The Sun. — London, England, 1845-05-26 00:00:00

I i t ' to l' e 10,X1 ,idea Do rpbe. po' of , 01 4 i t OP A not be so p ro fi table, the passengers and agricultural produce to be , r carti f bei ng considerabl y l ess. beenrnmittee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock. Group W. WAREFIELD, PO NTEFRACT, AND GOOLE RAILWAY. The Committee met to-d ay at twelve o'clock, the c h air. Mr. Pakington in The first witness called was kr. Joseph Stevenson who was examined by Mr. WILK'Ns—He na ted that he lived at' Darlington, and was . engineer of the Great North I tif England Railway. Had examined the estimates the 1-1.• Harris, the engineer of the proposed line, and Pri ces for the different works were, in his opinion, quite uo a jnrile for the due com detism of the works. He had at present t lines before P arliament. The Great North of England (Richmond b ranch) an and the Great North of England (Harrogate Ripon tit I° In the estimates of both these lines the prices were ß lo i w o , n r hi.sii these of the proposed line. In the Harrogate and . Ilse the cost per mile Was 12,.001. The facilities which Ripon - 7, would afford for carriage would be very great. ' m In 0 3' life K.,, estimates placed before hi . hi, jut . owLus—Had all the Bap. ' es—Had a 601 b. weight of rail was quite sufficient. In the i _ .l 0 no., gate and Ripon Junction, on which he was at present en_ ;,.'-u, there WaS an additional weight of 51b. to the rail—thought ''lti better than 60Ib. ta_.o Y 114,1 Sri -Moue—It was usual to raise railways by laying on not t e ll t h e cost o f t h e G rea t th e " pr o f England Railway. Was not twice as much as that ivas of a Sinatnefee: e it l e Pn i r ne ed , line ' Thought it about 11. ss. per yard. Did Ile merely examined . Mr. Harris's estimates. the ~„, into any other calculation. He thought the estimate of o''''' l a nd Thirsk li ne a very inadequate one. UN Witness KINGLAISR being about t o c on ti nue the examination of on The co behalf o f t h e promoters, any, u „ sl sot said th a t h e di d not consider it necessary to h ear h i r her am evi dence on the se d e t a il s. had bee J. Thor nton was next exam i ne d—Li ve d near WakefieW i Had con tracts wirith.eon:ltactor. for public works for 18 years. l i asse s th . the Midland Company, at the point where this line London err s—also executed seven and a half miles d of the Tha t _ ° and Birmingham line and others. Had eaa i e ltely i nt _ „ e the estimates, and examined every detail. Had hi n s 2,:" the whole line and some parts of it twice, and had made sad this the assistance of two others, an estimate of the cost, for th e 4 estimate agreed with Mr. Harris's. He had contracted Or h ad Whole line. The estimate was 202,2001., exclusive Which arenaa permanent way, materials, and contingencie , cat.. 185 eferred to in Mr. Harris's r„, ed that this -erily, „ Is amount would complete the works . Was th em , i he bad not thought so be would not have contracted for works satisfac. ready to be had at Present on the spot 200 waggons, and 400 more be Conv eyed there. Was pledged.• to a bond to %replete th to enter into 1 1 , e works on exam event of the Bill passing. fo r w r o • t'kiisoarnton, crossined by Mr. Kreowtes—Had works on contractedthe Prop osed liatean amount considerably less than for the sea s Per va , d , 0 the London and Birmingham . th li e ne he had got s e , '" I s , Gel ' dtzira:tedattio;Arb,a, a ll g a a st in , and on the present line the estimated cost . •neg naoti, a Yard, On the Midland Railway he had , received d Is. 3d. Th e co :Y of ballast was calculated at 190,537 . suggested the propriety 3 of ar a . b s t . r e i o d o g l i d ng to t i ll id is , 8 8 he co nee i' v ' t He did not see to what good purl sh 4 that the duty of the Committee in wl . i ld be chiefly advantamose etinsideration as to which of the two lines was most Messrs, b u t t e , the public interests. 