The Sun. — London, England, 1845-04-23 00:00:00

I MPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, April 22. The Loan CHANCELLOR to his seat on the Wool,ail shortly after Five o'clock' hem of CANTERBURY presented petitions „ern different parts of Kent against the grant to the College of " A !Zoooth. e The Bish o p o f WINCH E STER a l so presen ted similar pc • ti Lions from Downahire and other places. The Earl of ENNISKILLEN presented similar petitions. La rd ST ANLEY presented several petitions from Bed_f_ord ,_ , eitrisedthot.her places, in favour of the grant to the College of Mae The Duke of NORFOLK a gave notice that on Friday he ai ot oLL , ld Present a petition from the English Catholics in fa vour 1 e fault to Maynooth. T HE SEES OF BANGOR AND ST. ASAPH. The Earl of POWIS presented several petitions against the roam to Maynooth; and a petition from Chester and its neigh /i 'hand against the union of the sees of Bangor and St. 4 had The Noble Earl, in pursuance of a notice _which rir ion. giv n en on Friday la . st, stated that it was his in the Bill e Tuesday . next, move the second reading of Lrdsle ?n the subject, which was now lying upon their himself the ) 10 , rer 'Ps table. He should reserve to th e °f making suc h a lt era ti o ns as the circumstances of efte th e i ibe _ might require. He would, at the same time, take th e "Y of moving their Lordships to order the report of th e ermMittee, appointed last year to search for precedents of 7 1 ..,e . of the Bangor and St. Asaph Bill, printed. *io ns ° LORD CHANCELLOR remarked that any altera se, ?oght to be stated to the House before the motion for the rieding was made. ie ent ar iof POWIS was not prepared at the present rno precise's_ state the precise nature of the alterations, or the his wi l l : e erie be might hereafter be disposed to take. It was of th e ' l ier t i ° give her Majesty power w , by o the advice but, ssee erth y Council, to appoint t repeal e mss, he might only be disposed simply to the ever Act of union of the two sees. .He was not, how he i nt llrepared to pledge himself to any particular course which to him • feet ti ;:lo r ed t to pursue, because he wished th t e o n reservethought. advisable. L ord of adopting what course he any of . oIpNTEAGLE asked whether the Government hail f re the Bill tres eeetton to lay on the table cf the House, th e L ef 'd a second time, a return showing the before state of state o f clergy in these two dioceses, and exhibiting the h".1,91e episcopal fund ? tieal ""hoP of LONDON observed that the first Ecclesias tura ,‘-'?l'nruission had already made such a return, and that re 's Printed some time ago. Lore vi s IRISH LAND COMMISSION. the Port H ARNCLIFFE laid on the table of the Ho_nse . th: e re i end of the Commission respecting the occupation of land fIAiL The Ea rl "Y CLAUSES CONS . BILL. e., rl of DALHOUSIE moved OLIDATION the third reading of this Lo r d lore s h• B ROUGHAM had so often addre ssed their he di p on the subject of railway legislation Pres ent not think i t ne c e ssary for on the hnn,that length oc casion, to t rou bl e their Lordships at any great Pur lo i n The mi sc hi e f o f t h e cour se they were now and W as thre e f o ld. Th e first was the very great ren e t t. th e )m as unavoidable haste with which several 1 varioorailwaY measures must be carried through the stoie branches of the Legislature, inasmuch as it was phy 1 c impossible for those branches of the Legislature be themtotai., ef ~.°Per attention either on the principle or the d l e 4441 measure while there were 240 railway Bills i piiedsetne session before Parliament. He thought that w a e p re so w be/ 6 a certain extent, to the two Billsh which tought it esi ott k o e re the House for third reacting, eri oei i sJudicious of the Government to Bills. At e a number of that' rtes, a ' they had done in those At the same than ~„was his opinion that nothing could be worse contrived s lover "" Railway Board. He did not say t a a i de Fend (Lord Dalhousie) was not well qualified to pre hie, r it, or that his Noble Friend had not sedulously devoted tie e : h t t to the discharge f his new duties. But then the ordi- Witc,: a ,"Mess of the Board of Trade was quite heavy enough ant e ?"' this addition. And as it was admitted by all ita tii: l4 _,ers that there were riot more than 24 hours 1 845:„ "Y, if he consumed every day in the . year could 1,.." was Physically impossible that the additional business on e e s"' done. Therefore, they admitted that they only heard th e In o f toe •ouse each case, and on the information thus obtained of Commons,; which heard both sides, was th e tloverned. That was not the blind leading the blind, but Bo ard '," leading the seeing—( A laugh)—the blind . Railway Ohut th e the seeing House of Commons. But it was said t ot .1e decisions of the Railway Beard did not decide the ease. s e h erit "ie fact was indisputable that if they decided against a jett ed ! , it was one hundred to one but that scheme was re tele e they decided in favour of a scheme, it was v et 'udred to one but that it was adopted. He alTmost ignorant of the practices of that depart- Wo o j d b ut this was what an uninitiated understanding laropert c onclude from th e f acts as t h ey appeare d . was very gre at h much implicated in this. Here were s areholders vesting 10,000/. in a railway concern, And a nother cla ss , w h o did not vest more than 10,000 pence, A n had . also an interest. These were the speculators. ; a this R a il way Board was of grat importance in to en ._teltermining th e va l ue of immse property, e for a report e and ir a of the railway would ra i se the value ten per cent., report against would tumble it down 10 per cent. They heard only one party which was in favour and never heard the adverse tide. Now, of had great interest in the South-Western Railway,snPpose the railway, !lad almost :A andtha t that h e h he l t _ _ evidence sufficient to destroy all chance of a report thcwfavour of the South-Eastern Railway, he would not be r e t t . i to urge one objection, and the only person hearr.l2vas dW aY projectors of the South-Eastern Railway. Then if h e inwould tumble his stock in the other railway ; whereas. en ON ) ",!'LI been allowed to be heard, his adversary would in al Pois e l e s ''' l itY_ be defeated, and his railway would have been post -larPrQtie believed that this was not without precedent, an 'cgent of very great importance, for it came not . only e s ' ee l ' er t h ifonsideraion but from a person of experience, the very h rank. Indeed it had royal authorlty,.for asje"ividual was g no less a person than King James I. King th e C s l l 9 , n , e day went into a court of law, and took the seat of th 'Mustice and after hearing the argument on one side . Intra e"a ieet, he professed that he was quite ready to give his taigh t e l ) it; but it was delicately hinted to him that his decision Rive eta ° dispensed with, and that it was rot customary to N eel °Pinion without hearing both sides. Hy, however, *hit t , r that it was vet y easy to decide upon hearing one side, subthe °r or ; a .gaalst, but that hearing both sides so overloaded toe, e lect woh difficulty, that it was next to imhposwsia in %ki t `Xart_y decision at all ; and this was just t Yon 2. 1341 Ce le ktadWay Board acted. They heard the evidence . ke eve in order thtttthey might decide ; and they failed to e ase because they sat for the purpose of assisting the . biota fo,,,yommons in their decisions. They gave their opt tittle data''e benefit of both Houses when they had not suffl - oforming an p• •n at all. There was something lete th 9le way in eihictl o i - lin° cases were decided. There was 1i , h 0 4 11 13 6.. i_n the majority o theßoard, because if the majority " 1 1 w ee e° gentlemen was only as three to two, the probabi afr„ that the minority was right and the majority was e il i is t al l l 4 l; ; e b i l : h d o l: s e . should be inclined ne ' more to put faith in the " 1 3' of these gentlemen than he did in . that of a certain t i ter ohi e Fr r tie spoke with all deference in the presence of give . e nd (ord Beaumont); but he could not altoge %fleet entire faith to everthing which he heard, and he re het . 84 insta w e th e ril a titht, in Which one e.t might w occur in that House s as three to twa, and yet of trthenaljaotilirteyiyerere provedrntajbri majority f or after the matter had 0 0 W . g e.onsidnertee, theat H majorit ' me over to the opinion tnej orit mluosit they ea often found that the e ta ar e d Y ar n! tn the wr The onse three and the two in the eve v el - - Arad° might decide any given case. It was t wo s rTe e h a t r o tit r at i t was material to know , whi ch wrong. Suppose the Board should be two and fe t e to" ha ppened i n t h e case of theiSouth.E.ast ern Railway. , Of viZeje two and two, and the casting vote of that %0 of n$ 4 1 ° 1 , the Chairman, turned the balance. it In point th e kk ithori ty at , was ., decisive, but in point of authority was t ee ., ever y or :. 44 1 either way. It was a d. rule of the Board ~ vett, e ; en, whether he agreed ordisagreed with the "at fair man, whether not fair. It was i t s o t , e report. Now that was P th e subject of the report, because it tended to make keohTreonatri4t. the party defeated bad been defeated by the ie t 4 es of b of the Committee. It was not . fair to the e4ridesi to bament, which the authority of this Board was the"u ar Y to aid,.k because it tended to show them what was -.eard the fact, namely, that all the five members. of eotterte.iit coo Were unanimous) y . agreed upon recommending a rl4 o f , bat it was said that this', was the common euy . Proceeding in the other departments. Could there eVer alt oila_r e ity in the proceedings of the Board of Trade and ,11,/ ether fo r Laa w as Pertinent of the Government ? From the one to;"' Th e r e at while from the other an opinion was put eet.rd it e etare it was that he held the constitution objec o t f s th fo i r s 4 1 1 t eh irad ,Mi e n n en e tly calculated to attain te the hitse- 114e d from°em onstitated. rlaving sa_ d thus much, he merely invidious remark . s. But there was one th e , th e g n had great weight in his mind, arising 441 had ,_secresy of this tribunal—one consequence of pi e '!