The Sun. — London, England, 1845-07-14 00:00:00

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It is need iasi,,.epttaoinsay that the murder of Celonel Stoddart and Conolly has caused throughout the United ee. - "`gd'ina, nay, we might say the whole civilised world, F e at sorrow and regret. They were, to a certain extent, le ttegn e t s of England, and the former especially was recoru tieaned by the British Envey at the Court of Persia, in ke strongest terms, to the favourable consideration of her Government for his services in Persia and one a nioining countries. Partly on account of these re- P k talt lendations he ar e strcd to proceed to . Bulthara. e e ircumstances urged by the Reyieeer "lue nee which should Lave made Captain Grover th:hesitate before he asserted that fur a diplomatic r ss 'an, requiring cooleeee and self-command, a man metadapted to the pureeeo could not readily have been ei,et generally blamed, partly for We believe this assertion has been very its bad taste, and partly missions, after the servicee Colonel Studdart ;a various bo;sion,s, it was not considered well . founded. The article o n gnout is directed chiefly against Captain Grover'S a, which certainly does not meet with either favour or -"ereY- According to the writer, he gives us little accurate e auth Pahl' ntic inf orma ti on th a t h a d ne t b e f ire b een ma d e was respecting the two unfortunate men whose history so full of melancholy interest, nor does 113 enlighten or k i har gnorance on the social condition of the people of a, or anything else connected a ith the country or e ae ' 4 t e te, who has been guilty of such atrocious .. deeds. In th e attaches more blame to the British Government 0 44 the Ring of Bokhara for the untimely death of gtoddard told Conolly. We concur with the review, that Z C apt. Grover has not made out his case, and we are also of i P e ll tinn that both Lord Auckland, Lord Palmerston, and 1, Marquis of Clanricarde, th, n at the Court of St. thet.ersburgh, did everything that could he done to save _:3l‘ lives. But the Khan was beyond their reach, the ;ltastrophe at Caubul had excited his savage jealousy, td the defeat of the Caubul division had convinced him any he alight commit any indignity upon England and taY cruelty on B r i tish subjects with impunity. The ,2 f Il ion of D r. W o lff , too, is described as totally un tis''ed f or, as proofs of the murder of these nortunate men had been received of which there on e ld be no possible doubt. The folloa,g in extracts ei ll , e sePoints will be read with ainful intrest. It " necessary to state that Sir NA P Tilliam Ma e enaehten be Captain oorolly to preceed to Bukhara. a nd th • h bal at this mission had also ben solicited by the King Vi ctim for the purpose probably of setting another t: ;'"eln within his grasp. C'enelly accordingly proceeded that plaeriand h: f.'"• .4 by_ • I va ,'" was received with a show of friends'iip. A hone' a r , assi gned for his re s id ence b he guest of the al inl eer t and, accurding ihe custom •-f the country, a flail % N I /v as therfi.ire provided for his maintenance. On tl , e itiu.l\revernb,r, Col. St , cida,t took leave ef the Russia:- th e and went to reside - h his countryman. Towards Ck u b ° ,se of that month int. of the insurrection te of th of the slaughter of jrS Alexander nurnfis and many A:English, and the destructi.rn of the Eiigiish influence g a r ti ghani s t an, w as rce ived i:okhara. The intelligence fie: 'll , consiste nc y arid strength, aed seeitig- them cut off the sure -,, rrt. the Arneer h... 1 b•ith the British officers % c c in co»firrement en the 19th. Their servants and at pr an t ts were seized at the same time ; the whole their It g 7 e ; was painderial, ian envoy from Shah Shoojah lam al?0 arrested. Ak'i .i•dz itch Saleh Mahommed. who from Caubill as i Kf.iv.t. to jein Ca e t. Conolly at titr ed ar a , was seized and brim-Isom - 4d. and Ids property plun • The eff orts oft h e Russian minister were ineffectual t/qcrlire thei r lib erat i on ; and 11. Boutenidf finding that hitt i ,2 l l per had assumed a h itreet • and insolent tone towards F l ro>tii A 4 , lll that th e sa f e ty o f hi s party, too, might be corn h e L ed, tound it necessary to leave Bokhara in the spring. okettatest intellige 1 1 race that had been received from these 18 42 was a note from Col. Stoddart. dated the 11th reli ene All the information on the accuracy of which any _esta ean be placed, represents to have been put to S hemrde of the A ineer, by his chief executioner, ~ 4Tore than two months from that time. first a ut hen' ic intelligence if this event was commu lt,,o,,t to Col. Sheil by the Akhomizadch Saleh Mahommed, Akii!e narrative is dated the 23d November, 1842. The leased"dZadelt was at Bukhara at the time, having been re lit ef ,„ fr "ln prison only a few days before.was a person kit ? -"udential emplo . vin••nt h Capt. Cottony. Ha had " Pro r rt Oa f s (,), courage ail li ,l, lity. while employed to con he 1 0 I Z n eY to Capt. 'Abbot iVaiva, such as are rarely to 1 , 44 14J' n iong , t the peepl, , , of any nation. He had been veea,-"ed, chained, Om lered f all he possessed at Bokhara, * se e l s : n t . his connexion with the English. His narrative pf t ri , ti a i r and coi:sistent, an .1 ~ iire every internal evidence alo ' , which th ose w h o are accustomed to weigh the is se e h °r _ t estinu,ny, espec i a ll y o f A s i at i c test i mony. l oo k f or theni_.4 nar rative. Col. Shell, who bad percinally com irn'4ted with him, was conv i nce d o f hi s verac i ty . H e h a d ititelb,..aglnable motive to deceive. He was communicating ; nigh ep ee which he knew would cause pain, and which 111 7t41 1 4 ' 4 (e him less acceptable. He had claims upon the th e pr Government for the sufferings he had undergone, and t hat h o e sty he had lost in its service. He must have felt lie ve a would forfeit these claims if he should be found to det ee Pade a false statement, and that he might be liable to were ".oflaat any moment, if those whose death he reported hi s Carr al ive. The pe r f ec t accurac y o f th e ear li er p ar t o f and b at was confirmed by the testimony of Mr. Abbot, detai l the last letter received from Capt. Conolly, .which Prig oi ., h l the circumstances preceding and attending his Fn bilt C'nt- It is true h 3 had not witnessed the execution, re wil e had seen the graves; and he had received an account to ei e t t e b ,ad Passed from the executioner, who even t offered to eV 'Ter the heads of the two officers. It is no easy Ads te e ;'apartial men could well doubt that his testimony N. ktoi: .alrwtilethiestao :ding this strong evidence, Dr. Wolff's Th e Was reso'ved on. Our readers know the result. Luther is well timed, and furnishes a 1-34,,P.ete answer to the calumnies heaped by the t r LYites on that greet Reformer. The subjoined ex •CT show that only such a daring character could had any effect in pulling dcoitai the profligacy and ~,'nrainations which then prevailed throughout the `'athelic Church t 10 o n f ra t h a e n k w i h n o c le s fe t w b a n t h claims g alnofesLhave such on the rati . ioranttioners. thanks ; for whatever a 1 . system, have been owing far more to him than to herself.in ter have v e t n a k-"eonmplace owes him there are any two facts which history ettablishes. it is the desperate condition of the Church at the time Luther ap- Pear td, and the vanity of all hopes of a self-sought and volun _teary reformation. O n the firmer we need not dwell—for n.rie now deny it ; it appears not only on every page of con perut,ll?ar_:.ri history, but in all the foims - especially the more lust tt • the , 'env a l li terature N ever was a remar k more lit e ta n that of M r . Ham lla, that the greater part of the le,r:itture or the tnidd;e ages may be considered as artillery 'etitiost the clergy. iattile second gr it fact—the hopelet-sness of any effective h ea - Wal !el irni—history hives us in as little doubt. The I ) , ve 4 its' was the chief sea' of di.iease ; reformation must Until e e_: e l t r ain en "d where corruption was. most inveterate: nor, B ihl e great principles should he reclaimtd, anti the tt, tern eect its t ruths restored—a result necessarily fatal lira was r ele "neil was founded on th e i r pnrversion.. aed which 'e only i n their ;.tpnressiott eso retorni.dinn - Or pi:nil:m*l,l. cßhe successor of and luxurious Leo, le tlisi ' arst by the f.everity of his maimers, ind his due "sire t.ise e some sort or I . T.f ; diet his h 11:!: Ir eted "f %buses which lie wi-hed to be corrected, deli eniinoalh. at the diet of Nuremburg (and inconsistently AC.' 14fOrninle4 with loud calls for the vi , ilent suppression of the I jheV i l i ti "), was Heve.r forgiven by his own adherents. "e must arch,' said he, .stands ne. dof a reformation, but * lark ed tak ‘ e one step at a time.' Luther sarcastically re Permi t 'the Pope advises that a few centuries should be .1 4 to intervene between the first and second step.' , 41 1 7 in ce we In ay see the com parative futility of the small time. 'as e, Fpedient s of Erasmus. His satire, hitter as it was, d trusted against the heart of the AN stein—he waged 1e, 41 , 4 . 1113 rw ith the friars.e Not that we undervalue his la urt4l. " a Pioneer he was ii valua' , le. Nor, if we except Melanethon and Zwingle, do We know any man The hiVIY effected Si) much for thP ( . ::use it the Reformation. he Bt - r "' ) ltr-i of Lath and hit: tertnit.ated in one result ; eal tl p s, how ye er d'ff•rert.tiowed at list in one channel— ' 'hi Rh e oda r titi s mane prerrapido fluit Aralnue dubitan;quo fluctu , kat 4 7 11 are rite- deliberate views of the charecter, labours,.. at. VII of Luther.. We have been the . tn ore copious In 55 -count d ar h is et them, that we nay do what in us lies to ho 'NON, rn eulory, at a period when there is a large p . arty 44ska,ate P rotestants, who, not content with denying the 11:able benefits which he conferred upon mankind, have ! a t, i l l .. ta ri t t e;l o t f o speak of him with contempt and contumely. the sincecases to question the honesty of his motives and his religion I" Th e ~H'ADE'S LONDON REVIEW, 11-Number of this Review for the present month a nd e ,Y"lt, and contain s a grea t var i e ty o f i n t eres ti ng ells:4l4le matter. It opens with the introductory b itio n e P l „of a Gre e k c l ass i ca l romance , ent itl e d, "Am -4t the hero of which is Erostatus— . "Pirin g youth, who fired the Ephesian . dome." . 14 15 - ,;',, t ale, which is full of incident, and is written qVit, o le and classical style, is not unworthy the pen view — 7 Savage Landor himself. We have in a re lyest T o n t d ," Os „ borne's Guide to the Azores and the the a most instructive and amusing account s ' O yer varl Ous places visited by the packets of t he opt anl~ail Steam Packet Company, on their route "th,' borne. From an elaborate review of ekt ra 7 ll History of the Consulate and Empire," we „ the following passage trk e i o 44 Thier s is a man of quick parts and frequently sa !lot er,ll,l4i3oernments, but he is behind his time, sad does 3.ll4B.''Prehend it. It is not an age of enthus i asm or t Utilt i t " l' b ut of utilities, especially of the utilities that tion'inY material comforts, enjoyments, and conve pthkeierns. ier,rBl.li, i s not less the bent of nations than of .. European thrones were never so . exem j eets Y filled, by princes who are a model to their sub fall of ititent on advancing their enduring interests.. e n T i u ers of building iron fortresses. and barricading their sta tes they are seeking to open them, to connect to t h 4 e ii . Y the strongest tie of peace, the power to minister ‘Oti ' mutual wants. France herself is fast c de s k "ailing spirit, becoming commercial and industrial. with spite the little agitating demons, who, intoxicated u eir own tropes and rhetoric, try to divert her 'aar e race . ful arts. By conquest, she can reap no new or N_ twice she has overrun Europe ; and the empire it sz :Peleon was not les4 Ephemeral than that of Charle- Rio; ‘ e ' L he r o modern warfare there is little field for true Cauvis,"ar'dlY any scow. for heroism. It is a brute th e ( 1.4,er ; only disgusting, not inspiring. Ever sin ce ib, r 2V's of th e Ch evalii r ird, war has been becoming 8,1 a1 7 of the nature of a buttue, a mechanic al butchery on sts s : scale, by the united aid of balls, powder, and ar e wo The attacking column, by 'which most battles 44 e0 . 