504 depose t "arn a nd Holt, land valuers, were next examined,. The "e t Per ac e ~ the value of the land on the proposed line. 1,5001. Per Mile r„,,_4as estinaated by them at 2001., and would be P e r acr e : 'lle average rental for the land varied from 14s. to 60s. Mr r a la ndow arda Y, on behalf of Mr. Smith, one of the dissentient fr o , ot-,rs, on this Witness, and presented a petitions d tj ' e ir ri other 4 8 t hlpandowners who opposed the bill, and who reserve appear bY counsel. tailes.elissents hoer trap, Solicitor to the bill, was then examined, and read tot al _„ nsines of the assentient and dissentient landowners. 3 1'412 qUarterr." 1 for the line which was 27 miles in length, was Irdi e " s rl° 4 4 , : and 67 Yards; the assents were 15 miles; neu_ , iurlongs, and 3 yards ; and no answers 7 miles and Rarearenea „, gre ati ,„ . ---- by Mr. KNOWLES—The inhabitants of Goole "'her ein favour of this line, to the exclusion of any of the I,hili3r°,•ieeted lines. ' qtr, ~,,e " etl the evidence on behalf of the promoters. Re soilltallss Stated they were now ready to submit the case of L ord ' t s " to any arbitration the Committee would appoint. s‘.'l.lre wished to know if any attempt had been made f tli ta e k k ak in e . an arra ngement between Mr. Smith and the promoters o kr. 1,,,. san t . o .• 11.1 1 N, .t ke,eessfut said that an attempt had been made, but it was r, p, of to.. n ,'"toTost, in reply to counsel, here stated that they would h 0 the but in compliance with the application of IV r. i iir. .sney would not sit on the Derby day. on bei.4t'aTiN then opened his case in opposition to the Bill inj or _iialf of Mr. S m i t h, He proceeded to detail the great t by the Yethat w ould be sustained by Mr. Smith's house and proper: c l ose hyPt.°Posed line. There were two railways already running t e4 _ ll t and this would make a third one, so that he co or is eer ave rail house in any direction without going under . tr iligh„ r!.llWay• In fact, he was regularly inclosed in a riv a l 1 - Oi railways. His ' object was not to set up a 4 tid wh in i e t, ' b ut there were two other lines which might be selected r aada tit e " Would afford better gradients and greater public accomt frare i n ' T he other lilies referred to were about half a mile disten kc al' w r i t Sttit h's house. He would not detain them, but proceed kr. 13 heas ea in proof of the facts he had stated. le • eekett, ALP., ti, is °Pinto h's house on was then examined by Mr. HARDY epc 1 1 the embankment opposite to Mr. Smit ai tile a °Pe sed line would be a very serious injury to th . at ps ge h i o it o le se - Inie 4 14° Pert 3.. Netei Moat ll common that was ne h a ia r IS ti l o r. e Sm w i o t o i ld corn. ,__ 3 , ~ beautiful appearance, and t one which any ssetlensal;s4 it U. The house was Nha a °f an rank 5.0.0 y es , be e ss. n _in the Y possession for the last to live in, between Goole and Leeds, '1c1n...,.14 his opinion the m of ig t. lk h o f t e r. b S e mith h ' a s p fa y mi h Croft.'" at Oakenshaw, oh "'atom TALBOT--ihe principal room of the k ed by Mr. . would ' be , a . preferable one. The 44, 11 to the south-west, in the direction of the railway. ldr Y Wind tins • C,u, ows to north-east. p; ' had " 0 oel m P., gave similar evidence to the last witness, --e,P_Csedt've.d°nb't but the insertion of Mr. Smith's property by the Mr. n'allWaY would be very detrimental to it. krticul...-"rY he land agent and surveyor, had examined 11„,.._ -- . 1 5 , the me et ' • •1,7 4 't and 4 , 14. a which the line would have on Mr. Smith's ; ti e ernba u k to • nd eensidered that it would be most injurieus. taw:tee:wand dratlngb-rooeonmawnindows. I v , ' tutu ent would be seen for a quarter of a mile from Mr. al b% " id nih -v . WllO The co nitresni then i engineer for 15 years, gave _________......e_ad.otirn d till twelve o'clock to.morrow. O n the a s , .C°•••nei, G roup N. leo se niulin g of t , L RAILWAY. ter s of the gi ll a lad ..e Committee the Counsel for the pro- Sir Charl e I--- IT ' lti n of th ees,„Ler„Mun---sse Bald he represented the western divi 'l44l°_i_ial Co e m r a - i t - tee q . O f ‘ !...l:rn w a tt , e op glinty, i o 183 t 1 ,, was well acquainted with the geology of and s a member cf the Pro itt %M ee, wh . o be prepared a paper descriptive of the th e . ich erne Year. W" °f the the eoUnty read before the