The Sun. — London, England, 1845-06-05 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMmt rr ELS. (YESTERDAY.) GROUP AA. The Committee rnet at twelve o'clocirplr. Henley in the chair. 3he rostponed clause of THE GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN (IRELAND), from ye.terday, after a long discussion, was again postponed until Friday. The unopposed eleuses of the WAT POD AND LIMERICK RAILWAY were then agreed to, and the Committee adjourued until Friday. GROUP A. LONDON, CHATHAM, AND NORTH KENT RAILVIAT. The Committee met a•ain at twelve o'clock this morning, and proceeded with the engineering evidence. The first witness called was Mr. Crowther, lanel-surveor, who confirmed the evidence in favour of the superiority of the line, the facilities of the cuttings, tunnel, bridizes, and level crossings, as well as the cotrcelness of Mr. Vignolles's estinive. The cross-examination, which was extended, elicited /In varia tion in the testimony. Mr. AUSTIN then requestd the Committee to decide in what order they would take the ease of the landowners, and the case as to the relative merits of the South-Eastern and the Croydon, as competing lines. The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee had determined to go into the case of the landowners first, but they had not yet decided as to the order in which they would take the question as between the Croydon and South-Eastern lines. After some further conversation the Committee de'iberated for a time, and announced their intention to hear out whatever evi dence was to be offered for the North Kent—to go then into the case of the Suuth-Ea.stern—and lastly into that of the Croydon Company. Another conversation then took place as to the time when Counsel adverse to any line should be 'ward against that line, upon which the Committee (atter some deliberation) resolved to hear all the evidence to the ead before counsel should be heard. Mr. Sergeant SHEA then put in letters from the Boards of Ad. miralty and Ordnance, acquiescing (as had been already stated in the ,videl.ce) with the arrangments of the North Kent line, in passing the fort :fica'ious, Woolwich.common, and the Medway. The case for the promoters of the Bill being concluded, Mr. CoeitatteN rallrd the serious attention of the ( °nominee to the fact that Mr. Vignolies had not comp ied satisf..ctorily with the order of the House, that the estimate of expenses should be laid before tie Ccmmittee of Standing Orders. He did not think the departure was sulticient to require the Committee to stop the progress of the Bill. But he gut:mated that tire matter should be again referred to the Committee of Standing Orders. Mr. Ausrim followed at great length upon the same side. Mr. Sergeant WitANGH•3I replied, and pointed out to the Com mittee that the alleged alterations in the estimates were merely con. tingent, and did not substantially or formally depart from the stanaing orders. The CHAIRMAN interrupted the Learned Gentleman, and said that 'he Committee was of opinion that hitherto there appeared no objection to the Bill. This announcement was followed by a very loud expression of delight, which gave great umbrage to the Committee, and was immediately checked. Mr. AUSTIN then addressed the Committee on the part of Messrs, Hale, the powder manut“c.urcrs of Feversham, and argued that the railroad would come within dangerous proximity of the works. The Committee then adjourned to twelve o'clock tomorrow. I:0UP 88. vrATEnronn, WEXPOILD, WICKLOW, AND DITZLTN ItAXI.VJ'II.Ir. The Committee resumed to-day at twelve o'clock, Mr. Colqu houn in the chair. Mr. Sergeant WRANGUAM opened the case on behalf of the pro jectors of the line. The Learned Gentleman proceeded to show the course the line was intended to take. It started :t using the Dublin and Kings:own line as far as the latter went. From Kingstown it proceeded along the coast by Bray. Wicklow, Arkiow, Gorey, Ennicorthy, New Ross, to Waierfrd. Near to Enniscortby there were two forks, dis erg,ng right and left; one into the interior to Carlow, and another to Wexford, so as to connect the latter place with Fishguard in Walss, from whence a line was proposed to Glouces ter, by Carmarthen, Neath, and Newport. The who a extent of railway to be fermi d was 150 miles, connecting the most important towns and districts in the south of Ireland with the west of England. The Learned Gentleman having described the line, reviewed the benefit which it would confer by connecting toge ther the rich mineral and manufacturing districts of this country with the fertim agricultural iiistricts of the south of In the event of P..rliament sanctioning this Bill, he said it was in tended to tmpro,e the harbour accommooation of Wexford, and to estabish regular and effic.ent steam c , rmounication between that place and Fishguard. Having shown the great amount of traffic likely to pass over the line, and the engineering difficulties, which he represented as being generally of a tavonrable nature, the Learned Gentieman c.,iiciuded by p., out, at some length, the Bdv4ntages this line presented over the Carlow and Wexford line, already brought under the notice of the Committee. Witnesses were then called on behalf of the Bill. The oecre'are of the Company deposed to the capital of the Com pany. w:.qc,h he 'tate! at •2 00,000/. Mr. Lewis Vugors. Charmari of the South Wales Railway Com pany. gave evidence as to the vaiue of this hie as a connexion between Ireland and England. Dr. Newland, Dean of Hearns, and Mr. Charles Doyne, were examined as to the feeling of the inhabitants of the country through which the line passed, which was generally favourable. Giobons, engineer, sale that he was etig.gen in surveying the line, and iii mak , ng sections of the same. There were several severe cutt:!igs and embankments on the line, but none of a difficult character. L'he7e was a tunnel of 500 yards long between King. stows and Bray, and :nother through the Dips of Bray cf :320 yards. The heaviest cutting at .:"!is place was 43 feet, through schistus rock. Between Bray and Arilow there were two embankments, 968 and 72 feet high. At Arkiow there was a viaduct 150 feet long and 16 feet. high. There was a cutting through high rock at the same place s. averaging for the extent of two furlongs 32. feet. There was an embankment and viaduct over the River Bann 35 feet and another viaduct 100 feet high near to Enniscor I.y over the river. There was a serious cut ting at New Ross of above two miles long, the deepest part of which was 54 net. The Barrow river was crossed three times after :e:ving New itos;, by viaducts of 70 feet, 45 feet, and 35 feet high rapectivjy. Fun r•er on there was a tunnel 369 yards in length. These were the priuc pal engineering difficulties. The Committee then adjourned till tii.morrow at twelve o'clock. GROUP DA IMPoRTAIs T DE( ISION. THE CALEDONIAN, THE GLASGOW, DUMMIES, AND CARLISLE, AND TH".,.: C7.7:1) CTI ON. The Comii.ittee met this morning at twelve o'clock, and, after defiberatids some Vine on the points which they had not defini tively decided on their adjournment yesterday afternoon, The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee, having proceeded to the consideration of the subjects before them, had come to the delibe rate and unanimous decision, that the preamble of the Bill called the Glasgow ,Dunitries, and Carlisle Raiiway Bill, had not been proved. Mr. HILDTARD then said he appeared on behalf of the Glasgow and Germ irk Railway, to oppose the Motherw.ll branch of the Clydesdale Junction Railway, and called Mr. King to give evi dence, whO was examined by Mr. CR&NVORD. Mr. Knife deposed that the authorised original capital of the Garnkirk line was 140,0004, and the rate of dividends on that capital had averaged, for Some years past, about 21 per cent. The directors of the Garilleirk Railway applied to Parliament last year for a new Act, which they obtained, for the purpose of making two different extensions of their line. One of these extensions was intended to carry the line further into the city of Glasgow, and was now in course of construction, The extension would doubtless be a very considerable improvement, as it would bring the terminus of the Garnkirk line to a convenient terminus, and both passenger , and goods be carried nearer to the centre of the city and to the harbour. The expense of the extension would be 50,000 i. The second extension was proposed to be made to a point called Cargill, by which an unfavourable line of railway would be avoided on toe Kirkintilloch line. The estimated expense of that extension was 30,000/. or snore, and it was nearly completed. A further consi.!sraole sum, amounting to about 25,0001. had been expended on the Coltbridge extension for the purpose of obtaining the benefit to be derived Scorn the Wisbart and Coitness line in forwarding passengers and minerals to Glasgow. A number of coal proprietors and iron masters had been examined before a Committee last year, and had expressed very favourable opiitions of that extension. The expense of the conveyance of pig iron and coal would be materially diminished when the contemplated improvements were all completed. The CHAIRMAN interrupted the examination of the witness at this point, sod said it was he wish of the Committee to hear further engineering evidence as to junction of the Caledonian line with the Cldesdale branch to Hamilton. They wished to know whether it would interfere with the Duke's palace at Hamil. ton. It appeared to them exceedingly desirable that this junction should be effected, as the intermediate fork on the Motherwell branch wpuld, in that came, he renLer,ai tainecessare. Mr. Locke, the engineer, stated that it would be impossible to make a line to Hamilton without materially interferiPg with the Duke's palace, and also with the town of Hamilon, besides pre senting some engineering difficulties in the passage across the Clyde. Mr. CRAWFORD resumed his examination of Mr. King, who proceedei to state, that if the Motherwell branch were constructed, the traffic xol.g the G . .:.riikirk Railw..y would be so greatly dimi nished, that scarcely sufficient avenue would be realised to pay the ordinary working expenses of the line. The CliAllaNt AN said that regarding the Caledonian line as a na tional scheme, the Committee were desirous that there should be no obstruction offered in any way to the Glasgow and (larnkirk line, in its connexion with the Wishart and Coltness Railway. Some unimportant discussion having ensued without any definite decision being come to, " • . Mr. MAXWELL appeared to resume his opposition to the Clydes dale Junction Railway on behalf of Sir John M:ixwell, the magis trates of Gorbals, and the road trustees and others of West-strLet, When The CITAIIVIAN decided that the objections should not be enter tainedtter as aga eat the preamble of the 'Bill, bet would be a in for consideration H h ii the clauses were being prose eded with. The preamble was then declared ro have been ,rived. The clauses were immediately proceed , d with, and cn arriving clause 26, which gave power to the Clydesdale Junction to con nect it with the Polio and Gov an Railway, under certain restrict ions, Mr. NlaxwELL proposed to insert a clause which would have the effect of compelling all the traffic conveyed along the Polloc line, where it passed \Vest-street, to be carried either over the street by a viaduct or under it by a tunnel. The proposed clause was negatived, and on the suggestion of the Committee a , ecorici clause, to the Effect that it should not be lawful for the Polloc and Groan Railway to connect with, or to convey any traffic from. the Clydesdale Junction Railway until the consent in wri.