_ffer o beeen that it had given rise to t speculationsns etely,e or it i%,..nd if not actual jobbing, at leasto great Wo :ls ta j o i s _...l,hey would never be able to eradicat e tone. If from If it et or ° ati ape :* Long as that tribunal was . a seere hhour of t ies of e C r ailes no man could entrap by false e t oard. he had picked up as to the his n b el a g le esolntions h i e or se e Nc . ) . one could overreach a h w is i r a s o r f e rie h nd i r n the pur that there was ate l at i gttree nt ` v : t rway . shares. H as_ f or e Y, the t which might be adduced w in favour of the Board, tiler*, endeacof courts to delay the business be tittaihreor...out thatadvantage was greatly overborne by_ the h e e r roerii7 s ,:.he had referred to. He did not deny to the Board eote, - '. i ndustry. He had nothing to say against the m.ein or„,of 117" g that Board, but he did object to the cons.rucd it'd, ° Board itself. The infallibility of the Boar f e ; - aLlse i n e would on this occasion be greatly doubted, th aurtibi throe of many Bills which the Board had reported Y on if h: moaned would be found that Parliament waspwuld reject t , t l i d opted isz))vse which they had rejected would, he persuaded, voi tk e R oos : the House. Thus, instead of assisting the labours 5 , 0 7 re ve. : the Board would be only found an obstruction r e Luay g,;,‘20 another matter—namely, that the evils of this e i g mveet 'via would he to a certain degree attempted to be Pr Skew Y, the IBM before the House, and that the frenzy 1 4ested a ' a e t ,'°!) which had arisen in this country would be re ,at th e A ." kept within limits. He could not help thinking Zep ee Position of Parliament was to encourage speculation .I.lstioeadnspecsttlation. The . Bill was pregnant with some good ,7_1 0 n 3 . to r, but he complained of . it as . giving too much d ;la sort of legislation, driving it on . with railway t of wholesale species of . Act of Parliament man th u i) h 'etsi ous o ne statute had contained no less than • and another, the Land Clauses Act, about eels' - any rci ledup• rik °re• They were methodizing, systematizing I) lWay rig to a code the principles which were to govern all e .ts (unless some peculiar exceptions), giving the same oirsteroe.ZQ facilities to all—promoters and objectors—the same j alert tic . ° Pe_thodical plan, taking away the right to private Ntie,acilitating, expediting, quickening in the same sys-_ :unftk„.;Uutle, and by a sort of corpus furls, subvertig and e lt.lti t Z i s u t _f{ all the rights of private property. Why should se ifteili‘ i 'Matic, methodical mode be adopted for the purpo e p i atiee to 14! the passing of railway Acts? What was the ems tLeY sp eoe ,°e drawn from this ? Why it would seem that rail ty wer!lation was the very breath of the community ; that te a:li er „," e ssential to the welfare of the kingdom ; and that anent wished by every means in its power to promote "%he l 'ng of railway Bill. and to encourage all sorts of a ' la nd !Way A railway speculations. .If twenty or even thirty e riece e v 's were only passed in a single session, it would not th at th ee _ • °r7 to form such a code. Could they,. after having e t ' ar Taelves to this speculation—after having encouraged 1 4 , e ° 1 11d 1 4j - this frenzy of speculation as it has been termed incre eY c "aplain—could they wonder if those spec th u ; i t ol e l en ased-4 this railway-share gambling covered ad er bi gtb and breadth of the land—could they wonder at 1 „ 41 11d the me it? Could they otherwise than pity it, and Iser e i e l e Y not reflect a little before they helped to promote e_era,„,“?°* a system, which instead of mitigating an evil eettee- tte-which instead of a I• a remedy, and en t'oe ° Ng to g wh ,_ spread over a space of three years that speculae 4:Met ed would now be compressed into one, s e °We , nurtured it, and maintained its vitali . ty. 'Jolt not the r e pla ce Y when the reaction came—when the revulsion J'etisi ort - ewhen the money market was oppressed—when a I , e lels b ed re . that convulsion in the money market took place, th!'„_at th en a aPPened in former times from causes infinitely less i themselv es t hose now in operation—should they . not reproach 4el f ever that they had done nothing to mitigatt . or relax do ° f sPeculati u? When that day should arrive, could oth er • • wtee titan blame themselves as having been par- ties, at least, to this delusion, when about December or Jan uary next they should be reaping the bitter fruits of their present conduct. In his opinion they were much to blame for having allowed their neighbours the French to get so much ahead of them as to the sound method of dealing with this quest'on. In that country the Legislature took the matter into their own hands—not as a matter of course, not without opposition, the speculators were against it, but the Government in the most statesmanlike manner took the matter into its own hands. Fe v railways were allowed to be con structed at first, and those were constructed on well-founded inciples. Another thing they had done for the benefit of the public. The railways were not allowed to be vested in the companies beyond a term of years—five and forty, five and fifty, or five and thirty years. After the lapse of that time they reverted to the public, who might renew the lease upon advantageous terms, such as lowering of fares. Now here all control over the companies was given up. It would have been better if we had adopted a similar course to that which had been adopted in France. He deeply lamented that sonic steps had not been taken to damp the mania for railway speculation. lie did not mean to say that there , hould be no railways at all. It would be absurd—it would he ridiculous to say so. Under proper regulations they were the greatest possible public ben fits. He did not mean to say that there should he no railways, but that there should be only a certain moderate number constructed at present, and thatthe others should be postponed because this mania ought not to be encouraged. The only other subject with which he would trnub!e their Lordships was in reference to the powers of those railways companies. Since he had addressed their Lord ships on thi3 subject, be had heard of some what he should call really heart-breaking circumstances of oppression of poor people who were trampled upon by the agents of railway Bills, because they had not the means of resistance. In fact the agents to the Bills assumed to themselves all the power of these Bills as if they had passed, so sure were they they would pass. Since he last made some observations upon this subject in that House on Thursday last, he believed was some parties who had been complaining had he understood received some satis faction. But he would now implore their Lordships to listen to this. If a line was proposed to pass wools be any pa certa rt of re of the lands of a Noble Lord, he, of cou r s e, dress ; there was no fear of him ; but, to make up for this, the gardens of poor cottagers were cut up without the least hesitation, because they had not the same means of defence that the occupier of a noble house had. Such were the common devices and contrivances of those companies, to call their acts by no other name. Then, on the other hand, if it was proposed to run a part of a line through a nobleman's kitchen garden, he was satisfied if it could be avoided, to permit the line to run over his avenue. It was like a man submitting to have his head cut off in order to save his leg from a similar operation, or he was willing to sacrifice one eye to save the other. He had received a letter from a clergyman who com plained that a proposed line would be sure to darken his study and library ; but the writer added that he was but the mere incumbent, his patron was also a patron of railroads, and there fore he (the incumbent) had nothing to do but sit down and quietly submit for the remainder of his life. Now, any thing more grievous than this he had never heard. The clause in the Bill to which he principally objected, and which he singled out as the one which appeared to him to systematise in justice in the most marked manner, was that clause in the Railway Consolidation Bill in the 32d section of the Bill. This was the clause—" That it shall be lawful for the company, at any time before the period limited for the completion of the railway, to enter whenever they pleased, without making any previous payment, or tender, or deposit on any land, within the prescribed limits, or if there were no prescribed limits, on any land not being more than 200 yards distant from the centre of the railway. And not being a garden, orchard, avenue, or walk; and that it should not come nearer to any mansion than the prescribed distance, and if there was no prescribed distance then not nearer than 500 yards therefrom, and the com pany might keep the said land as long as it might be necessary for the completion or rep airin g of the railway, or any accomodation works connected there with, as might be required for any of the following pur• poses : —For the purpose of taking earth or soil by side cut tings ; for the purpose of depositing soil therefrom ; for the purpose of obtaining materials therefrom for the construction or repair of the railway, or such accommodation works es aforesaid, or of roads to and from, or by the side of the rail way ; and it shall be lawful to make deposits for the manufac ture of brick works, and also to dig or take from any such land clay, or stone, or sand, for the purposes of such works, or for the purpose of erecting any workshops or buildings of a temporary nature." Such was the clause—a clause which ought not, he thought, to be very agreeable to their Lord ships. They could take two hundred yards on each side of the railway, making in the whole four hundred yards, or a quarter of a mile, all over the country through which the railway run. Now, in the case of a farm in Essex, con sisting of two hundred acres, it was proposed that seven rail. ways should pass over it, and the consequence was, that nearly the whole of the farm was absorbed. And all this arose from their extraordinary love of railway legislation. True, compen sation was provided by the Bill for the taking of land; but the House must remember that only the damage actually done was to be paid for, and nothing more. There was but another remark, and that was the last he intended to make before he moved his amend:nent of that 32d clause. If these powers were necessary, at least the parties who concocted the measure ought to know what way they meant to go ; they ought at least to have made up their minds as to where their line ought to run; for he thought that if they did desire to change their minds and to go through another close than the one which they had marked down on the plan—but he wouid not give them a rower of deviating to the extent of 100 yards to the right side or the left—and if, through any unforeseen contin gency, they were obliged :to deviate, then, at least, do so with the consent of the owners. The owners were quite enough at the mercy of the companies already. They now came to the owners after the passing of the Bill, for before they never thought of making any proffer at all ; but after the passing of the Act, they came to the owners, and then gave whatever they pleased. The object of his clause was to diminish the power of deviation to twenty yards, and that, with the permis sion of the owners. He had felt it his duty to make these few remarks, because he had reason to believe that the instance he adduced the other evening was not without its use. He had been told that the circumstance which he had stated of the ap plication of a devisee in trust to the Court of Chancery had stopped an extensive railway. lie thought, therefore, that these powers were too extensive to be permitted without some check. He had received the thanks of many clergy, for what they were pleased to call the moral tendency of his exertions in preventing this species of gambling, which led to others of a worse description. For his part, he could say L'berari animum. He had deemed it his duty to take the part which he had taken ; and he hoped he had given no offence to individual, but if so, he had done his duty sincerely and conscientiously. The Earl of DALHOUSIE had explained to the House the nature and objects of the Bills now on the table when he moved the second reading, and he would net now enter into any dis cussion upon the principal one. But he would ask their Lord ships how mach of the time which his Noble and Learned Friend had occupied was devoted to the business before them. His Noble and Learned Friend devoted three quarters of an hour to censure the Railway Board, and a quarter of an hour to a lecture upon the evils of railway speculation. Really, he (Earl Dalhousie) never saw a smaller pennyworth of bread to so huge a quantity of sack.