0, is a battering ram of human beings, almost as itiSt ' 4t e , with just as little power of volition, affording to rem little opening for the coward to flee, or the brave Thez, d istinction, as that ancient engine of destruction. i bis no f ascination, nothing fo : t h e i mag i nat i on i n and werti-out game of royalty ; it is a dull death's feast, i h m t ,en will soon begin to revert to its dismal horrors, ec tsi , ib il same revolting feelings that they looked back to da rk u "sm, human sacrificet., or other bloody rites of a ant Savage age." b e 6 0 , JULY 11.-11 e O n di ne came i n yesterday ctil' sh — ` 4o olllle, with 50 passengess, returning with about 30. To.. C al" in with 20, taking 1710 upwards of 40 and 3 carriages. TELF SITN, LONDON, MONDAY MORNING JULY 14 1845:- I?._t I vt AY CO3IMFITF_:I-.S. (SAT/ TIDAY.) Hi JJSE OF LORDS. 1 1761 E SCOTTISN I'aiDT.A.3XI73 On the re-assembling of the Committee this morning, evidence o substantiate the traffic tables, which were produced yesterday, was proceeded with. Mt. Watson, farmer, of Kellen, was first examined, and spoke generally as to the cattle and agricultural produce that passed along the line He was of opinion that the railway, it constructed, would be of great benefit to the farmers in the district. Mr. Smith, of Deanstewo, confirmed the statements which had been made of the traLlic to and from Strathmore. He expressed an opinion that in inarothAures water power was preferable to steam power. The wo-k was better done, the morals of the people were higher toiled, a d the workmen employed in the country manu factories, where water power was employed, generally lived longer than the workmen employed in town factories. Mr. Sidey, the Provost of Perth, stated the feeling of the inha bitants of Perth was generally in favour of the proposed railway. Mr. Guthr' , ., the Provost of Brechin, tendered similar evidence with respect to the opinion of the people of Brechin as to the rail way, and said that they dissatisfied with the present branch of the Aberdeen Railway. Mr. Jack, of Dunkeld, said he knew the course of the proposed line, and was satisfied, if it were made, it would afford considerable facilities for transmitting the traffic to tli: <. , uthward. Mr. F. Nelson, butcher in Glasgow, el , t red into the details of the cattle, and confirmed the correctrics , I the tables. Mr. Kerr, writer, at Dundee, and le 6 al adviser to the Scottish Midland Railway Company, explained to the Committee the com munications which had taken place between the Company and the opposing landed proprietors, consisting of the Duke of Athol, Lord Mansfield, Lord Willoughby D'Eresby, and Lady Keith. The object of the evidence was to show that the Railway Company had used every means in their power to induce the landed proprietors who were opposed to the formation of the line to fall in with their views. Mr. Errington, civil engineer, said that the Bill now before the Committee would form a link in the through communication that was now nearly established between London and Perth. He then described this course of the line, the particulars of which have already appeared in theiHouse of Commons' report, and stated that its passage through the estates of the opposing landowners, more especially in the valley of Strathmore, was:the best, in an engineering point of view, that could be adopted. The estates would not be materially injured by the passing of the line, as it interfered with very little ornamental property, and every facility would be afforded for free ways either over or under the railway. The line as at present laid out was a single one, but if the traffic hereafter permitted, it could be altered to a double line at very trifling comparative expense, as sufficient land had already been taken. The gauge would be assimilated with that of the London and Birmingham, so as to secure one uniform width of rail the entire distance from London to the north of Scotland. Mr. Locke, civil engineer, corroborated the previous testimony, and said the proposed 'ine would be a main link in the communi cation of a through line to Abcrdtei. Mr. Tasker described how it was intended to carry a line across a few public turnpike roads in the vicinity of Perth and Strathsay. Mr. Blackadder deposed to the value of the land to be taken for the purposesof the railway. He estimated the value of the land, including damages, at 32,242/. I7s. 6d. Their Lordships then adjourned till Monday at :eleven o'clock. Portsmouth. Now, the parties for whom he appeared, had certain portions of the I.ne to which they were especially entitled, and he contended that the line between Biggleswade and London was certainly open to objection, and on that principle he should assert his right to be heard in favour of the Northern and Eastern Company, especially when it was recollected that this Company hcd made the line which immediately led from the metropolis. The Committee on the Portsmouth had decided that three accesses should be given to that town. The whole of the evidence for the London and Yolk line had been received, and he thought that he was fully entitled to adduce evidence in favour of another line. He held, therefore, that the Committee were incompetent to come to anydecision which should invalidate any otherline—perhaps a better line—between the two termini. This decison could not be arrived at before they had the whole of the evidence before them. He had evidence to tender that would materially affect that 'deci sion, which would in fact show that another and a better line could be made to the north than that proposed by the London and York Company. Mr. HILDYARD wished to inquire whether the decision was only on the London and York, or on the access to the northern counties. He felt assured that where better means of communication were proffered, he was perfectly entitled to give evidence of the advan. tages which would be obtained by taking some other route. Mr. Hope slid that he had been waiting sixty days to be heard, and he hoped on the sixty-first day he should not be refused the opportunity of giving evidence on a portion of the line. The Committee then retired to consider whether this evidence should be received, and, after some time, declared that they could not at present give any decision, and they would therefore go on with the traffic evidence on the Tottenham and Farringdon-street line. Levett, a measurer connected with Bow-street Police.office, testified to the facility which would be afforded by the Farringdon street station, and asserted that Belgrave-square would be de cidedly nearer by that station than by one by the King's. cross sta tion. Portman square would be about the same distance. With respect to Grosvenor-square there would be but little difference, but the facilities for communication to all the bridges by the Farring. don-street station would be the greatest. Mr. Berke, a miller, having the largest mills in London, stated that he ground 600 quarters a week, and that his mills being situated just beyond Blackwall on the Thames, were most con veniently situated for the reception of corn by water. They had a considerable quantity of corn from Lincolnshire, partly for mix ing, but a good deal was used alone. In consequence of contrary winds last winter, they had been kept out of corn for six weeks. By the use of the Farringdon.street station they wou'd save the metage. That station was situated in a large con. miming district, indeed the most populous district in London. There were more bakers' shops in it than in any other district. The cartage from the former to the port was 6d. a quarter, loading 2d. a quarter. Other expenses were pretty much the same as on other merchandise, Allowing Is. for merchants, profits, 3d. for insurance, and id. for metage, the whole expenses amounted to about sd. a quarter. The expenses might be stated at 1/. Is. 6d. a ton, and there would be a saving of at least 3s. 6d, a ton by this station. The total charge including freight, was 1/. I 9s. sp. The usual charge for car riage was Bd. a quarter, and having the option of the Farringdon street station and the Thames Junction station, he should certainly use the former. The saving. suppose the price by rail and the freight were the same, would be 10d. a quarter, and without taking time into consideration, he should certainly use the rail. The whole saving by rail would be 17s. 6d. a ton. With respect to time and certainty the advantages were immense, for now they were obliged to keep large stocks, and in considera tion of delay there was this difference, that corn would be sold at Mark-lane at oae month's credit, instead of at two months, as was now the case. The western districts had greatly interfered with the form of the existence of the railway. There had been a large crop in the neighbourhood of Reading, and it was only by going down into the district that they had been able to nullify that competition. A considerable quantity of wheat went from Lincolnshire into the western districts, though not through London. To the cross-examination of Mr. PAGE; the witness stated that even if they did the work themselves, the dealers would have to pay the 4d. a quarter, and the advantages he said were so great, that though his mills were on the river, he should use it. He expected to bring back the corn by the back carriage of those waggons which nelivered the flour at the bakers' shops in the north district of London. His connexion comprised an area of 14 miles, and though the Shoreditch station might be useful for the imme diate neighbourhood, and a good deal of wheat would he brought there, yet the Farringdon-street station was by far the best; and though there were other good stations, the Shoreditch and the Far. ringdon street must continue to be the best. Mr, Lane testified to the positions of the distilleries, but he could not say whether the whole of them were rectifying houses and distilleries, or how many should be considered as one or the other, To the cross-examination of Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM the witness stated that they only claimed a portion of the traffic on the old coach line. Five miles and a half was the distance which he claimed, and certified the table which had been put in. They assumed that the whole of the omnibus traffic would produce upwards of 21,0601. including Tottenham, Edmonton, andall the places within a tew miles, and considered that the passengers ought to be taken as through passengers. Indeed, he considered that all the omnibuses would cease. The passengers even now went nut of their way, and, therefore, it was evident that when they could save three miles they would prefer the railway. Cheshunt would be just the same distance, and of course the time consumed would be reduced by the superiority of the speed. The omnibus fare is now Is. but he could not say exactly what the railroad fare would be. He supposed at Is. 3d., the distance being ten miles, or perhaps eleven. For the latter distance the fare 'will be ls. 4P., but the time now occupied was three quarters of an hour, while by rail it would only be fifteen minutes. Assuming the charge to be the same as by the Eastern Counties, there would still be a saving of four miles. He had formed his calculation on the assumption that the saving would be three miles on the nearest side of Cheshunt. He had taken all the omnibuses from Enfield, which was half a mile from the railroad, and