-ing had been obtained from the Board of Trade, was prepared and agreed to. Several written clauses for regulating tolls, &e., having been introdoced, the remaining clauses were passed, arid the Bill was ordered to be reported. The clauses of the Caledonian Railway Bill were then proceeded with, and after a few trivial alterations had been inserted, were all agreed to. Mutual congratulations having passed between the Committee and the various counsel, the Committee broke up, after having been assiduously engaged, during a period extending over six weeks, in the consideration of the important and intricate schemes comprised in the group which had been referred to them, and which had involved in the investigation the examination of upwards of two hundred witnesses. GROUP EE. SCOTTISH MIDLAND JUNCTION. day, Mr. Baring, c h a i r _ The Committee sat at twelve o'clock to- Dian. The examldation of witnesse, wa, resumed. Mr. Blackadder, .urveyor, deposed that the amount of land re quired to be taken for the line was '214 acres, 2 rcsxls, and 6 piles ; in value, 32,24'21. l is. I dd. The dist, ict or country through tvhicli the railway passed was very favourable, and the inhabitants general y were favourable to it. Mr. P. Wallace, a member of the Perth Town Council, and an extensive coach.builder, pre evidence as to the traiNc between that town and Forfar. Mr. Jack of Dunkeld, was next examined. Th;s line of railway as far as it went wou'd be of great bene!. , to that town and district There were extensive slate quatiies in Dunkeld, la. ge portions of which were at present carted .TITE SUN, LONDON, TfIURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 5, 1845. latter town some short time since to discuss the merits of the rival lines. The feeling was almost unanimous in favour of the Inlet° Windham. The population within fourteen miles round, and even as far as Diss, came to the Dereham market. Taking both the import and export trade into consideration, he conceives the line to Wiudl.am far superior, in every respect, to that directly to Norwich. inasmuch as the former affords a readier access to the metropolis. The price of coals at Dereham is 40s. a ton, and gas, wh .ch is now 12s. 6d. per thousand cubic feet, is materially enhanced in value by tie high rate of coals. The feeling of the farmers is decidedly in favour of the Dereham and Windham branch. Cross-examined by Mr. CHAMBERS—The trade at Norwich is considerable, and a great competition and consequent low prices exists in that town. There were two meetings at Dereham, but does not remember resolutions against the Dereham and Windham line being made by Lord Baring. Three-fourths of the produce of the 11 , rmer town is not purchased by Norwich dealers. Mr. John Reeve, examined by Mr. ANDREWS, Q.C.—ls a general merchant at Dereham, dealing in seed, wool, wine, and spirits. In the carriage of wool speedy transit is of great importance, as in warm weather it shrinks, and thus loses considerably in weight. It is a great advantage to obtain a speedy change of market. The wool exported to France passes through London. He annually makes up about 6,000 or 10,000 tods of wool. At Swaffliam and Wakeham there are also two other extensive woolen-dealers, to both of whom railway communication would be desitable. Changes in the transit of corn and seeds are very in jurious, and therefore a transfer of such articles from one train to another is decidedly objectionable. Mr. Blake was present at the meeting of tie inhabitants of Dereham, and instructed a Mr. Bush to introduce the East Denham and Windham scheme to the public, and advocate its ads antages. Cross-examined by Mr. Catmer—ls perfectly sure that Mr. Blake attended the meeting in the capacity of promoter of the line through Windham. Mr. CHAMBERS commenced a cross-examination of this witness, but the Committee unanimously considering it irrelevant, he was stopped, and the evidence rejected. Formal proof was then given of the assents and dissents, the traffic and distance tables, and the Committee adjourned. GROUP KK. LIVERPOOL AND BURY LINE. The Committee resumed at the usual hour. Mr. John Turner was the first witness called. He is a native of Haywood, 8 miles from Bury. Haywood contained a population of 15,000 persons. The following was a statement of the amount of goods annually brought into Haywood from Liverpool :—Cotton, 8,506 tons; coals for manufacturing purposes, 71,101 ; flour, 261; iron and lead, 1,720; timber, 1,000; groceries, 80 ; potatoes, 936; stone, 400 ; cannel, 15,000 ; coal for domestic purposes, 15,600. The whole amount being 101,304 tons of commodities annually imported from Liverpool into Haywood. The present price of carriage was 11 s. Bd. from Liverpool ; by the projected line it would be only 9s. 3d., as they would carry them at 3d. per ton per mile, which would be the maximum price. This would afford an annual saving to the people of Wigan of 7,850/. 151. in respect to coal, and in cotton of 1,027/. 16s. 2d., the coal for domestic pur poses 780/., in sundries 537/. 10s., in agricultural produce 2341. and by carriage 634/., by the greater cheapness which they wouldob tain produce through the new line. The whole saving to the people of Wigan by the projected line would be 11,0241. Is. 2d. yearly. Mr. William Pearce, superintending agent to the Earl of Bal. carras at the Wigan coal mines, stated that he had been thirteen years in his Lordship's employment. Lord Balcarras was the largest coal-mine proprietor in that district. He raised a large quantity of cannel coal. Lord Belcarras employed 1,000 colliers, and had engines of 450 horse power. The quantity of tons raised by his Lordship annually was 200,000. The cannel coal was sent to Bolton, Bury, Haywood, Middleton, Rochdale, Ashton, and Oldham. Coal was sent thence to all parts of South Lanca shire and North Cheshire. There was a large number of collieries around Wigan at which there were annually raised 1,500,000 tons of coal. Had seen the plans and sections of the Liverpool and Bury Railway; knew the neighbourhood through which it would pass. Was therefore enabled to say that the line would pass through the most productive parts of the Wigan coal-fields. A large portion of these coalfields was not worked at all in conse quence of their remoteness from any mode of transit. There were 60 1.5 square miles of coal-fields through which no line passed, or 38,528 acres, or 1,186,341 acres of one foot thick of coal. The whole district of coal-fields, calculating in this way, would supply 15,000,000 of tons after supplying the immediate neighbour. hood. He had not taken into calculation any coal lying lower than 600 yards. The quantity of coals taken to Liverpool in one month from those coal mines was 22,5301 tons. The coal imported into Liverpool annually was 1,183,844 tons. The coal fields in question would last for 1,267 years—in effect they were inexhaustible. The average export was 109,435 tons from Liverpool. The export from Liverpool had been of late years decreasing, not only from the higher price of coal but from the duty. the present mode of transit by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal c. , st 3s. 73d. per ton. The people of Liverpool would save in c,.al for home consumption by the projected line 107,4441.; for exportation 17,3271. anually. Thus the whole yearly saving to the people of Liverpool by the new line would be 124,771.. The coals for export from Liverpool would isr his opinion, increase to 404,927 tons annually from the superior facility—this would be a saving of 30,3691. 10s. 6d. Was aware that parties would enter into a contract to open new mines if the projected line were opened. Bolton consumed of coal annually 6.614 tons, five-sixths of which' would be carried from Wigan by the projected line, or 5,512 tons, which, paying 3d. I,er ton per mile on the projected line, would pay the railway 206/. 14r. The carriage of other coal to Belton from Wigan would average annually 4351. 6s. The witness went into calculations showing that the general coal traffic on the projected line would be 71,7761. Thought the superior facilities whieh the new line would afford would lessen the price of coal so much that they would be largely exported to Ireland and other places. Coal mould, if cheaper, be used as ballast. Cross-examined—Was a member of the Committee of the pro. posed railway. The great b.,cly of coal lay rather to the east of Wigan. On the existing line the gradients were, in his opinion, better than on the proposed line. This witness was cross-examined at great length, respecting the precise situation of the coal-mines, and their contiguity or distance from the proposed line. The evidence was of no public interest. Mr. Wm. Ormanby—Was:principal bookkeeper at the collieries of the Earl of balcarras. In three years 9,300 tons of coals, be longii.g to the Earl of Balcarras, had been pilfered in the transit of the coal from Wigan along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. This witness confirmed the evidence of the preceding one. Mr. William Mercer, lived at Newton-in-the-hulls, and was agent to Mr. Leigh. Had been educated as a land.agent and col liery-viewer. Was acquainted with the district through which the projected line would pass, and generally agreed in the evidence given by the two last witnesses. Mr. Robert Daglisb; coal proprietor, near Wigan, and mining engineer—Thought 1,500,000 tons of coalwereannually raised in the neighbourhood of W igan. Confirmed the testimony of Messrs. Peare and Mercer, but added no new material fact. Mr. Thomas Lehey, agent to Mr. Bankes, mine proprietor at Wigan, gave testimony in corroboration of Mr. Peace's. The projected railway would save some 45 or 50 per cent. to the coal proprietors at Wigan and its vicinity. Captain Lewes, manager of the Manchester and Leeds line of railway, was generally acquainted with the district proposed to be traversed by the Liverpool and Bury line. Thought if the line were worked out, the coals of Wigan would be carried to the West Riding towns. Before the railway was made between Rochdale and Oldham, two coaches a week were the only conveyance. Last year, by the railway, there were 40,000 passengers, not including pleasure excursions, and the number would be greater but that a change of carriages took place on this line. In his opinion, the same kind of intercourse would occur between Wigan, Bury, and Bolton, if the projected line were carried out. Mr. Richard Manly Foster, superintendent to Messrs. Bromelaw and Foster, coal-raine proprietors at Bickerstaffe—Knew but of one line which would be beneficial to the public, and that was the proposed line. At the conclusion of this witness's testimony the Committee adjourned, at four o'clock. f, 'lament gave them an Act, the line would mo±t certainly be made. The atmo,pheric line was the first that had been projected, and he (Sir William) thought that he had heani of it some months be_ ! fore the South- Webtern line had been at all spoken of in pubic. Certainly the population in that district were unanimously in its favour. Mr. Chace, a farmer, residing within about five miles of Pets rs. field, who, in addition to a farm on his own haws, also managed 2,000 acres for Sir Harry Featherstone—The land was exceedingly goad for pasture, and he hai about 390 sheep on his own farm, and there were from 1,400 to 1,500 on Sir H. Featherstone's ground. Sir Harry had alio another farm, where there were about 1,200 sleep. He had about 700 ewes which lambed, and, together, about 240 to 250 beasts of the best quality, fed on the farms. They sent a good many:calves to London,,the cost being about Si. each for calves, and Is. 9d. for lambs. He had attended the market at Chichester, which was about fourteen miles distant, since he was sixteen years of age, and it was attended by people from all round the country. There were two great stock fairs in Petersfield in the year, which were by far the greatest fairs in the neighbourhood. There was also a considerable quantity of game sent up to London during the existence of the coaching system, especially during the early part of the season. Mr. Parsons, a resident at Petersfield, confirmed the testimony of the other witnesses as to the abstraction of the trade. Mr. King, of Buriton, stated that he held 1,100 acres in one farm and '240 in another, and that the whole of the country round Petersfield was admirably adapted for feeding stock, and was very rich in all kinds of agricultural produce. Mr. Monday, a cattle-dealer, residing within two miles of Petersfield, stated that he had about 2,300 sheep on his own lands, and purchased 500 to 600 beasts, and from 10,000 to 12,000 sheepoyearly, The land throughout the whole distriipt was ex. ceedingly good for grazing, and the stock was of the very finest description. He had himself obtained several prizes for show cattle, as had also some of his neighbours, and he believed that there were at least 1,000 beasts fatted every year in the valley of Petersfield. The cost of conveying sheep to market was 9d. a head to Vauxhall, and 2d. from there to Smithfield. The expense of getting beasts to that market was from Ss. to 1 Is. a head, and this railway would be a very great advantage. This witness also testi. fled to the growth of a considerable quantity of timber in the district. Mr. Hallam, a butcher at Calmore, said he had slaughtered be tween SOO and 1,000 sheep since February last, and sent most of the carcases to London, at a cost of 2s. 4d. a cwt. During the