the two schemes. All the evidence that had been adduced on be half of the Grand Junction and the General Terminus, he contended, want to show that it would be highly advantageous for the mineral traffic to be brought as near as p o ssible to the general tra f f i c without incommoding this harbour. The General Terminus accom plished this in the most satisfactory manner. The Learned Gentleman then reviewed the evidence on behalf of the two schemes now to be de cided on by the Committee, in opposition to Capt. W as hington, who had given evidence from a mere casual visit to Glasgow, there was the authority of the River Trust, the Conservators of the river, Mr. Walker, the eminent engineer, and the leading traders and commercial gentlemen of Glasgow, all of whom were in favour of the general ter minus. It was not only the best scheme for its mode of connexion with the river, but in an engineering point of view, or in the matter of tolls, 1 it was to be preferred to its rival. The Learned Gentleman, after dwelling in detail on these points, submitted the Bill for which he appeared to the favourable consideration of the Committee—if one Bill was to be only allowed—as that which was most likely to meet all the purposes fir which a line of railway was proposed. The room was then cleared for the decision cf the committee. On our return the Chairman intimated that the Committee had decided that the preamble of the General Terminus Bill was proved, but that the preamble of the Harbour Mineral was not proved. Mr. Sergeant Andrews then opened the case briefly for the West of Scotland Junction Railway, at the close of which the Committee adjourned at dye o'clock till twelve o'clock to-morrow. :GROUP XII. GLASGOW AID WEST OW SCOTLAND DISTRICT. - Fitzmaurice. I L r. a V ng . s S to m n i , th an ( d ch th a e irm m ai n i) . (chairman), T. P'Eyncourt, Mr. ° W m . b l e ram P i r lro e n r , r 3. GLASGOW, PAISLEY, XMLIVT.AIT.NOCIE, AND AYE (nn eft 3srcnms TO LAINIPXTS AND LES -IYLANAGOW), AND OPPOEXTION SCHEME. Mr. Sergeant Putnam, this morning, opened the case on behalf of the promoters of a line set up in opposition to the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Ayr scheme. They proposed to extend the railway, for which they - had last year got the sanction of Parliament, from Glasgow to Barrheael and Neilston, still further, namely, to the towns of Dunlop, Stewarton, Kilmaurs, and 10marnock, thus shortening the distance from the latter town to Glasgow by 10 miles. They proposed also to make a branch to the port of Ardrossan and to Irvine. They had the good will of every town hi the district on their side. The engi neering difficulties were not great, and the advantages to a rich mi neral and manufacturing district were so self•evident, that he thought the public interests iinperatively called for such a line. Richard Cumming, a magistrate of Kilmarnock, spoke to the im portance of that town as a seat of manufactures. The population was 20,000, and the number of persons employed in the mills some where absut 5,000. They considered it of the first importance to have a direct communication with Glasgow. The witness was cross-examined at great length by Sir T. PHIL LIPS. The Learned Counsel did not succeed in shaking Mr. Cum ming's evidence. George Young, also a magistrate, was examined In corroboration of the trade of that town. . . Mr. John Brown, provost and builder, stated that the inhabitants of Kilmarnock were in favour of the line. . . The Earl of Eglinton spoke to the wishes of the district for a direct line. The one under consideration would greatly aid the development of the mineral fields, which were at present locked fur want of that accommodation. Mr. Archibald Finney, coal-master, said that the opening up of this line would be a great benefit to himself and other masters in Ayrshire. Mr. Crum, Thornlie Bank, proved the amount of coal consumed in their works. The average quantity was 20,000 tons per annum. The proposed line would be a great accommodation. Mr. Brown, landowner, proved the benefit which the proposed line would confer on the town of Stewarton. The Committee then adjourned. GROUP XIV. THE NOnTH ?LENT. The Committee met this morning at twelve o'clock. The CHAIRMAN said that, before entering on the business of the day, be felt it necessary to state that there was great uncertainty as to the course the Royal COmmissiceeon Railways would adopt, and under these circumstance of uncertainty, the Committee had better proceed to hear evidence referring to that part of the line near the Union-street station. Mr. Tite said that he wished to correct an erroneous statement made by him, with regard to a wall being built across the drawing room of a mansion, owned by Mr. Roupell and Sir T. Wilson. • He had been misinformed by the person from whom he had made in quiries. Such a wall had existed, but there was no intention of re newing it, nor was there at present any dispute or disagreement between Sir T. Wilson and Mr. Roupell. Mr. G. H. Graham was then examined by Mr. RICKARD, who ap peared in support of a petition against the line by Sir Thomas Wil son. He stated that he had made tracings of the plans and sections of the line, as intended to be made in 1844. Had also made tracings of their plans and sections for the present year. The line comes nearer by 200 yards to Sir Thomas Wilson's property than it did last year. A piece of land, which Sir T. Wilson proposed to add to his park, has been intersected by the line. There were some buildings which had been newly erected, at a place called the " Bull Pits," belonging to Sir Thomas Wilson, which buildings would be interfered with by the proposed line. Sir T. Wilson's park is a deer park, and he has been enlarging it from time to time during the last fourteen years. He has been at considerable expense for that purpose. A wall has been commenced to inclose some land at the southern side of the park; 300 or 400 feet of the wall have already been built. The line as proposed throws down a part of that wall. The line also passes near the Rectory-house, the property of Sir T. Wilson, and let by him to his brother-in-law, Mr. Drummond, and the passage of trains every seven and a half minutes would be a great nuisance to the inmates of the building. Mr. Vignoles has stated that the line would pass 300 yards from the church-yard wall, but the limit of devia tion for the line skirts the church-yard wall. There is also a house formerly occupied by Sir Thomas Hislop, and afterwards by Queen Caroline. The rent would be 2501. per Annum. The line crosses the lawn in levet of that house. That house was formerly occupied by a woman in ore.er to take care of it, but she having heard some noise in the ground, became afraid to re main. Sir T. Wilson then put several of his tenants to occupy the rooms until the house was let. These persons are not pauper:, but receive weekly wages from Sir T. Wilson. There is no party-wall built across the drawing-room. Cross-examined by Sergeant WRANGHAM—Does not think that the North Kest Railway can have a station at Old Charlton. One of his objections to the North Kent line is that it is to be a single line. Did not hear Mr. Vignoles give his estimates for a double line. Thinks Mr. Austin was cross-examining at the time. Mr. Sergeant Weeesoaset—Then you may comfort yourself, for it is to be a double line. Is Sir T. Wilson's confidential agent. Is aware that S:r T. Wilson offered to agree to the line, on certain conditions, last year, but is not aware of such an engagement this year. Sir T. Wilson has never told him anything referring to that proposed agreement. The main line passes nearer to eh T. Wilson's property this year than it did last. There is 150 yards difference in the plan of this year and the plan of last year. The line is to pass to the south side of the house, and the house looks due west. The line will not run where the deer are at present. With regard to the wall spoken of, being on the edge of the park, nothing has been done for the last two or three years. The park contains about 120 acres of land. There are some build ings on the land, which were occupied at Michaelmas last. They are occupied by a young woman, who opens the gate, a groom, and a laundry-maid. The railway will pass near the rectory, in a cut ting twenty-seven feet deep. That will hide the train but not the smoke, noise, and steam. It will also pass the house belonging jointly to Sir T. Wilson and Mr. Roupel on an embankment. The embankment is on Mr. Roupel's land, and cannot be seen from the hall door of the house. It can be seen from tha state apartments. There is some land belonging to Mr. Roupel between the proposed embankment and the house. Cannot say whether that land is laid out for the purpose of building. Never mzde any practical experi ments to ascertain whether the proposed embankment could be seen from the state apartments. By the Cnensete N—The proposed embankment will be much below the level of Sir T. Wilson's house. By Mr. Sergeant WRANOTIADI—With regard to the house lately occupied by Sir T. Hislop, only a very small portion indeed belongs to Mr. Roupel. All the out offices and stalling belong to him. Re-examined by Mr. RICKARDS—The dining-room of the house spoken of has been enlarged, and the enlargement has been built out on air. .eßoupel's land, so that is his claim to part of the house. Mr. J. Davis, superintendent of the works at Charlton House — Agrees with the last witness as to the injury the line would cause to Sir T. Wilson's land. The damage would be caused by the line cutting through the portion of land desired by Sir T. Wilson, as an addition to his park, ant the cutting through the "Bull Pits." Sir T. Wilson has been at some considerable expense to divert the main road from the portions of land spoken of. Has received instructions from Sir T. Wilson to build a wall round the park. Has taken levels of the ground where the embankment is to be raised, and is con vinced that it can be seen from the upper portion of Sir T. Wilien's house. The Rev. Arthur Drummond, examined by Mr. RICKARDS, stated that the embankment would be visible from his house. Even if the parties adhered to the Parliamentary line, it would be objectionable. The Rev. Mr. Delamere stated that there was a portion of land on the west side of Woolwich which had been apportioned by Sir T. Wilson for the building of a church. The proposed line cuts exactly through the centre of