Statistical Society The three principal mining districts at heighbourh Were St. Austel, west of Truro, and in k e 44 n0 St . °°d °f Penzance Those to the east of Truro ti• " t irelY in the neighbourhood . of St.. Austel. A Thep '" "00 ti n nciple 80,0 Was e mployed in connexion with these mines. ' Vale t Produce of the mines was copper, iron, zinc, Gent'' , tits l e, chin • the n a stone, Du i , 44, 4 read ih. and manganese. The Hon. Gent Pi led e. "' l ig lhelq4aat•it of h Ydifferentte rid '"'e than ores which had bee last few years, and their value. Cornwall sup ,, ion. been ti half of the ores raised in the United Kingdom. It o l ' l etio e : tt desirable to have a railway like the one proposed. 6 , or te ern i Pts had been made to effect this object —one W. tam e so n '4l , and another in '43, and surveys . had e nti nittnel n W ' -asthni c ad first Whi h h unsuccessful, and much disap , lit ' , eresult• Th 1 downers in that part of the Porti oo "Tre I n fos , • an t, ‘ Of t he . our of the line. So also were the commercial i7ertattio inhabitants, who had evinced their interest in the 1 2ke eouallt by taking shares. The principal ores annually rais 7 e 3 }, - ' l , r ) til e ~,.)i. TCornwall, exclusive of iron, amounted to 191,4 et tb e eXi ht : tie hich was 1 ,291,795/.—(Thei Hon. showing the eu , u ntY undulate from north to south.) A rail it! 'dle, .'• running from east to west would cross these valleys ff 'atita.,:_•,,:owever, undulated in that direction, and would o ai r e " . ' Le t r the construction of this line. tilaa (tth 'non, examined by Mr. ROWE, on behalf of Mr. Tim allain u, as in h en ha st th e Lift, e! ease of the West Cornwal line, has petitioned . b et ral produce, --In the west of Cornwall a great quantity po s t %ar m , was raised, and in the early part of the season a of agri -4: line w,Y,°f vegetables were sent to London, and thfesporeoh as,k.lice to ald offer great facilities for the transmission 0 Mar: That . doh. Perhaps members of the Committee were not l i cet was f rom great portion of the broccoli sent to Covent-garden t o 'kir% . Penzance Corn was not exported from Penzance. , the r.• e dis tricts re • eorti siren.. ~, ad not grow enough to support the popu I r i s tins of „74triCtS, and were indebted for that produce to other 'lis et Wi- t h ° , e°untry, A great quantity of corn came from the *l et. 4 ' The north coast was a considerable corn-growing Th e . t . 'tau s; seear n .., th- " s. r . ,._ °att°l l -4 Counsel was stopped by the Committee . in his cross_ ee, hel d tons _, Si r Charles with respect to other railways . and to tsisitt nx eeitild :rod°, the country, and tolvarious meetings which t h h a a d t 4aeottitrie ottß Y h e ars ago to. oppose the scheme, on the ground t . t r . lot to be wasted on matters which could n . o in kslsareiatia eciston nor strengthen his opposition to the Bill. 1° 40, 4 ,4 Noll euntinuedHe was aware that petitions had been tse te - those limit the Bill. Those in the north were in favour, la tie o des irotr a r th e south were opposed to it, simply because they „de t . t ., ta lbe rtt ° ' hav ing a line which would offer more accommo- Nate; to *o The.; 44 der i n " 4.ai th, a merchant, of Cranbourn, said he was a Ntea w e i r nn 8 -. ti t" Car ds o f 30 mines in that part of the country. Ile e , and carriede! " etiniPanies which purchased the ore in a rough sno o - ora nte i .. it into Wales for the purpose of underg r o e ni o g id at V t eei en Itedtot`ii,ng• The ores in that part of the country 4 ne, 4, as it • Cranboorn, &c. A railway would be a w g e rea - t con. l avq.•Age 4tB Would lessen the expense of conveyance, and save wc il.i 4 6 41 , "gaged in the selling of ore were continually !t ato ' he a gr eat the country, and to them the railway Ir i ththrees'reat co nvenience ' He had heard it computed that jr do e o curth a to _ eat], rupaoy e t t) v isit • d id not reside in the county, and did not fee laioasi torps it, 0 ., ei , ', account of the great inconvenience of transit.. kr ' . ' , l , its e .,'"ee of ores and for materials used in the various Iti th • 4401,1;.e'nitY Mitch ould offer great facilities. a.l4il":4l4"lll:Ussverefift- D itnerchant, at St. Austel, and connected so,t t pet 4 ,a Population of that portion of the district, thirteen e ltith o • herHalfthrough Which the railway would run, .was ,_ 4 ,s tt e sty ere s six tin, copper, and lead mines, in i,holie-t team a w t or ks, the annual produce of w which was „, t , of a value of 159,900/. the total mtisit,'lneatato-riituall mineral roduce was also very large. 