—( A laugh.) He would only say that, of all his Noble and Learned Friend had stated, there was only one thing to which he (Lord Dalhousie) could give the least assent—and that was, that there are but twenty•four hours in the day.—( A laugh.) His Noble and Learned Friend said that it was a fact which could not be denied, that the Railway Board heard only one side. Now, to that asser tion he must give a most unqualified and unhesitating denial. His Noble and Learned Friend said that the Board received deeutations from railway directors, and no others were ad m tted. To that he (Lord Dalhousie) gave a most distinct and positive denial. The Board sought interviews with no one. When they were ready to go into the inquiry, they stated as much in a public advertisement, and they received all persons who had any public matters to submit to the Board; but by the constitution of the Railway Board, they :roo were pre cluded m going into the consid eration of any private matters. At the same time, they never concealed from those to whom they granted in terviews, that it would he its deliberate written statements only , to which the Board could give deliberate consideration, that any decision could be come to. And the decision to which the Board had come to on every case was founded on the fullest and most impartial con siderations. As to the speculations to which his Noble and Learned Friend said the Railway Board gave rise, he (Lord Dalhousie) did not deny that there were speculations—but he did deny that since the constitution of the Board, speculations had been carried to a greater extent. In former years the speculation was of greater extent, and of a more reckless kind. He could cite many cases, but their Lordships had not forgotten that of the Brighton Railway in which fortunes were made and lost in one day. The price of shares fluctuated from day to day, and hour to hour, as the favour of the Com mittee seemed to fluctuate. His Noble and Learned Friend said that the institution of the Board was calculated to promote speculation. Lord BROUGHAM had not said the institution; he said the constitution. Lord DALHOUSIE said—Allow him to say what he meant. He did not attempt to state or explain what his Hon. and Learned Friend said or meant.—( A laugh.) His Noble and Learned Friend had formerly alleged, and had now repeated that partial revelations had taken place. Now, when these allegations were made, he (Lord Dalhousie) required to be furnished with specific allegations. In the three cases which were before alleged—that of the South-eastern Railway, with which it was said a person in the employment of the Board of Trade was connected—to that charge, his Noble and Learned Friend admitted a complete answer was given. The next was— that some shadowy individual obtained information somewhere and used it somehow, on some day, in some place, in specula tion in some railway, by which he made forty thousand pounds. How was that charge to be met?—( Hear, hear.) It was also charged, that in consequence of impropsr informa tion, upon the day when the Board came to a decision, the shares of one or two rival companies rose, and those of the other went down. The fact was, that the rise in the price was occasioned by the union of the successful company with one al ready established.—( Hear, hear.) He (Lord Dalhousie) put it to their Lord-hips to postpone their judgment on the unfit ness and inefficiency of the Railway Board until the end of the session, when they would have all the results before them. In conclusion, he must remind their Lordships, that if they struck this clause out of the Bill, a similar one would have to be in troduced into the special Act. Lord ASHBURTON admitted that in some instances great disappointment had resulted from the proceedings of the Board of Trade ; but, in his opinion, it was utterly impossible for Go vernment to take steps to avoid this. It was quite impossible to prevent railway speculations, but at the same time he was far into the agreeing that improvements could not b e introduced the constitution of the Railway Department of the Board of Trade. But he objected to the provisions of this Bill being confined to railways which were to be hereafter made. Some of them ought decidedly to apply retrospectively to railways already in existence. There was, for instance, the ninth clause, which provided that no partiality should be shown by a railway company either in the transit of goods or of passen gers. No individuals, or body of individuals, were tout have partiality shown to them by the ra ilwa y company, ball were treated alike ; and certainly this clause was very essential for the ends of justice, and he could see no reason why the same provision should not be applied to railwa y s already in existence. There was another clause which ought to be extended to the existing railways. He alluded to the one which enacted that fu ture railway com panies should provide separate carriages for the con veyance of felons and lunatics. Why should not the clause be applicable to existing railways? It was only the other day that he heard of a gentleman who got in to a railwa y carriage and found himself seated by the side of a couple of felons who were chained together. Th . s was decidedly a bad system, and he hoped the G bvernm sit would take steps to put a stop to it. The Duke of BEAUFORT complained that some time ago persons were allowed to go about and circulate that this and that line had been sanctioned by the Board of Trade, while in other instances they as particularly asserted that they knew from private informstion that such and such a line would be fa vourably reported of by the Board. It was those reports which had led to so much speculation in the railway market, and, of course, had the Board of Trade never existed, they never could have been made. The Earl of WINCHILSEA bore his testimony to the able and impartial manner in which the Railway Department of the Board of Trade had discharged its arduous duties, and declared his intention to support the third reading of the Bill. Lord CAMPBELL thought the Bill before the House would have the beneficial effect of lessening the expense of procuring pris• vale and special bills for the construction of railways. He wished, however, to draw the attention of the Noble Lord to the ttbso- late necessity of another Bill being brought in to meet the ' eases of the Noble Lord ( Lord Ashburton), who followed the Noble Earl. He agreed with that Noble Lord that there ought to be a uniform rate of charges established on railways, in order that the public might not be subject to the caprice of any particular company. In some cases railways would carry goods almost for nothing at all, in order to ruin a neighbouring canal company, and he thought Parliament ought to adopt some course which should effectually put a stop to this system of op- pression. Then, again, the public suffered a hardship through the railway company not being liable to make good any damage which might. ensue to a private carriage during its transit over the railway. The damage was frequently occa sioned by the negligence of the company's servants, and he thought it was the bounden duty of Parliament to make some alteration in the law, so as to throw the injury upon those who deserved, and were best able to bear, it. Lord BROUGHAM, in reply, stated that he did not think that his charge, that the main body of those admissible to the Railway Board was that of the railway projectors, was confuted by the Noble Lord opposite. He did not believe that the Noble Earl had understood his ( Lord Brougham's) argument. What he stated was, that from the Board being constituted to work in the dark, that certain persons were enabled to go into the City, and pretend to have private information that the Board had intimated its intention of throwing out one scheme (r adopting another. With regard to the South-Eastern Railway, a friend of his, one of the greatest capitalists in London, assured him that information was possessed by certain parties that had been the cause of a rise in the speculations. He grounded the fortification of his own statement on the fact that at a great distance from town such information was possessed long before the decision was given by the Board. These things would exist as long as this tribunal acted in the dark. If their proceedings were made public, no one person could have a greater advantage than another in speculating. He objected to see railways multiplied over the whole country, upon the principles that now actuate the parties that brought them forward. (Cries of " Hear, hear,") Let them be adopted without violating principles or property, and he would give them his support.—( Hear, hear.) He thought that by doing so they would avoid the gambling speculations that had taken place, and the monetary capital of the country would be expended in a proper and righteous cause.—(Hear. ) The Bill was then read a third time ; and, on the question that it do pass, Lord BROUGHAM moved that several amendments should be added to it by way of rider, all of which were negatived without a division.