the ground, rendering it unfit for the purpose The population of the district is 30,000, and they have no church ac commodation whatever. There is no other site where a church could be built. By Mr. Sergeant WRANCHIAM—The subscriptions for the church are not stopped by the railway passing through the ground. Does not think that there is any other site so convenient for the church. Mr. RICKARDS here stated that his ease was closed, and inquired whether the North Kent Railway intended to call witnesses in answer? Mr. Sergeant AVILA/el - max said that they did not. Mr. RICKARDS then proceeded to address the Committee at some length on the evidence that had been adduced on the part of Sir T. Wilson. At the conclusion of his address Mr. MEREWETHER (who appeared in support of a petition against the proposed line by Captain Drake) then called Mr. Charles Smith, a surveyor. He stated that he was acquainted wiTh Captain Drake's property in the parish of St. Peurs, Deptford. The property has been in Captain Smith's family for a considerable period. Has observed the intended course of the line across it. A great many houses have recently been built near the land. The pro perty of Captain Drake only came into his possession in 1843 or 1844. The property was held jointly by Captain Drake and his family, and witness, at the request of all parties, divided the land between them. The extent affected by the line is about 130 acres. If Captain Drake were offered 60,0001. for the land, witness would advise him net to take it. raft of it abuts on the high road to Lewisham, and that makes the land possess adeitional value. The projected line runs almost parallel to the turnpike road and severs the main portion of the land from the high road. Witness has even been prevented from letting a considerable portion of land in consequence of the line being projected. A part of the ground is leased to a person named Myers. By Mr. Sergeant Witertonext—There is a brickkilii near the pro perty, but it is separated by a very large field. Would like the neighbourhood of the railway, but does not like it to ran through the property. ler. Sergeant Wameorixat—That is, you would like the line to run through somebody eLse's property but not yours?—(Laughter.) Witness—Exactly so. Has spoken with Mr. Tite about leaving the case to arbitration, but insisted on the Company admitting the land to be building land. Mr. Tite would not do so on the part of the Company. Witness told him that •he could not listen to any offer of compensation unless the Company gave a very handsome approach by one or two expensive and ornamental bridges. The lame is at present garden ground and it is as productive as any ground near the metropnl s. There is a plain farm-house on the land called the " Idtanor farm." Never had any definitive offer of reference. Does not remember any offer of having a barrister as arbitrator. If such an Mier were made now cannot say that he would have the power to accept it. Mr. Sergeant WEANGHAM said, that as he understoodithat his friend had done with:ilia case, he would say that the promoters of the Bill were quite willing to refer the whole matter to arbitration in any way that might meet the views of the parties. Mr. RICKARDS said that his Learned Friend made this proposition as Mr. Smith had declared that he had not the power to accept it, and he therefore wished to prejudice Captain Drake in the eyes of the Committee by offering to do what was fair when there was no person present who could decide on the matter of acceptation or rejection. The CHAIRMAN intimated that the Committee were entirely of opinion that the case was one for compensation. Mr. RICKARDS then proceeded to produce evidence in support of a petition from Lerd Dartmouth, at Blackheath, against the proposed line, and called • Mr. Fred. Thin, a'surveyor and land agent, who stated that he Is agent to Lord Dartmouth. The line runs past Dartmouth House and the house of Mr. Newdegate, the brother of Lord Dartmouth. II also runs_past the house occupied by the vicar of Lewisham and the house of the Ladies Legge, the sisters of Lcrd Dartmouth. The line passes sixty yards from Dartmouth, and enters a tunnel just op posite the house. There is also a cutting leading to the tunnel; understande that the tunnel is to go completely under Blackheath. It will be a very considerable annoyance to the inmates of the house. After emerging from the tunnel the line goes close to two houses called the Windmill Houses, which are the property of Lord Dart mouth. The vibration of the trains would injure the houses, and the tunnel would dry up the wells from which they obtained their water. By Mr. Sergeant Waallonear—The houses called the " Windmill Houses" might have cost about 1,5001. each bundle g. Cannot say whether they are called " Windmill Houses," from their being built on the site of Jack Cade's Mill. Could see the cutting item the lower windows of Dartmouth House, Lut could not see the tunnel. It being four o'clock, the Committee here adjourned. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY MORNING, MARCH 26, 1846. GROUP XV. The Committee met at twelve o'clock in the Bail Court, present Mr. O'Connell, chairman, Sir R. Price, Captain Hatton, Mr. Hind. lay, and Mr. Mackinnon. IP BOGNOR AND CIIICHESTEn. The CHAIRMAN begged to know from the counsel, what had been the result of the re-examination of the levellings, whether the fact of error was admitted. Mr. J. J. JOHNSON said error was admitted, but he preferred giving the details in evidence. Mr. Rastrick's examination being continued, he said he had sent down his resident engineer, Mr. Cox, and also Mr. Gregory, to teet the surveys in the neighbourhood of Chichester. Cross-examined by Mr.Jointson—ln crossing the Felpham Level,the Brighton Company's rail, by agreement, since coming into Committee. would pass over the embankment. The consequence of that agree ment would he a variation from the deposited sections, and the gradient there would be linSO in a stretch of 240 feet. He ad mitted that would be a severe gradient. On the projected Chi chester line, at the point four miles and eight furlongs going to Chichester, the gradient was one in 11,444, which would give 5 4-10 inches in a in , le. At the fifth mile the deviation of his own surveys fr ma those of the Chichester Company would be 14 feet. At the ca nal basin, taking the datum line and the turnpike-road, the ve rb lion from the sections was 13 feet, and the sections proposed rai sing the road three feet, which would make the variation 16 feet. Stt pplog short of the basin and the road the variation was 14 feet. din being asked whether it had not occurred in his practice that he had constructed only part of a line, of which plans had been de pc si Mr. HILL objected to the question, as Mr. Rastriek was not an en gineer of standing orders. It was admitted by the Committee and Counsel, that cases had occurred in which this liberty was given ; the South Wales was in *lanced. _„.. The CHAIRMAN here intimated that the position of parties before the Committee, was that Mr. llastrick's evidence. was uucontradicted. Irifr. J. J. JOHNSON said he was sorry to have to admit that he was not In a condition to contradict it. The Cnaiamax said he had laid the case before the Speaker of the House, whose opinion was, that the error being found to be fact, would be fatal to the Bill before the Select Committee. The Speaker had referred to his (the Chairman's) opinion, and he, after consulting the standing orders, concurred with the Speaker, whose decision would always have great weight with him. 31r. JonssoN said, notwithstanding what had occurred, he felt that he ought to address the Committee on the merits of his own line, and the demerits of the line he opposed. He had hoped that the Chichester line might have been constructed even on the plans deposited, but he had himself discovered that it crossed a turnpike-road with a cutting of four feet, which was not permitted by the standing orders. As it was, there fore he could not hope to have the Bill passed for the present session. He said he had proved by the esidence brought before the Committee that four-fifths of the landed property were represented by gentlemen in favour of the line, and that the popular feeling in both towns was strong in favour of the same line. Considering, therefore, this strong feeling, and that the obstruction which had unexpectedly occurred was a mere technical did:culty, to witch any man of science was open, he thought there was still the question before the Committee, the alternative whe ther they would adopt the one line or the other ; for, al though lie was not in a position to construct his line, yet he would ask the Committee to reject the other line, that both lines might meet paid passu on a fair field, and at another time. The Learned Gentleman then adverted to the character of the evidence given on the other side, and concluded with hoping that the Com mittee, considering the connexion with London by Guildfor t, which would, no doubt, be mule a direct route, connecting the towns in the west with the metropolis, who w..re urgent to be accommodated with locomotion, but which would be denied them if the other line were granted them—that the Committee would decide that the other Bill shotstd not be passed. The CUAIEJIAN intimated that the Southampton branch roust at lest be granted. Nr. Rows add! eased the Committee against the Brighton Com pany's branch, on behalf of the Duke of Richmond, Lord George Lennox, and the landowners, and called, Mr. Stapely, who said that the pasture land passed through by the rail from %Voodgate would be Injured by the lying water, which could not get off. The gardens of Lord George Lennox were sometimes flooded by the sea where the railway passed, which would of course choke up the drainage, Mrs. Smith's residence would be seriously Interfered with, by the station at Bognor. It was not a country villa but a inar.sion, which could accommodate 500 at a time; and the Duke of Cam bridge and the nobility frequently visit, d there. The view of the mansion to the sea would be interfered with. The place eontainp lated for a station was brook land, which lay under tho sea every winter. Examined by Mr. NEALE (for Mr. Clark, a proprietor near Bognor) —The flooding on the field numtered 32 was twice as deep as 12 feet. A dock, as proposed by Mr. Clark, and a sea-wall, would be a great advantage to Bogner. The