further off than Cheshunt. He was not prepared to say that either Bishops gate street or the Exchange were nearer to Farringdon-street thau to the Shoreditch station. In fact, the reverse was the case. Southgate was a considerable distance from the railway, but he thought not so much as four miles. The present charge was 6d. by omnibus, but when the railway was made, the passengers would have to pay the two fares instead of one. From Enfield they claimed 7,000/. a year, conceiving that all the passengers who went along the track of the omnibus would go by the railway. From Stamford Hill they claimed 4,2001. a year. To the CHAIRMAN, the witness replied that the distance from the point of separation was about five miles. To Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM, Mr. Law stated that the number of journeys by omnibus was 1,874, taking the actual journeys made last year. There would be a station between Kingsland-road and Newington. There were 4,000 passengers from Newington, and 11,670 from the neighbourhood of Kingsland-road. The schedule for goods was made on the basis of the Cambridge and Lincoln calculations, and of course open to the same objection as had been alleged against that line. The rates were the same 3d. a ton, the tariff and the calculations being identical. The charge for grain was to be lid. per ton ; the quan tity carried would be 65,000 tons. He had got this information f r om Mr. Ruston, the metage clerk of Mark-lane. He assumed that 35,000 beasts and 287,000 sheep would come to the Farring don.street station during the year, considering that half the cattle would come to the station and half would be left at Isling. ton. He had put in, however, additional cattle from Nor folk and South Lincolnshire, amounting to 27,000 head of cattle and above 3 00,000 sheep during the year. Claims credit for 575,000 sheep altogether. On an average there would be 1,500 beasts a m eweek, theli pa ss en gers the 12,000 sheep carried by the railway. He tookall u assert that they had the power to compel them to do so. In f ac t, h shasee'd ngers from Shoreditch, though he would not traffic of every kind, and added 50 per cent- to it. The goods were d ou bl ed. es In the re - examination of Mr. Webster the witness stated that he anticipated that the peculiar facilities of the line would bring all the passengers upon it. The private traffic was certainly very great, and on a comparison with the traffic on the Greenwich line, he thought his calculation was reasonable. The receipts of the Greenwich Company during the first six months of the present year were 1,0441. per week, the total being 54,296/. 19s. 4d., while for this railway he only took 21,5781., notwithstanding that this railway had no river compe tition, went through a more populous district, and would be the termination of several hundred miles of railway. The Committee then adjourned till twelve on Monday. - - - PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House to COnlfneniq FRIDAY, JUNE 11. POOR-LAW AMENDMENT (SCOTLAND) MILL. Order for Committee read; Motion m.:de, and Question proposed, " That Mr, Speaker do now leave the Chair :"—Amendment pro. posed, to leave out from the word " That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words, " this House will upon this day three months resolve itself into the said Committee," instead thereof:— Question put, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question." The House divided : -- ---" • MAJORITY —AYES, 90. Aclancl, Sir T. D. Davies, David - A. S. Lincoln, Earl Arbuthnott, 11. Dickinson, F. h. Lockhart, William Ashley, Lord Dodd, George Lowther, Sir J. 11. Baillie, Colonel Douglas, Sir C. Lygon, General Baillie, 11. J. Duncan, Viscount MacKenzie, T. Baldwin. Barry Duncombe, A. Mackenzie, W. F. Balfour, J. M. Fitzroy, Henry M'Neill, Dincan Baring, W. B. Fremantle, Sir T. Milnes, R. M. Barrington, Viscount Fuller, A. E. Mundy, E. M. Bennett, Philip Gaskell, J. M. Nichol', John Blackhurne, J. I. Gladstone, W. E. Pahner, Robert Boldero, H. G. Gladstone, Captain Peel, Sir Robert Borthwick, Peter Gordon, Captain Peel, Jonathan Bottleld, Beriah Gore, Montague Pringle, Alexander Bowes, John Goulburn, H. Pusey, Philip Bramston, T. W. Graham, Sir J. Scrope G. P. Broadwood, Henry Greene, Thomas Smith, T. It. C. Brotherton, Joseph Hamilton, George A. Smollett, Alexander Bruce, Lord E. Hampden, Renn Somerset, Lord G. Bruges, W. H. L. Harcourt, G. G. Stuart, Lord J. Buckley, Edmund Hawes, B. Sutton, H. M. Buller, Sir J. Y. Henley, J. W. Thesiger, Sir F. Campbell, Sir Hugh Herbert, Sidney Wakley, T. Cardwell, Edward Hodgson, F. Walsh, Sir J. B. Clerk, Sir G. Hogg, J. W Wawn, J. T. Codrington, Sir W. Hope, Sir John Wellesley, lord7C. Colebroolie, Sir T. Hope, Charles Williams, William Corry, H enr y Houldsworth, T. Wortley, John S. Courtenay, Lord Hughes, W. B. TELLERS. Craig, W. G. Hussey, Ambrose Young, John Darby, George Jermyn, Earl Lennox, Lord A. MINORITY-NOES, 38. Dennistoun, J. M`Taggart, Sir J. Acton, Colonel Duff, James Morris, David Archbold,Robert Duncan, George Morrison, James Baine, Walter Dun combe, Thomas O'Connell, M. J. Pechell, ' Bannerman, A. Dundas, Admiral Captain Barnard, E. G. pandas, Frederick Rashleigh, William Bernard, Viscount Ellice, Edward Somerville, Sir W. Blake, M. J. Bouverie, E. P. E s monde, Sir Thos. Stewart, P. M. Browne, W. Ewart, William Villiers, Charles Clements, Viscount F o rster, Matthew Yorke, Henry R. Colborne, W. R. Grogan, Edward H a milton, Lord C. TELLERS. Cole, 11. A. Collett, John H as tie, Archibald Ross, D. R. Curteis, 11. L. Hume, Joseph R awdon, Col. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. FRIDAY, JULY fl The following Bills were read a third time and passed : Guildford, Chichester, and Portsmouth Railway. Glasgow, Barrhead,and Neilston Direct Railway. Brighton and Chichester Railway (Portsmouth Extension). Direct London and Portsmouth Railway. The South Eastern Raiiway , ( Wide n i ng and Extension of the London and Greenwich Railway) t ill was referred to the Select Committee on Sta ndin g Orders. Standing Orders Committee,—Resolution reported ; " That, in the case of the Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston Direct Railway Bill, ame ndments o n third reading, i the amendment to clause 19, may be ad o pt e d by the Hotse they shall think fit; but th at the am endment to strike House, if out clause 20 ought not to be adopted by the House at that stage." Report to lie on the table. Standing Ordersßevision, Select Co mmittee appointed, "to consider whether any and what alterations in the Stand ing Orders of the House respecting private Bills, th e expe rience of the present session may .show to b e d es i ra b le :" Lord Granville Somerset, Mr. kstcourt, Sir George Grey, Sir George Clerk, Mr. Labou chere, Mr. Greene, Si r J o h n Yarde Buller, Mr. Wilson Patten, Mr. Aglionby Mr. Ewart, Sir Robert Ferguson, Mr. Pendarves, , Mr. Loch, Mr. Pa kington, and Mr. Pringle ower to send for persons, papers, and records; five to be the quorum. REPORT FROM TIIE SELECT COMMITTEE ON GROUP (A) OF RAILWAYS. LONDON AND CROYDON (CHATHAM TO GRAVES END) RAILWAY BILL. Mr. Lascelles reported from the Select Committee on G rou p A of railways, to whom several petitions against the Bills comprised in the said group, together with the report of the Board of Trade thereon, were referred, that in the case of the London and Croydon (Chatham to Gravesend) Railway Bill, they had heard counsel in support of several of the said petitions, and had also heard counsel in favour of the Bill, and that they had examined the allegations contained in the preamble of the Bill, but the same had not been proved to their satisfaction. COMMITTEE ON PRIVATE BILLS APPOINTED BY THE COMMITTEE OF SELECTION. RAILWAYS. Select Committee on Group ZZ. Sir John Walsh (Radnorshire), discharged from attendance on the Committee. Mr.,Thomas S. Duncombe.(yinsburv), selected, and added to the Committee, vice Sir John Walsh. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL OFFICE. Great North of England (Clarence and Hartlepool June • tion) Railway,—Lords' amendments to be considered, Mon day, July 14. Liverpool and Manchester Railway,—Lords' amendments to be considered, Monday, July 14. South Eastern Railway (Tunbridge to Tunbridge Wells), —Third reading, Monday, July 14. Monmouth and Hereford Railway,—Third reading, Mon day, July 14. South Wales Railway, —Third reading, Monday, July 14. Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings Railway (Hastings, Rye, and Ashford Extension),—Report, Monday. July 14. Launceston and South Devon Railway.—Consideration of report, Tuesday, July 15. South Devon Railway,—Consideration of report, Tuesday, July 15. London and Croydon Railway Enlargement,—Committee on re-committed Bill, Monday:July 14, at twelve. THE SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY AND THE BOARD 01? ORDNANCE. The following is the report of the Select Committee ap pointed to inquire into the allegations of the petition of the South-Eastern Railway Company relative to the conduct of Mr. Hignett, solicitor of the Board of Ordnance, and Captain Boldero and Mr. Bonham. Several letters and extracts of evidence, included in the report., we are obliged to postpone, but indeed they are not very material, as the report itself embodies the substance of them. The Committee consisted of Mr. Hawes, Mr. Sheridan, Mr. Roebuck, Lord Worsley, Mr.Hayter, Mr. Tancred, Mr. T. Duncombe, Lord Ashley, Mr. Pakington, Mr. W. Patten, Mr. Vernon, Mr. T. Egerton, Sir R. H. Inglis, Mr. Liddell, and Sir C. Douglas. After giving the petition at length, and Mr. Hignett's letter to Mr. Whitehead, which has already appeared in The Sun, and which led to the investigation, the report thus pro ceeds : From this petition it appears to your Committee that the allega tions or charges made by the South-Eastern Railway Company are these : The first is a charge made directly against Mr. Hignett, the so licitor to the Board of Ordnance, that he had written a letter to the secretary of that Company on the 3d of February last, suggest.. ing that shares in the South-Eastern Railway Company should be sent under cover, marked " private," to two members of the Board of Ordnance, Mr. Bonham and Captain Boldero ; and further, that he had solicited similar shares for himself from that Company, and had offered to tell the parties interested " whom to call to give evi dence" calculated " greatly" to assist the promoters of the Bill then before Parliament, on behalf of that Company. The second charge is made, though indirectly, against the Board of Ordnance, and is to this effect : That the petitioners had "reason to apprehend that undue in fluence may have been used by the solicitor of the Board of Ord. nance :n favour of the London, Chatham, and North Kent Rail way, to the prejudice of the petitioners," that the "interests of their proprietary and the public may have been compromised by the corrupt influence of the said J. Hignett at the said Board of Ordnance; or that the documents bearing the signature of the said J. Hignett may not have had the proper and full consideration and sanction of the said Board of Ordnance." The petitioners, therefore, prayed the House "t 0 institute an inquiry into the circumstances of the case, and into the bona fides, and expediency of the arrangements between the London, Chat ham, and North Kest Railway and her Majesty's Board of Ord nance on beha:f of the public service." In reference to the first charge, your Committee examined Mr. John Whitehead, Who was for several years, and until the 27th of February last, the Secretary to the Company, and to whom the letter of the 3d of February last, referred to in the petition, was addressed; Mr. John Peter Fearon, who is the solicitor to the Company, and who has held that office from the period of the for. mation of the Company to the present time ; and Mr. Hignett