—The Bill then passed. The Lands Railway Clauses Consolidation Bill was read a third time and passed. The Lands Clauses Consolidation Bill was read a third time and passed ; as was also the Lands Clauses (Scotland) Bill. The House adjourned at Half-past Eight o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 22. The SYEAKER took the Chair at the usual 'tour. NEW MEMBER. Mr. Bartle, the newly-elected Member for Greenock, in the room of Robert Wallace, Esq., was introduced by Mr. Hurre and Mr. Bright, and took the oaths and his seat. RAILWAYS. The Chichester and Portsmouth Railway Bill was read a se cond time. Captain PECHELL and another Hon. Mnsinza presented petitions in favour of the above line. Sir W. SOMERVILLE presented petitions In favour of the Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle Railway Bill. Colonel ROI.LESTON presented a petition in favour of the Newcastle and Berwick Railway Bill. Mr. REDHEAD YORKE presented a petition against the Cambridge and Lincoln Railway Bill. On the motion of Mr. BUSFEILD, the Bradford Gas Bill was read a second time. Mr. CURTEIS presented a petition against the South- Eastern Railway Company. The Hon. Member was proceed ing to complain, in support of the petition, that the Company had divided their Bill into five parts, when he was called to order by the Speaker. On the motion of Mr. GREENE, it was then ordered that the time for reading the South-Eastern Railway (London and Greenwich Widening and Extension), South-Eastern Rail. way (Tonbridge to Tonbridge Wells), South-Eastern Railway (Bianch to Deal, and Extension of the Canterbury, Ramsgate, and Margate Railway), South-Eastern Railway (Maidstone to Rochester), and South-Eastern Railway ( Ashford to Hastings) Bills a first time, be extended till Monday, the 28th day of April. The following Bills were read a second time and ordered to be committed:—The Preston and Wyre Railway, Exeter and Creditors Railway, and the Monmouth and Hereford Railway. The third read►ng of the Liverpool Docks Bill was postponed till Monday. Petitions were presented in favour of the Lincoln and Cam bridge Railway Bill. Sir R. INGLIS presented petitions from South Newington, in Oxford, against theatres ; from Dorchester against the Jewish Disabilities Bill ; from Dunmore in favour of Church Extension ; and from Chichester against the Government grant to Maynooth. MAYNOOTH. Mr. BANNERMAN nresented three petitions against the grant to the College of Maynooth. Mr. BRIGHT presented four petitions from Manchester, four from Sunderland, and other petitions from several places in Glamorganshire, the names of which he could not pronounce—(Laughter)—all against the grant to the College of Maynooth. Mr. COBDEN presented several petitiona from the neigh bourhood of Lancashire in favour of the grant. Mr. WILLIAMS presented petitions from Hereford, and from several other places, against the grant. Mr. DUNCAN and other Hon. Members presented several petitions against the grant to Maynooth. SCOTTISH BANKING SYSTEM. Mr. LOCKHART presented a petition from Lanarkshire against any alteration in the currency of Scotland; also a similar petition from Caithness, and a third petition to the same effect, signed by upwards of 7,000 farmers and proprietors of land. BANKRUPTCY. Mr. BAILEY presented a petition from some town, the name of which we could not hear, praying for some alteration in the law of bankruptcy. LIGHTHOUSES. Mr. HUME presented a petition from the Edinburgh, Leith, and London Shipping Company, respecting lighthouse dues, and praying the House to make some inquiry, with the view of effecting some reduction in them. Mr. HUME presented a petition from Arbroath, praying that the monetary system in Scotland might not be inter fered with ; and a petition against the granting of any endow ment to any sect or religious body whatever. Captain PECHELL presented a petition from Burford against the Parochial Assessment Bill. Mr. WARI3URTON presented a petition praying for a re peal of the Bankruptcy Act of last session. STANDING ORDERS. Mr. ESTCOURT brought up the report of the Standing Orders Committee. WATERFORD RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. WYSE, leave was given to bring in a Bill to make a railway from Waterford to Kilkenny, with a branch to Limerick. WOLVERHAMPTON RAILWAY BILL. Mr. GODSON brought in the Wolverhampton Railway Bill. Mr. CUMMING BRUCE presented four petitions from congregations of the Free Church of Scotland against the grant to Maynooth ; also four petitions from congregations of the Scotch Free Church against railway travelling on Sunday. Mr. SPOONER presented petitions from Birmingham against the endowment of Maynooth College, and against the union of the sees of Bangor and St. Asaph. Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS presented severalpetitions from members of the Established Church of Scotland against the endowment of Maynooth. Mr. CHOLMONDELEY presented a petition to the same effect, hot we did not hear the designation of the petitioners. Mr. MACAULAY presented three petitions to the same effect from Edinburgh. INNOVATIONS IN THE CHURCH. Lord CASTLEREAGH presented petitions from parishes in the county of Down against innovations in the service of the Church. Mr. S. CRAW FORD presented a petition against the May nooth grant. Colonel T. WOOD presented a petition from Mr. Guthrie, one of the Council of the College of Surgeons, praying that the charter to that college might undergo revision. Mr. EVANS presented petitions against the Ma.nooth grant. Mr. REDHEAD YORKE presented petitions from Staf fordshire to the same effect. Mr. TRELAWNY presented similar petitions from Cornwall. Mr. BROWNRIGG presented petitions in favour of the Government measure. The petitioners expressed their satis faction that some justice was about to be done to a large body of their fellow-subjects.—( Hear, hear. ) Mr. FERRAND presented petitions from Yorkshire, and from a place in the county of Cork, against the grant to May nooth. Mr. C. BULLERvesented similar petitions from Liskeard. Mr. LASCELLES presented a petition, signed by nearly all the clergy in the bishoprics, against the union of the sees of St. Asaph and Bangor. An Hose. MEMBER presented a similar petition. Lord S ANDO N presented a petition from a Mr. M'Langhlan, in Liverpool, against the grant to May nnoth ; also petitions from Manchester, Liverpool, Roch dale, Coventry, and other towns, praying that the limit of imprisonment should be reduced from 20/. to 51. ; also petitions from Liverpool against the proposed amendments in the law of settlement ; and a petition from Manchester, signed by a majority of the clergymen, the leading manufac turers, and the great body of the operatives, praying that young people and children should not be allowed to labour in factories without having a certificate of being abla to read. Mr. EWART presented a petition against the Endowment of Maynooth Bill. Notices of motion were then called on. Slit HENRY POTTINGER. Mr. HUME gave notice that, upon that day fortnight, he would move an address to her Majesty on the subject of the services of Sir Henry Pottinger. NEW ZEALAND. Mr. BULLER postionedhiirmotion relative to the pro duction of papers connected with New Zealand. Lord J. MANNERS called the attention of the House to a petition which he had presented on the 14th of March. COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. Colonel WOOD moved that the petition he had presented from the College DUBLIN of Surgeons UNIVERSITY.rinted t h the votes. Air. WYSE gave notice that on that day week he would bring forward his motion re AY g ardinNOOg Dublin University. MTH. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD gave notice that, in Committee on the Maynooth Endowment Bill, he would move that the expenses of the extending, improving, and fur nishing the College of Maynooth, including the vote of 30,0001., be deducted from the revenue arising from Crown lands in Ireland received by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests.—( Hear. ) GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. Mr. J. YOUNG moved that the House be furnished with a copy of the report of the geological survey of Irelan(L -Agreed to. Captain PECHELL moved for copies of the reports to the Board of Admiralty, relative to the steaming and other quali • ties of her Majesty's vessels Rattler and Alecto, during the late trials, stating the tonnage and amount of horse power of Ise en gines of each vessel; also copies of the reports of the sailing and other qualities of her Majesty's sloops Mutine, Water witch, Pantaloon, and Osprey, whilst proceeding in company to their several destinations on foreign service. AUCTION DUTIES. Mr. RICARDO wished to know when the duty upon auctions was to cease ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that the duty upon auctions was directed to cease from the time of the report of the resolution, and that communication bad been given to that effect. The House adjourned at Half-past Five. , 500 f. (20,0201.) per annum, and whe n re. T HE SWEE PINGS OF THE PARIS S TREETS .-A journal states th at the sweepings of the streets of Paris„ sold in the por ti o ns, after having been kept in pit s t o ro t, mtraeiastluelosPurnroain ' inlugecasesthan 3,600,000 f. (144,000/.), being disposed of at the rate of 3f. to sf. the cubic metre or yard. Twenty-two years age the mud of Paris was contracted for at 75,000 f. (3,0001.); in 1631 for 166,000 f. 0,54014 ; and now, for more than half a THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 23, 1845. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. MONDAY, APRIL 21. The following Bills were read a second time, and committed, and referred to the Committee of Selection : Coventry, Bedworth, and Nuneaton Railway. Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway. Direct London and Portsmouth Railway. Chester and Holyhead Railway (Mold Branch and Purchase of Chester and Birkenhead Railway) (No. 2). Liverpool and Bury Railway (Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool Railway and Bury Extension ). Southampton and Dorchester Railway. Lynn and Dereham Railway. Dunstable and London and Birmingham Railway. Northumberland Railway. Edinburgh and Northern Railway (No. 2). Saint Ives Junction Railway. The following Bills were referred to the Select Committee on Standing Orders : South Easton Railway (Ashford to Hastings). Kingstown and Bray Railway. London and South Western Railway (Epsom Branch). Erewash Valley Railway (No. 2), —Report from Select Committee on Standing Orders read; Bill ordered to be brought in by Colonel Rolleston, Mr. Gaily Knight, and Mr. Evans. South Eastern Railway (Maidstone to Rochester),—Re. port from Select Committee on Petitions for Private Bills read ; Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Plumptr e and Mr. William Henry Bodkin. - South Eastern Railway (Branch to Deal and Extension of the South Eastern, Canterbur y , Ramsgate, and Margate Railway),—Report from Sel ec t C omm ittee on Petitions for Private Bills read ; Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. William Henry- Bodkin and Mr. Elphinstone. Harwich Railway,— Petition for Bill; referred to the Select Committee on Petitions for Private Bills. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL OFFICE' SATURDAY, APRIL 19. Cambridge and Lincoln Railwa y , — Committee on petition, for additional provision, Tuesday, April 22. Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North Shields Railway (Tyne mouth Extension ),—Committee on Bill, Tuesday, April 29, at twelve. Hull and Gainsborough Railway,—Committee on project, Tuesday, April 29, at twelve. Direct Northern Railway,—Committee on project, Monday, April 28, at twelve. MONDAY, APRIL 21. Newry and Enniskillen Railway,—Second reading, Friday, April 25. Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway,—Second reading, Friday, April 25. Wexford, Carlow, and Dublin Junction Railway,—Second reading, Friday, April 25. Midland Railways Company (Birmingham and Gloucester and Bristol and Gloucester Bailway Purchase),—Committee on petition, adjourned till Friday, April 25. Bristol and Gloucest er and Birmingham and Gloucester Railways,—Committee on petition, postponed from Wednes day 23d till Monday, April 28. Goole and Doncaster Railway,—Committee on petition, postponed from Wednesday 23d till Thursday, April 24. Cork and Bandon Railway,—Second reading, Friday, April 25. Mrnchester and Leeds Railway (Burnley Branch and Old ham and Heywood Branch es Extension),—Report, Wednes day, April 23. Guildford Junction Railway,—Committee on petition, ad journed till Monday, April 28. RAILWAY COMMITTEES. Sub-Committee (No. 1.) The Committee, cons i s ting of Mr. Strutt, Chairman, Mr V in . et St in ua r r o t o , m M N r. o. C;o 3 m ,e p s t t o e n rd , a b y lr . DISS AND COLCH ESTER RAILWAY.. Beckett, and Mr. Cavendish . The case was resumed this morning, an d t h e Committee proceeded with a great number of allegations respecting the plans. These were all of a technical character, and a great number were sustained. LYNN AND ELY. The Committee met yesterday some time after twelve o'clock ; Lord Palmerston in the chair. The Committee proceeded to hear evidence on the part of the South Level and Eaubrink Commissioners. The first witness called was — Josiah Human, who was examined by Mr. PAGET. His evidence was to the effect that the water of the Ouse was confined between embankments called the' New Cut," which prevented the water from overflowing the country. There were also puddle walls, which were impervious to the water. If any injury was done to the puddle walls the water would permeate and lay the railway three or four feet under water. Very strong vibration, or an unequal pressure upon the em bankments, would be injurious to those walls. No embank ments ought to be made within 100 feet of the puddle walls. After this witness had given his evidence, it was agreed between the parties that the engineers on both sides should confer together, and come to some arrangement as to the distance at which the line of railway was to be carried which would protect the embankments from injury. Mr. Little, the superintendent of the works of the Eau brink Commissioners, was then examined, and gave evidence of the same character with respect to the injury which would accrue to the surrounding country, if any injury was done to the cuts. The land in the neighbourhood of the Eaubrink is very valuable. Mr. C. Pemberton, the treasurer of the Eaubrink Com missioners was next examined—He had been treasurer for more than forty years. He had received 335,0001. from the Exchequer Loan Commissioners for the construction of the works. More than that had been expended on them. There was a debt due now of 38,2411. There was a total income of 11,720/. derived from a tax of sixpence an acre on land, and the navigation tolls. They were paying off the residue of the debt and the interest upon it, at the rate of 6,2001. a year. The ordinary repairs cost, for the last five years, about 1,2001. a year. The present debt would be paid off in about six years. The taxation for the works in other places was heavier than for the Eaubrink works. lie heard that there would not be more than 4501. available for the main tenance of the works when the railroad was constructed. • Other witnesses wore then called with regard to the bridge which ought to be constructed by the projectors of the line; after which Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM replied on behalf of the pro moters of the Bill.—The Committee then adjourned. GROUP T. This Committee, which has several projected railways in the Midland counties committed to its c onsideration, met yes terday at twelve o'clock ; Sir George Grey in the chair. There were five Members present. The CHAIRMAN said they would take the London, Bed ford, and Birmingham first, as it was unopposed. This is a branch line proposed to be formed from the town of Bedford to connect it with the London and Birmingham of Trade. Mr. BURKE appeared for the company, and ca lled evidence the Bd line. It has been favourably re p or ted on y b on their behalf to show the advantages that would result to Bedfordshire by this line, and that the standing orders had been complied with. The Committee decided the pream ble of the Bill to be proved, and then proceeded to the cons ideration of the clauses. Clauses from 41 to 47, which have reference to the levying of fares and tolls on the line, were postponed until the decision of the House was known respecting the rate of fares that should be imposed on railways generally. Several other clauses and amendments were - agreed to, and the further consideration of the Bill was adjourned. THE PETERBOROUGH AND SYSTON RAILWAY. Mr. AUSTIN appeared in favour of this Bill, which has been favourably reported on by the Board of Trade. The Learned Gentleman stated at some length the advantages that would result to the inhabitants of the east coast by the con struction of this line. The engineering difficulties were very in was th e proposednam eof o t n o e beof their taken solicitors,b y the few, and the prospect of a profitable return for the investment l l i i n n e e, of capital very great. Petitions were presented against the direction in which the ber of the inhabitants of Stamford, and Lord Harborough. The London and York Company also petitioned against the i r l . l rfraormsonas. num- Mr. AUSTIN objected to the reception of the latter petition, as being irregular, as the parties ought to have appeared in their own name. Mr. Sergeant WRANGIIAM replied at some length, on the other side, in which he endeavoured to show that the two lines were competing lines, and that though the petition might not be according to the usual r ules, yet the necessity of the case should warrant the Committee in going into it. The Committee decided against receiving the petition in the name of "John Parsons," and the consideration of the Bill w U as then formally gone into. HUDDERSFIELD AND SHEFFIELD JUNCTION RAILWAY. The further consideration of t his railway was taken before ester Mr. Barneby and the Comm ittee on GrouP C, Yday, at twelve o'clock. anx ious to correct a Mr. WHATELET stated , Mr. Cope was mistake into which he had fallen y-esterdav, with respect to the radius within which he had estimated the carriage of coals. Mr. COPE stated that the radius was one of three miles, and not one mile, as he had said yesterday ; that the whole amount of the revenue from coals would be in his estima tion 19,2801. 17s. Bd., that the whole quantity of coal he calculated would be 401,000 tons, but the net quantity was 219,572 tons. Mr. Hall, engineer to the Huddersfield Canal Company, stated that one of the chief feeders was the Flockton coal field, the distance of which from the Manchester and Leeds Railway was about a mile and a half, that the Flockton field was the main source for which Huddersfield was supplied, and that there was no means by which the market at Huddersfield could be supplied without considerable expense and loss of time. On inquiries from Mr. TEMPLE , Mr. Hall explained that the West Riding Junction Railway did not afford sufficient convenience ; that the quantity of coals carried on the Barnesby Canal from the Silkestone coal-field was 82,000 tons ; and that this was the only communication be tween the Silkestone coal-field laces and Huddersfield, which was too circuitous , and the p too distant from each other ; that the tolls were Is.ld. per ton, and that. the haulage was generally double that amount. . In reply to a question from the Chairman, Mr. WHATELEY said that the total cost of carriage by the railway would be Is. sd. per ton, including every expense of railway rates and locomotive power, except putting the coal on the line and taking it off. In reply to Mr. Whateley, distance Mr. Hall state d that the by canal to Hud dersfield. was about thirty miles ; that the Flockton coal was thin, though he could not say whether it was so little as 18 inches, and that the Silkestone coal was about 4 feet 6 inches thick. Mr. Locke stated, in reply to . Mr. Ternple, that one of the chief reason for carrying the line_ in its present course was to effect a jun ction with the Manchester and Hudders field Railway at Huddersfield. Mr. TEMPLE th e n proceeded to state that it was a great mistake to suppose that the promoters of the opposition were induced by any desire of impeding the project, or in deed any other motives than those arising from a desire to prevent the line going through their property at all. He then cited the passage from the report of the Board of Trade on this railway, in which they stated their doubts of the extent of the traffic proving sufficient to remunerate the shareholders; and he thought that it was but right that the Company have roved all th • oint m o st satisfactorily beforeshould they to p i t he from his client th p e pro s petty which she desired to retain. This property consisted a nd wo gardens, a plantation, a road, a shrubbery, stackyards, a barns. By the power of deviation given by Parliament they would hare the right to take not only a part but the whole of this property. He complained of the way in which the Company had obtained the evidence on which they grounded their allegations before the Committee. They had not obtained the account of the traffic from the Directors of the Leeds and Manchester Railway, but they had employed persons who had under taken to count the number of persons who got into the car riages of that railway at Manchester. This, to say the least, was a very insufficient ground on which to. base their assertions. With respect to the carriage of coals, the quan tity of which was likely to be carried on the railway was es timated at '401,000 tons, and the revenue more than 19,000.; but this wai AoweTer, were afaugaption. Huddersffeld was at present supplied fom the Calder Valley coal-field, which embraced the Flockton and the Silkestone coat field, and if the West Riding Junction Railway ' which was now before Parliament, were carried into effect, there would be a better communication between these coal-fields and Huddersfield by that railway, than by the Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction, so that the supposition of the revenue from coal was, at present, mere assumption, and nothing else. The estimates for the execution of the work were also erroneous. The Company stated that the tunnelling would cost 35/. per yard ; and they could es timate what their expenses will be, because they have had estimates from the contractors for the Manchester and Shef field line, on Which line the labour had been obtained at the very lowest rate, and where the cost had been SO!. a yard. The CHAIRMAN interrupted the Learned Counsel by inti mating that this was not evidence, and that if he wished to prove his point, he should have called individuals who could prove what he asserted. Mr. TEMPLE said that this was proved by the statements from the engineers of the line, who had stated that it was a very rocky soil. There were to be four viaducts, one of them 1,600 yards long, and yet for these very considerable works there was only guess work far the estimate of the expense. On these two grounds, that of the inefficiency of the estimate for the tunnels, and that for the viaducts, he thought that there was a suspicion on the whole of the estimates, and this was sufficient to induce the Committee to refrain from giving their sanction to the Bill. One of the objects was to bring this railway into communica tion with the Huddersfield and Manchester Railway, and, for this purpose, they were forming two tunnels of a very expensive nature, which line had been reported against by the Board of Trade, and he thought that this line ought to he postponed until that line was sanctioned by Parliament. Between these two lines there was alSo a considerable difference of level. On these grounds, insufficiency of proof, incorrectness of estimates, and, lastly, that this line was largely dependent for success on its connexion with the Manchester and Leeds Railway, he submitted that the Company had not made out a sufficient case for the favour able report of the Committee. The Committee, after stating that they did not wish to hear Mr. 