CHAIRMAN intimated here that the Committee were of opinion that they could not allow the Company to stop short oa Mr. Clark's land of the station laid down on the sections without Mr. Clark's consent, am!, therefore, the counsel's attention would be confined to the terminus in Bognor. The Committee pressed that the case of Mr. Clark might be settled by arbitration, but the counsel refused ary compromise, and pro ceeded to call evidence to show the value of the land in question for building on. Mr. Galloway said he made surveys In last September at Mr. Clark's request preparatory to a dock being constructed. He ad vised the projected line of railway to terminate on different property from Mr. Clark's. Plans were prepared for the docks with a view to going to Parliament. Mr. Brown, solicitor, said lie got up the company for the railway projected by Mr. Clark, previous to the publishing of the prospectus Mr. East ick agreed to become engineer, and his name was published accordingly in the prospectus. He laid the thing before the krighton board, and they were pleased with his report. Afterwards, on call ing at Mr. Rastrick's for the plans which had been sent up, Mr. Ras trick said the Brighton Company had elected to make the line them selves. He called to see the Brighton board, but did not get admission-200 . expenses had been incurred. Mr. Baker, Parliamentary agentZwas examined as to the line pro jected by Mr. Clark. His expenses amounted to 30C/., of which he had recovered nothing. The CHAIRMAN here took the liberty of suggesting that, as far as it appeared to the Committee on evidence, tha Brighton Company ought to see Mr. Baker and Mr. Brown as to compensation for their professional expenses. Mr. HILL said the Brighton directors were interested in the state ments made in evidence, for they were prepared to deny them if the Committee thought it necessary ; but as men of honour, and as hav ing generosity, they were prepared to submit to the arbitration of a gentleman on the subject. Mr. 11111 suggested that one of the Com mittee might act in the case. Mr. nINDLRY c,nsented to arbitrate as to the compensation proper to I.e allowed to the two gentlemen. . Mr. NEALE, having examined Mr. Terrell, rose to address the Committee, when The CHAIRMAN reminded him that the Committee could not award compensation, and suggested that it was unnecessary to address them, for their mind was that the Bill ought to be reported, proved, and passed. Mr. NEALE felt it to be his duty to his client to address the Com mittee, and proceeded to do so, asking them not to pass the Bill without a clause prohibiting the railway from going through Mr. Clark's land without his consent, and instanced the case of Mr. God son, M.P., who had got a similar clause in similar circumstances. The Committee then decided that the preamble of the Bill for the London and Brighton (Bognor and Littlehampton branches) was proved. The several clauses of the Bill were read and passed. Mr. NEALE moved the insertion of a clause prohibiting the Com pany from entering on Mr. Clark's land without his consent. The Committee decided against the clause. GROUP XVI. EPSOM. ZRANCIL The Committee assembled at twelve o'clock; Sir Charles Douglas In the chair, when Mr. Hore, on behalf of the South-Western Company, opened the proceedings by stating that they was already a line to Epsom from Croydon, the proprietors of which lire appeared as petitioners against this Bill. He thought that they had no locus standi in this case, fur it had been decided by Mr. O'Connell, who was Chairman of the Brighton Group, that the principle of objection must arise from com peting parties, and not from established companies. The same prin ciple had been observed in the London and York Committee last year, and that, therefore, was evidently the recognised usage of the House. The Croydon and Epsom line had been purchased by the London and Croydon Company, and at the present moment this Company was under agreement to amalgamate with the London and Brighton Company. Now there was an actual understanding with the Brighton Company and the South-Western Company, that the latter should make a line to Epsom. Mr. AUSTIN said that his Learned Friend had stated his case with singular brevity, but, as sometimes happened, illud obscurus fie, he had been rather too strong. The fact was that the London and Croy don and the Croydon and Epsom Companies had acted ender the Bill by which the latter parties obtained their powers, so that the truth was the line to Epsom was not made, mei the petitioners were not an established company. What would the Committee think of any parties opposed to a new line between London and Birmingham requiring that the present proprietors of the communication between these two places should not be heard. In the case of the Brighton line, to which his Learned Friend had alluded, the facts were that in 1844 the Brighton Company obtained their Bill to make a lice to Hastings, and in 1845 the South-Eastern Company had brought in a Bill for making a branch to the same place, and the Brighton Com pany had been allowed to be heard as competing parties. At this point the room was cleared ; and, on the parties being ad mitted, the Chairman decided that the opposition might be offered. Mr. Hope then opened the case for the promoters, by stating that the branch would be five or six miles in length, beginning about the fifth milestone on the main line, enabling the public to traverse the whole distance to ',widen, at the Waterloo-bridge station, in thirty five minutes. The population of Epsom was about 4,000, and to show how much communication was needed, he might state that at the present time there were as many as thirteen trains to and from Guildford. Beside, however, the usual traffic, there was a great addition at the time of the races, when every one knew the influx of passengers into London was greatly increased, for which a west-end :terminus was required. He might observe also, that - in this districtthere were as many as 20,000 tons of coal annually carried, which would have a great convenience in their delivery at the Nine Elms-wharf. He' might further observe, that the London and Birmingham Company and the,Great Western Com pany had become proprietors of the Thames Junction Railway, by which the hardware goods of the iron districts would be conveyed at once to the backs of the Thames, and being ferried across, could be at once conveyed southward. On the other hand, the lime about Dorking and Maldon (where it was intended to have an agricultural station) would have facilities of transport to the counties on the right bank of the river. Ale and pottery, also, of which there was a large pro duction at Ewell, would obtain that accommodation which was needed for their transport to the central and western parts of the metropolis. He would, through the witnesses, show these and the other advan tages which the line would give to the public. In 1844, a project had been devised by this Compony, on which, however, this would be an improvement. The Learned Gentlemen then cited the report of the Committee on the Portsmouth Group of last year, to show the opinion of Mr. R. Stephenson as to the inadvisability of the atmospheric principle of traction as a commercial speculation. Certainly the feelings of the people of Epsom were directly In favour of the South-Western Company. And, acting on the declaration of those feelings, had induced the Company to• bring in a Bill last ses sion, and which had only failed on the standing orders. This Com pany proposed to bring the public to the centre of London, a dis tance of 12 or 14 miles ; whereas the opposing parties could only bring the passengers to London-bridge. The CHAIRMAN suggested that the Atmospheric Company could carry to the Bricklayers' Arias station. Mr. HorE had put the London-bridge station as being the best, from abutting on the river. The distance to that station was 19 miles ; but in the event of the South-Western Company getting their Bill for an extension to London-bridge, th e di s t ance to th a t spot would be only 15% miles, 13% to Waterloo-bridge, and 12% to Nine Elms ; so that in distance, in convenience of access to the wharfs upon the river, and in fachity of communication with the north, this line was in every way superior to the competing project. Further, such was the feeling of the inhabitants, that the South- Western Company would, if they f died this year, be compelled to come again, until their Act was obtained. The Learned Gentle man then entered upon a comparison between the relative value of the Epsom Branch to the London and Epsom Company, and stated, that in consequence of the reduction of the fares the number of passengers on the South-Western Company had increased by 35 per cent., although the returns had improved only by 8 per cent. He would not, however, argue the question of competition, because it was in fact here a very small matter, but the fact was, that, although the people were inclosed 'in a smaller space, yet, London was in population, necessity for accommodation, habit, and pursuits, equal to the county of Warwick, and the consideration of carriage us to distance became therefore a very dif ferent matter to what the same distance was in the country. On these grounds, therefore, Le believed the Committee would pass the preamble of this Bill. Mr. H. Goss, the first witness, a magistrate at Epsom, who had given evidence in favour of the South-Western Company in 1844, and was still of the same opinion, believed that the means of access to the west-end of London offered by this Company . was in every way advantageous to Epsom, and the neighbourhood on the south and west of that town. The rejection of the South-Western Bill was badly received in 1844, and the feelings of the inhabitants now were much stronger in favour of the branch now proposed. Petitions had been presented in favour of it from Epsom and Ewell—that from the former place having originated in the largest and most respect able meeting that had ever been held In that town for the promotion of the local interests of the place, the Baron Deteste, chairman of the bench cf magistratet, in the chair. In his cross-examination Mr. Coss replied, that on the opening of the meeting the Chairman had intimated that the meeting was ex pressly called for those who were favourable to the bianch of the South-Western Company, and that discussion of the merits would be