existence of the coaching system they had sent their meat for 2 4 d. a stone, and at present they were suffering much from the distance of the railway. Mr. Canley stated that he and his father had farmed the tolls of Petersfield market for more than 50 years, and that the number of sheep penned at the December fair was from 7,000 to 10,000, be sides which there were about 600 or 700 beasts. He was also an auctioneer. Had sold 2,663 oak trees at 41. a load this year for Sir W. Jolliffe, but the price would have been at least IL a load higher if they had had any good conveyance to the coast, and the country was altogether well wooded. Mr. S. Chace, a farmer at Steep, north of Petersfield, confirmed the previous witness as to the quality of the land, and stated that there was as gesd malting barley grown in the neighbourhood as anywhere in the country. He also dealt in provisions, and had paid 2004 a year for carriage for the last thirty-eight years. Mr. Hearsay, a farmer in the, neighbourhood of Liss, which was a little farther up the line, gave similar testimony, and stated that a farm had lately been sold in that neighbourhood at SO/. an acre. Mr. Simmons, a paper-maker and coal-merchant at Haslemere, stated that there were fifteen corn-mills and seven paper-mills near that place, and that the formation of the proposed railway would reduce the price of coals nearly I ss. a ton. Beside this paper and vim business, there was also a large turnery in the town, the wood about the place being well adapted for that purpose. There was also a manufactory of pyroligneous acid and of naptha. The ter minus at London-bridge was decidedly the best, and the formation of the railway would save him at least 3001. a year in carriage, and to another firm there would be a saving of double that amount. The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to morrow. GROUP LL. THE LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY EXTENSION. This Committee sat at twelve o'clock this morning, and pro. ceeded to hear the evidence of Mr. Bennett and Mr. Deacon, who corroborated the statements made yesterday by the witnesses in favour of the extension of this line to a point equally distant from Westminster, Waterloo, and Hungerford.bridges. The CHAIRMAN said it was the desire of the Committee to know whether there were any witnesses to prove that the extension would be advantageous to the inhabitants of the west end of the town; there was no doubt that it would be beneficial to those who resided near the bridges in question. Mr. SMIRILE said that they had already shown that it would be favourable to the city of London. He wished that the Committee would adjourn till to-morrow, when he would be able to produce the necessary evidence. Mr. M. CHAMBERS suggested that the Counsel on the opposite side should produce evidence with respect to the traffic tables. Mr. SMIRILE said that, if he thought that the branch of 'the line which had been before the Committee would have taken so short a time, he would have been able to produce evidence on that point, but the principal witness was at present under examination before another Committee. The CHAIRI4IAN wished to be certain that the evidence would be ready to morrow if they did adjourn. _ . _ . Mr. SMIRKS assured the Committee that it would. After a short discussion, the Committee adjourned to twelve O'clock to-morrow. GROUP N. CORNWALL RAILWAY. At the sitting of the Committee, the case of the petitioner was proceeded with. Mr. R. T. Hal, a surveyor in Cornwall, some time an assistant to Mr. Thomas, the petitioner. He said, in No vember last, he was occupied for some time, in conjunction with Mr. Thomas, in surveying the central line, indicated on the map by a red line. On that portion of the line, at Halgarven and west ward to Falmouth, there were no curves of less radius than chains, and that there were only two of a radius of 30. The ge neral curves on this part of the line were about three quarters of a mile. No roads from Halgarven to Falmouth were crossed on a level. Mr. Rowe said it was with much pleasure that he had to inform the Committee that, after a consultation with his client, and after considering the great body of important evidence which he had offered for the last two days, it was not his intention to call any additional witnesses, and he was prepared then to address the Com mittee against the preamble of the 13111. The Learned Gentleman then addressed the Committee on behalf of the petitioner. Mr. Thomas was an honest man. He might not be an engineer of the old school, but that was no argument against his consistency, and his opinion was as much entitled to consideration as that of Captain Moorsom, who, as a matter of course, was most desirous to get his scheme adopted by the Committee. He (Mr. Rowe) did not re present Mr. Thomas only, although he ostensibly appeared for that gentleman, but he represented a great and important body of the inhabitants of Cornwall, who considered that a central line would offer far greater facilities than the coast line. He held that the promoters of the Bill had obtained a favourable report from the Board of Trade by false colouring, on the assumption that the line would be worked by atmospheric traction, whereas they had not sufficient money to construct such 0 line; and even for the construction of a_ double locomotion their estimates were 300,0001. below the sum which would be necessary. Captain Moorsom had stated th a t t h e cross i ng o f t h e Hamoaze could be effected in a minute, while Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Rendell, and other scientific gentlemen whom he had called before them, had shown that such an opinion was a b sur d , as t h e passage could not be accomplished in less than half an hour, and that they would rather go several miles round than cross the Hamoase by means of a floating bridge. The electrical telegraph could not be properly or safely laid dow n . Then the d raw b r id ge over t h e Penryn-creek, which was na vigated by large ship=, would only be four feet and a half high at h igh-wat er , an d if t h e A dm i ralty d i d not consent to the construct ion of the bridge, a dangerous pier, projecting a considerable distance into the creek, was to be constructed. Why, what could be greater obstacles to the free passage of the shipp in g th an such a bridge and such a pier ? A line might have been constructed from Plymouth to Falmouth iliamore northern offering greater those districts than the coast line could. He eulogised the central line, and r eferred to the small obstacles rod accommodation to the mines in avoiding the Hamoaze alto gether, which it would have to encounter in comparison with the proposed lines that the gradients and curves on the one were moderate and practicable, whilst on the other they were not only imprac. ticable, but dangerous in, every sense—opinions substantiated by the evidence of gentlemen well competent to juige—not only of engineers, but of Members of Parliament, and persons of high standing and influence in the county. H e conc l u d e d b y ca ll. ing upon the Committee to reject the preamble of the Bill, as its adoption would, in a political, commercial, and social view, be most injurious to the county of Cornwall. Mr. Sergeant KIaTGLAKE said the real qu e sti on was, w h et h er Cornwall was to have a railway or not, an d h e h e ld t h at i f t h e proposed scheme were not carried out the county would not have a railway at all. Looking to the south coast of Cornwall—to the wants of the mining interests —to the wants of the inhabitants of Liskeard, St. Austel, Truro —the line laid down by Captain Mooreom, whom his Learned Friend had most unjustly calum niated, was the one which the inhabitants of Cornwall required. No evidence on which they could depend had been adduced to show that the unknown line advocated by Mr. Thomas was practicable. No levels or sections had been properly taken. Were the Committee satisfied, then, that suffi cient evidence had been adduced to prove that that line was a better line than the one proposed? They had not had sufficient evidence to show that that line could be properly constructed ; and in Lis opinion it had been improperly intruded on the Com mittee. If they had not the gradients complained of on the proposed line, they would be compelled to tunnel to a great extent, and no line could be constructed on account of the expense; but in a county like Cornwall—a county which undulated more than many other counties—such gradients could not be avoided. Mr. Stevenson's dictum with respect to the rate of speed on the line was most exaggerated. Somehow or other engineers were actuated by a strong feeling of hostility towards each other, and were apt to exaggerate when giving evidence before Committees. Mr. Stevenson was a most suspicions witness. The Learned Counsel then referred to the report of the Board of Trade to show that they had not been imposed upon, and had con sequently given a preference to the coast line over the central one. The Board of Trade considered that the central line was impracticable on account of its expense, that the gradients and curves on the coast line were not objectionable for an atmospheric line, and that with ordinary locomotive power they would not be dangerous ; that on public grounds they could not report in favour of the central, but saw no reason why they should not report in favour of the coast line and reco mmen d it for the sanction of Parliament. It was true in the sections one gradient had been put down as 1 in GO whilst it should have been lin 40. Upon that solitary fac this Learned Friend had grounded the assertion that the favourable re port of the Board of Trade had been obtained by misrepresentation. The other deep gradient was at the Penryn station, and could not be dangerous, as the carriages, as a matter of couse, did not run at the top of their speed, but were almost stationary. The other steep gradient was on the Bodmin branch, and the objection there fore could not apply to the main line. Then the Hamoaze would be crossed on a plan which would be perfectly safe. No deception could have been practised by either Mr. Brunel or Captain Moor corn as it was a special provision in the agreement, between the Great Western and the other companies who had agreed to take shares to the amount of 250,000/. in the Company, that the estimates should be made with a view to atmospheric or locomo tive traction. The estimates too were not fallacies. He con cluded by contending that the promoters had proved their car ; i that taking into considerati on t h a t no landowner opposed t, with the exception of Mr. Thomas, w h ose opposition arose from hie being interested in anoth er line, he submitted, therefore, that they must report in favour of the preamble. to say that such was not the CAC. The Committee had purposely absta nevi from the giving of any opinion at all ; and the publishing of the advertsement in question was highly improper. It wr.s here stated by Counsel that the arrangement suggested yesterday to be come to between the Belfast Junction and the Newry and Enniskillen was in ss, but in,t completed. The adjournment of the Committee was therefore requested in order to effect that object. The Committee, in pursuance with this request, adjourned for an hour. On resuming, the result oh the negotiation was given in the fol lowing important agreement entered into by the competing Corn. panies :—" The Belfast Junction Company agree by their counsel to withdraw all opposition to the Newry line, upon condition that the Newry and Enniskillen Company, by their counsel, consent to the preamble of the Belfast Junction being forthwith reported as passed, and to the Committee so reporting it. " The Newry Company to be at liberty to proceed with their Bill, and to take their line from Newry by Armagh and Clones, and the Dundalk Company to be at liberty to proceed with their Bill, and take their line as far as Clones, all without opposition from the one Company to the other; the best line from Clones to Enniskillen to be forthwith selected by Sir John Rennie and Sir John M`Neil, and both Com panies to combine in constructing, and afterwards in working the line from Enniskillen to Clones, on such terms as they may mu. Wally agree upon, or the Board of Trade may settle if the parties differ. The counsel for the three Companies to concur in re. questing the approbation of the Committee on these Bills." This agreement having been completed, the Committee pro ceeded to hear evidence in support of the DUNDALK AND ENNISICXLLEN. Several witnesses were