'Whatley in reply, declared the preamble to be proved. In going through the clauses of the Bill, the expenses were calculated at 531,2561., and the capital proposed was 532,0001. The remaining clauses were gone through without opposition, and the Bill passed through Committee, who de cided that the Chairman should report it to the House. A suggestion having been made by Sir W. CLAY that a reference should be made to the report of the Board of Trade, the room was cleared for the consideration of the form in which the report should be made. On being re• admitted, the CHAIRMAN stated that he should communicate with the Chairman of the Board of Trade before making his report. Committee (No. 3.) The Committee assembled yesterday shortly after twelve o'clock, and proceeded to inquire into the merits of the MANCHESTER AND HUDDERSFIELD LINE. Mr. BAINES said that the Bill proposed the construction of a line of railway from the Sheffield and Manchester line at Ashton to Cooper-bridge. It was proposed to com mence at Staley-bridge, near Ashton, to go on to Cooper-bridge, then to form a junction with the Manchester and Leeds line. The whole length of the proposed line would be 21i miles, with a short branch of 1 miles to Delf. The Learned Counsel then proceeded to detail the route of the proposed line very minutely, and the nature of the manufactures and trades carried on in each town through which the line would pass, and the great convenience it would afford for the rapid transit of goods. Witnesses were then called to sustain the statement of the Learned Counsel. Mr. Scutcliff, wool merchant, deposed that the popu lation of Huddersfield was over 10,000, that of Halifax over 13,000; the proposed line would be a great advantage to the manufactures of all the towns ; he conceived that the proposed line would be very superior to the Leeds and Man chester and Leeds proposed line. Mr. HARDY, counsel on behalf of the Caldon Canal Com pany, cross-examined the witness, but nothing material was elicited. Two other witnesses, also extensive manufacturers, gave evidence to the effect of the great inconvenience they expe rienced from the want of a more facile mode of conveying coals to their mills than they had at present. Mr. Cope, accountant, gave evidence as to the amount of passenger-intercourse between Huddersfield and Manchester, which, he said, he had taken care to ascertain, by having stationed men at different places to note down the number of persons passing and repassing each day for a week. Mr. Joseph Webster deposed that he had ascertained the amount of consumption in the different prices of various arti cles in the Huddersfield district ; namely, the Marsden Valley locality, which had a population of near 19,000; by the articles consumed, he meant flour, meal, and also provender for cattle, animal food, &c. Mr. BAINS said he now, on behalf of the opposing parties, proposed to go into the engineering evidence, as he had been allowed to do in other cases, reserving to himself the right to take hereafter the examination of his witnesses. as to traffic. But he was in the hands of the Committee, and would abide by their decision as to what course he should take. Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS objected to any such course being taken. The Committee decided that the present class of evidence should be disposed of before any other would be entered on. Mr. Whitworth, agent to omnibus owners, deposed that thirteen omnibuses plied every day from Huddersfield to Cooper-bridge, and some extra ones on Sundays ; had heard of people complaining of inconvenience in going from Cooper. bridge to Halifax, such as delays and changes, &c., on the turnpike-road. The Man chester and Leeds plan, if carried into operation, would have the effect of cutting up the only footway now existing on the line, and the other plan would not do so. A public fountain that supplied the whole town of Huddersfield with water would also either be removed by the line under discussion, or the public access to it would be greatly impeded. There were two coaches now running between Leeds and Man chester and Huddersfield and Manchester every day except Sunday. Mr. John Downe, corn-miller, deposed that a great saving would be effected in the cost and time of the transit of corn, if a railway were made between Ashton and Cooper-bridge ; the present canal did not afford the facilities that a railroad would. BARNESLEY JUNCTION RAILWAY. Mr. WHATELEY appeared for the promoters of the Bill, and stated that it was intended to connect the North Midland Railway with the Manchester and Ashton -under- Lyne Railway and the town of Barnsley. The object of this railway was to open up the Silkestone coal field to the town of Barnsley, which, with the villages ad jacent, contained upwards of 40,000 inhabitants. The greater part of the goods manufactured at Barnsley went to Manchester. At present the distance between these two towns was 63 miles, while by this railway the dis tance would only be 36 miles. The coal is now sent by the circuitous route of canal and the river Dun. He would produce persons who had been acquainted with this coal-field all their lives. This coal-field, together with timber and other products, carried in the Baltic trade, would con stitute the traffic on this line, and this he was prepared to prove by witnesses. There was another article, stone, from the celebrated Green Waur quarry, and if this line were formed it would double the supply of this material at Stockport, Staleybridge, and all the neighbouring towns. The length of the line was nine miles and a half, and in compliance with the suggestions of the Board of Trade the projectors had decided upon making the line a double line. There was but one petition against it, that of the Barnsley Canal Company ; but he could not see why there should not be both means of transit. Until the last three months the charge of conveying mineral to this canal by tramway had been excessive, as much, he believed, as 6d. per ton, and by this railway the expense would be materially reduced. Mr. Newman proved that .the shares subscribed for amounted to 286,710/., and the deposit was 28,6711. The number of shareholders locally interested in the line was thirty-two, and the amount they subscribed was 21,662/. of the whole amount, and that the whole number of share holders was one hundred and sixty-two ; that there were fifty owners of property on the line, of whom forty - four assent ; that the length of the land of those who dissented was 48 chains, 20 links, and of all the occupiers only four dissented. Mr. Taylor, a linen manufacturer, at Barnsley, who had been in business nearly 40 years, said his returns were about 100,0001. a year, and the wages paid were 8001. a week, or about 41,600/. a year. The greater part of his yarns came from Leek, and two-thirds of the goods he made went to Manchester and Liverpool, and the remainder to London. He was now obliged to keep a warehouse at Manchester, and he was now obliged to send his goods by a circuitous route by Normanton by the North Midland and Leeds and Manchester, though occasionally he sent the goods by Wakefield ; the distance was 63 miles, and the delay occasioned the goods frequently to be too late for shipping at Liverpool. The cost of carriage was about 20s. a ton. The total cost of carriage to him to Manchester was 440/. ; to Liverpool, 2001. ; and to London, 1981. ; and the construction of this railway would, he conceived, largely increase the bu siness of Barnsley, and save him a great expense. On cross-examination by Mr. TALBOT, Mr. Taylor stated, that the time occupied in carrying goods from Barnsley to Man chester was between one evening and the next morning. The delay arose between Normanton and Manchester ; that there was a good road between Barnsley and Wakefield, and it was by that route that the goods were sent when too late for the train at Normanton. To go from Barnsley to Manchester, the time now occupied was four or five hours, while, when this railway was made, the time would be under two hours. In reply to Mr. Ausrus, Mr. Taylor stated that the dis tance now was 61% miles, and three miles of road, while, by the new line, it would be less than 36 miles. Mr. Henry Parkin stated the whole of the wages paid in Barnsley was about 3,5001. a week, or about 182,000/. a year ; one carrier takes 20 tons of goods a week, another 10 tons, and Pickford's about 70 tons a week, of which one-half went to Manchester, making the whole amount of goods conveyed from Barnsley to Manchester about seventy tons, and the manufactures of Barnsley were now largely increasing. In reply to Mr. TALBOT, Mr. Parkin stated that there was a delay at Normanten sometimes for half an hour at a time ; that a considerable quantity of the yarn used in the trade was brought chiefly from Hull and Leeds. In answer to the CHAIRMAN, he stated that the flax from Hull came by railway ; that the distance to Penistone was 8 miles, and that there was to be a station there on the Man chester and Sheffield Railway, which would shorten the time and distance to Manchester. Mr. W. Ridsdale, a carrier at Barnsley, stated that he conveyed about 70 tons, and others about the same quantity. He confirmed the evidence of Mr. Parkin as to the quantity conveyed to Manchester, and stated his opinion that the manufactures of the town would increase if the town pos sessed the same facilities as other towns in railway con veyance. In reply to Mr. Austin, he stated that in conse quence of the delay occasioned by the bad roads to Leeds the goods often missed the morning markets, and that the roads on both sides of Barnsley were very bad. Mr. Henry Rolling, a miller at Oxspring, near Penistone, stated that his mills were about 200 yards from the Sheffield and Manchester Railway ; that he purchased his corn at Doncaster, Barnsley, and Wakefield, and that the cost of carriage by canal was 4s. 6d. a ton ; that the whole ex pense of the carriage was 1 Is. 6d. a ton, and the quantity carted daily was ten tons, but that if this railway was made, his corn would come all the way from Wakefield by railway and effect a considerable saving ; that the tolls from Barnsley amounted to 9d. a horse ; that there were three or four horses to each waggon, and the journey occupied the whole day. His whole grind was about 3,800 tons a year, and this railway would save him great expense. Mr. H. Jackson, a linen manufacturer at Barnsley, who pays wages to the extent of 250/. to 3001. a week, or 15,0001. a year. He stated that he sent three-fourths of his goods to Manchester, and the rest to London, and testified that the railway would be a great convenience. Tho Rev. William Thorpe, in reply to Mr. ST. Jo x, stated his knowledge of the geology of the district, that it was bounded on the east by the magnesian limestone, and on the west by millstone grit, and that the Mid land Railway ran to the east of the most productive part of the Silkestone coal-field, and the Manchester and Sheffield ran to the west of it, but no railway passed over it at present. The Barnsley Junction Railway would pass over the whole of the beds of this coal-field, except two, and that there were six or eight pits poy in work near to the line ; that line passed by the richest part of th e coa l-fi