deprecated. No other meeting had been called, and the reason he believed why this discussion had been avoided was, because it might have occasioned unpleasantness, but could be productive of no good. The meeting was attended by from fifty to slaty persons, several of whom were not Epsom people. He hadnot heard that a petitiott had been presented, signed by upwards of 200 individuals; but he be lieved that the inhabitants generally were favourable to the South Western project. The traffic he presumed had Increased since 1844, as the tolls bad been let fur IEOI. more last year than in the year before; but he could not say whether the intercourse with London would support two lines. Two coaches had certainly been taken off the road, but there was one which instead of coming to London, was employed in running between Epsom and the Kingston station on the South-Western Line, and he conceived that the formation of the Chichester and Brighton branch would take off much of the usual Epsom traffic to Arundel, Worthing, and other places in that direction. Of the traffic to the West-end he knew nothing; nor could he say what WaS the population of the dis trict through which the branch was to pass. To Mr. ELLIOTT (who appeared for the South-Western Company) Mr. Goss replied that lie knew nothing of the petition presented on behalf of the South-Western Company, but he believed that the im pression of the inhabitants of Epsom was decidedly In favour of the Waterloo-bridge terminus. To the CHAIRMAN, the witness said, that for the public the two lines would be better than one from Epsom. Captain Montrain, a magistrate at Ewell, testified to the same effect, and especially spoke to the advantage to be derived to the poor in the reduction in the price of coal by the formation of this line. lie also corroborated Mr. Goss's evidence as to the respect ability of the petitioners in favour of the South-Western branch. Mr. Palmer, M.P., gave similar testimony, expressing a great in disposition to use the atmospheric system, and said that he had never seen an atmospheric carriage in action. It was his impression that the branch would open a considerable business with Kingston, and that part of the country. Sir Thomas Weeding, a magistrate, residing at Malden, thought this branch would be of service in bringing lime from Ashden for the farmers, a manure of which the ground was much in need. lie con firmed the evidence of the previous witnesses as to the probable ad vantages of the line to the country, amid the feelings of the inhabitants respecting it. Malden Is about a mile at present from the mainline of the South-Western Ralway, but the branch was proposed to run through Malden, and would pass through one of his farms for three quarters of a mile. The parish Stomprised about 1,250 acres, and this branch was necessary to enable the farmers to keep their heads above water. He made a personal sacrifice to get the railway, be cause he believed it would be for the advantage of his neighbours generally. Mr. F. Garner, who holds Coomb Farm, which comprised 700 acres, under the Duke of Cambridge, expressed a belief that as many as 15,000 acres would he benefited by the railway. He hanself used about GOO tons a year. Now it required a whole day to fetch a waggon load of chalk, and it cost about 101. an acre to dress the land with chalk. If the railway. were made they would he able to have four loads a day instead of one, and the expense of carriage world not be more than one-fourth of what it is at present. If he could, however, obtain it in this way he would use at least 1,200 tens In a year. To Mr. ALEXANDER'S cress-examination the witness replied that he did not expect to derive this advantage until the railway was made as far as Ashden ; and on reexamination by Mr. Hope, he stated that If the ihne was put on the rail 'at Epsom he would get all the advantages which he anticipated. There were,'"however, hits at Epsom itself, about half a mile from the proposed railway. The Committee then neljournel till twelve O'clock to-morrow. GROUP X IX. The Committee assembl e d this day at twelve o'clock; present. Lord Barry Vane Mr. D. Morris, and M r Fhilli p B enne tt. (Chairman), Earl of March, Hon. F. S cott, The consideration of the Exeter,Topsham, and Exmouth Railway was proceeded with. A preliminary application was made by Mr. Sergeant MURPHY, on behalf of the promoters to be permitted to examine the engineering witnesses called for the other side, as witnesses for one F ill, and he grounded his application on the fact of the impossibility of anticipat ing the engineering advantages of the opposite line. Mr. Cocsstaui objected to the application, contending that the documents and forms which were exhibited and analysed were quite sufficient to show the whole case of the proposed Bill. The room was then cleared, and on our re-admission, The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee were unanimously of opinion that after a witness had undergone his examination and cross-examination, he could not be re-called by either party in order to be re-examined. Mr. Whitehead was the first witness called, who stated be was an engineer. 1113 evidence went to show that the Exeter, Topsham, and Exmouth proposed line was the best, and most direct communica tion, the probable expense of which would be about 100,0001.; the purchase of land he included in that sum. Mr. Brunel, engineer of the South Devon Railway, was the next witness. 'He considered that the sum of 101,000/. sufficiently ade quate to carry out the proposed line, and that no difficulty or impe diment, as shine person had entertained, would be encountered from a drawbridge on the river Axe, as he clearly showed that by atmospheric power, all difficulty would be set aside, and that at a moderate expense. _ _ . _ Mr. Samuda, an atmospheric engineer, was then called, who corro borated the testimony 01 Mr. Brunel as to tll application of the at mospheric principle in this case. The examination of this witness was proceeding when, at four o'clock, the Committee adjourned until twelve o'clock to-u.orrow. GROUP XXI. ORMAT ITIESTER.N DISTRICT. The Committee met this morning at :wave o'clock. The members are : —Mr. Finch (Rutland), chainr ain; Lord Alfred larvey (Brighton) ; Mr. Wedthousc (East Norfolk) ; Captain Layard :Carlow); Mr. Lawson (Knatesborougl ). The following Rills a:e comprlied in this Group:- 1.. Great Western (Amendments and rurehase 2. Great Western and Uxbridge (from Great Western, West Drayton station, to Uxbridge). Cal ital, 50,000!. ; length, 2 3 4 miles. 3. Great Western and Wyeomb om (.• at Western, Maiden head station, to Wyeomb). Capital, 150,100/. ; length, 10 miles. These three Bills read second time. Engineers to all -T. K. Brunel and J. Gibbs ; Parliamentary agents —Baxter, Ruse, and Norten. 4. London and Oxford (from London and Birmingham Railway at _ . Hamm, by Uxbridge, to Oxford). ,apital, 1,000,0001.; length, 54 miles. Bill read second time.. Engineer—John Addison. Parlia mentary agents—Parkes and Co. Mr. filblyard, Q.C., Mr. Calrert, and Mr. Warren appeared on be half of the pr"moters of the London and Oxford. Mr. Talbot, Q.C., ➢ir. 'Wells, Mr. J. C. Symons, and Mr. A. Griffin appeared for the Great Western Lailway, who promote the three first Bills, Mr Martianle then proceeded to state the case on behalf of the promoters of the Bill. Mr. HILDY4RD then proceeded to state the case on behalf of the promoters of the Bill. Ile said, the origi al conception of the line was of a more extensive character than that now under the imme diate consideration of the Committee, as it was intended to have been extended considerably beyond Oxford, and into the west of England, and was to be called the London, Oxford, Cheltenham, and Gloucester and Hereford Railway. But it would, perhaps, be in the recollection of the Committee, that during the elast session of Parliament, two Bills were passed which led the pro- • moters to alter their determination —one, more particu larly, giving accommodation to the districts which they pro. posed to traverse, namely the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhamp ton Railway, which ran precisely into that district to which the pro- • moters of this line originally intended to afford railway accommoda tion, and by a Bill, which had been introduced into Parliament this session, of constructing a branch from the Oxford, Worcester, and Northampton Railway to commueleate with Cheltenham and Glou cester. :The promoters of the line, not wishing to enter into an unnecessary competition wills those lines, contented them selves with proposing to supply, those districts which they felt particularly required the assistance of direct railway climmunication between London and Oxford. He need not st rte to the Committee that the enormous expense of bringing a separate terminus to a convenient position in London would be such that the promoters of a railway of the description before them cool I not fall to be embarrassed by this part of their scheme. They, there fore, proposed either to avail themselves of the London and Bir mingham Railway, by a junction with it immediately before enter ing London, or by a junction with the Great Western Railway, and to construct their line on the narrow gauge. They would perceive, by the plan, that the railway which they had adopted started from the London and Birmingham Railway, at Harrow parish, at a distance of seven miles from its terminus at Euston-square, and ran by the valley of the Brent up to High Wycombe, from Uxbridge. It then took a northerly direction, and approached within a mile of Prince's Risborough. It ran up and made that detour in order to avoid Stoke Church-hill, which in volved serious engineering difficulties and expense. To get to Prince's Risborough it proceeded through a natural gap in the range of Chiltern Mills. It then descended upon a rich agricultural die- Wet, perhaps the richest in Oxforashire, and so approached the city of. Oxford, where it would have a double terminus—one independent terminus in the parish of St. Clement's, near the 53d mile station on the London road, the other a short branch, one mile, seven furlongs and two chains in length, which was to be connected with the Gr at Western t rminus in the city of Oxford. The merit of the inde pendent terminus at Oxford was this, that it would afford very great facility for continuing the line, so as to join the two lines to which