then examined respecting the traffic on the line, the points of whose evidence presented no material feature worth recording ; at the close of which the Committee adjourned till to-morrew at twelve o'clock, when the evidence will be resumed. in the direction of Perth. The railway would afford great accommothtion to this traffic. The whiskey trade was also an important one in the district. There were fourteen distilleries, that made about 300 gallons weekly, or in weight WO tons. These distilleries consumed about 3,000 tons of coal annually. A great portion of coal was likewise used in the town and surrounding country. He had no doubt all these coals would be brought from Perth along the railway to Stanley, and from thence carted to Dunkeld ; at present they were carted from Perth. Carts could now only bring a load once a da) ; with the railway they would be able to bring two from Stanl^y. Wool and timber were two other branches of traffic. The forest of Athol alone extended to 14,000 acres. The Marquis of Breadalbane and other proprietors had likewise large forests, from all of which great quantities of timber were annually sent away. He knew Blairgowrie very well. There were large markets and fairs held there, from which the number of fat cattle sent to the south every year was on an average 2,000. Mr. J. Hodson Anderson, corn merchant in Dundee, said he was well.acquainted with the district of Strathmcge. It was considered the finest district in Scot:and for barley and oats. He purchased in Cupar Angus and its neighbourhood about 3,300 quarters an nually. He did considerable business at Glasgow, which was an excellent market for barley. The sale for that ar ticle in Glasgow was very great, as the distillers from Campbeltown and the west of Scotland made their purchases there. Were the railway formed, it would be of great service to his business, if the rates were such as the company, he had no doubt, would see it their interest to fix. Mr. Nicholson, formerly manager of the Dundee and Newtyle Railway, el:posed that that line was a very imperfect one, having been formed upon the principle of the old tram roads before the present railroads were thought of. Imperfect as it was, and with bad gradients and inclined planes, the an nnual income of it, taking an average of three years, was 7,3281. Of this 2,651/. was for passengers, amounting in each year to 59,2161, The passengers that travelled along the New tyle and Cupar Angus, taking an average of three years, were 20,985, and for the Aewtyle and Glammis 13,328. The receipts from both lines were 1,8041. The two last lines were those pro posed to be incorporated in the line under the consideration of the Committee. Mr. Errington, civil engineer, was examined as to the nature of the works. The steepest gradient was one in 693. The sum of 300,0001. was, in his opinion, amply sufficient for all the purposes of construction. The working expenses he estimated at 45 per cent., but if the line was worked, as had been named by the Scottish Central line, this amount would be very much reduced. This witness was subjected to a close cross-examination on be. ballot* the Duke of Athol. the Earl of Mansfield, and Lady Wit loughby D'Ereby, all of whom had petitioned against the Bill. This closed the case for the Scottish Midland Bill. The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow. GLOUP F. BROAD AND NARROW GAUGES. The Committee met again at twelve o'clock this day, and soon after the Hon. Members had taken their seats the room was ordered to be cleared. It may be said that in no other railway case during the session was so much interest manifested. The passages leading to the door of the Committee-room were be. sieged, and it is not too much to say that hope and fear were marked on the countenance of each person. Stockbrokers and dealers in shares were standing in groups, discussing the probable result, and others were making Litts or: the success of either Com. pany with as much cool certainty as if they had found the key to the minds of the Committee. The speculation was in favour of the Great Western, though upon what grounds it was difficult to imagine, save that the London and Birmingham had gone down in the share market. The whole mystery will in a short period be explained and made visible, to the no small satisfaction of some, and vice versa, to the great joy of others. Express horses from the rival Railway Companies were in waiting in Palace-yard, to convey the decision to the Lorid.in and Birmingham station, so as to run an express train to Liverpool for the information of the share market there. It is thought the Committee will not decide to-day, but from their anxiety to bring the matter to an end, there is but little doubt of their declaring for one side or the other this day, though it may be too late in the evening for speculation. At ten minutes past three the parties were called in and informed by the Chairman that he had to announce to the parties on both sides that the Committee had decided that the preamble of the Bill for the OXFORD, NVO:LCESI'EM, AND WOLVES .iA.2,7D ITS DA,AI3CMES, was proved; and also that the prttinb:e of the oxPor,..ao AND ;ii.UG.alt was proved; and that the preambles of the DUDLEY AND WOnCESTEH, THE DUDLEY AND SLEDGLEY, and the BIRIVII2ZGRABI AND GLOUCESTER 3CDEVIA, TlOki Bills ware not proved. Chairman will report accoraing:y. The announcement was received with loud cheering. The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock te.morrow, GROUP FF. TI - e Committee on this group re-assembled at the usual hour his morning, and proceeded with the negative evidence against the IMINIBUILG.';3; ANN) NC.L.f.TEERN LLG-L. The Ray. Mr. Muir, one of the officiating ministers of Dysart Kirk, was tailed to prove that the line would pass so near that es tablishment as to interrupt the performance of Divine service, as well as pass through the burial kreunri attached to the kirk. The witires , added that the railway v;r:uld prose an eyesore and a nui sance to the inhabitants of Dysart House, at present in the pos session of the Earl of Rwslyn. On cross examination the witness atimitted that the mansion of Lord Rosslyn was at all points surrounded by steam-engines, docks, quarries, and other objectionable works ; but, nevertheless, he thought it was a romantic and retired retreat. Mr. Baine, who had been factor to Lord Rosslyn for upwards of twenty years, and who had been in the service of the Rosslyn fa mily forty-eight years, corroborated the testimony of the last wit. ness, so far as it related to Dysart House. On cross-examination the witness would not allow that the steam-engine, waterworks, quarries, or docks alluded to by the last witness could be seen by the inmates, or were half so objec tionable as the railway would be. The affirmative evidence in favour of the line was then resumed, the two last witnesses having been examined at this point of the proceedings for their own accommodation and at their own request. - The Earl of LET.N considered the line would prove of great public utility, and confer extraordinary advantages on the north of Scotland. Other evidence of a birnilar nature was adduced, and the Corn. mittee atterwark4 determined upon adjourning till Fridy next, GROUP VG. GLA.SGOVI DISTRICT. The Committee, consisting of the Chairman (Mr. Evans), Lord Grimston, Mr. Monts, Mr. Miles, and Mr. Newdegate, sat at twelve o'clock in the Sessions House of Westminster, when the consideration of the GLASGOW JUNCTION RAILWAY was pro ceded with. Mr. Phillips, merchant, Leith, Who had been before the Com mittee at the hour of adjournment yesleiday, was recalled, and cross-examine i by Mr. HOPE—The witness was asked if the trade between Leith and the ports on the west coast of Scotland would be likely to be increased or diminished by the proposed line ? He gave it as his opinion that it weuld be greatly increased, as the railways gave such increased facilities to traffic by diminishing the time required in transit, and lowering the rate of freight. Mr. Stoddart, member of the Tow❑ Council of Edinburgh, gave similar evidence. He thought that the travelling under the streets of Glasgow would do no injury, for they had an example of the same kind in the proposed extension of the Edinburgh Railway to Leith, where the line went under thehouses for a distance of nearly a mile. Robert Marshall, Dundee, spoke to the trade carried on between Dundee and Liverpool and 1, eland, via Glasgow, and the price charged for cartage from the place of debarkation at Port Dundas in Glasgow, to tt a Broomielaw (the port of Glasgow), which amounted to one tenth of the wh,,le cost of carriage to Liverpool. This would be lessened by the proposed junction line, and another advantage would be gained to the trader by the better condition in which his goods would arrive at the market. He did not think that there would be any inconvenience sustained at the Broomielaw by the projected railway, and, at all events, it would be greatly less than that now sustained by the cartage of goods. Mr. Andrew Symon, engineer, Dundee, was called to speak to the trade of that town, and that proportion of it which would go on the proposed line in order to avoid transhipment, and the facility which its construction would give to the speedy transit of goods to England and Ireland. Mr. Birrel, from Dunfermline, gave similar evidence with regard to the trade of that town. The witness saki that the manufacturers on the Forth were greatly in favour of the project. Mr. Graham Menzies, partner in the firm of James Stewart and Co., distillers of Paisley, proved that they imported grain in consi derable quantities from the east country, and that they exported spirits. The proposed line would be of great advantage, as it would reduce the charges of transit. Mr. Aikman, shipowner, Glasgow, said that the proposed junc. tion had met with the approbation of the shipping interest in that city, because as vessels were loaded at the south side of the Clyue, and as the goods and minerals came from the north, a railway across the river would prevent the necessity of transhipment, and Itssen the expenses of transit. Mr. Wilson, iron -master, Dundyvan, exported from 70,000 to 80,000 tons of pig iron annually from the Btoomielaw ; and at least halt' a trillion tons of coal entered Glasgow from the district he belonged to, and 123,000 tons out of that number were shipped at the Broomielaw. The present project would lessen the expense of transit to an eitormo - as amount, and he was, therefore, heartily in favour of it. Mr. Wilson was under rumination when the Committee ad. ()timed. GROUP K. Dsrtzryr NOISWICH EL 11. LWAY. The Committee on thiiline met this morning, and resumed its business by the examination of Mr. Isaacson, who, in answer to Mr. Lae, deposed to being a land valuator, and having surveyed had estimated the cost of land necessary for the construction of the line ; it would require 150 acres, being at the rate of 12 acres per mile, and including seven acres for stations. Some of the land he computed at the lowest rate of 101., and some at 121. the highest price per aere. Cross.exarnibed by Mr. RonweLl.