e ld , and tat the beds were easily got at. J. reply to Mr. TALBOT, Mr. Thorpe stated that the Me observations applied to the Barnsley canal as to the line of railway. Mr. Andrews, a mineral agent and coal viewer, chief mine ral agent to Mr. Lane Fox, and surveyor to Lord Cardigan, testified to his knowledge of the coal-field, and that the Entwitel, and Mr. Thorpe's, Mr. Charlesworth's, and Messrs. Clarke's pits would be easily accessible to the railway, and that it passed over some of them. Pits, therefore, could be sunk close by the railway, and would require only an engine to lift the coals perpendicularly, and pour them into the trucks. The Counsel having intimated that the examination of this witness would occupy a considerable time, tie Com mittee adjourned till to-morrow (this day). Sub-Committee (No. 6.) SHREWSBURY AND GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY. This Committee re-assembled yesterday morning, and pro ceeded with the Shrewsbury and Grand Junct ion Railway Bill. Several other allegations were proved, and ultimately the Committee decided that the standing orders had not been com plied with. DISS, BECCLES, AND YARMOUTH RAILWAY. The Committee then proceeded with this Bill. Mr. Vena bles appeared on a petition from a number of landowners through whose property the line passes, and preferred several allegations, which he eventually established. They were, however, of small importance. FARRINGDON-STREET EXTENSION RAILWAY. This line is five miles in length, and the estimated cost 800,0001. _ _ __ Mr. Parkes appeared for the promoters, and Mr. Cop pock in support of a petition presented by Mr. Thomas Innis, complaining of non-compliance with the standing orders. Mr. Innis was in possession of property at Islington, through which the proposed railway would pass, and he alleged that he had received no notice of the intention of the Company to take his property. It was, however, proved that notice had been left at the house, consequently the allegation failed. It was then alleged that the plans with respect to this pro perty were inaccurate, and this allegation was sustained. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. THE PETERBOROUGH AND SYSTON RAILWAY. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) Witnesses were then called in support of the Bill, with the object of showing the great deficiency of the existing commu nication for the conveyance of passengers, agricultural pro. duce, and coals, and the advantages which the proposed line would confer on the whole district. The examination in behalf of the Company was conducted by Messrs. Hildyard and Dennison. The witnesses were cross-examined by Counsel, on behalf of Lord Harborough, the Earl of Exeter, and a portion of the inhabitants of Stamford, with the object of eliciting facts in favour of the diversion of the line out of the track proposed by the Bill. Lord Harborough's objec tion was that the line would approach too near his residence, and damage his grounds and those of the Earl of Exeter ; and the inhabitants of Stamford were directed against the Plan proposed for the Stamford station, and also the direction in which the line was proposed to be taken through the town. The witnesses, however, generally concurred in the opinion that, all circumstances considered, the route proposed by the Company was the one best calculated to serve the public, and that any alteration of the station would inconvenience the inhabitants of Stamford Before the list of witnesses was gone through, the Chair man on behalf of the Committee intimated that they were satisfied with the evidence already produced regarding the question of traffic, and requested the tables to be put in. It was stated in reply to this request that they . would not be ready till next day. The decision of th 6 Committee on this point was therefore adjourned till to-morrow, and the examination of the witnesses was re sumed in regard to the contested points set forth in the:peti tions. Nothing of moment was further elicited up to the close of the sitting, and the consideration of the Bill was adjourned till the next sitting of the Committee, at twelve o'clock to morrow (this day.). GROUP D. BLACKBURN, BURNLEY, ACCRINGTON, AND COLNE RAILWAY EXTENSION, AND BLACKBURN, DAR WEN, AND BOLTON RAILWAY. The Committee appointed to investigate the merits of these lines met yesterday in Committee-room 19 ; Mr. Bernal in the chair. Mr. Sergeant Wrangham and other counsel appeared for the former line ; Mr. Merrewether, &c., for the latter. Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM briefly stated the case. This was a line which traversed a populous and industrious district, which -would, when this railway was formed, be connected with the important towns of Manchester and Liverpool. The population in the immediate district was 100,000, and the traffic which would be carried on the line would be very considerable. The estimated cost of the line was 530,000/., upon which a gross profit of 62,0001. was expected, and a net ; profit of 38,000/., giving 7 per cent. interest upon the capital. There were some gradients upon the line, but they were of such a nature as to be easily overcome by means of increased power at those points; there were to be two tunnels, but not of a very great length. The Learned Gentleman concluded his case by reading the report of the Board of Trade upon the proposed line, and then pro ceeded to call evidence in support of his statements. Mr. MEREWETHER said that he appeared for the Black burn, Darwen. and Bolton line, and if the line for which he appeared was not considered a competing line, as he did not think it was, he would not say a word. On the other side it was contended that :it was a compe ting line, and the evidence was proceeded with. RAIL WAY INTELLIGENCE. REPORT OF THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE ON SCHEMES FOR EXTENDING RAILWAY COMMUNICA TION IN VARIOUS DISTRICTS. Railway Department, Board of Trade, Whitehall, April 16, 1845. The Board constituted by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade for the transaction of Rail way Business, having had under consideration the fol lowing schemes for extending railway communication; viz :- The Aberdare Railway; Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings (Neymer Branch); Coventry, Bedworth, and Nuneaton; Dunstable, London, and Birmingham; Eastern Counties—Cambridge and Huntingdon; Eastern Counties—Brandon and Peterborough Ex tension; Eastern Counties—Finsbury Extension; Eastern Counties—Cambridge and Bury St. Ed mund's Extension; Eastern Counties—Dartford aad Rumford Railway and Steam Ferry; Erewash Valley Railway; Epping Railway; Eastern Counties Thames Junction and North Woolwich; Lynn and Ely Railway, with a branch to Wisbeach ; London and Gravesend vid North Woolwich Railway; Great North of England, Clarence and Hartlepool Junction—Extension and Branches; Kentish Coast Railway; Launceston and South Devon; South Devon Amendment and Tavistock Branch Railway; Darfield to Worsbrough; Ditto to Elsecar; Midland Railway Chevet to Horbury; Oakenshaw to Wakefield; Ambergate to Crich; Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North Shields Railway— Tynemouth Extension and New Quay Branch; North Union Railway—Branch to River Ribble; Sheffield and Rotherham—Branch to Sheffield and Manchester Railway; West London Railway—Thames Extension ; West London Railway—Knightsbridge Extension; York and Scarborough Deviation; have determined to submit the following report thereon, for the consideration of Parliament. The railway projects above enumerated are not so connected with any particular district as to make it necessary to class them with any of the groups or fami lies of schemes which have come under examination. They consist generally of lines either small in them selves, or of a local character, or they are minor exten sions and alterations of railways already executed. THE ABERDARE RAILWAY, About eight miles in length, is principally intended for the conveyance of coal, iron, and other minerals, from the Valley of Aberdare, in the county of Glamorgan, to the port of Cardiff, for shipment. It branches from the Taff Valley Railway, which conntcts Merthyr Tydvil with that port. The present means of communication with Cardiff is by canal, which, however, is alleged to be quite inadequate to convey the traffic. We are of opinion that there are no public reasons against this pro ject receiving the sanction of Parliament. THE BRIGHTON, LEWES, AND HASTINGS— KEYMER BRANCH. This is a branch from the Brighton, Lewes, and Hast ings Railway, at Lewes, to the London and Brighton Railway near Keymer, in length 9 miles and 12 chains. Its object is to cut off the angle at Brighton arid shorten the railway distance between Lewes and London, and consequently between Hastings and London, by eight or nine miles. There are, in our opinion, no public rea sons against this project receiving the sanction of Par liament. THE COVENTRY, BEDWORTH, AND NUN EATON RAILWAY. This proposed line commences near the Coventry sta tion of the London and Birmingham Railway, and ter minates by forming a junction with the proposed Trent Valley scheme near Nuneat on, in the parish of Bedworth, its length being six miles fifty-three chains. It has . for its object to open direct co mmunication between the im portant districts of Coventry, Leamington, and Warwick, and the extensive collieries in Warwickshire and Lieces - tershire. The statement of traffic furnished by the prcmoters of the scheme appears to justify the . probable cost of its co nstruction. We are of opinion that there are no public reasons against this project receiving the sanction of Parliament. THE DUNSTABLE, LONDON, AND BIRMING HAM RAILWAY. This railway is intended to commence at the Leighton Buzzard station of the London and Birmingham Rail way, and to terminate at the entrance to the town of Dunstable ; the length of the line being seven miles. The line, when completed, is proposed to be leased and worked by the London and Birmingham Railway Com pany. The traffic tables laid before this Board by the projectors appear to justify the outlay of the capital ne cessary for the construction of the line. We are of opinion that no public reasons exist against this pro ject receiving the sanction of Parliament. EASTERN COUNTIES—CANIBRIDGE AND HUN , TINGDON. This line is intended to commence at Huntingdon and to pass through St. Ives, to join the Eastern Counties Extension a little to the north of Chesterton, near Cam bridge. Its length is 17 miles 35 chains, and it has a branch of 1 miles 50 chains, for the accommodation of Godmanchester. The object of this scheme is to con nect the town of Huntingdon and Godmanchester with the Eastern Counties Railway, in case any of the great trunk schemes between York and London passing in that direction should not receive the sanction of the Legislature. We have, however, already reported to Parliament on the main question, and believe this scheme to be incompatible with the establishment of a dire/ main line, such as we have recom mended in t h e repo i ii alluded to. Between Cambridg e and St. Ives it in fact, be a competing line with the proposed Cam bridge and Lincoln Railway. Under these circum stances we think there are sufficient public reasons why