he had referred as having received the sanction of Parliament,- namely, the Oxford and Rugby, and the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway. There was also another branch, three miles and two feirlongs in length, to Thame, a town of considerable importence,speaking as he did of the whole agricultural dist' ict which the whale line traversed. There was another branch which, how ever, was net delineated on the map, for reasons which he would presently state, whereby a communication was effected with the Great Western Railway, by a a deviation a little east of Uxbridge, affording communication between this line and Southall. This was the line as described in the plans and sections deposited at the Board of Trade, in pursuance of the standing orders of Parliament. The Committee would remember that at that period no report had been made by the Commissioners appointed by the Crown, in pursuance of a resolution of the House of Commons to report on the relative merits or demerits of the broad and narrow gauges. They therefore thought it necessary to pro • vide schemes on which they might adopt either of those gauges, in accordance wills the decision of the Committee—in the one case, by forming a junction with the London and Birmingham Railway, anti using the narrow gauge ; or in the other, by connecting it and its branches and termini with the Great Western, and adopting the broad gauge throughout its whole course. Since the presentation of the report of the Commit tee they had abandoned their intention of connecting the line with the Great Western Railway, and proposed to connect it with the London and Birmingham, as delineated and as he had described, and to construct an independent terminus at Oxford. One great merit of this terminus was, that it would enable them to connect the line with the two lines to which he had referred, which would, he believed, be laid down on the narrow gauge, because he believed that the Government approved of that report, and because the Board of Trade had the power to compel the Great Western Com pany to adopt a narrow gauge, if they thought proper to do so. If the recommendations of the report were adopted by Parliament (and he believed it was satisfactory to everybody except the Great Western Company), there would be, by means of this line, one continuous narrow gauge, extending through all that district which was tra versed by the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway, and the branches, proposed to accommodate Gloucester and Cheltenham, of the Oxford and Rugby Railway ; a continuous narrow guage would then extend through these districts, to the Euston-square station of the London and Birmingham Railway. They were prepared for an opposite decision, and intended to abide by the decision of the Commissioners, and should have been able to construct their line, either on the broad or r arrow gauge, within their estimates. He hoped the Committee would not adopt the course generally pursued by the Legislature with regard - to railways through agricultural dis tricts, and adopt this line, especially as that part of the country was very deficientin that railway communication which had been readily conceded to the manufacturing portions. lies:des, the line followed the course which the traffic originally took before railways were con structed, and so far from seeking to draw traffic from any existing channel, they were now struggling to get hack that traffic which, but a few years ago, passed throng% it. Forty or filly of the best ap pointed coaches in the world formerly ran between Oxford and Lon don, along the exact course of the line. Uxbridge was the second corn market in Eugh and, and Wycombe was the eent re of a district in which a great quantity of beech was grown, the soil being dry, and particularly favourable for its production, and contained a number of beech manufacturers, which gave employment to great numbers of people. The population in all these districts had a right to have their legitimate grievances considered and redressed as well as those large districts which had been and were so clamorous for railway commu nication. If they were to be overlooked on account of their dispersed condition, they would languish in poverty and retrograde, whilst other parts of the country advanced in prosperity. They required speedy and cheap communication for their agricultural produce and fabrics, and particularly for coals, which were 10s. per ton dearer than they would be if they had a railway. The line proposed by the Great Western did not offer the advantages which their line did, as their connexion with London was superior and not circuitous, with a station in the best part of London. The Great Western was not a bad west-end terminus ; but what facilities did it offer to persons who bad business to transact in the City and in the east of London ? The inhabitants of High Wycombe and Uxbridge were extremely energetic in favour of 'the line, and considered that the lines proposed by the Great Western lid not offer the accommodation they required, and he was therefore at a loss to know on what ground the Great Western came forward to oppose the whole of their project. With regard to the opposition of the land owners, there was a formidable list of petitions on the table of tile Committee ; but it happened that all these petitions came from the same workshop—from the Great Western Railway. He; would just allude to one passage in these petitions to corroborate what he had stated, because the Committee might be prejudiced against the scheme on account of their number. The petition of a Mr. S. Cousin, who resided in Oxford, set forth " That the Great Western Railway at present affords every facility for the trade of Oxford and neighbourhood, by safe and speedy communication, and the petitioner therefore submits that :mother line to Oxford is not required for the public or private wants of the district." This passage occurred in the petition of a Mr. Dunkley, of Berkshire, and in other petitions emanating from Bucks and other places, and, . besides, the name of the solicitor of the Great Western hallway ap peared on the back of twenty-two of there petitions, show ing that they were all produced by the same master mind.-- (Laughter.) The Great 'Western Railway was con centrated in two persons- Mr. launders and Mr. Brunel— the filmier of whom was examined I.lst year with respect to an opposition line from Birmingham. Ile begged the attention of the Committee to an extract—which was very creditable to him, as his doctrines were correct—but he did not like to come there to oppose their line, and to excuse himself on the ground of " his opinions having undergone a change."— (Laughter, in which the Committee joined.) With respect- to. a question concerning the Sculls Staffordshire Railway and communi cation as far north as Liverpool, he said he thought a second line to London could not fail to be of great public importance, as it would reduce the fares, and would give greater accommodation, and benefit the Companies; that such competition lowered fares; and that the interest of Companies, even when they ran into the came connty, would be thereby promoted. After some further observations, he concluded' by calling on that Committee to pass the preamble of the Bill. 'Witnesses were then called on behalf of the promoters. Mr. Hull, a miller and mealman, who had resided in Uxbridge •25 years, which was a great " pitch" market (corn sold in bulk), and had suffered much from the want of direct communicatiox with London. The carriage of flour to London was Is. 2.1. per. sack ; by a dl:ect railway it would be one-half. The average demand of wheat was about 3,000 quarters a week, but Uxbridge and its immediate vicinity could not supply more than 2,000 quarters. Mr. 11. Norton, corn inspector, at Uxbridge, spoke to the same fact.. Mr. W. Pratt, cattle salesman, at Southall and Hillingdon—On the average 2,000 sheep, 300 beasts, 50 or 60 calves, 70 or 80 pigs, came to Southall market weekly; many of them came from Bucks and Berks. Dr. Beasiand, a teacher in 'Uxbridge, said he occupied the chair at a meeting held in October last, at which those present were una nimous In favour of the line. Mr. Blinks, butcher, Beaclnstield, said the price of coals in that town were 40s. a ton, aad that he apprehended that a railway would considerably reduce their price. Sir H. Lambert, of Stockechurch, considered that the railway would be of great advantage to himself personally, and to his tenants. A number of other witnesses were called, who testified to similar facts, and were all in favour of the line, and that it would confer great advant4es on the districts through which it was designed to pass. The Commitee then adjourned until to-morrow, GROUP XXV. The Select Commottee on this group re-assembled at the usual hour this morning, in the Westminster Sessions-house ; the Hon. Mr. Lascelles in the chair. ZYLALDON, WITNEY, AND 331ZAINTREE. The first business taken this morning was the landholders opposi tion to this line. Theline was opposed by only one landholder, and this opposition was di' ected to be made by the Court of Chancery, the pro perty alleged to be injured.by the railway being the subje,t of a Chan cery suit. It was contended that as all the traffic went from the interior of the county of Essex to a place called Collier's Reach, w ere the river Biackwater was nakkirgable at all times, and not to Maidon, it was quite impossible that the proposed railway could prove a profitable underta king. The water-at 3faldon was so precarioxs and shallow that vessels of only a moderate towage ever could not get up there, and supposing therefore Parliament sanctioned the proposed railway, it would have to be extended to Collier's Reach, while if a line going direct from Braintree to Collier's Reach were adopted, it would prove more eco nomical, and do less injury to residential and other valuable property. It transpired in the course of the. inquiry that tnere was a company organised for making such a line, from Braintree to Collier's Reach, but the scheme had been aban doned for the present scsaion. It originated, it appeared, with the Chelmer and Blackwater Naviption Company. The CHAIRMAN objected to the opposition taking this course. It ought to be confined to the injury which was likely to be done to the petitioner's property In the perish of Langford. Mr. GLASSE contended that he had a right to show