•—The land at 121. per acre is that immediately contigucus to the town. The estimate does not in. chide any allowance for spoiled land. Mr. Charles Stooks, ex./mined by Mr. Laz—ls assistant to Sir John Rennie. Fleard the evidence of that gentleman yesterday and can vouch for its accuracy. Instead of II acres, the usual rate per mile, 12 acres bad been set down in the estimates for the pre sent line. _ This having closed the case for the promoters of the Direct Nor wich line, Mr. ANDREws, Q.C.. proceeded to open the ease of the Norwich and Brandon lne, and made a preliminary objection to the oppo sition of the Eastern counties Ex .ension Railway, the East Dere ham and Lynn branch, landowsters on either line, and the inhabi tants of the town of King's Lynn. The Committee, however, having admitted the right of the various parties to oppose, at the same time recommending that the conflicting interests should merge their claims into one specific case', the Learned Counsel briefly detailed the main features of the Bill. Its first project was to embrace the town of Thetford, the branch in that direction requiring no addiiional expense above the sum originally estimated for the independent line. The second scheme was the construction of the line from Wyndham to East Deri2ham, going direct across to London, and aff4ding considerable undenial,le facilities to the vast traffic in those districts. '1 he next part of the project, who:ly un connected with the preceding propositions, was the line fiom At tteborough to Diss, comprising a distance of ten milts. at an expense of 100,0001., and as Di•s was one of the largest corn growing dig tricts in the country, whose produce could now obtain no other outlet wellasth ev.t locality consuming d but by Norwich, th e a d vantages of a line connecting such an important th i e st r m i c i t d s la o l f i( tilie manufacturing soi: tb, wee as districts, as as they were considerable. On all these ccmbined grounds, there fore, he demanded of the Committee apreere f nce to the Bill of the Norwich and B an d on li ne, rather than to undellned and un intell'gitile schemes. W. J. Gidney, examined by Mr. GIRDEN IS an ironrn rtijvt I ' and general merchant of D ere h atn, at which town there is :con siderable traffic, but materially Cr,pided by the ‘,.nt of communi. cation. The present communication from Birmingham to Dere. ham is by Hull, Lynn, and Yarmouth, Including a great deal of water navigation and eighteen miles of land carriage, at a cost of 555. per ton. A • railway would effect a saving of The expense of bringing iron from Yar. mouth to Norwich is is. 6d. to 2s, 6.!. per ton cartage from thee ter inns to Norwich, 2s. 64, per ton, and 10s. pe r t on lid rr ditiol al from Norwich to Denham Remembers meetings it the GROUP L. The Committee on this group sat at twelre o'clock, and re. sumed their inquiry on the Portsmouth Atmospheric line, Mr. E. B. Denison in the chair, with Mr. Oswald, Lord Clive, Mr. Vyvian, and Mr. Monckton Milne present. Before, however, entering on the main business of the day, an application was made to the Committee to take the Horsham branch of the Brighton line into consideration on Friday. The line was only eight miles long, and as all opposition to it had been withdrawn, the evidence sv:;s not likely to occupy more than half an hour. The CHAIRMAN said that the only consideration with the Cem. mittee was the public benefit, and the only obstacle was a doubt of the time which would be occupied to the detriment of the line they had now under consideration. On the assurance of the Counsel for the line that he would pledge himself that the evidence should not occupy more than half an hour, the Committee' undertook to take the Horsham branch on Friday afternoon, at three o'clock. Sir. George Hißyer was then called by Mr. RAWLINSON, on behalf of the Corporation of Portsmouth. He stated that he was a miller and coal merchant at Hemsworth and Havant. He sent about 12,600 tons of coals to the interior, at the rate of eightpence to tenpence per ton per mile, making up to Petersfield from eight shillings to ten shilling per ton. He knew the lime works of Mr. Seward at Butter-hill, and the quantity of lime sent down to Portsmouth was ♦ery considerable. There were 27 mills in that neighbourhood, which could grind from 1,800 to 3,000 quarters weekly, and the weight of corn and flour carried to and from those mills was probably 200 to 250 tons a week. To the cross-i - xamination by Mr. M. Saint', witness stated that from 1.500 to 2,000 tons of coals were sent from Hemsworth to Petersfield, which contained about 2,000 inhabitants. About 2,000 tons of timber were exported to Sunderland, Swansea, and other places equally distant, but he could not, from his own knowledge, say whether the Guildford line went through a finer timber court. try, but he thought that they were about equal handed. In the Pe tersfield district there was the Bear forest and the Walmer forest, but he knew nothing of the timber on the other district. He believed that barely hall of the corn ground in the neighbourhood of Mid. burst and Petersfield came from Chichester market. To the 11-examination by Mr. RAWLINSON, the witness replied that coals were from 3s. to 4s. a ton cheaper at Hemsworth than at Chichester, as there were no port dues, but only pilotage, to pay at tht foiner place. Mr. Gale, a farmer, residing about seven miles from Petersfield, stated that he had purchased about 2,500 quarters of oats at Ports mouth, and had bought more hay than any other individual in that neighbourhood, the supply of the latter coming chiefly from about Petersfield. He also brought a considerable quantity of malt from Portsmouth, and the atmospheric line would be a great advantage, and the country was at present suffering from the abstraction of the traffic by the South-Western Railway. For several years he had sent three or four horses daily from Petersfield to Portsmouth. There were three people in the neighbourhood of the former place to whom he had sent 300 quarters of oats yearly. He named several villages to which this railway would et eat convenience, but some of those places were as much as seven miles from the line of railway. To the inquiry of Mr. OSWALD, the witness stated that coals were about the same price as in London. To the inquiry of Mr. M. MILNE, the witness stated that the trade in the Petersfield line had very much declined since the formation of the South. Western Railway. Sir W. Joiliffe, M.P., stated he resided at Aferstham, in Surrey, and had considerable property in and about Peterafield, and was Lord of the Manor of that place. The valley of Petersfield was, in his opinion, as productive as any part of the county, and he thought that this line of railway was absolutely indispens able to the prosperity of the county. Hundreds of horses had disappeared from the county since the formation of the South- Western hoe. He was anxious for this line, as it would open the communication with Portsmouth, and buyers from Portsmouth would have less competition in the Peterafield market than at Chi chester. Since the formation of the South. Western line the means of communication had been very defective; in fact, they had no land carriage whatever except common cartage. He paid 10s. a ton land carriage for all the coals which he consumed. There was a good deal of timber growing about Petersfield, especially oak, fit for ship build. ing. The advantage of railway communication, therefore, with Portsmouth, was self-evident. Some very good hops were also grown in the neighbourhood, which they were now obliged to send to Weyhill, which, if this railway were formed, they could send to the Borough market. The country between Peterafield and Godalming was traversed by several sterile hill ranges, the most prominent of which was the Devil's Dyke. Large plantations of oak had been made by the Government during the: last fifty years about Petersfield. He had himself sold con. siderable quantities of timber this year, but many of the trees had been cut down, and the new wood would not be ready for cutting for nearly fifty years to come, except for tillers and s t a i pLiiig h s t . hot He ,,o w ly as Member for Petersfield, which by the Reform tersfillaii ci m e osplieric lir.e, and had become a Director, because he B in il t l b ikad been put into schedule B, and he had taken a large Interest that the district would be greatly benefited, but ve ; ,d, it tdi:e v i v e y fe e i x t i a st s ence d an th d a t t h t e he wh c o o l ffi e p p a r n o y spe w ri as ty aofboPnea .fi Company, and, if the Committee sure passed the preamble, and Par becde.. upon IM PORTANT DECISION. • - The Committee.room was then cleared, and, after remaining in deliberation for nearly an hour, strangers were admitted, when The CHAIRMAN said it was no doubt known that the Committee could do nothing that evening, as there was no House, but as it would save much anxiety he would state what the Committee would do when they met tomorrow:—THE COM MITTEE WOULD PASS THE PREAMBLE OF THE CORNWALL BILL, BUT T HEY WOULD NOT PASS THE PREAMBLE OF THE WEST CORNWALL BILL. He should wish to know, to-morrow, whether, after their deci sion on the West Cornwall Bill, the St. Ives' Bill would be pro ceeded with. The Committee then adjourned. GROUP R. BELFAST JUNCTION RAILWAY. - - - - - The Committee met tn.day, Nit - . Gibson Craig, Chairman. The CHAtRYA?t referred to an advertisement which appears in the Morning Chronicle of this day, from the solicitor of the Dublin and Cavan line, stating that the Committee had yesterday expressed an opinion in favour of that line. He (the Chairman) begged leave GROUP SS. COVENTRY, BEDIWORTII, AND Ar TINE &TON RAILWAY. The Select Committee on this group re-assembled at the usual hour this morning, when Mr. Calvert made an application for an adjournment. All parties, he said, now concurred in the propriety of an adjourn. ment, and if the Committee agreed to it he had no doubt *fa saving of the time of the Committee, and a settlement of the differences subsisting between the parties. He therefore prayed the Com mittee to put off the further consideration of this Bill till Mon day next. • '• ' The CHAIRMAN wished to know if all parties concurred in this application ? Mr. SPARKES, on behalf of the London and Birmingham Com pany, was prepared to acquiesce in the application for an adjourn ment, but he was not in a condition to say that the result of this adjournment would relieve the Committee from further entering into this ca.se, Mr. HUMPHREY, on the part of petitioners for whom he ap peared, would be extremely unwilling to throw any obstacle in the way of a satisfactory adjustment of the differences existing between the parties, but he must confess that he did not think the result of the adjournment would prove so satisfactory as his Learned Friend anticipated. Mr. DANIEL concurred in the adjournment upon the same grounds, and hoped some satisfactory adjustment of the differences would be made. The CIikIAMAN said the Committee were willing to assent to the adjournment, but they wished to proceed at once with the ER.EVTASH VALLEY LINE. Mr. CaLvgaT said he was not aware, until he entered the room, that an adjournment would be required in the other case, and he was therefore quite unprepared to proceed with the Erewash line. In fact, he thought most of his witnesses were engaged in another Committee. Under these circumstances he trusted the Committee would not press him to proceed at once, or all events until he had had an hour or so to glance over his brief, and get his witnesses and clients together. _ _ Eventually the Committee decided upon adjourning till twelve o'clock, when it was understood all parties would be prepared to go fully into the case for the Erewash Valley Railway. (LEFT ammo.) GROUP V. MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND MID- LAND JUNCTION RAILWAY. The Committee, consisting of the O'Conor Don, chairman, Mr. I. A. S. Davies, Mr. Hope Johnstone, Sir John Rae Reid, and Sir Denham Norreys, met this morning at half-past eleven, and Mr. JOHNSTONE proceeded to cross•examine Mr. Paul Bright, who had estimated the value of land required for spoil banks, sta tions, and other purposes on part of the lime. The witness stated that he had received the quantities of land required from Mr. Fairbank, and had estimated it at the ;ate at which he really thought it worth. Mr. William Flockton—Was an architect and surveyor in the town of Sheffield, and he was also proprietor of some 150 houses in that town. He knew the value of land upon the line, and had carefully examined it lately, with a view to valuation. On the two miles reaching from the town of Sheffield he placed the value of 23,7291. That value was accepted in every case, with but one exception. He had been instructed to be very liberal in his valua tions, and he had ed out his instructions. He had also valued the ground which would be required in the hay and cattle markets of Sheffield ; and the ground required for piers he had esti. mated at 1,4821. The estimates, he was sure, were not taken be. neath the real value of the property required. Mr. Fall, on the part of the Duke of Norfolk, was called to prove that the amount of toll paid on the Dumfries-road was only 18/. per annum ; and that, therefore, the statement of 1,200 tons of coal passing along it was preposterous, because, averaging 9d. per mile for toll, that would be 2251. a year. He was certain, therefore, that the statements already given in were founded in error. Mr. L. R. Reed had gone over the line, and he was certain that the estimates for the construction of the project were greatly underrated. Mr. John Barlow, a farmer, near Sheffield—Was in the habit of using the hay and cattle market of Sheffield, and he knew that the rpace now was much too limited for the purposes of the mar. kets, and any partition of it, or contraction of the space, would com. pletely destroy it. The Committee then adjourned at four till to-morrow. GROUP W. BRAYTON AND GOOLM RAILWAY. The