4' l: th e e ° ,, t irort:c".„t_Ofs • s i y m portatio l liS he valued purpose of convey csnpreisaretdnertat goZZ boetretfnow .u l sed for t e eo p , Z t i r i it woo o L. th at stock of taraoramitwayßewtwereeen Plymouth and Fal. t ee % , %toll; offer great facilities. . 44 e.,, e l:Ile s Pli°tt, general merchant . at Liskeard, said the value ernh s i t - Pp et - r `ii that district was from 350,000/. to 400,000/. ; % 44. th es Ne, : 0 1 7d he valued at 70,000/. ; coals, 3,000 tons ; Ati, t e i Wes, and fur' 8 ; and iron, 400 tons. For the conveyance k r ) art wo g fur other articles, the railway would be most i re n : "'tret e t, ' 44 no doubt be used. isttie,etiliattoo rev ', the Mayor of Lostroithiell, and carrying on Pa ile - ` i n wh• °f a Win a • • t ka, sea hi 'eh he res i de d spirit merchant there, said that the le 'that - 'd be a _, .i was an agricultural one, and that a te, to,„ ussideratum. Liskeard was supplied with timber it t 7eil line'', which be conceived would be transmitted by the t aht I , 110 1si„ . 0 la kki iil .° hav e im n, the chairman of Lloyd's, said it was most impor torta,, F at e intelligence of th arrival of ships at Ply eektZee.to he'"°, and other places It would be of the first im *leetr°4lcationer°"trY, and to the Government to have a direct to ki !ht it' he ' l e t o ele ga 7 l T J: , otnhdon to Falmouth ;. so ' also would be an ict_tosew Innloojeatea wiotse towns, .by which ships g there rthis ha a ttutigh e;istiise, not I 4 an i on individual instant. tha t t • Sa._ hit i e seas Proposed conne . cted li w e it s h ai the country a s ‘ . t o h eig hT el It orle, ~.sto carry . the line. . 1 . 4 the 47ourtlood,;Lrol.keard, holding shares in the mines of k le n an Vaina ges to b berated the evidence of other . w . itnesses tl* r. :,. d internal] e derived from direct communication with haelW. 11, 0 ,, ,i s Y ai b d l i the proposed railway. mt yea r re side,s "0, --sr —at pal he was the secretat yto the Referm . Club. CS. I I h., , nlollth for ten or eleven years, until June t ad h oe le bafiguaincen engaged in the mail.packet establishment ntllti t n glig ge , t kl . been interested in the various railways which in to, sof ~ .ed in that Part of the country, and had had oppor- N of of t ,_ kr.th, - tor th„ .e advantages which the proposed railway ohs whietiliseh..t_.he Governinernnet -ortoo the - "rive Yance off it ati h t ea - es tablish goodsfrom nt ° to t. te a . would Plymouth and Fat railway there '" been • establish .the mail-packet n principally removed from (lie want of such a railway as the one proposed, in the getting up of which he had used great exertions. Cross-examined by Mr. Rows—He was we7l-acquainted with the coast of Falmouth, which he considered sDfe in every respect. Vessels could not lie close to the terminus of the railway, but this might be effected by the expenditure of a large sum of money. The communication between Plymouth wag cheap, and the boats ran to Southampton and to London. He had computed in 1840 and 1841, with the as sistance of Mr. Fox, the traffic likely to go by a railway into Cornwall. Mr. Joseph Oliver, said he had been employed by Mr. Bond to collect traffic tables. Mr. Geach, residing at Bodnim, had calculated the traffic in connexion with that town within the last three weeks. He calcu_ lated the number leaving the town during the sluing of the as sizes at 13,908, two-thirds of which he estimated would go by the railroad. The estimates of trr.ffic were then read, and bore out the state ments of Mr. Austin in opening the case on the part of the pro moters of the Bill. The Committee then adjourned until Thursday. Group EN. DUNDEE AND PERTH (NORTH) RAILWAY. The Committee on this line met at the