that there was no public necessity for the line, and therefore his client's property ought not to be injured in any way. Mr. JAMES, on the contrary, submitted that his Learned Friend had no t ight to take any such course. He perfectly understood his Learned Friend's endeavouring to convince the Committee that the line did so much injury to his crent's property, that they ought to pause before sanctioning the scheme, but it was quite beside the case to adduce evidence to show that the line would not pay, and therefore it ought not to touch the property of his Learned Friend's client. The Committee decided that the petitioner could not be heard on the general merits of the line, but must confine himself to the injury it did to his estate. The property alleged to be injured was known as Langford Flall. It was proved that the aturn line would cut off the homestead, but the alternative line *ould not do so. It would go round the homestead. Mr. JADIES submitted that all this was 5 atter for compensation. The Committee agreed with the Learned Counsel, and the oppos tion was stopped. The preamble o. the Rill wag then declared to be proved, and the clause in the Bill was agreed to. ITAIZWIC a .AND EAsTER.N COUNTIES J3TNCTZ®:I. The next line called was the Harwich and Eastern Counties Junc tion. The case for the promoters was statel by Mr. Cockburn. The ache me was for making a line from Colchester to Harwich, and thus connecting the latter port with the metropolis. The distance between Colchester and Harwich was eighteen miles, and live miles of .his route being already occupied by the liaetern LTniou Company, there would now only be required thirteen miles of railway. There - could be no doubt of the importance of the line, for previous to the establishment of steam navigation, Harwich was the port of embar kation for the foreign mails, and for passengers proceeding to Nor thern and Central Europe, and now under the recommendation of the Ilarbour of Refuge Commissioners, the Government were going to improve the harbour, and again restore it to its former position. Now, the presentline was projected by Mr. Locke in 1844, in opposi tion to an Eastern County line, laid down by M 7. Brathwuite, but some of these lines were thrown out, notwithsLanding that Mr. Locke, Mr. Stephenson, and Mr. Bidder, stated that the mailer was the best that could be laid out. Subsequently the Eastern Counties amalgamated with the Company with which Mr. Locke was con nected, and at till instigation of the two Compaides, Mr. Locke laid out another line to Harwich; hut the other one which he had promoted being manifestly the best of the two, Mr; Braithwaite adopted it, and found no difficulty in golfing a company of capitalists to support him. The two lines came before - Parliament in the last session, but they were both thrown out on standirg orders. Now, Mr. Locke's new line weed along the banks of a navigable river, while his old one and the line now promoted by Mr. Braith waite passed through the inter or of the county, and, of course, ac commodated more population. The works on she old line were much emier than on the new, and in point of distance, the former was shriller by half a mila than the latter. The old line was sanctioned by the Admiralty, but the new one was not. The estimate for the works, which included a pier at Harwich, was ISO 000/. Mr. Lawrance, one of the senior clerks 01 the General Post-office, proved that Harwich, previoui to the establishment of steam navi galon, was the port of embarkation for the northern mails. At present, owing to the difficulty of navigating the Thames in foggy wea, her, the mails were oten delayed, while, if there wa.; a ffirect communication with Harwich from the metropolis, this difficulty would be overcome. Mr. JAMES was proceeding to e%ll general evidence in support of the line, but was interrupted by the TneCnamittits, who said there was no necessity for the time of the Committee being taken up with general evidence, becau,e it must be admitted by every one that a line ought to be made between Col chester and Harwich. Mr. JAMES —And the only question is who shall make it. The CHAIRMAN—I think that is all we have to decide. Mr. JANIES —Then, I will not trouble the Committee with general evidence, but confine myself to evidence relating to the pier at Harwich. Capt. Washington, one of the Tidal Harbour Commissioers, was called to speak to the importance of Harwich, as a port of embarkation Going by way of Harwich, the juunisy to Hemkurgh and Rotterdam, was performed in half the present time. It was the only harbour of re fuge between the Thames and the Humber, and he anticipated shortly that it would be made a mail and packet station. Mr. John Ili athwaite, the engineer who laid out the line, proved that the gradients were good, and the curves easy. It would be half a mile shorter than the rival line, and pass from a place called Hovels Hall to Harwich, 13 miles, and he eonnated the cost of the works at ISO,OOO/., which. included 30,0001. for the pier at Harwich. The estimate was 15,0001. mere than it would have been formerly, owing to the increase in the cost and price of labour and materials. Oncross-examination by Mr. Aunts, on behalf of the competing line promoted by the Eastern Counties and the Eastern Union Company, the witness admitted that the distance between Harwich and Ipswich by the rival line would be six mites shorter than his own, while the time saved in performing the journey by his own line from London to Harwich would not be more than a minute. The witness was also cross-examined by Mr. Beasn_tw with a view of showing that this independent line would do more damage to hie property at Harwich than the rival line. The Committee then adjourned. Sub-Coillmittee No. 2. This Committee met 10-day a few minutes after twelve o'clock. Present, Sir J. Y. Bailer (Chairman), Mr. Yorke, Mr. Kemble, and Mr. Bramston. BRITISH AND lILI4H 'UNION. The consideration of the petition against this Bill, commenced yesterday, was resum. d. The Committee, having heard the evidence of Mr. James Mon crieff, a Scotch advocate, who was examined with reference to the Scotch law on the subject under discussion, which we mentioned yesterday, decided that the allegation was sustained. Mr. COATES, who appeared in support of the petition, suggested that it would be better if all the minor cbjectious should be arranged between the parties, w ithout troubling the Committee. This proposition was ultimately acceded to, and the Author con sideration of the Bill was postponed till Friday. VAX.iI OP IVEATXT. The object of this Bill was to construct a railway, for the purpose of affording }weans of communication between Neath and Merthyr Tydvil, and to join the South Wales Railway at Ncath. The length of the line was 25 milts, and the amount of capital 500,0001. En. gineer, Mr. I. K. Brunel; Parliamentary agents, Messrs. Burke. There were some petitions against this Bill, for which no one appeared, The formal proofs having been taken, the Committee found that the standing ort:ers ha 4 been complied with. LENDS AZT -3 Tmcceszt. The oklect of this Bill waS to construct a line of railway from the Leeds arid Thrisk Railway near Ripon, through Northallerton, Yani, Stockton, to Ilartlepo.,l. The length of the line was thirty one miles, and the amount of capital 455,5001.. Engineer, Mr. Thomas Grainger; P filamentary Agents, Messrs. Burke and Co. The standing orders were c.•mpl:ed with, except with respect to the evidence of one of the parties serving, who was abfent through illne , s. The CHAIRMAN said that the Commitee would receive an affi davit of the service t ,- .e next day they sat. The Committee then adjourned. STANDING ORDERS' COMMITTEES. HOUSE OF COMMONS. • The sittings of this Committee commenced this morning at the customary hour. The Members present were Mr. T. B. Estcourt (chairman), Mr. Ord, Mr. Pendarves, Sir W. Heatheote, Mr. H. Drummond, Mr. W. Patten. THE NEWPORT AND PILLGWNLLY RAILWAY was allowed to be proceeded with. The decision in the case of the BEDFORD AND CAMBRIDGE RAILWAY • was postponed till Friday next. There not being any parties in support of the BIRKENHEAD, LANCASHIRE, AND CHESHIRE, HULL, AND LINCOLN, we were not able to ascertain the decision of the Committee in re ference to them. The Committee then adjourned till Friday next. Sub-Committee, Non, This Committee met at the usual hour, Mr. Strutt in the chair. MORAYSHIRE LINE. The usual formal evidence having keen adduced, several inaccu racies were di7covered by the Committee in the plans and sections. , The, result of the investigation of this case showed that it ought to have been divided into two separate lines, and that, as a datum line was given' for only one, that the standing orders were not complied with. Several other allegations respecting want of num bers, want of enlarged plane, &c., were then gone into, some of which were sustained, and some not. 011.701131, 507.77.M.11.7:417.*T0N, GOSPORT, AT. D POI .7.73 MOUTH The formal proofs of this line having bean gone into, the Cer mittee were occupied with the consideration of the case up to feu o'clock, when they adjourned. Sub-Committee, No. 2. (Continued front our Afternoon Edition.) BRITISH AND IRISH UNION RAILWAY. The decision of the Committee on this line was that some of the allegations of the petitioners were sustained, and were, theretbre non-compliant with the standing orders. The Committee reported accordingly. SOUTH WALES RAILWAY (No. 1.) The promoters of this line withdrew it, and further proceedings were of course dropped. LEEDS AND Ti IRSK (NORTH-EASTERN EXTENSION, RATH TO HARTLEPOOL) RAILWAY. • The formal proofs having been given, the'Commlttee declared that the standing orders had been complie.t with. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. sub-Committee No. 3. The Committee re-assembled at the usual hour, Mr. Edward Buller, chairman; Mr. Aldan, Mr. Broadley, Mr. Thornely, and Mr. E.. Stansileld present- EXETER GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. Shortly after the proceedings were opened, Mr. 'THOMAS, the agent for the petitioners against the Bill an• nounce'd that he had brought his case to a close, the remaining allege• tions having been abandoned, WILTS, SoMERS ET AND WEYMOUTH RAILWAY. The object of the promoters of this line is.to procure powers V make certain alterations, deviations and extensions, of the Wilt.;, Some7Ect and Weymorth Railway. Estimated cost. 240,0001. Par. liamentary agents, Messrs. I3uri,e and Venables. Engineer, I. K. Brune!, Esq The ibrml proofs having been given, seven petitions were gene into, complaining of non-compliance with the standing orders. The petition of Henry Haman, agent of Mr. 