Committee on this line met at twelve o'clock, Mr. Paking ton in the Chair; Mr. Bouverie, Mr. Maxwell, Mr. Whitmore, and Lord Seymour present. Mr. Sheriff, whose evidence was partly heard yesterday, was cress•examined by Messrs. Bliss and Wilkins. lie could give no evidence on the passenger traf f ic, being only engaged on the goods traffic on the Selby and Leeds line. Mr. Singleton, land valuer, had valued the land between Bray ton and Goole. A great deal of it was poor land, chiefly a sandy soil. The length of the line was twelve miles, and he valued the cost, allowing 10 acres to the mile, at 11,4001. He consi dered the line would confer great benefit on the trade of that district. By Mr. WILKINS—It would be an advantage in affording facili ties for the trade in lime and coals, and also for the conveyance of agricultural produce. Mr. Birkenshaw, engineer of the line, was examined by Mr. KnowLes—He had considerable experience in the working and construction of railways—laid out the Brayton and Goole. The line was nearly level, except that part near the River Aire and the Selby canal. The length of the line was 12* miles. There were not many curves, and those were not objectionable. The greatest curve was only three-quarters of a mile in radius. The worst gradients were 1 in 130. The line did not interfere with any ho ,se or park, &c. The line would afford a good communication with Leeds and Bradford, and even Wakefield, and would also open a communi cation with the North of England. Comparing it with the Wake field and Goole line he did not hesitate to give the preference to it, even as a communication with Wakefield itself. By Lord SEYMOUR—The reason he thought so was the more favourable gradients it afforded. The difference in distance was ♦ery little. By Mr. KNOWLES—The engines on the Brayton and Goole line would carry out a load 50 per cent, greater than engines of the same power weuld do by the Wakefield and Goole line. The ruling gradient on the Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole line, was 1 in 150. That continued for 11 miles. The population on the Brayton and Goole line was about 31,000, and on the other line about 21,000. The witness then gave evidence on the gradients on the line of country between Goole, Leeds, Bradford, and the west, to show how much greater facilities, both in gradients, economy of construction, and in accommodation of goods and passenger traffic, the proposed line would afford as compared with the Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole line. Cross-examined by Messrs. WILKINS and Buss—Got his popula tion returns from the census of 1841 that had been officially pub lished. Did not omit any town he found in the official returns. The reason he omitted RocklifFe was because, in his opinion, it naturally belonged to the Goole line.—(A laugh.) Mr. Good, engineer, examined by Mr. PICKERING—Had consi derable experience in railways. Lived in London. The station at Bradford of the Leeds and Bradford line was very near the town, and was as favourable as could be selected for the public accommo dation. The Leeds and Dewsbury line was 60 feet above the level of the town. He considered that the favourable gradients on the Brayton and Goole line more than counterbalanced the shortness of the distance by the other. Besides affording greater facilities for; the accommodation of traffic to the towns in the west, it was also a less expensive line. By the CH/mimes—Assuming the superiority of the gradients en the Brayton and Goole line, and the shorter distance of three miles by the Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole line, there would, its his opinion, be very little difference in point of time in going by either line from Goole to Bradford. GROUP X. LONDON AND YORK LINE. The Committee, to whose investigation the merits of the seve. ral lines comprel.ended in what is called " Group X," and which enumerates no fewer than seven distii.ct lines of railway, assem. bled this day, in Committee.room No. 8, at about half-past twelve o'clock. and resumed the hearing of evidence as to the merits of the London and York projection; but although this is now the middle of the fifth week that the Committee have been sitting, for six days in each week, and four hours and a half each day, the case appears to be about as distant hom its close as it was four weeks ago. The position in which it now stands is shortly this :—The traffic evidence was put a stop to on Friday last, at the request of the various counsel fur the competing lines, upon the ground that the traffic tables were so numerous, so long, so minute, and so difficult to he understood, that the time allowed the Learned Gentlemen for the study of them was so short as to render it impossible that they could make them selves sufficiently familiar with their contents as to proceed with the crcee.examination of them to their owlt satisfaction or with justice to their elients. The Committee then entered upon the engineering evidence; but even in this, toe, there is a species of hiatus, inasmuch as the opposing Counsel called for certain tabular statements, setting forth the length, width, depth, and expense of certain cuttings, which the witness, Mr. Cubit t, was unable to furnish until yesterday. What remained then of that class of evidence was proceeded with, and closed yesterday; then came on the testi mony of the valuators, and It is now proceeding ; and when that has closed then the competing Company's Coun sel resume theq cross-examination on the traffic tables ; and if an idea of the length of that cross-examination may be formed from the vastness of the n.aterial that is to furnish it, it .s impossible to say to what period it may not be protracted; and when that has closed, then comes on the speeches of Counsel in summing up the case they conceived they have made out, to warrant the Committee in de claring that the preamble of their Bill has been proved; then, after that comes the speech of the Counsel in laying before the tribunal the meths of the case of a competing line; then follows the evidence in support of that statement, the cress-examination of the witnesses, the summing up, and the reply ; and then the same round of speeches, witnesses, cross-examinations, and replies of the various other competing lines, the claims for compensation &c. &c., and so it will go on, ad hilinitum. before the Committee can bring their minds to bear on the vast mass of testimony they have heard, pour et ronire, with a view of declaring whether or not the preamble of the Bill for the London and York scheme has been proved; and all this must be gone through and disposed of before the Committee can take into consideration any one of the other lines attached to Group X. The first witness called to-day was Mr. William Simpson, land-valuer. He was called to prove the value of the land on that portion of the line from Bawtry to Doncaster, and Doncaster to Wakefield. The quantity of land proposed to he,:taken in was 355 acres, and he had esti mated the value at 53,555/. ISs Bd. Mr. Paver valued the land between Doncaster and York. The quantity of land to be taken up was 347 acres, and he had esti mated the value at 14,5311. Mr, ititn , worth handed in tab!ei of the tolls received on the Fcrilykti and Witham Navigation,, The Rev. Mr. Silitnorp was called to woe e the advantages that would result b.) both parties by the a; rangements me.de between the two Navigation Comparies and the London ano Y.,rk t7onipany At the close of the examina• on of the wi , riess, the crosi examinat.on of the goods' traffic witnesses wa , resumed, and occu pied the Committee to its rising. The object of it was to show that the tables had not been formed on correct data, and that the assumed traffic between the places stated, such as Lincoln and Boston, Sheffield and Hull, Gainsbo ough and Hull, &c., as exist ing at present, and which it was alleged would be transferred to the London and Yorkshire, had been exaggerated. At the conclusion of this witness's evidence, the Committee adjourned at half.past five o'clock. SUE—COMMITTEE ON STANDING ORDERS. This Committee assembled at three o'clock. Present, Sir J. Y. Buller, Mr. Aldasn, Mr. Brotherton, and Mr. Broadley. YORE AND NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY, GOOLE BRANCH. (ADDITIONAL PIIOVISIONS ) In this case the standing orders were declared to have been corn. plied with. cArannximE AND FURY RAILWAY. Standing orders complied with. LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAIL WAY-THE NORTHERN AMALGAMATION. In this case it was found that the notices in the Gault, were de. fective in one trivial point —The Committee reported accordingly. (TUESDAY.) GROUP I)D. IMPORTANT DECISION. THE CALEDONIAN, THE GLASGOW, DIM- PRIES AND CARLISLE RAILWAY. [Part of the following was omitted in our yesterday's Morning Edition.] The Committee re-assembled this mot ning at twelve o'clock, and shortly after proceeded to the consideration of the proposed new branch from the Dumfries line through the Delvine-pass. Mr. Iliunsau called on Mr. Miller, the engineer, to explain to the Committee the nature and route of the intended branch. He exhibited a plan and section of the proposed line and explained to the Committee the course of the branch. The survey had been male in a couple of days, and if longer time were allowed a more correct and a better line would be obtained, and he had no doubt that by extending the point of separation further south, a more favourable gradient might be obtained. There was a gradient of 1 in 75 in a tunnel of two miles in length. It was pro posed to deviate from the Dumfries line a little to the north of Carron bridge, and carry its termination to a place called Elvine Foot. The distance between these two points was 1 b miles, and of that portion there was a plane of 5i miles long, on a gradient of 1 in 75, and another plane of 4 miles in length, where there was a gradient of I in 90, which no doubt could be improved to 1 In 100, by carrying the point of departure farther south. There would be also a tunnel 2 miles long through the rock, the strata of which was composed of greywhacke. He had estimated the cost of the tunnel at 401. per yard, and considered it a fair value. The total cost of the tunnel would be 140,0001. Comparing the proposed branch with a similar length on the Cale donian line, on the south side the gradient would be as 1 in 70, 1 in 75. lin SO, and lin 100. On the north side they would be as 1 in 150, and lin 100. There would be curves at each end of the tunnel, averaging from half a mile to a mile in radius, and neither of these would be objectionable in a tunnel with a double line. If more time for further inspection of the locality were given, a shorter line, and a less curved tunnel, could be obtained, and it would not be necessary to introduce more severe gradients. Neither would the execution of the works take up more time. He had no doubt, from his experience as an engineer, that an easier line might be obtained if more time were given. The whole estimate of the expense of executing the 15 miles of railway through the pass was 315,0001. It appeared that the saving, in point of expense, as compared with the construction of that por tion of the Caledonian line extending from Elvan-foot to Carlisle, taking the proportion of Mr. Locke's estimates, amountei to 512,0001. On cross-examination by Mr. Cocxnnnse, Mr. Miller said he had instructed Mr. Blythe to make a survey of the Delvine-pass last week. A survey of the ground had been executed last year, but the section was confined to the turnpike road through the pass. He had not given this up in despair, and he should prefer it if he had the choice of a line to Edinburgh. The original gradient had been lln 70, but it had subsequently been altered to 1 in 75. The height of the mountain through which th e tunnel passed was 1,150 feet above the level of the sea, and is the highest summit on the line. In reply to a question by Mr. HILDYARD, the witness said that additional distance on the proposed branch, as compared with the dis tance between Carlisle and Elvanfoot, was from nine to ten miles. Mr. Blythe stated he had proposed the plans and sections which Mr. Miller had explained to the Committee, and perfectly agreed with Mr. Miller as to the practicability of making the proposed branch, but thought that it was susceptible of improvement. Mr. COCK➢URN then called Mr. Locke, the engineer for the Caledonian line, to give evidence. He said he had sent down several gentlemen last week to survey the pass, and read a letter of instructions