himself. Mr. Hignett admitted that he had written and sent to Mr. Whitehead the letter in question of the 3d of February. He considered it a private and confidential communication, but ac knowledged that he understood that its contents were to be corn. municated to one or more leading directors, and that it could only be acted upon with the full knowledge of the directors. Though, however, Mr. Hignett admitted that he had written the letter referred to, he declared to your Committee that when he wrote it he had no authority to use the name of either Mr. Bonham or Captain Boldero, that " he had no conversation whatever with those gentlemen upon the subject," and that he used their names considering that it would " give weight to" his application for the shares he was soliciting from the Company. Mr. Hignett further declared that the statement that he had spoken to Mr. Bonham was " untrue," and that the presumption intended to be raised by this use of the names of influential members of the Board, that the demands of the Company on the Board might be assisted by the course suggested by the letter, was without foundation, as " they had not the power to further the objects of the South-Eastern Com pany," the questions at issue being deemed of a purely military nature, and the decision upon such questions resting solely with the Master-Generalising' not with the Board. Your Committee also gather from the evidence, that Mr. Hignett h.td frequently corresponded privately with the secretary of the South-Eastern Company, who states that "the general character of the correspondence was suggesting to the South-Eastern Company the course which they should take in order to bring their project under the notice of the Board of Ordnance, with the view of secur. ing their assent to it;" that it "all had reference to the South. Eastern North Kent of Line Railway and the other North Kent Line." (Here are inserted letters, showing the general character of the cor. respondence of Mr. Hignett with the Company.) These letters, addressed from time to time to the secretaries of the Company by Mr. Hignett, were, it appears, handed over to their solicitor, Mr. Fearon. But other letters of an earlier date, having reference to shares, Mr. Whitehead states, were afterwards disposed of, and were placed in the hands of Mr. M`Gregor of Liverpool, one of the Direc. tors of the Company. It appears in evidence that Mr. Hignett had frequently speculated in the shares of the South. Eastern Railway Company. During the last two years, or thereabouts, he states that he has had forty or fifty transactions in the shares of that Company, and that in the autumn of 1844 he was the proprietor of seventy shares in the Com pany, which he had bought as a speculation and not as a permanent investment; but that he parted with all his shares in this Company in December of that year. In his character of a proprietor of the South-Eastern Railway Company, Mr. Hignett was entitled, it would appear, to a certain number of shares in a French northern line of railway, and that eight shares were consequently allotted to him, which he received as a matter of right, and not as a favour. This transaction is re ferred by Mr. Hignett to some time about the end of the year 1894. But there seems to have been a subsequent transaction between Mr. Hignett, Mr. Whitehead, and one of the Directors of the South-Eastern Railway Company, and which, as detailed in the evidence, assumes a questionable character. Subsequently to the 3d of February, 1845, Mr. Hignett states that he had business to do with Mr. Whitehead, and that at an interview with that gen tleman Mr. Whitehead said, " Mr. Hignett, I have these shares to hand to you ;" " but," Mr. Hignett adds, " nothing further passed between us as to the shares." In the course of his explanation of this transaction, Mr. Hignett adds, "We had been discussing about some difficulty that occurred to their line, and just as he was going away he said that he had those shares to hand to me." Upon being asked whether these shares, being 40 shares in the French Northern line, included the eight shares to which he was entitled of right, he replied, " No, they were distinct. I dare say they were Mr. M`Gregor's shares which you allude to, but I did not receive them from Mr. M'Gregor." This conversation, your Committee may add, has reference to a statement previously made, that the 40 shares in question were part of a number allotted to Mr. M`Gregor, one of the Directors of the South-Eastern Railway Company, who afterwards, at the suggestion of the then secretary, gave them to Mr. Hignett, in the hope of thus obtaining thebenetit of that gentleman's influence. Upon pressing the examination further upon this point, it was admitted by Mr. Hignett, that the 40 shares se handed to him by Mr. Whitehead were accepted by him from the South-Eastern Railway Company "as a matter of favour, and not as a matter of right." It also appeared that these shares were then at a premium of from I/. to 2/. per share, and that they were given to Mr. Hig_ nett at par, on his paying the deposit of 41. At a later period Mr. Hignett appears to have purchased shares on speculation on his own account, as well as on account of a mem. ber of the Board of Ordnance, Captain Boldero, in the North Kent line, the line then competing with the South-Eastern North Kent line before the Select Committee, and in several other companies. The first of these transactions is dated the 7th of March, 1845, when Mr. Hignett purchased 100 shares for Captain Boldero, which he subsequently sold for the account of, and with the knowledge of, that gentleman. On the 15th of April Mr. Hignett again pur. chased 145 shares in the same line, 70 of which were for Captain Boldero, 25 for a friend of his, and the remainder for Mr. Hignett himself; and on the 19th of June Mr. Hignett bought 50 shares for himself, at 2/. premium, and which he held at the period of givini his evidence. The last-mentioned were all scrip transac tions, and meant not for investment, but for speculation. It also appears that Mr. Hignett speculated to a considerable extent in the shares of other lines, both French and English. He states, how ever, that in reference to the lines the proceedings as to which he was required officially to watch, excepting those of the South- Eastern and North Kent Companies, neither he nor any friend of his, nor any member of the Board of Ordnance, nor any acquaint ance of his, had held any shares whatever. Independently of the transactions thus specifically referred to, it appears by the correspondence to which your Committee have already directed attention, that Mr. Hignett, a few days after he had become a purchaser of 145 shares in the North Kent line, suggested a compromise between the South-Eastern Company and the party advocating the North Kent, a competing line, and offered to become the agent of this compromise or amalgamation of inte rests. He proposed to the secretary of the South-Eastern Rail way Company, if he were authorised, " to communicate with their opponents upon that subject privately, and let him know what the answer was, stipulating that whatever passed should be private and confidential." Mr. Hignett states that he did not think such a proceeding inconsistent with his public duty; but that he volun. teered his mediation, to relieve the Board of Ordnance from the applications of both parties. He states that he expected neither shares nor other compensa tion on becoming the arbitrator between the rival companies, but to act only as the mutual friend of the parties. . _ _ Mr. Hignett also states that in his letters to the South. Eastern Railway Company, offering advice, assistance, and support, he was actuated only by a desire to promote an important public work, and that he had " never afforded them any assistance except in a regular way." He admits, however, that if he " had been inimi cal to the line he might have hung back, and have hampered them with delay," but " that he did not do so ;" that "he always transccted the business with as much alacrity as he could," and even " went out of his way to do so." Upon reviewing this portion of the evidence, it clearly appears that ➢lr. Hignett was a considerable speculator in the shares of one of the competing lines then before a Committee of this House, and which immediately affected property placed under the charge of the Board of Ordnance, and the proceedings as to which it was his duty, as a public officer, to watch, in order to protect the interests of the public; and also that he entered into private and confiden tial communications with both of the parties promoting these lines before the Committee, without the knowledge of the Board of Ordnance, of which he was the paid servant and legal adviser. With reference to the second charge, your Committee proceeded to examine Mr. Bonham and Captain Boldero, in consequence of the use made of their names in Mr. Hignett's letter to the Secre. tary of the South-Eastern Railway Company. of the 3d of Fe. bruary last. It was the wish of your Committee that each of these gentlemen should, before his examination, have had in his hands a complete copy of the previous evidence; more especially in the case of Mr. Bonham, as it had been stated in the evidence, that on the passing of the Bill in 1836, a sum of 3001. had been paid to Mr. Bonham. as a remuneration for the " general support he had given the Bill in Parhament," Mr. Bonham being at that period a Member of the House of Commons; and, as it appears by the records of the House (to which your Committee have referred), also a member of the Commit, c upon that Bill. Commits, e, and voted. Mr. B, sham, however, declined to avail himself of the advantage which yot tr Committee wesa desirous lie should have, and signified his wish t o be examined, and to snake an explanation to the Com mittee Wit bout delay. On your "Committee proceeding I.rith his examination accordingly, he denied that Mr. Hignett was in any way authorised to use his name as it . had bean used in the letter set Orth in his petition. Mr. Bonham regularly attended the It appear further, from the testimony of Mr. Bonham himself, that he lick l and still holds shares in the Non fla _Kent Company. No evict( nee was called or tendered on behalf of the London and Chatham N crth Kent Railway Company. Your Co aimittee having given this summary c,a* evidence which was brough ft before them, proceed to state to the douse th e con clusions to which they have come, both with refc7ence to the charges cot stained in the p et iti on o f the South-Easternßailway Company, a ad to the conduct of the parties implicated in the arans_ actions disci pied in the evidence now presented to the House. Your Cot aretittee feel it to be their duty, in the first instance, tea state that an Ali ing which has transpired leads them to suppose that the decision of the Master-General upon any of the questions brought bei tar e him by the parties promoting either the South_ Eastern Norrei Kent, or the London, Chatham, and Kent lines of railway, were influenced by any other than strictly public con siderations. Nor has your Committee any reason to suppose that any act of the Board of Ordnance was affected or influenced by the conduct of Mr. Hignett ; however well calculated that conduct was to suggest the t uspicions expressed in the petition of the South- Eastern Railway Company. Tour Committee entertain no doubt that the decisions of the Master-General and the acts of the Boars/ of Ordnance, in reference to these r ailway Companies, were the result alone of a desire to pro tect public interests, and to afford consistently with them a reason able and proper accomfiralation to the public its the districts through which it was proposaki that these ran/ways should pass. But they are of opinion that thtatlghout these transactions Mr. Hignett corruptly used the influence of his official station for the furtherance of