'Vivian, alleged that the required notice had not been served by the promoters on him or Mr. Vivian, who was the owner of a large property through which the proposed line would pass, and who-was abroad when the notices were served. After a lengthened examination the room war ordered to be cleared, and on our re-admission The CHAIRMAN gave the following decision on the point :—The e cision of the Committee is, that West - int:di as it is not alleged in the petition that Mr. Vivian was absent on the 30th of November, and his absence at that particular time is the only ground upon which Mr. Haman could complain of non-compliance with the standing milers, as hAlig his agent, and not having received notice, that sup posing the whole of the facts in this tictiti.4n to have been proved, they do not amount to non-compliance with the standing orders; and lie could not, therefore, admit proof €f the absence of Mr. Vivian on the 30th of November, inasmuch as it is not alef.;ed in the petition. Several allegations were then gone into, one especially, respecting the plans not being in the same state as when they were deposited with the clerk of the peace. The Committee were of opinion that this was not sustained. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. Sub-Committee No. 6. The Committee sat at twelve o'cl., c k, C a pt a i n J ones, Ch a i rman; Mr. Pakington, and Mr. Childers present. LAN ARKSIIIIIE AND LOTHIANS. In this case a petition was presented from Sir W. Bailey, by Mr. Pitt, complaining that certain fields, &c., were not properly described in the book of reference, were not numbered in the plans and sec tions, and that the references did not correspond. The whole of the Morning was occupied with the consideration of these allegations, which possesses no feature of the sligktest interest. Tt,e Committee, after a lengthened investigation of the objections already rs ferred to, decided that .in several important points the standing orders were not compli , d with. 'the only point of gener,:l interest which arose was, that where plans and sections had been un necessarily lodged, such plans, though not required by the standing orders must be correct, and any inaccuracy in such plans would he as detrimental to the Bill as if they had occurred in those required by the standing orders to be deposited. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the rotes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) TUESDAY, MAKCII 24. The following Petitions for Railways were reported, and the Bills ordered to be brought in by the undernamed Hon. Members : London and Windsor—Colonel T. Wood and Sir W. Jotliffe. Kinross Junction—Mr. Ellice, jun., and Mr. G. W. Hope. Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction (Durfleid Branch)—Viscount Morpeth and Mr. Stansfleld. Cameron's Coalbrook Steam Coal, and Swansea and Loughor—Mr. Baldwin and the Marquis of Worcester. Blackburn, Darwen, and Bolton—Mr. Patten, Mr. Clifton, and Mr. Hsrnby. Blackburn, Clitheroe, and North-Western Junction—Mr. Patten, Mr. Clifton, and Mr. Hornby. Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham—Lord G. Bentinck and Mr. Spooner. RAILWAYS Select Committee on Group No. 34. Viscount Duncan selected, and added to the Committee, vice Sir John 31‘Taggart, discharge:l. STANDING ORDERS' COIINIITTEE. The following resolutions were reported from this Committee :- 1. That, in the case of the Sion College Estate petition, the standing orders ought to bo dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill on forthwith inserting the notices for three successive weeks in the Gazette and newspapers. 2. That, iu the case of the Arbroath and Forfar Railway petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill on forthwith inserting the notices for three successive weeks in some newspaper published in the county of Aberdeen. 3. That, in the case of the Leeds Central Railway petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with : —That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill on forthwith inserting the notices for three successive weeks in some newspaper published in each of the omitted counties. 4. That, in the case of the Boston, Stamford, and liirmir,gbam Railway (Stamford to Wisbech) petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed. with:—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill, with the exception of the clause: giving power• to the Company to lease or sell their undertaking. 5. That, in the ease of the Norfolk Railway (Norwich Branch) petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties' he permitted to proceed with their Bill on depositing in the Private Bill-oflice a declaration amended, so as to be in conformity with the standing orders. G. That, in the case of the Midland Railways (Swinton to Lin coln) petition, the standing orders ought to he dispensed with: — That the parties be permitted to proceed wills their Bill on dividing it into two Bills, so as t separate that part of the ii:c,iturc which was before Parbament In the last session, from that which has been in troduced for the tint time during the present. That the Committees on this and the preceding Bills do examine, in the first :place, how far such !orders have been complied with, and do report the same to the House on the report of the Bill. 7. That, in the case of the Sheffield General Cemetery petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties to permitted to proceed with their Bill. 8. That, in the case of the Bradford, Wakefield, and Midland Rail way petition, the standing orders ought not to be dispensed with. First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh resolutions agreed to.—Report to lie on tile table. SECOND READINGS OF RAILWAY BILLS. MONDAY, wrAnc:i 30. Edinburgh and Batligate. Glasgow, Airdrie, and Munklands Junction. . Leeds and Thirsk (Knaresborou4 Extension. Horbury Bridge and Calder Railway.: LAW INTELLIGENCE. VICE- CHANCELLOR'S COURT, March $ (Before the VICE. CITANCELLC R of ENGLAND.) GREGORY V. WADE.— lIQ UNCTION. Mr. JENKINS applied this morning- in this .ease for a ' vial injunction to restrain the defendant from negotiatinkl bills of exchange for the sum of 4001. The facts CO he made the application, and whi c h are ver ifi e d by the 7, , davit in support of the bill and the application, were al, lows :—A lady of the name of Engletield, who had keL t seminary for young ladies at Chewer, i n . Wi n d sor , b e ing au'', to marry the defendant in the course of last autumn, 4 . anxious to part with her establishment at Clewer. The tiff made application to her upon the subject of purchasing , „, establishment; an interview took place between the partit'!;.', the courae of which it was stated that the e-tablishment slated of twenty borrders at thi r ty gu i neas a year, an d 5: day scholars at eight guineas a year. Upon this 1 repres`' , ' tation the plaintiff agreed to pur c h a s e th e es t a blishole i ' l at a sum of 8001., • 4091. cf which was to paid down, and the remaining '4OOl. was to be paidin . ,s! l promissory n o t es . Th e 400/. was accordingly ant,' (I; five promissory notes given. Afte r. ti le tetm i na ti o n Christmas teceas, the plaintiff disc tvered that the represe?, tation of th e num b e e o f b oar d ers and day scholars, W3 51' ,3 correct ; that not half the number attended, and under tli e ` circumstances the - plaintiff filed the bill, to set aside theo r '; tract, and for an i n j unct i on to restra i n the negotiat i on of tt - promissory notes in the meantime. The VICR.CHAN CELLOR th oug h t , cons id er i ng t h e time t bb i l had, elapsed since all the facts had come to the Icticarledg t e. ; the plaintiff, that noti ce oug h t to b e g i ven to the dela''. cf the application for the injunction. • SECONDARIES COURT, March 25. (Before Mr. Secondary POTTER.) WCLEN V. SIMPSON. The plaintiff in this action is a house-decor a t or i n IsTer,g ie i street, and the defendant secretary to the Professional I l i Commercial Detector Association and Comm erc i a l a nd Cltr i s o . Agency Office. The claim was - for 71. 145., for wai t labour done. The defendant pleaded that he was not indebted. iis a • The only question in the case was, wheth er the Won' o ts been done for the defendant or Messrs. Haynes, the land of the house; the latter had, on defendant taking the Ca mises, given orders for tome work, and the defendant ui t a ordered writing and painting to be done; but he confo l it was to be done at the cost of Messrs. Haynes. The jury gave a verdict for the full amount claimed. NATHAN V. BARNETT AND ANOTHER. This was an action on a of exchange for 12/. 1( 1 The defendant Barnett pleaded that the a c ce ptance Was / 4. his; his partner, Lowe, the other def en d an t, suffered j o ment to go by default. t he Three witnesses swore that to th e b es t o f t hei r belie 4 , signature, " Barnett and Lowe" was in Barnett's b /rd writing ; but be asserted it was Lon-c'e, and that them ° his plea, which was a separate one, could be maintained. 06 The SECONDARY said it was a matter of fact for jury. - The jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY, March 25. (Before Mr. Commissioner Eva:is.) IN RE HENRY ROBINSON. eOf This bankrupt, who was brought up in custoev of °— to the officers of the Sheriffs of London, made an apiilicatioo. be discharged out of custody, under the following ei r f. ll oo , stances : He said that the fiat was opened by Mr. missioner Shepherd, who had appointed the 19th N S - i v for passing his last examination. By some mistake et,o London Gazette office, the day was advertized for the ' O 9 instant; consequently, from the 19:11 to the 26th, be at without protection, and this morning had been arres t the suit of the judgment creditor. The officer said that he had been sent to arrest the ii— rupt, and he had been held responsible. The CommissioNuat, after looking at a variety of co7:•er , he did'not see how he could interfere. He would, llo' s-‘ consult with his colleagues. , tb 6 The officer said be hoped the Court would consider position in which he was placed. T t 3 The bankrupt said he could not make up his acceu kepthein custody. COMMISSIONER said he should not interfereufll compelled by the law. This was necessary for the of all parties. h The Learned COMMISSIONER having conferred lit or other Commissioner said, they agreed that they bad no be re to relievet the bankrupt, nor did they think he could _ ic e lieved by any otter Court under the present circiall sts 'oll The 'Courts were sitting at Westminster, and he coil(' r to them. 0 0 ' The officer said, he could not let the bankrupt go his jurisdiction, and must lock him up. The bankrupt was then taken away in custody. 