which he had transmitted for their guidance in making the survey) from which it appeared they were not to confine their investigations to the line already made out, but to examine generally the district, and to make allowances for having engineering works. A distance of 10 miles in the direct line would be lost by taking the branch through the Dolvine.pass, and there would be several other strin. gent objections to the scheme. One of the principal disadvantages, as compared with the Caledonian line, was the necessity of having a tunnel. Ho considered the curves in the tunnel were highly objectionable, and taking also the circumstance of the gradient being 1 in 75 into view, there was no doubt this passage through the tunnel would be attended with great inconvenience, if not with danger. He was of opinion that the tunnelling could not be executed for less than 501. per yard. The increased ex. pense of working the line the whole distance to Edinburgh would be ten per cent. The proposed detour would not, in his opinion, afford any corresponding advantages to the great inconvenience and expense that would be incurred, and would destroy the objects of the Caledonian Railway as a direct trunk line into Scotland Mr. Foster, mining engineer, deposed that se had had consi derable experience in mining affairs, and was satisfied, from the peculiar nature of the strata through which the proposed tunnel in the Delvine would pass, that its construction could not be estimated at less than 601. per yard. Mr. M'Phee, who had surveyed the intended branch, entirely corroborated Mr. Locke's evidence. Mr. Pare was then called to show the influence which the con struction of the Delvine branch would have on the general traffic of the trunk line. The evidence on both sides having been closid, The CirLIRMAN said he had been desired by the Committee to state, as the present inquiry had been made to afford them suffi cient ir,formati n in arriving at a proper decision, that they wished to express their satisfaction at the creditable manner in which the engineers on either side had conducted their surveys, and at the ready willingness that had been evinced by the diffe. rent competing parties in falling in with the views entertained by the Committee. Mr. HILDYARD then proceeded to address the Committee on be helf the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company. It was ob jected on their behalf that the forks on the Caledonian line had been carried farther north in their point of divergence than had been contemplated by the Commissioners appointed by Government for the purpose alone of interfering with the traffic on the Edin. burgh and Glasgow Railway. It would be recollected that the dividends on that line since its construction did not ave rage more than five per cent., and it would also be remem►ered by the Committee that the Union Canal Company had been appointed carriers to compete with it. Two alterations had been proposed by the parties for whom he appeared, which consisted hr the formation of a junction at Croy and another at Ratho, and it had been intimated by the Committee that this was a good arrangement. Looking also at the differential arguments as between the Caledonian and the Dumfries Railway+ it would be recollected by the Committee that a line had al. ready been laid down to Kilmarnock and Dalkeith—that Bill for making a line to Hawick would be read a third time this very day. The preamble for makiug a railway from Kilmarnock to Cumnock had been passed ; it could not in his opinion be pos Bible for the Committee to entertain any doubt that the distances between Hawich and Carlisle and Curaneek and Carlisle must necessarily in a ♦ery short period be connected together. As re spected the effect of a line through the Delvine.pass, it was evident that the whole traffic from north to month would be continued from Canonbridge to Carlisle, including Dumfries an Annan. The Learned Gentleman referred generally to evidence tendered by Mr. Locke and Mr. Miller on the two proposed lines through the Del ♦ine-pass. He also quoted from the report of the Commissioners, to show that it was likely that only one line would afford a remu nerative profit through the south of Scotland, and concluded by warning the Committee not to decide in favour of the Caledonian line. Mr. Coestinnx then rose and addressed the Committee on be half of the promoters of the Caledonian line. The main question on which the decision of the Committee rested was, which line afforded the greatest facilities and convenience as a direct trunk line between London and the north of Scotland. The Railway Commissioners and the Board of Trade had both .entertained the subject, and in both of the reports that had been issued, the Nithsdale Railway had been disapproved of, and the Caledonian line had received the preference. It was, perhaps, a matter entitled to some attention to consider how the public had been interested in the two lines placed before them. On the Caledonian line there was not a single dissentient landowner; and without detracting from the merits of either line, it would appear that the promoters of the Dumfries line were at present without any scheme for con. fleeting Hawick with Carlisle, and the various contingencies upon which such proposed communication depended, ren. dered it unlikely that it ever would be made. As the supposition of the making of the Hawick line depended almost entirely on the Dumfries line, it was a question whether the Hawick line would yield with the Dumfries line similar facilities of traffic as the Caledonian. The ♦arious circumstances under which the preamble of the Bill for the Hawick line had been passed were th.n recapitulated by the Learned Counsel, and from the severe nature of its gradients, curves, and tunnels, he contended it could never be made available fur the accommodation of the through traffic. If this was the fact, the case for the promoters of the Dumfries line would tall entirely to the ground. Thus far he had spoken on the comparative advantages of the lines to Edinburgh, and the districts in that part of Scotland. As re. garded Glasgow and Paisley, the difference in point of distance between the lines was fully ten miles in favour of the Caledonian. When it was said by the opposing party how important it was that Dumfries should be on the train line, it should be remem bered that Dumfries was not a manufacturing town, and that its connexion with London and Glasgow was not of Insuperable importance. It was admitted that Dumfries was not on the main lines but then its proximity to Glasgow and London was rendered as ad vantageous on the Caledonian line as on the competing line. As to Annarr it had only a small population and but little commerce, and from its situation on the Solway the navigation was rendered exceedingly difficult, and there was no data on which to ground the assumption that it would be an improving port, or that the Cr.ledo. nian line should be rejected because it slid not accommodate it so fully as the Dumfries line. It was ridiculous to suppose that pas. sengers going from Carlisle to Liverpool would go by steamers from Annan. No man in his senses would entertain the idea of travelling north sixteen miles from Carlisle to Annan, to be con veyed by steam-boats to Liverpool, where a direct railway corn. munication already existed between Carlisle and Liverpool, and yet on the traffic.tables of the Dumfries it had been taken for granted that passengers would go in this way, and the number of passengers had been doubled. Another question. relative to the communication between Scotland and the coast of Ireland, and looking at the relative distances be tween Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the coast of Ire. land, it was incontestably evident that the distance by the Caledonian 1 ne was some fifty rules sherter than by the Dumfries line. The Clydesdale branch was a very important one when looked at in connexion with the Caledonian line, and would bring in a great increase of traffic along the line. It was Unde niable that it was a matter of the greatest importance that there should be no intervention of any obstacle in the free and through traffic from north to south, and he contended that as regardel the Gl a sgow junction, promoted by the Dumfries Company, the greatest obstacles did exist on that junction, inas much as it was impossible for it to be made, according to tl e evidence of Mr Vignelles, their own witness, There Was nothing to be said in support of the Dumfries line, either as regarded its facilites as a branch line, or its local accommodation. A point, However, had been casually mooted by Mr Miller, which had swelled into a considerable object, the intention of which was to embarrass the Caledonian line in its fundamental principle of forming a direct main trunk line. He alluded to the proposed branch through the Delvine-pass, and contended that, from the unfavour able nature of the gradients in the tunnel, there was every probability of a catastrophe of the most appalling character frequently occurring, and there would be a loss of at least ten miles in the direct distance to Edintinrgh and Glasgow. The Learned Counsel then read an extract from the report of the board of Trade, to show that in every instance where a railway __,_.... _ . _ • - - -id nya• Was contemplated helng constructed, the Commissioners 11, i- ct riably expressed their opinion hat the shortest ;'-nd a iost d '‘.'' ii:, ,hould be adopted The Loaned GentKinan briefly 35 ` 11 . 6 , to the elaimi of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Itadway CoreT'' and considered they multi liave nothing to fear from the co'Th' ea ‘ 4 ition of expressingth line. He concluded his very lg i ben n a fi at:dress by e his deep conviction thaT, looking fa ir '? t lieerateiy at the great facilities afforded by, and the impoi.tatne interests embraced in, the Caledonian project, the ColO ill e would not hesitate to give their decision in its favour. The room was then ordered to be cleared, and on out ll ' auttnission, ,- hevond The CMAIRMAN said that, it being n ow five o'cloc.. - ~' „ n t which time the Committee were not perm itted to td, they ha" -: o f the dal yet had sufficient opportunity to go throug h the whole which devolved on them ; but, for th e convenience of parties, th e! thought it expedient to announce the reso lution theyhe h preatto ad o I , U . r arrived at, viz ., that the Committee had agreed to t of the Caledonian Bill, with the excep tion of the words "6'5.1 retrial* branch to Dumfries," and would give their decision on the ing portion of the case to-morrow. The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow. ______ GROUP EE. SCOTTISH litTIDIdlIJI) IZAILVt.II. Ba r in g I, The Committee met today at twelve o'c lock, Mr. F. the chair, when the evidence in favor cf this line was recut ga ve Mr. hells. agent of the line, examined by Mr. evidence respecting the petitions, of the landowners scatheoPP° the line. He represented that, 'with some few exception e, gre ;ter body of landed proprietors, and the mass of the Pe a l' were in favour of its construction. ; Cor 4e FoasvTitt Mr. Maclaren, a partner In a drapery establishment, .0 t o wn was the t u n Angus, said that the staple manufacture was linen, and that the railway would be of the greatest „cent sery reducing the carriage of goods to and from the town. A t P: 0 „-. Gi tc ; i g , per they had to pay 21. 10s. carriage for goods coming from but by the railway, presuming that the charge was 3d. per „if mile, the price would be 11 Os. 3d., and if `2.d. Po nn formation of 153. The price of coal would also be reduced by the the line. _, O prin. Mr. James Angus, of Kirriemuir, said that this to" was P of cipally engaged in the linen trade. The population was upwa rd„ was derived from Dundee. T 7,000. They manufactured cloth principally, the Ya rn f° e l. ' er. we T r he Pr °. wards sent through Dundee and Glasgow for Shiplrelt. They posed railway would be of the greatest benefit to the he manufactured gee," tavi T iL liel ii" had at present to cart their goods for seventeen miles. - , ,, hee p of carrying goods now paid its Dundee was 10s. per ton. 5 ~typ ease of carriage to Glasgow by Dundee Wa i t o "; 00 4, seven shill' .nes. If the present line via' reduce and connected with the Scottish Central line, it would to en the expense one-half, as lie calculated they could oe ,!, w ith Glasgow for 14s. per ton. They were at present 010 1 '7 rbe per ten on, 0 English coal through Dundee, at a rate of I/. 13. 