his private pecuniary interests, and has thereby ren dered himself unworthy of confidence as a public officer. Your Committee, upon the evidence befora them, cannot enter tain a doubt that the paragraphs in Mr. Hignett's letter of the 3d of February, 1845, which refer to Captaan Boldero and Mr. Bon ham are :altogether false. But your Committee find that Captain Boldero and Mr. Bonham have trafficked in the sharesof a railway company, the progress of whose Bill depended upon the consent of a public Board, of which, at the time, they were members; and they are of opinion that such transactions are inconsistent with the maintenance of that strict impartiality of conduct upon all public questions which is to be expected from every servant of the Crown, and are calculated to impair the confidence of the public in the integrity of members of Government departments. Your Committee feel the greatest regret in being obliged to direct the attention of the House to a circumstance which has been disclosed in the course of this investigation, viz., that Mr. Bonham received from the South-Eastern Railway Company in the year 1836, at which time he was a Member of the House of Commons, the sum of 3001. This sum appears to have arisen from the premium upon the sale of 100 reserved shares, which were sub sequently to the passing of the Bill appropriated to Mr. Bonham, and disposed of for his benefit, and was paid by a cheque to Mr. Bonham through Mr. Wray, as a gratuity for the services which he had rendered to that Company, both in and out of Parliament, and as a member of the Committee on the South-Eastern Railway Company's Bill. But the Committee are bound, in justice to Mr. Bonham, to add that they received no evidence to show that such gratuity was the result of any previous arrangement between Mr. Bonham and the Company. Your Committee cannot abstain from expressing their opinion, that the part taken by Mr. Wray, the Receiver-General of Police, is deserving of serious animadversion. Your Committee also feel bound strongly to condemn the con duct of all those parties in connexion with the South-Eastern Rail. way Company who participated in the transactions of the years 1836 and 1845, referred to in the evidence, as being in the opinion of your Committee highly reprehensible. Your Committee feel it to be their duty also to call the atten tion of the House to the practice of canvassing disclosed in the evidence. It appears to your Committee to be a practice de grading to both parties, the party canvassing and the party can vassed, and to be calculated ultimately to destroy all respect for the decisions of the House, especially in the case of private Bills. Its obvious tendency is to cause these decisions to be regarded rather as the result of personal solicitation and private influence, than that of an honest and impartial regard for the Interests of the public. The following letters, some of which are embodied in the petition of the Southern Eastern Counties Company's pe tition, and others in the report, with tke examination of other parties implicated, will enable the reader to judge more cor rectly of the whole bearings of the charge : The humble petition of the south-Eastern Railway Company • under their common seal, Humbly showeth, That your petitioners were incorporated by Act of Parlia ment for the formation and maintenance of a line of railway bet•:;een the metropolis and Dover, and that branches there from to various towns within the county of Kent have since been constructed ; and that the said public undertaking, with the works in progress, and those to which the proceedings now before Parliament on behalf of the said company relate, in volves a capital of six millions sterling. That your petitioners introduced various Bills into your Honourable House in the present session for certain extensions of the said railway, one of which said proposed extensions from Hungerford-bridge to Childham, reported for non-com pliance of standing orders, is now a project in Group A of your Honourable House. That an opposing company, called "the London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway Company," has now a Bill before the said Committee, Group A, intituled, "a Bill for making a Rail way from London to Canterbury, with Branches therefrom." That your petitioners have been opposing the said London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway Bill in the said Committee 22 days to the present day inclusive; and by counsel, agents, and witnesses, at great cost, have been promoting their own competing line, in opposition to the said other projected railway. That in the course of the evidence of your petitioners be fore the said Committee, difficulties were proved to exist:in the London, Chatham. and North Kent Railway scheme, by rea son of certain objections to the levels and stations in the vicinity of Woolwich. That those facts were supported, on behalf of your peti tioners, by the evidence of the Right lion. Lord Bloomfield, commandant of the artillery at Woolwich, and other artillery and engineer officers, who stated that the passing of the said North Kent line, as proposed, could not be carried out con sistently with the public safety and the maintenance of that branch of the public service. That the said difficulty raised against the North Kent by this evidence was met by the production of a letter, signed by Mr. Hignett, the solicitor to the said Board of Ordnance, stating the assent to the said railway plan by the said Board of Ordnance. That the following documents in relation thereto are ex tracts from the minutes of evidence before the said Committee, Group A:— " Office of Ordnance, Jan. 20, 1845. " Sir,—The Master-General and Board of Ordnance having bad under consideration your notice No. as to the Ord nance property at Woolwich, Chatham, and Sheerness, affected by the proposed London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway, I am directed to communicate to you thereon as follows : " (Woolwich. )—lf the line of railway be adopted, the Mas ter-General and Board consider it to be quite indispensable that it shall be tunnelled throughout the whole extent of its course through the Ordnance property at this place; and fur ther, that no station be placed so near to the Ordnance boun dary at either end so as to afford a pretext, or create a tempta tion, to persons going to or coming from the station to cross or trespass in any manner upon the Ordnance property. " (Chatham. )—ln the proposed Bill a clause should be in troduced, requiring the railway to pass through the Ordnance property on a plan approved by the Master-General and Board, the details of which should be prepared in this department, showing the manner in which the work must be executed, so as to prevent injury to the defences of the place. " Sheerness. )—The Master-General and Board cannot sanction the line of railway at this place, an embankment in the Ordnance property being objectionable. Subject to these exceptions, the plaster-General and Board assent to the under taking, so far as this property at the above stations is concerned. " I am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, "R. BYHAM. " Wm. Stephens, Esq. (North Kent Railway), 30, Bedford-row." " June 9, 1545. " Sir,—l am instructed by the Provisional Committee of the London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway Company to trans mit to you, for the purpose of being laid before the Master- General and Board of Ordnance, and for their approval and sanction, a map of their proposed line of railway, extending from Blackheath to the further side of Plumstead-com mon. On the map the line of railway is coloured Wile, the proposed stations are also coloured blue, and the boundaries of the Ordnance property at Woolwich and Charlton (so far as the same are known to the Company's engineer) are marked by a red shade. The station for the accommodation of Wool wich is proposed to be placed on the west side of Woolwich common, and the approach thereto from the town of Woolwich is proposed to be made along the road called Sandy-hill, and which is coloured yellow on the plan. " As the house belonging to the Ordnance, and usually occupied by the Adjutant-General of the Royal Artillery, and also the field in the occupation of the officer com manding the engineers at Woolwich, must unavoidably be greatly interfered with, it is proposed, at the Company's ex pense, to re-build a suitable mansion in such a situation as the Master-General and Board of Ordnance may select, and also so to construct the line of railway as to make the least possible severance in the commanding engineer's field, and, if required, to purchase proper ground, and at the Com pany's expense, in any other other convenient situation. It is most respectfully submitted to the Master-General and Board of Ordnance that the station for Woolwich will thus be placed in a position to allow of no excuse for trespassing on the Ord nance property, while the situation is as far removed as possible from the boundary of the Ordnance grounds so as to leave the Company any chance of profit for their outlay in constructing the railway. The plan also shows the nearest station to the westward of Woolwich-common, which will be situated at Kidbrook-lane, between Morden College, and the inn called The Sun in the Sands,' which it is hoped may be considered by the Master-General and Board of Ordnance as a position which will not at all tend to occasion any trespass on the Ord nance property. " I beg to add that the several portions of the commanding engineer's field would have afforded a more desirable station for the public and the Company ; but, in order to conform to the views of the Master-General, it has been proposed to place the eastward station at Sandy-hill.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, " J. Hignett, Esq., &c." WILLIAM STEPHENS, " Office of Ordnance, Pall-mall, June 10, 1545. " beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated the 9th inst., with its accompanying plan, showing the proposed line of the North Kent Railway, from Blackheath to the fur ther side of Plumstead-common, and the sites of two intended stations, one to the westward of Woolwich-common, at Kid brook-lane, between Morden College and the inn called The Sun in the Sands,' and the other to the eastward, at the west end of Plumstead ; and, having submitted your letter and plan to the Master-General and Board of Ordnance, I am directed to inform you that they assent to your proposition. The Mas ter-General and the Board consider that those-stations will be sufficiently remote from the outward limits of the Ordnance property, not to afford a pretext to persons going to, or coming therefrom, to cross or trespass upon the Ordnanc e p ro p er t y . " It is, of course, to be understood that the tunnelling will be executed to the satisfaction of this Board, as already agreed between the department and the Company, and that I am to prepare clauses for insertion in the Bill, to secure the due exe cution of the works assented to by the Master-General of the Board. " On this understanding I have, on their behalf, to express their assent to the Bill.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your must obedient humble servant, " " J. HIGNETT, soli c it or , O r d nance. "Mr. W. Stephens. " Office of Ordnate, June 10, 1845."` Sir,—The Master-General and Board of Ordnance, being o f opinion that the two stations for the London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway, marked on the plan furnished by you, viz., that to the westward at Kidbrook-lane, between Morden College and the inn called' The Sun in the Sands,' and that to the eastward at the west end of Plurnstead-common, having the approach to it from Woolwich along the road called Sandy hill, will both be auflciently remote from the outward limit of the Ordna nce p roperty not to afford a pretext, or oct. 0 temptation for persons going to, or coming from, those a ' arsons to cross cross or tre s p ass i n any manner upon the Ordnance p for perty, lam commanded to communicate the same to you, • the information of the London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway Company.