it should not receive the sanction of Parliament. EASTERN COUNTIES—BRANDON AND PE TERBOROUGH EXTENSION. In explanation of this scheme, it is necessary to remark that the Eastern Counties Railway Company obtained last year an Act for making a line from Ely to pass midway between Chatteris and Doddington, by Whittlesea to Peterborough. The object of the present scheme is to make a deviation which, avoiding Chatteris, may accommodate the town of March. The length of the line would be thus increased by about three miles, but the promoters allege that the outlay would not be augmented thereby, and that the contractors who had agreed to make the original line now undertake to construct the deviated and longer line at the same cost as the shorter. The first eight miles from Ely of the proposed devia tion are coincident with the same portion of the Ely and Uncoln proposed Railway ; and if the latter scheme were carried into effect, a proportionate reduc tion in the expense would result. We must add, how ever, that we have reported our reasons why the Ely and Lincoln proposed railway ought not to receive the sanction of Parliament. The project is objected to by the inhabitants of Chat teris, who will suffer inconvenience if the line, as it has already been sanctioned by Parliament, should be re moved from them. If the line could be considered as a main trunk line, a. deviation involving an increase of three miles in distance might be considered to affect unreasonably the general convenience of the public ; but the project in question must be dewed more with regard to local-accommoda- tion than to through traffic. - March is a place of greater population than Cbatte ris ; the former containing by the last census 5,706 per sons, and the latter 4,813. March also contains 1,163 inhabited houses, while Chatteris has but 956. Consi dering, therefore, that the new line may be made as cheaply, that it will afford rather more local accommoda tion than the original line, and that the through traffic is not likely to be very great, there are no public rea sons which, in our opinion, ought to be decisive against it. At the same time, we deem it our duty to suggest whether; as the direct line has received the sanction of Parliament, the company should not be required so to regulate their fares as to charge no more on the extra distance, on the through traffic, than they were em powered to charge on the direct distance. EASTERN COUNTIES—FINSBURY EX- TENSION. This is a prolongation of the Northern and Eastern Railway, through the terminus near Shoreditch, across that street and several others, to the City-road, near the north side of Finsbury-square, in length 600 yards. This scheme partakes something of the character of the Tottenham and Farringdon extension project, which has already been reported upon by this Board in con nexion with the London and York schemes; that is to say, the object of each is to obtain a more central me tropolitan terminus. The distance is only 800 yards be tween the present and the proposed terminus of the Eastern Counties Railway; yet the cost of making the extension will be considerable, and it may not, there fore, be to the interest of the Company to incur such an expense, if the Tottenham and Farrmgdon-street project should be carried out,. It is further very important that so essential a part of the communication between London and York as is afforded by the Tottenham and Farringdon - stre et branch, should not be interfered with by any minor pro ject of this description. On the other hand, it appears desirable, w ith regard to the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, which are supplied by the Eastern Counties Railway, that it should have a more central terminus than that at present in use at Shoreditch. Therefore, although we think that the Finsbury FA" tension is inferior to the Farringdon-street terminus as_ regards the northern traffic, and that it should not by any means be sanctioned in lieu thereof, we are of opi nion that, having respect to the eastern traffic , no publics reasons exist why it should not receive the sanction of the Legislature. EASTERN COUNTIES.—CAMBRIDGE AND BURY ST. EDMUND'S EXTENSION. This line would run in a direct course between the ,towns of Cambridge and Bury, a distance of twenty-five . miles and fifty chains, through a level country, present ing no engineering difficulties of consequence ; but, on the other hand, offering very small inducement for the outlay of capital on even the most economical scale. The district through which it would be carried is but thinly inhabited ; the population of all the parishes lying between Cambridge and Bury, and which it would traverse, being under 12,000, and Newmarket being the only town on the route. There is at present little or no traffic between the terminal towns, both of which will be amply supplied with railway accommoda tion by means of projects now before the Legislature, and which will bring them into connexion: Cambridge with Londen, Norwich, the north of England, and Scotland ; and Bury St. Edmund's with London, Norwich, and Ipswich. There are, no doubt, at certain times, a considerable number of persons repairing to Newmarket; but the (Toning of lines that would convey them to Cambridge would sufficiently answer their purpose. Newmarket has little or no trade, or other means of supportipg a railway, even of the cheapest construction. Under these circumstances, we can see no public reasons to lead us to recommend this extension line to the favourable consideration of Parliament. DARTFORD AND RUMFORD RAILWAY AND STEAM FERRY. This line would begin in the High street of Dartford, and it would proceed in nearly a direct course to the bank of the Thames, opposite to Purileet. The convey ance of the traffic across the river would be by means of a steam ferry, and from the Essex bank of the river the line would proceed in a direct course to the Eastern Counties Railway at Rumford. The entire length of railway to be constructed would be nine miles and ten chains. The construction would not be difficult nor expensive ; but there is no existing traffic between Dartford and Rumford, and no good reason has been adduced for sup posing that any such is likely to arise whereby a railway could be supported, and we are of opinion that there are no public grounds upon which Parliament can be called on to sanction this project. EREWASII VALLEY RAILWAY. This line of railway is intended to issue from the Long Eaton station of the Midland Railway Branch between Derby and Nottingham, and to pass with nearly a direct course up the valley of the Erewash, to join the Mansfield and Pinxton Railway, in the parish of Selstone. It is de signed principally for the accommodation of the numerous iron works and collieries situated in the district through which it passes, and to which as many as thirteen short branches are thrown out to the right and left in its course. The produce of these works has hitherto been conveyed to market by means of canals, which being sub- ject to the various disadvantages of being circuitous and tedious when in operation, and liable to frequent inter ruptions through floods or frosts in winter, and from de ficiency of water in summer, a more rapid and certain and at the same time a less expensive means of transport is sought through the construction of this railway. This scheme was brought forward in 1836 as a branch of the Midland Counties Railway, and was favourably reported on by a Committee of the House of Commons at that time, notwithstanding the opposition of the canal companies, who now again come forward against it. The statement of the promoters is, " that it was with drawn in consequence of expectations which have not been realised." The main line is Isi miles in length, and the total. extent of railway to be constructed, including the 13 branches, is 25 miles 67 chains. The works will be light, and the curves and gradients favourable on the main line, the steepest inclination being lin 200. On the branches the gradients are severe, being 1 in 32i,- lin 35, I in 50, 1 in 56, 1 in 76, and 1 in 97 ; but as. they all ascend from the main line to the works with which they are connected, and will be used for the con veyance downwards of coal and iron, there is but little objection to them. Many bridges will be required for crossing the river Erewash and the different canals. The statements of traffic brought forward lead us to believe that the railway will be adequately supported. Under these circumstances we feel called upon to state that we are not aware of any public reasons which should induce the Legislature to withhold its sanction from the scheme. THE EPPING RAILWAY. This line is projected in connexion with the London and Blackwall Railway. Its commencement is at the Stepney station of the railway, and its terminus at the town of Epping, the length of the line being 15 miles 29 of th the promoters London te r i m s i t n o u t s u r i n n to F chains. more eir e nch u P r c r fi t a T b hlo ae ° c l oe ct t s treet, by making it available for the convenience of the inhabitants of various populous villages lying of the City of London, Lay tor s',one east Wunstead, Woodford, Chicrwell, and Loughton, and who appear from the traffic traffic table furnished to have constsnt intercourse Lon don, The population of those places, added w added to that of Epping, amounts to 13,475 persons. The line would necessarily be very . costly. At its departure from the Blackwall Railway, proposed to carry it upon an arched viaduct 2,40 1t yards is in length —nearly 1 mile—at a heightvaryi • ne• from 18 to 33 feet, and this viaduct is to be followed by an embank ment miles long, averaging 18 feet in height, which embankment would, however, be saved by connecting the line with the Eastern Counties Railway, at the termination of the arched viaduct, provision for which is made in the plans lodged by the promoters. Should this connexion not be made, the line would run for a mile parallel with and close to the Eastern Counties Railway, which it then would cross obliquely, and on a level just beyond the spot where the Cambridge branch separates from the Eastern Counties line. With the exception of some heavy cuttings and embankments, which occur in the last 2i miles, the works are not otherwise expensive or objectionable. The experience of existing lines of railway connected with the same locality will not justify the hope of any adequate return for capital invested in so very costly an undertaking as this must necessarily be, if carried through on the plans now offered. The proposal to cross the Eastern Counties Railway diagonally, an a level close to a spot where the traffic will be the greatest, appears to be highly objectionable on the score of safety to the public, when no peculiar necessity can be shown for the ado p tion of such a course. The connexion of this railway with the Blackwall line, the latter being worked by means of stationa parts; ropes, and pulleys, whi . e the line to Epping volle °con worked by locomotive engines, appears .f to. it be not also siderable difficulty, and some delay, I attended with danger. The consideration of these various points has led us to the c onclusion that no adequate public advantage could result from the sanction of the scheme as now proposed,