6 , pert ore formation of this line would reduce them about the Fife coal would be brought into Kirriemuir. There.., g ets The adapt ..„ we ts large markets and fairs held in the town. The s o t ,. TV principally supplied with goods from Glasgow. such goods by carriers was not less than 21. ss. or 1 I feeling generally in the town was in favour of this line:fled, and Messrs. Jamieson, Gilmour, and Watson were 0 15° gave evidence to a sirailar effect. _awith th e " L e Mr. Smith, of Deanston, said he was acquaint.. n th 11 8 w hich it Pr, 301, proposed. He knew the country well thr ou g h thought the rental of the land in Strathmore Was t t o o abu t 1 1, eu bl h e , The benenf the railway t the farmers of hat diostric; vide of very great. He considered the land for four s mi le„ on e r con fer 1 pe r acre, e on stio' n the line would be benefited in rental ls• absolute additional value of 50,0001. per mile of ra,i,l:fa3oltories ilia tract of country. There were Y cry marl Ina" - " the ir el e ' Strathmore, and there was a great probabilit Wouldef. sitogethee extended if a railway were formed. The railway ooo '6° benefit, in the manner he had • ilined. I° ' previously OLP land. e " well of Mr. Neilson, of Glasgow, said he was a butcher, a u oi . r ole s r acquainted with the cattle trade. The greater portion ~. Tte r , ' sheep for the Glasgow market came from Strathin°r cestrO: were about 200 head of cattle brought weekly from t h at .... ,tost n r g u: of They came at present round by Dundee to Ed irlhu ; Pi le ' s ": 6 boat, and from thence by the Edinburgh and Gtasi e ' d t hee , 4,1 walked m th u e c y h the distance. The long walking injureir they aro I Os. If The carriage per head at present was "fl'e%ion pith the present railway were formed in eon e b r°" ould a"D ~,,i Scottish Central line, he had no dou bt they a ~ CO' that route, and at a rate of 71. 6d. each. „ fl coott is '; b e os' Cross-examined—He ex .. - amlned—He had no certainty that t";le, bu` • t a , to sd,°,,r , and the present line would carry cattle at ld• a - 1 ;e tere - ,I ,"' sidered those railways would find it to be their . , t tle low toll. The lines at present ' 11° in operation cart rode bet' vee n n mile. , 0 ,..r0.-- - ' o hs - 1 ' Mr. W Byers .W. said he was a survey or of t tleri , P .,,, ttle!, ° Igs rc ii ij Dundee and Strathmore. He was em 140 •" se' : f ''.; August, September, and October in the P pa st I ~,e -f r s this lln :t °- in the present, to take the traffic on the route '' ,l t o ''och• way. He was engaged a fortnight in e 0 t ight ill tie / 4 6 ' months, four weeks in September, and a P . , -I ,lon f er tter item vehicle passengers, according to his cale tl4 "" The lades fro , were 86,181 ; the foot passengers were 130,0°' j I tec all) 1 O le The t 0 0%; ing d i e 1 : 1 - ; o t included persons who travelled in carts. the passage traffic he estimated at 1g,8191 4 5 . , ill ng ers s t A i i ' efe ° „ passengers at I I/ 2 d. per mile each ; the foot Pasg;;pectru:fol'' adding, as it was usual, 100 per cent, for th e 7,„th Bpd v ied Di Arh e '" 0 rs fr ie lias of f traffic. Before the formation of the ne there was only one coach, yet the Pas ire sir e that line -in 1843 were 81,825. On the Forfar ' I :" 0 ,"" 001 r il yi eell the number carried was 54,812. The latte r -3 . !C3 , ,,, ton" through a county where previousl there o•3' o,oov,whicti traffic. His estimate of goods to le carrie d win ty e ' , ol a large ua n o t a n ` rota this did not include coal and lime, a very would be carried along the line The witness t" - to bict , and I° l° 'of ° ie length into the number of cattle, sheep, 3 numbe r li oe out istrict in the direction of Perth, th e ( $ 4 , O e he represented to be very large. The total receipt; 6,50 01. . i r o far sources he calculated at 36,858, and allowing _,,,A re o working of the line, or 45 per cent., 7 per cent. Ivo . 0 to the capital invested. rains tionto r tO' This witness ~ .as subjected to a long cross-e‘a pie o'c le close of which the Committee adjourned ti ll V° morrow. --.----- fto ol In ' ,s GROUP F. commencedT a T h ne iLO N DO N , O N w ith Committeep Othelv met c. i z a v g: of f n this day at tweiVe o l 'c i r e I :,',ocCe ii° ' No. 11, the Right Hon. F. Shaw, chairman. 11 111 SO 1 „ A il) Mr. A I S Trr i r . ;: l a r dd r re Q ss a ed D th S e :H:l7 CO lC m llE m S itt T eF a,t r 44l : lY tio ll o °lrtt:. . et:e a rnec ol eethei:Ph6. Mr. Cockburn. He had listened with great att. loot i ter ri ot of his Learned Friend, and without casting th e ,,,ii at Il forl ie on that address, he would say that it was one e nt ,i r ed s l i : Il e with the facts of the case. This was not to he w f e - o e d e ' lt ", ti 'f ( Mr. Cockburn) had very great difficulties to . pre ji re nri forgot that the issue of the case would `aye 9ec ii, °: merits of the case. He was advised by th e w o p '' :10 , of the Great Western line, Mr. Saunders, a t ,gs °l. . t r ii V , well qualified to give every assistance in th e - on e ) fle - 0 tn• matters. With respect to the gauge, he (hlr. A ne e to ° c ots plain that. His Learned Friend had, not the e°Utlgto the 0 4 Committee that competition would be of advantage „ v . 'res t districts through which the line of railway shonld:th yerioed the Committee that competition could be used w t i l lot s° , l lT to rr 4 . ' advantages, provided another line were made, h u '_, b oor , ' lill' line of railway as the other. The Legislature ,c 3,7,,,, r aor , e_ dis vent the unnecessary waste of capital, in constrUrct;ary ;ore, of railways or canals than Were : e ta A c" ,r, O' nv , e ll traffic of the country which th ey wer - SA , to . - torr• In opening the case at first he proved from do eu -n r ring: sVo r : cessary rivalry was injurious to capital, without OP' ,fro" . „011 0. ' t West e or ,IJ benefit on the community. Look at the Gree ._.nO , ~ 0 , center to Morton, and there it would be found tlliain.ptep, I,Procri, would take place. Again, looking at Wol fer , h ,, ( ban t h' itsil elf ,,; not be nearer to London by its circuitous rol r " ivieg torn v 1 ;) means of conveyance by the London and 13 „ on dr ° uf tj ,., If the merits, or rather the demerits, of the gig & b (gr . ..„ pre ° . were not yesterday put before the C o mm ittee,c,,,e rreer ier 3 , 1! would do so to.day. He told them that the ea il lo ace'`s': wich to Cheltenham was 65. , and from Droitwich w to hot be c 7. 0, the latter being a longer di stance ; and thi s w 34. to t. , -he : fns argument for competition. Ile would re fer call': of ' i t a bearings of competition. His Learned Fo e . be or' . oct , Huish to speak to some misconduct on r 0 , 0 th e ge i ' tje London and Birmingham Company. V",ro,. sego ri of 0 , respect to what had fallen from Mr. 1V31";,; 00:1 i , ,il some little out of his way in eulogisin ' nc tua a , or ~,, f London and Birmingham CompaeY, for their , ~P u t in lief h ' e ° ,.' P e.,l ' livery and their willingness to acconamodatet"f:oin,t t h - ,d r e ',Tid said Mr. Huish in support of the compla in ; - o 'ool ',. t ,e - o r and Birmingham Company ?—why, that that''%be§ of ; o ff' .' 0 to regulate their tolls in conformity with th e s '', l , r ou a uol eo l ~1 Junction Company. Now, why should this be t 1 1. .: ao arg co n; o f c a a v in o e ur be o n f plaint against his clients ? and this was broug_htra,' jegbaraodl)l'ol before the m t Le t to make a _ oth er g r e OO w of House ition offering and .frlurii, lio,s, roroi doing they were setting an example to th ii ` onou rsh le wee ~aIJ companies in the kingdom. If the the could 0;00 and the other Honourable Members of We e, n : Is e r , .he e in the habit of sitting on Canal Co offering to carry MMColoP"' tic ' , ii tjer find the London and Birminghana RailwaY ~,,,,i, t fhe 4 o f of the Legislature in railway e xten 1 ° . ,,, eu:" 00 0 11 ; 10 Lion of competition, a or as he should se_3i.co, tbe . ' o 1 0 _0 out, though not corOP:,.. ,tiolt,o rivalry, did arise in the present case, and it ‘ l ' . o * , ,,dvs ° . ` u s bjec t roe to decide which of the two lines would be of I n . _ wh ole ' 0 the Doe Public. In his opening speech he laid bare ttif re olt 'el en y pointed out the great advantages that wetnsund o irol , ' ote j tl ei i, tract of country through which the LOn" n a , ere 11°t 'el OC 4 r 1 d would run. His arguments on these gtoun- h i, I , e'T, o 0- 1 ,, the of the arguments advanced the day before Witoevetin."(l,ol;,, True, he talked much of competition. Thescoot D e 1 0 . . 1 of by Mr. Cockburn would in effect be this, theth.atweuid io t o 7 t he stronger company to demand terms which tt,_,. f o r coe e _ool interest of the public, because it would r,ot n e . , , e the i ao the smaller company, to accept. For instanc ~, o,;ol7o,,iciPi 01 broad gauge being laid down to p ooh . l i _ o n P lot er A os would be enabled to demand terms fromvtn'tor therdectc:ret mingham Company which it wou ld not 0 be le% 0 .0 0 Ae ir. that Company, to accept, and upon the tee , ae ad on,,,esd t % ) , the result would be, that slow trains would be PL oe the :, of i p iil• gauge rails to Liverpool with quick trains competition 0117 e arn oi o , That would be the effect of the comPettr,ani, to 13 1r ri aii other side. The Grand Junction C° .,, w n v o rt P. he rs t ,' t pf int; before the Committee o f the i:":!,erest 102'00 ;pp ham, would make it out that they had not:i7p,,,ed T o a nd stet the Great Western scheme. How was t , the CO W ores Itc, purchasing the Crewe and Chester anoup t bel ii r od o 0 ,pel l chester line, and then whiPP in g t heir /1 roe int e fo rti ; they had got the tra ffi c Ist° tting thii Ig oe " ti°‘ ' . had raised their tolls anti charges after ge ir the . e Ac 0 , Western, . __ , 0 c hands; and so also would the Great voui d tneo 111 oi; nate enough to get this line; and 0 0 ' ' Compani• ,of li n e , 043 II ft. conjunction with the Grand Junction h to , pretty example of the competition so M tA tt e e a bout the i tt_lf e ° o‘ , l4 , had been adduced on the other a id s poi 0 a, if ~,, Holyhead or Portdynllacn, 5 0 i , was a n tir e ,' 0 0 _ r , the connexion with Ireland. snit was hy b ' y th e o ' spA o ' r e of no weight ; it was an argumen t f ull! ~,,,,t proc ed ,ont ig „i e a Wing line to Holyhead. The Oover m ` that theau coolps"ees!°, with the Chester and Holyhead CoinPani '. % v e gan to co ° ,,,,ril w , of by the Learned Counsel for the aree'venefit to Di t'' , ,,arl: of no consideration, in fact of no P lin , to ja oos erP hi e : availsble rove d " 11 0/111°'" with Ireland. They had aroplY. into two contracts with the existing „you _.00,,,t, („0 use year a s n . ce o f ther ge oe v e l for seven years and one for easter into such contracts for the eon"! i The_ s eo uilOpt , s ., Was a matter of the greatest consequeillee. nesrevit:fieora! of th a t re , this scheme of connecting the county Fr iend' s I , ' a f art 5,4 0 11 : e provided, said a few of his Learned, r 3 , n earer : h u e SOr til o t 0 1 0 , would be found that Porttlynllse":: oub j e ct of .0. ..00e et 0 0 . 0 land than Holyhead. Here was t" contingenct , u nd er ,0 line left in Juturo, all depending ° t ! the one n°t.ogenci'cose 'lt contingencies being the carrying otfhatsucb conittte, the telouji, iteration. It was well to au l' We „.ith the hinged rearteliilirtiato6 act very much in their favour -4 intentions ..bi ~., ,- tt .,, impriant portion of their go,- _ u ~,,, arproeo ,fitti c s o i , _ iv i er c` ti of this inquiry. He was sure the I have n b o weigh t ( the ~,P; 'w it h connexion with Ireland would Ill% t e . meo ber . ~,A, on t '.. i , 1 4 e , e , Hon. Chairman, nor with any be. 1.....i.e3 otisena.-thatirso froirt, The result of the inquiry would to , _n ue it aPP _ 1 ~, 1',,,, of the question. It was soughtnat.7m i,portr-th tua:ith ;$, Wales line was an object of . to .. ~nortancication 1 the ta pc indeed, an object of nationt,:r so., coln tnu" an d r' s O f cet iv dynilatn a packet station ~e it up ! . i , ws ,erri $,.10 sister country, let the Governnie.?!.c,f4u"ncu. _l s : t s c sre§ .., ' o iti:",, penses of the scheme out of the P allow. l ' . ", the trooreti aleoUter. o+, supposed that the Committee would W ever t of I ' V're h ut ' hos e pany to carry out their intentions! he r , eo ple ~betu e, o r t , in their minds, at the expense ofmne:i u i t h e ri s e ' d 0 t ii , ' pe o 7 t , not the people of Worcester be plub d er natO n e „a/V °" en/ " II said before, let the national who had the interests of ,_, tha t th __„ nor _ a nd otiiiet b e 6'l. r oll ~. t he 1' ,,1 1/C The Learned Counsel then rernarr",,,ee, as,reste_ij gaup tk u. .,, i repCe . v Wales line would never p3l e the dlh ' Company. With regard t I 1