17' THE LOSS of LIFE in CRAWFOA - 13 ST RE ET. Tuesday forenoon, Mr. T. Wakley, M.P., and all; Doo 4 mspectable jury, assembled in the board-room of M.ll° tte workhouse, to investigate the circumstances attend,'" deaths of Robert Butters and his three children. it° Police-sergeant No. 18 D, described the discover' tire for ' Frederick Brown, in the employ of the Royal Sa c ' eei the Protection of Life from Fire, said that he had clloroe; an escape at Marylebone-lane. On the evening of 3 ,11, last, as soon as the call went to the parish-engine stall wdA ran to the fire, and made use of Parker's escape, aTeofe:, up to the second-floor wit,dow. He got hold of the (" e n d l i tt luau's arm, but the smoke obliged him to retrea t ' could not pull him out. The same attempt was subseq. tried by a fireman and a police-constable, but withoTorioi cess. After the lapse, however, of a quarter of an b oo 0111 he was enabled to go into the room, which was th ey „f ~ smoke and very hot The deceased were got out, eq,:itoer children was not quite dead, it breathed a little. e pEr was certuin the child was not then quite dead, as ceived its stomach move. The Court was cleared of strangers, and the aso sd Mr. Tunpson was examined ; the following is an abst r b il e e the evidence which he afterwards communicated to " ________----__ porter : Thomas John Hughes—l reside at present with Afr' r pr e ; son, at No. 6, Union-place, Lisson-grove, North. e t, viously lived at Mr. Timpson's shop in Crawford-stretirrif used to sleep there. On the night of Monday last, I . l. o te k ; to bed at twenty minutes past ten o'clock, and was a' s a ;1)! J a violent knockin g and cracking of wood. 1 soon foun a the place was on ire. I then jumped out of be d s et go' hold of my coat, which was all that I could save. T be s t o, were breaking through the partition of the front slloP. n ost r c i period. I immediately went up stairs to arouse I called out " The place is on fire." The smoke `'doe",t such an overpowering nature, I ran to the front wit' ion3°,, the first floor, but the smoke came in at the window,„icolL, as bad as it did from the stairs. I then got on to the ,„icon', 501 and passed from thence on to the blind box of t h , s ; house, and got through the shop. I was in my ehj es n ers 4 ,h r l time, and the onl thing I saved was my coat. I o f v d , left, and went to y lUr. Timpson's, and informed li"l,o s° ' disaster. He was sleeping at No. 6, Union-places . grove. lo A Juror—Can you assign any , reason for the OP j and the outbreak of the fire? Witness—l cannot. teed The CORONER—You went to bed at twenty wi n ° D igi; ten ; what time did you go to supper on Sur-`3109c16 Witness—On Sunday night I went to supper at vire os or that was not the usual hour; I generally went at little atter. The CORONER—Why did you go to supper on that diclie, lar night at nine o'clock, when on other °erosions Y ° „ 0 11 d, 11 ,11. go till past tea? Witness—On Sunday nightf t Timpson called at the shop after leaving chapels $" - bol 9 "iri past eight o'clock, and they requested me to coin e o f De nine, as they wished to go to bed early on accoun t ?? ti The CORONER—Are you certain there was ne othertreo Witness—l am. I went straight from Crawfo ta ' s Lisson-grove, to supper. „ Fe n ; i 4 The CORONER—Was the door lock e d whilst .1 1 :"" he ye t d supper? Witness—lt was. I locked it and he a ,.... g 0 my pocket all the while. I a m certain it did t:".:;10` my possession' during the time I was array fro m 1 11/' mises in Crawford-street. The CORONER—Had Mr. Timpson a duplicate kel ness—He had not. lee fe b, The CORONER—When you went to lied did gas burning? Witness—l left a small jet of ails" . t ot' Jig in the shop. d nr, A Juror—Was this burner contiguous to the Wel ss was burning ? Witness—lt was not. Ti'ee felt ,notigh for me to pass between them. con The CORONER—Were you perfectly sober wh en , I tr to bed ? Witness—l was.• beP re ' 4 The CORONER—Had you anything to drink es / tired to bed ? Witness—l had not. Wi t° The Cora:mut—Had you smoked a cigar ? 5 0 ' had not. r 'l l4 I A Juror—How long have you lived with I ‘'- x. ' Wss—Two weeks I.,st Friday. a dive The inquiry was, at this stage of the proen journed till Monday next. 6.1'40 ROBBERY OF SIR JOAN GUEST ON Est On Tuesday information was forwarded to the police „ittl John Guest was at the terminus of the London an d Railway, ,Ning Elms, on the 20th inst., at about one " e was robbed of lour 5/. Bank of England notes and foo l ' DIA' ,f [ADVERTISEMENT. 3-1)R. BIN/45 A OncraiuNT..—Dr. BMus, who is one of the principal P h wtnß island of Jamaica, has expressed himself in the foujiool/1 respecting the surprising healing properties of 1-10 „t ment :—" I have made many trials of this ointinetyie e Of? chronic ulcei 5, which several years' experience I n , v to °, 1 4 taught me to consider as in , urable. lam now flaPra) ' all cases it was really and truly efficacious." ( gigue cur e of r t ol F.S.A., 5.C.0." Holloways ointment Wl' however long standing, likewise the most obstina t f vr a:, evil or scrofula.— Sold by all medicine vendersiAnd 3 loway's Establishment, - 244, Strand, London. BIRTHS 000411 0: 0 1 6 r On the 11th of January, at Rondebosch, 1 CaPe„, °f i publ i 41 0 lady of Lieutenant-Colouel A. F. Richmond, Cfp'. 1 a daughter. ot ° On the 15th nit., at St. Jags de Cuba, the Wife 01 - eje 'M.D., her Britannic 3lajesty's Consnl, of a dau::ll.ter:,,o, tD / On the 16th inst., at Green Meadow, Glam organ'm CY Henry Lewis, Esq., of a daughter. ' Jot° ~f' y Of ~ ,,or Oa the 17th inst., at Pau, I;as Pyrenees, the I . d IC IP e f less, Esq., of a son. lady of ,d On the 19th inst., in Hyde-park-street, the i ro s. cf , e Gostling, Esq., or a son, which survived but a short n road' est On 'he 20th inst., at Cambridge-terrace, Ca m - or ° town, Mrs. Edward Doyle, of a daughter. ff e W ife r.,,n, On the 20th inst., on tiarbour-hill, Cove a Cork , - -I a we v a da , ,li. nant-Culonel Burton, Royal Marine Battalion, of of _to. „0 On the 21st inst ,hi Bloomsbury-square, the lady ~ ,ftlf Faq., of a daughter. At e ' t, i f a da o °,ol , 4 On the 21st inst., at Hampton, Mrs. Giffard, o ~, 0 a r 17 O t 17th Lanc er s,tile Ori o ' i, ' L° 2lst ionfsat.,danutgChatenrt.erbury, the lady of Mai, gor .I Gransden, Huntingdonsitire, a a daughter. o i I AL - rat Y" On the 21st inst., the lady of the Rev. Frederick L fs. If On the 2`)(1 inst., in London, the wife of Mow b the Inner r 0 „ of ~.. • , On the 23d inst., Mrs. John Leman Browns-9 :u 1 4 ' _„, P' Lambeth, of a daughter. natas"' On the 23,1 inst., the lady of Captain J. W....- daughter. Temple, of a tlbugliter. , 4 ' . 'Y e' HA RRIED. Ef i d i ( ur rie, , o ft a On the 11th inst., at Stoke Newington, Peter If ,of 44 ,,, lea , 1% . ,11 1 " Is at , el Jesse .',. oore, second daughter of the late 1 ' Esq., of Liverpool. t gA" ef l' 1 R S• y e ti e On the 19th Inst., at St. Ann's, Limehou;e, .-• „ a at , r oi ... 0, Deptford, to Charlotte, second daughter of Lieu te ' S.,,tr Faq., R.N. .01 Tv • , , t CO' 4. ' On the 19th Inst., at Brading, Isle of l'‘ lg. ',ter of Christie, 80th Regiment, to Eras ces Esther, 63t1 Esq., of Hill House, Brading. sl t 7? Oa the 19th inst ,at KenningtolnE, Thomas ( , I °, f °d o cb f i l .; ` llcD Jl'it t f: 54.. e On the 20th inst. Margaret Frances, th e - - c' of Birehfield, Isle of Wight. u Gilbert, po ° ini htiiihs co'roc Esq., ~, v Ge' r fz e et• It. A On the 20th inst., at Treeton Rectory, the .v e ; tile. "- On the 21St inst., at Cirencestr, d. 13evir , E 5,9 , 3,1,1 i'''' teelen222,oitEllisni:insextns.t:t.,or, St. rs. Mary's,Glilbert, u theaogienrostthoe; o. too tiw00,010,4, ~,,. 9 / aged 90. Nukes, Esq., sell* , ° " tr - 0,.., of t o 7, ce On the 221 inst., Maria, the wife of Mr...krn3e ._.. - 11 , street, St. James's-square. _____--- cf Ici P 1; 0 -_---_ __1T50,04 London : Printed and Published by N'l9lll)°,lT,und, ...t.i°,o9' Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. I% - „ x , TA"' of the Savoy, in the County of Miticil es ' 2C, 1846. r r 0 Till LADIES 1 The ELECT COMP ANY be! , Irour of y our u thtlenaen, viz JOHN C JOHN I CHARLI NIL LI9 HENRY "aid'. win Intl( I, II P r Y A "•• Astelllexand B • ne iay f ley th Obert Canipbe or F ussell Ew e , Gallaway b ' W. Hogg Jenkins L• Lushingto `:eorge Lyall ,••• Ilitenaghten llastermi • t s l Propriet 110 TH: LADIES slaving the ° ,, f , t he East In. glosen this ye YOur vote on t We are, L s* Proprie Lflrql] EAST. Notice is he: t ccomes payal All holden `; las. 4d. pei ""ites at th ~e ar days, In trod recorded Parties 110 .7 1 1 not be pal wrest are tulli London ' Mt ..•,...—___ Mr. FAIRS C ArQ knot "itizzeT 0] ailter : e e e nst rrve v td e oly uIIVL pr ..r halt a 'c 11, e art o dea th Nge of f furn LaSte. Mr. R. N 0.2, I , To give a 1 t he exterior a 'Dace in a pul ! h,...,5e incline _ , einselves 1 4 k16 little Li; If. Is frortt is in eows, and ti •urned a lar I ) ,Ya the grc , inarke, Passant, adapted to serted that b throughout „ 11 . 14 yet som Lid view, t t o diseever ' a thea3' easily b hi— ' hly-r ktreet. kilioining is -utco me It kent. . It can be a4„„a Particull - "ices, Cove The Splen * old fourtoen Feat eombb Vertu. For his I`zrSye Ro Capital I TWO FA ACRES c of cxcelle M R.. TIIWISDAY, 411 (1 one per ec t 4 'AIIIL J Y I AN I) 42,1 OF WHII 75 ACRE gently slopi D r overnent the situatio TIE TO POU Pttne.gyri, w°4l d be a fortune to s perfect Bee t less-favour, "their pos In the imm 2•TE T 1 the verd an r( England to and was fo The situ. t otapletra t being too ( fatuily orchards. There is an P rated Lla A ] 11 Ovr Maki] .k • arras, w neeessl good to ' ol .lr years of actin ‘ Oullocks a rYoncl in LIME . 411 (1 the rr "Wong 1, are neigh SILVEi Xle'ren 1 Platic 1 2 The: for eng A Pr int - brim be had Dostugt sir_ deal b her Belt Dr. ksthin To s tle ar i t taste. Age Bola t -V' t0.,,e. ~ith ~, . .e. tn, ti, one, 4 .oni bOt for teed. qidd Ilea]