-1 am, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, " R. BYHAM. " 'Mr. W. Stephens, 30, Bedford -row." " Office of Ordnance, June 24, 1845. " Sir,—With reference to the correspondence which has passed between the Board of Ordnance and the North Kent Railway Company, as to the formation of a tunnel or covered way across Woolwich-common in the manner required by the Master-General and Board, I beg to state that I have prepared, and transmit herewith, a clause for insertion in the Bill, in the event of its being adopted by the Committee, providing that the tunnel and other railway works at that spot are to be executed to the satisfaction of the Board of Ordnance. I am directed to ioid that the company are not to vary the level of the railway Ly Fairing the same ; but that the Master-General and Board cooseot to any necessary deviation of the level of the railway ba lowet3ng the same, or any part of the Ordnance property at Woolwimh• common, to such an extent below the level of the railway as ahtotitt in the deposited section thereof, beyond the extent allowed by the General Railway Act, as may be neces sary to give sufficien'' headway throughout for ventilation or otherwise, as may be rOuired, or as may be pointed out by the Board of Trade or the Inspector-General of Railways.—l am, Sir, your most obedient serval;!, "J. HIGSE TT, solicitor, Ordnance._ " W. Stephens, Esq., solicitor, " London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway." That your petitioners hare reason to apprehend that undue influence may have been used by the solicitor of the Board of Ordnance in favour of the said London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway to the prejudice of yeur petitioners. That your petitioners, under these circumstances, felt it in cumbent upon them to lay before the Committee, Group A, z totter addressed in February last to a late secretary of their company from John Hignett, the solicitor of the said Board of Ordnance, and which letter is as follows : " Office of Ordnance, February 3,184 k. $' My dear Sir,--I will thank you to let me have some tickets of admission to the meeting at the City of London Tavern on Thursday next. "I think you should not overlook Captain Ikldero (a member of this Board) in your allocation of the forthcoming shares ; you can address them to him at this office, and mark it private.' " I spoke to Mr. Bonham on the same point, but he feels some difficulty, as there is to be an opposition in Parliament to your lines. " You can send some shares to him or not, as you pleas'', and mark your letter private,' and state that you do so at my suggestion. Whatever you intend for me you will also please to mark private.: ." Sir J. Goldsmid is, I hear, still bent on a vigorous opposi.• tint: ; but, I have little doubt, if you are firm, that you will succeed. " There is to be a meeting at Greenwich to oppose you; but Mr. Forman (son of the late Colonel Forman), who is interested largely in: respect of some houses, the principal ones in the place, on his owl,: family's account, and also fur trustees, will not concur in their views, but quite the reverse. He is my assistant.—Yours, faithfully, "J. HIGNETT." " When you get before the Committee of the Commons, I will tell you whom to attend to give evidence for you. It will help you greatly. "J. Whitehead, Esq." That, under the above circumstances, your petitioners feel that the interests of their proprietary and the public may have been compromised by the corrupt influence of the said John Hignett at the said Board of Ordnance, or that the documents bearing the signature of the said John Hignett may not have had the proper or full consideration and sanction of the said Board of Ordnance. That such corrupt conduct in a public servant of the Crown is nut only injurious to the interests of your petitioners, but derogatory to the honour and integrity of public authorities. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your Honour able House will institute an inquiry into the circumstances of the case, and into the bona fides and expediency of the said arrangements between the said London, Chatham, and North Kent Railway and her Majesty's Board of Ordnance on behalf of the public service. And your petitioners will ever pray, &c. The letter set forth in the petition is the most remorkablee among those laid before the Committee ; but they consider the following letters worthy of especial notice, as displaying, in a striking manner, the general character of the correspondence which Mr. Hignett allowed himself to carry on with successive secretaries of the South-Eastern Railway Company : COPY ADDRESSED TO MR. WIIITEHICAD (" Private.) " March 3, 1845. My dear Sir—l thank you for your note. I think the Com pany have played their cards badly. Mr. Fearon is very talented and zealous, but he cannot know so well as I do the feeling which prevails at Greenwich and Woolwich. I think I could have prevented the petition from Greenwich against you, and which will be so powerful ; it is now too late I fear. I gave you a hint, but as it did not appear to meet with accept. ance, I could not press a matter of that delicacy and importances further. I could, however, satisfy you that I could have saved you all trouble at Greenwich, your starting point. If you like to let Captain O'Brien know this, and it be not too late, you may do so privately. I saw that gentleman on Friday; he ap peared to be aware of my friendly views, but he cannot know what I can state and do, unless I have an invitation and assur ance of confidence. I have great personal interest at Green wich and Woolwich, and also at Rochester and Gravesend, and with the well known great personal desire I have always felt, and shown to serve the South-Eastern line, it is inconceivable why I was not looked to for assistance. There is no delicacy as far as my friend, Mr. Fearon, is concerned, because I should not, and, indeed, cannot act professionally in this or any case. My help would have been entirely from influence at my own control. —Yours very faithfully, " J. HIGNETT," COPT ADDRESSED TO (;ATTAIN O'BRIEN. (" Private.) " March 3, 1845. Dear Sir,—l was about to forward the inclosed note to Mr. Whitehead, but, on reflection, it occurs to me that he may possibly have left you on unfriendly terms, therefore I deem it most prudent to eubmit it to )ou, and perhaps ou had better use it promptly. At all events, I will let you know what I think I can do, and you can then judge for yourself. This, however, I am quite convinced of, that if I had been consulted early and in confidence, I could have rendered assistance of valuable importance. I could have stopped the Greenwich op position, and that would have removed from the Crown an ez cuse for refusing compliance with your wish to pass through or under the Greenwich Park 1 3 ra.y understand that I submit this to you entirely in confidence.—Yours faithfully, J. HIdNE TT." ADDRESSED TO CAPTAIN O'BRIEN. " Office of Ordnance, March I, 1845. " Dear Sir,—l have just been informed that Mr. Goldamid stated yesterday to an influential friend of mine, that if the Committee on Private Bills should express any opinion in favour of your line he will withdraw frem the contest, and give you no further trouble. I can vouch for ae accuracy of this statement, and I thought you would like to know.—ln haste, yours faithfully, " J. HIGNETT. "P. S.—l am concerned to find that }cm a:e thwarted by this Beard at Chatham." COPY OF CAPTAIN O'BRIEN'S ANSWER. " (Private.) "March 7. "My Dear Sir,— I am sorry that an unusual amount of business has prevented me from sooner answering your note of the 3d. I immediately gave to Mr. Whitehead your letter, and lam glad to be able to assure you that he leaves the Com pany on very amicable and friendly terms. I begged him to explain to you, if he happened to see you, that the Directors are aware of your friendly disposition towards the South. Eastern Railway, and that they feel much obliged to you for such sup port as you could give to these schemes of great public utility. Any information which you see no objection to give to me I shall be most happy to communicate to the Board; and I need hardly assure you that tie are glad of any help in this great un dertaking. Believe me, my dear Sir, very faithfully yours, " W. O'BRIEN." And the following, subsequently addressed to Captain O'Brien:— " (Private.) " Office of Ordnance, April 18, 1845. " Dear Sir,—lt has been hinted to me this morning that now is the time for a compromise between your Company and the North Kent party. I have heard that the Committee on Standing Orders will decide for the latter, but the Chairman waits to give you time for an arrangement. I have no doubt about the emu aey of my information, and have only forborne to write to or see you on the subject, that I might not be trou bloome. As I have said before, if I can he of any use, I shall be most happy in affording any assistance in my power. " Yours faithfully, HIGNETT. " Addressed to Captain O'Brien," &c. " Office of Ordnance, April 28, 1845. " Dear Sir,-1 forgot to tell you in my letter of this morn ing, that we have received an overture from Mi. Moneypenny, on behalf of the Hvstings, Rye, and Tenterden Railway Com pany, for the purchase of the Royal Military Canal from Hithe to Cliff, in Sussex. We shall let them have it.—Yours, faithfully, " Addressed to Captain O'Brien," &c. ‘, J. HIGNETT. " June 26, 1845. " Dear Sir,—Mr. Fearon has just written to tell me that be means this morning to produce a letter of mine to Mr. White head, dated 3d of February last, before the Committee. I have no copies of any letters I wrote to Mr. Whitehead ; but in the strictest confidence I certainly wrote both to him and yourself. I protest against this most unfair and unwarrantable breach of confidence, which I am quite sure you will not sanction, nor would any of the Directors.—" Yours, faithfully, " J. HIGNETT. " Addressed Captain O'Brien, &c.—lmmediate." In reference to the payment of 300/. for Mr. Bonharn's ser vices in passing the South-Eastern Railway Company's Bill, through Parliament, already alluded to, his statement is at follows -- ' In the early part of the session of 1836, Mr. Wray, to whom I was under particular obligations (it is not necessary to state them with any explicitness), came to me and said, 4 I am very much interested in the success of the South-Eastern Railway, and I wish you would give us a lift; and I want your advice upon some points.' I said, My dear Wray, I owe very great obligations to you, and will do any thing in my power to serve you.' He said, I should be very much obliged to you if you would.' And, upon that, I have not the least hesitation in stating that I did all I could indi vidually to assist Mr. Wray in the object he had in view ; that is, in plain terms, I did what I could to assist him in passing that Bill, both in and out of Parliament. Mr. Wray never held out to me one word, nor did any conversation ever take place, as to any advantage of any k ind or sort that I was t o de rive from it. I considered it a great personal advantage. I mean personal, with reference to the debt of gratitude that I owed him. I considered it a great pleasure to myself to do what I could for him. There were some questions upon the French lines where I gave them some advice, I w,ll not say assistance, because they were able to assist themselves. I never had any communication in any way with any of the members of the South-Eastern Railway Committee. 