usual hour this morning, when Mr. COCKBURN, Q.C., on the part of the Scottish Midland, urged that a clause should be inserted in the Dundee and I erth Bill, compelling that Company to keep in abeyance the subject of ter mini, Inasmuch as a clause to that effect had been imposed on the Aberdeen and North, as well as the Scottish Central, over which an undue influence would,be taken, by any other line being allowed to infringe upon a privilege which their rivals had been denied. Mr. CLA min, on the part of the inhabitants of Perth, demanded the same imposition. It was immaterial to them which line afforded accommodation, but it was of the greatest consequence that the South Inch should not be encroached upon, and, as the question of that locality as a terminus had been by another Committee re ferred to a disinterested tribunal, the same terms should be made binding on the Dundee and Perth Railway. Mr. Ts',awl', Q.C., for the promoters, objected to this course as contradictory of the preamble of the Bill already passed by the Committee, and urged that if the question of termini were to be now raised at all, it should be at once fairly discussed and dis posed of. The Committee decided that the evidence on the subject should be forthwith proceeded with. Group F. The Commmittee re-assembled this day at twelve o'clock, in room No. 11. Prtsent—The Right Hon. F. Shaw, Chairman ; Mr. V. Stuart, Mr. Lockhart, Mr. Bramston, and Mr. Drum mond. The Committee proceeded with the adjourned case of THE LONDON, WORCESTER, AND SOUTH STAFFORD- SHIRE RAILWAY. Mr. Juhn Houghton, examined by Mr. CRIPPB—Is an exten sive farmer at Sunninghill, Berkshite. Is also agent to several gentlemen in England and Ireland. Has travelled a great deal on railways. The Great Western first-class carriages were the most comfortable and commodious he had experienced. Had travelled on the London and Birmingham line. The Great Western was far superior in its accommodation. Salt was an article much used for agricultural purposes. When the proposed Oxford Extension, or Great Western line, was carried into the agricultural districts, that article would double in consumption. Had heard of the broad and narrow gauges ; gave the preference to the broad gauge. The traffic in salt would be very large when the railway would enable it to be brought into the light soil country. At present salt was at 2.85. per ton, and this was almost a prohibitory price. The cause of this high chaige was awing to the distance it had to be brought. It had to come from Droitwich to Berkshire and the surrounding districts, partly by railway and partly by canal. When the Great Western line cams into use, the result would be that salt would be soli at 1/. per ton, and this would materially add to the consumption. ➢b. William Hicks examined by Mr. Caters—ls a dealer in manure and other articles connected with farming purposes. Re. sides at Twyford, near Reading. Attended every market since the opening of the Great Western Railway, and could say that that railway was the means of increasing the business of all the dealers in agricultural produce. Chipping Norton was a very important place for a railway to come through. A line through that place would extend its trade to a very considerable extent. The Great Western line would enable salt to be brought from Droitwich to the farmers of the surrounding country. The speedy transit of that article would double the consumption. The best line for the mineral traders was the Great Western line. The traders of South Staffordshire were almost all of the same opinion. Mr. Bagnell examined by Mr. CRIPPS—I9 an extensive iron master at West Bromwich, near Birmingham. Has six iron -works, and employs 2,000 workmen ; works 600 tons of pig-iron and 600 tons of manufactured iron per week. Prefers the Great Western scheme to that of the London and Birmingham line. Was present at a meeting of the ironmasters of Wolverhampton, and they were unanimously in support of the Great Western line. Did not send ii on by the London and Birmingham line ; the charges were too high, and the tonnage excessive. Great advantage could arise to the