1 never had from then p directly or indirectly, any offer of any personal advantage to myself to be derived from it. After that bill was passed, Mr. Wray came to me and stated that the South-Eastern Railway Company felt that I had been of use to them, great use to them, I think he said, and that they bad kept a quantity of reserved shares, which had not been disputed of, and that they had determined to appropriate one hundred shares for my benefit. Mr. Wray said, I know it will not be convenient for you to hold these shares,' meaning, of course, what I do not deny, that lam not a rich man. ' I will hold them for you, and I think I can derive some advantage from them ;' and Mr. Wray, I think, about three weeks afterwards (he will be able to tell you better,) came to me and said, I have been able to make 300/. of those shares, which I will give you.' From be ginning to end, so far as I know of the transaction, I have no hesitation in stating that this is the whole of the transaction. It is nine years ago, and I had very much forgotten it • my impression was, the other day, that I had not received the 300/. but that, in point of fact, as I owed Mr. Wray money, Mr. Wray had received the 300%. for my benefit, liquidating the debt. That was my impression ; but the day before yesterday, when I stated this to Mr. Wray, he said, ' You are wrong, depend upon it; I gave you the money, either in a cheque or money.' And I said, " If you did, 1 have not the least recollection; but as I never meant to suppose for a moment that I had not had the benefit of it in some way, you are much more likely to know than I am, and, THE HORTICULTURAL SOC. lET Y. The t ird aed la t tote for the pres, se .-on of the Roy a. H ult-nitu al S ,ciety t. , ok Place eq S.onrclay. The show of fl wars, and exotic pia .ts ‘N.hich wes of a character of the v , ry highest excellence, tack as usual, in ihe grounds of the soc+•ty, but. in addri , n to this, his Grace the Duke of Dev , rn,hiri'. with his usual urbanity and good feeling, admitted the company into the grounds of his residence at Chiswick, which join immediately the Horticultural Society's (:,ardens at Turnham-green. Thus the fete was celebrated in both places, and the visitors had an extensive and beautiful range of promenade. The weather was favourable, al though not so bright as we could have wi.hed. The heavy rains of :est week have been of grew adwaita,:e to the turf, which is now m .st luxuriantly verdant ; and th, tres and shrubs exhibit the fill f and uno said to have arriv d at th , , p-rlection of th , .;r appear ante. The co'epony consisted of many thons:ods of people of rank. fashi- in, youth, and beauty, and though not so numerou , as in the fete of June, all that clAss who are to I . )t m-t at places of pelic amusrnent crud fashionah;e resort. The show of fruits was superb—indeed. such as nothing but the scientific knowledge and industry of English gardmcrs, hacked by a lavish yet j udicious expense of money, could produce, and such a one as can be met with in no other country than England. _ . The grapes, pines. pe,:ches, and nectarines were mag nificent ; the result of a perfect system of horticulture, and improved experience in its application. The roses were very fine, exhibiting every variety of the flower, and each in the highest perfection. The cape heaths, a class of flowers, or plants, of comparatively recent intro duction into this country, were also admirable. The clusters of flower, and the delicacy of the tints displayed, kept the eye unwearied with gazing, and continually pre sented fresh beauties. Amongst the rarer plants, for which medals were given, were some very extra ordinary tropical productions, new to this country, but made deniz"ns of our conservatories by cul tivation and strict attention to their physiology. These rare exotics of the Continent of South America are of extreme curicsity. Their forms are elegant, their colours vivid and gorgeous—such as to surpass anything that we have been accustomed to inspect. Altogether, this show was one of great interest, and will not be for gotten by the lovers of fleeiculture f ‘r• some time. The fetes this year ha- e been very well managed. Great praise is due to the Committ-e fA. their arringements ; to Dr. Lindley, for his attention to the wi.hes ..f the Fel lows and the exhibitors ; to the excellent m•inner and improved principle on a•Lieh the trargnees and tents hive been erected by Mr. El,-;ntor .0' the Pr.Ju - rh, by which acommodation and shade has been Given to theusar,cl• of people, and al' danger from wind and weather prevented; and to th-se by whom the , sfrexlr.nents he: n son ofied. W , can say with [rut:, Ti,at the fat th 7, eve he , n bst'er manage.] than in an : fo ro^r c , ;.. and •ve take le ve of :he gardens until neat =tiring with re r.-t. We had almost forgotten to rn.:itio!l that the wands of the Grenadier Go , rds, of dm Coldstream :nit-Is, end of the Royal Artillery, were :71 at.teed a ace, snd on this ~ee ',ion, as on tite t- , firmer tatea :ions, ontritatted very materially to the pleasures of the rneetlng. REFOIIM IN THE doLsE OF L' 'RDS. Al , st persons who have p:id any tiv,entioi , t. , priweed- My:- in the Upper House of Parlianomt must have been struck wi. h the mole in wi,;ch the:t are von onducted. Si'.'. Peers speak ten times on the sam , -object as a matter of c u , se. Their Lurdship , indeed em to claim eKemption from the getwral rules which rtguldte ev-ry rely rative asemlilt. from the tiwise ~£ Commons to the lowest debarin•r , dub in an the h- uge. A scene occurred last week in the Lord=, whiA will af ford a rerroirka ,, le proof of the fart. Lord Broml . ham in a speech on the railway department of the Board or Trade, had made some allusions to Mr. flud-on,,when Lord FEVERSFIA.3I said that Mr. HMI on, who was present. and had heard Lord Brougham's sp,ech, bed enthori%ed h'm to se' thet it was incorrect to say that he interfered with the Committee. Lord BROUGHAM observi.d that the only sovereign entith-d to he pre,fnt at thcir debates was h-r Mt j: TI),- railway potentate ha ' r.o riuht to he there. The Did of nyvoN ohj,,,t,d to the Noble Lord's re peatedly speaking on the satn motion. "The Noble and Learned Lord," said he, "has made six or seven 5,p.-eches on this subject, which is a larger number than he ought. to have indulg ,, d in. I shill not., however, follow his Lard BnotrGnem—T beer to tell t!ie Noble Earl that I shall speak as often as I please, without consider ing, the wishes of the Noble Earl, who is not compelled to listen to me. When he was sitting at this table come time since (as Clerk of Parliament). he was compelled to listen ; he is not so cow ; but I shall exercise my right of speaking whether the Noble Lord chooses to listen or not. The Earl of DEVON—My Lords, I shall not comment ❑pon the good taste—(Hear, hear)—and the personal feeling which have prompted the Noble Lord to make the observations which yr.ur Lordships have just heard. I do not know whether it be a well-merited observation, but as the Noble and Learned Lord has now avowedly and openly put himself in a position of defiance of this House, it becomes necessary to consider what are the rules and orders of the House upon this subject, and I tell the Noble and Learned Lord that, although he tells us, in the strong language he is accustomed to use, that he will speak in this House as often as he likes, when he does again speak twice or thrice on the same question, contrary to the rules of this House, I shall call upon your Lordships to vindicate aid enforce these rules. Lord BROUGHAM—I hope there will be equitable justice extended to all, on both sides of the House.-- (Hear, hear.) I never rise frequtntly unless other Noble Lords do. We hope this scene will he followed by the lif-st re sults, and that the Earl of I) , von eni Lorr' nr•tigharn will lay their heads to t e:ether and ~: , ! ablibh som;;thirg like order in their LordAips' CONTINENTAL RAILROADS.—In few parts of Evrore does there appear more activity in the const - uction of railroads than in the Sardinian States. In a very short tiror the !int., which will run from Genoa to Switzerland, through Lombardy and to Fr.nce, and that uhich will connect Turin Chambery, will he finished. The Swiss Government has acquie,ced in the request of that of Bavaria for permission to continue a railroad across the cantons of Schaffhausen, Zurich, and Thurgovia, to the Lake of Constance. Tll E OLDEST SOLDIER. OF THY: RUSFT (le ARMY Iwan Saporsschsky died at Kertsch, at the latter end of May; he was born in 1725, the year of the death of Peter the Great, en.. tered the army in the beginning of the reign of El , zabetlt, served under the celebrated Russian Generals Rumianzor, Po'emkin, and Suwarnff; remained 18 years a prisoner sm tg the Turks, and ultim itely settled in Crimea, where he died. r . r. .1v - nts o'' ).1 , las PJ<. w find the remarkable announcement that there may be had " airy bed tones for a g ntleman twenty-two feet long ny fourteen feet wide." The bed-room ..ught, indeed, to be airy to accommo date a gentleman of these dimensions.—Punch. FIRE IN IVttOD S rft EF,T CITY —0 ,4 Saturday at two o'clock, a fire, attended with a considerable loss of valuable property, broke out uron the premises occupied conjointly by V. Giary and Co., French glove importers; J Bennett, wholesale milliner; and Banbury and Peters, ribbon manufacturers, situate in Wood.street, Cheapside, two doors north of Lad-lane. The fire was got under by three o'clock, but the damage to the premises and the stock is considerable. PLYMOUTti, JULY 10. The Yirwoffian corvette Ornen (Aug Eagle), of 211 guns, Captain Gronn, put into the Sound yesterday afternoon, being on a cruise from Christiana. Late in the evening his Danish Majesty's frigate Galatea, of 42 guns, Captain Steinball, put into this pert in consequence of con. trary winds. She is bound to China, to endeavour to effect a treaty of commerce with the Celestial Empire. At eight o'clock this morning an exchange of salutes took place The salute consisted of a round of 21 guns from each ship, the citadel, and 17 from her Majesty's ship Caledonia. The report of the guns called out a great number of persons who imagined that the experimental fleet had arrived from Spithead_ DINNER To MR. BRITTON, F.S.A.—At a dinner given on the 7th inst., at Richmond, to the above veteran antiquary and topographer, the Chairman, in proposing his health, sail, " Mr. Britton was not ashamed to have it known that he was of humble origin, and that he had not bad the advantages of education in his youth ; but he had been both the builder and the architect of his own for tunes, and by unwearied industry and perseverance he had succeeded, in spite of every disadvantage, in producing those works which had placed him in his present position. By a paper which he then held in his hand, he found that the number of those volumes was 65; besides numerous—almost innumerable—essays; that they comprised no less than 17,122 pages; and such of them as had ever attempted to write even 20 pages would be able to appreciate the labour. The engravings in Mr. Brit ton's works were 1,866, and their beauty and accuracy were well known; and to come to a matter which he, as a commercial man, might be Supposed to know more about, the money expended in these productions amounted to the enormous sum of 50,328/. And all of these, it should be re membered, were essentially useful and instructive. That day was Mr. Britton's birth-day; on that day he entered upon MI 75th year; and his whole life had been actively and in dustriously spent. —The Builder. MORE BLACK DOINGS ON THE TURP.—The atten tion of the Jockey Club is, we understand, next week to be devoted to an investigation of a charge against a person well known at Newmarket of having endeavoured by a bribe to induce a tradesman in aft same town to poison Idas, previous to that horse starting for the Derby. It would seem that a certain deleterious poWder was given to the hopeful agent, which he was to induce a boy in the stable to mix with the horse's corn before he quitted Newmarket for Epsom. The agent's heart, however, failed at the last pinch, and he did not carry out his fell intent ; and now, having quarrelled with his principal, in consequence of his not paying him at least a portion of the bribe, has "split," and disclosed some correspondence bearing on the siihject. The powder was shown to a respectable innkeeper in the town, but whether any of it hay been preserved we have nor ascertained. The circumstances will be rigidly inquired into, end we suppose we shallhave further " warnings off the Turf." THE BRITISH MUSEUM.—Mr. J. Doubleday has at length completed his labours upon the Portland vase. Mr. Doubleday has accomplished his undertaking in so masterly a man ner, that it would defy even the most critical to discover where the vase had been Injured. We believe it is the intention of the authorities of the Museum, in order to preserve the vase from fu• ure attacks, to keep it in a separate apartment, accessible only by tickets. THE IRON TRADE.—It is antirip-ted that no alteration will be made in the prices of Iron at the ensuing quer. terly meeting of the trade. It is difficult, in the existing state of the •iron market, to judge how far prices are likely to remain as at present. The demand continues very dull, and stocks must be accumulating. The present price of bar iron is nominally 101. at the works, but many sales have been effected at much lo.ver prices. The hopes of the trade rest very much on the demand which is expected for railway iron. Although it will fall far short of what was once most sanguinely looked for, and be spread over a much longer period, we have every reason to believe it will maintain prices at their present rate. It is very desirable for the manufacturing interest of this town and neighbourhood that a steady price should be maintained ; and the present rates, we be. neve, if fully obtained, would be remunerative to the iron manu facturer, and in no degree injurious to the export trade of tide its. trict. The stocks of pig iron in Scotland are unusually large, and prices extremely fluctuating, the markets being principally in the bands of opt Culators.—Birrnmghans Times. CORNWALL Ii.A.S.TAATAY. This Committee met at eleven o'clock in the Lord Chancellor's Court, the Earl of Ellenborough in the chair. The first witness examined was Mr. Hawkeshaw, an engineer, who deposed that he considered the projected line perfectly practi. cable, and that the working of it would be quite free from danger or difficulty. He thought they could very well travel at the average r .te of thirty miles an hour. The gradients on the branch line from Manchester to Oldham were, some of them, as bad as one in 39, yet they travelled wenty.three miles an hour on it, including stoppages. . . Cross-examined—lt would require more vigilance in the direc tion of the engines to guard against accidents on a curving uneven line than on a level and direct line, but, with an ordinary degree of ♦igilance, accidents might be easily guarded against. Counsel then asked witness if there was not danger of trains running into the railway station, and so causing immense detri. went, and frequently loss of life, when the curves and gradients were bad ? Witness replied that such accidents had occurred, but it did not arise either from the curves or the gradients. The surplus mo mentum which an inclined plane would occasion was easily stopped, and such accidents could only arise from extreme care lessuess. They might happen on a level line as well as on an un even one. Mr. Vignolles, an engineer, who was next examined, concurred in the view taken of the lion by the last witness, and thought, if properly carriesi our, there would be no danger of accident. In answer to noestion from the CHAIRMAN, witness said that the expense of working locomotive lines had greatly decreased within the last fr•w years. Four or five years ago the expenses were from 4s. to ss. per mile. On part of the line the ruling gra dient was I in 60. Mr. Sergeant KINGLAKE—What do you mean by the ruling gradient ? Witness—The prevailing maximum gradient. Mr. William Henry Bond, an officer, who resided at Falmouth, stated that he had been secretary to the Cornwall Railway in 1844, and took a great interest in it. Witness went on to describe the advantages which he thought would result from the projected line in point of traffic. Mr. Brunel, the eminent engineer, was next called. Surveyed the line, and thought there was nntliing in it to prevent its being worked with safety and convenience. There were worse curves and gradients on other lines. The Great Western Com pany, of which he was the engineer, would be large contributors towards carrying out this scheme. The gradients were in many cases steep and the curves rather sharp, but horn his experience an average speed of thirty miles an hour for the mail train, and twelve miles for the goods' train might be maintained along the whole line with perfect safety and convenience. Cross-examined—Did you view the proposed line ? Mr. Brune —I did. Mr. Rowz—Did you walk over the line itself? Mr. Brunel— No. Mr. Rowe—Then you only took a general view, and only speak as far as you know ? Mr. Brunel—Of course I can only speak as far as I know, but counsel are generally under a very erroneous opinion, for they think, in order to see a line, you must actually walk upon it. Now, that is just the way not to see it at all ; the way to see a line is to view it from eminences in the neighbour. hood of it. Lord Vivian said he wished to explain, in consequence of a statement which had appeared, he had withdrawn his opposition to the Bill, but his sentiments regarding it remained unaltered. Some other evidence of an unimportant character was given, and their Lordships adjourned al Four o'clock. LIVERPOOL AND BURY RAILWAY. The Committee appointed on this Bill met in the Rolls' Cour this morning, at eleven, Lord Clanricarde in the chair. Mr. Thomson, civil engineer, was called—He stated that the terOb of the line from Liverpool to Bolton was twenty-five miles, art an additional five miles to Bury would make a total of thirty miles. There was a branch to Ormskirk, and another shorter one—making altogether thirty-four miles. The gra (hoots were not in the least objectionable, the most unfavou. r.thle being 1 in 90, for a distance of three.and-a-half miles, and 1 in 97 for four miles. The estimate for construction was 911,7821. 17s. sd. It was intended to connect the line with the Liverpool docks, at present in course of construction, and thus facilitate the coal traffic from the pits to the vessels lying there. Messrs. Hawkeshaw and Forsyth, civil engineers, were called to corroborate the evidence of the first witness, and the Committee then adjourned till eleven on Monday. HOUSE OF 0 %IMONS. GEOUP A. The ;:om.rittee me: this morning at the early hour of eleven o'clock, and according to agre, ment, the case on the part of the promoters of the MINSTER. AND DEAL LINE. was about to be opened by Mr. ALEXANDER, when Mr. Sergeant WRANGIIAM, on the part of the North Kent Com. psmy, applied for permission to appear on the part of that Corn. pane, to oppose a part of the preamble of the Bill, on the ground that the Company had a competing project for next session. The Committee refused to admit the argument of Mr. Sergeant Wrangham, as the North Kent Company had actually ceased to exist. Mr. ALEXANDER then addressed the Committee on the part of the promoters of the line, and called Mr. C. Kingsmill, the Mayor of the town of Deal, Mr. Richard, a resident at Deal, and other witnesses spoke to the advantages to be expected from such a railway commuhication as this line would afford. Mr. Kean, a resident at the town of Sandwich, was then called, and gave evidence in favour of the line, which he said would give great accommodation to, and therefore confer great benefit on, the people of Sandwich. Mr. Iloaria, on the part of the corporation of Sandwich (who have the toils of a ferry on the river Stour, over which river th.s line will pl,s) was about to cross.examine the witness, when Mr. ALEXANDER said that his friend, Mr. Horne, had no locus standi before the Committee. Mr. Hoarea contended that the railway would convey passengers to the same spot with which the ferry communicated, and therefore that it would injure the ferry. The Learned Counsel argued the point at great length, but after a few words from Mr. ALEXANDER, who contended that this line would not injure the ferry, and that even if it did his Learned Friend, Mr. Horne, would have no right to appear before the Committee, The CHAIRMAN said that the opinion of the Committee was that Mr. Home had no locus :Sandi, and therefore could not appear in opposition to the Bill. Mr. W. Lee, Solicitor, at Sandwich, gave evidence in favour of the line. Mr. Coxhead, coach proprietor at Sandwich, and Mr. Crump and Mr. Slaner, residents at Ramsgate, corroborated the evidence of the previous witnesses, and spoke to the advantage to the people of Ramsgate to be expected from this line. Mr. George Stephenson gave engineering evidence as to the pro posed line. The length of the line was 8 miles 7i furlongs. The line, as originally proposed, would be 10 miles, but the omission of the extension to Walsall, reduced the length to the amount stated. The cuttings and embankments were very slight, as the country through which the line passed was nearly level the whole way. The line crossed the river Stour about a mile and a half from Minster. The river would be crossed by a swing bridge of 40 feet span. The line would cross eight public roads on a level, but these roads had but very little traffic. The expense of the whole line was estimated at 157,000/. for the Minster and Deal branch, and 30,0001. far the Margate Extension, making together 167,000/., which included land and stations. The steepest gradient on the line was lin 264. There was no curve with a smaller radius than a quarter of a mile. Cross-examined by Mr. HILL (on the part of some opposing land owners)—The estimates were for a double line. It was intended to lay down only a single line of rails in the first instance, but it might be necessary to have a double line at some future time. Mr. Cubitt gave evidence of no public interest as to the proposed Margate Extension. Mr. Clutton, land.valuer, said that the value of the land which would be taken by the Company for the line was 24,0001. Mr. Thomas Armstrong produced tables of the available traffic of this line. The total amount of traffic expected would be 6,5921. I Is. 6d., which left a net revenue of 3,9551. 10a 10d. The CHAIRMAN observed, that by the request of a Member, who had business to transact in the country, the Committee would ad. journ to Wednesday. Mr. ALEXANDER said that there really was no bona fide opposi tion to the line, and he thought the case could be easily concluded, if the Committee would meet for an hour on Monday. After some discussion, the Committee adjourned to twelve o'clock on Wednesday. GROUP X. TORII. LINES. The Committee met this morning at twelve o'clock, Lord Cour tenay in the chair. Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM contended that the notices tendered yesterday to Mr. Webster were not sufficiently specific to justify the opposition which had been made to the London and York line That at the Greenwood.lane, Ross, and at Robery Common, might serve the purpose of the promoters, but the others were far too vague to justify the objections legally, and he was quite satisfied that they could not be sustained. Mr. AUSTIN, on behalf of the Eastern Counties Company, contended that there was a defect in the evidence which could not now be- obviated. The precedent established in th e Portsmouth group held is this case. The report of the Board of Trade was to be taken into account, and though that decision was not to be binding, yet, notwithstanding that decision, the Columittei had detour ;ncd th• IMMO to the town of ' l 4