merchants by a com peting line to the iron districts. Would not be standing there if he was not of opinion that a competing line would be of great advantage to the iron and coal-masters. It would make the companies more civil, and ensure cheapness and expedition in the transit of goods. The CHAIRMAN—DO you think that when the parties got their line they would be as civil as they are now Y Witness—l think the Great Western Company would be as civil. Mr. Bayley examined by Mr. CRIPPS—Is a chemist residing a Wolverhampton. Costs him 600/. per annum for the carriage o goods on railway and canals. Found the charges very high on the London and Birmingham line. Contracts with that line. Com petition was_necessary to bring down the rate of charge. Mr. G. England examined by Mr. KINGLAKE—IS a malster at Wolverhampton. The Great Western line would bring down the rate of carriage on 60,000 quarters of wheat, at the rate of twenty miles annually; that is, there would not be that amount in ratio to pay after the reduction which would be caused by competition. The Rev. H. Cartwright examined by Mr. CRIPPS—Is Vicar of Dudley, and also a magistrate of Worcester. A large meeting was held in the latter place last September, in favour of the Great Great Western line. Was himself in favour of that line, because it was adapted to the wa►ls of that part of the country. It gives greater accommodation north and south than the London and Birmingham line. Mr. Paul Matthews, examined by Mr. KINGLAKE—is a large brick manufacturer, at Stowbridge ; manufactures about 30,000 tons of clay annually. There are other large manufacturers of the same article in the neighbourhood. There were in some of the districts 1,680 tons of bricks, which would go on the Great Western line, and only 5,050 tons on the London and Bir mingham. Mr. G. Hickman examined by Mr. COCKBURN—Is a coalowner at Worsely. The Great Western line was the best adapted for the coal trade. The large trucks of the broad gauge would prevent the coals being broken up, as they would not have to be piled up so high as they were in the narrow gauge trucks. Mr. J. Hill, examined by Mr. Coccsucx—ls town-clerk at Worcester. Some time ago there was a line projected for the Sonth Staffordshire district; this was in 1841, but money being very scarce the scheme was not taken up, subsequent to that date the Board of Trade issued a Commission to inquire into the best line for the South Staffordshire districts, and they adopted the line which had been abandoned The present Great Western scheme comprised that line. There was a meeting held at Worcester last September, it was called by the Mayor, and there were but five hands held up against the Great Western scheme; those persons have since joined in support of it. It was decidedly the best line for the accommodation of the South Staffordshire districts. Mr. Alderman Evans, examined by Mr. COCKBURN—The Great Western line was the best for the mineral traffic of the South Staffordshire districts. It was the best line for the transit of goods going north and south. The Speaker being announced at prayers, the Committee adjourned. Group A The Committee met to-day, in the Westminster Sessions House, and the following Bills were referred to them : Central Kent. London, Chatham, and North Kent. London and Croydon (Chatham to Chilham). London and Croydon (Chatham to Graveesend). London and Croydon Enlargement. London and Croydon (Orpington Branch). London and Croydon (Maidstone, Ashford, and Tunbridge). South. Eastern (Ashford to Hastings). South-Eastern (Branch to Deal and Extension of the South-Eastern, Canterbury, Ramsgate, and Margate Railway). South-Eastern (Hungerford Bridge to Chilham, with branches). South-Eastern (Lewisham to Tunbridge and Paddock Wood). South-Eastern (Maidstone to Rochester). South-Eastern (Tunbridge to Tunbridge Wells). South-Eastern (Widening and Extension of the London and Greenwich Railway). South-Eastern (Headcorn and Rye). Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings (Hastings, Rye, and Ashford Ex- tension). Rye and Tenterden. Kentish Coast. Gravesend and Rochester. London and Greenwich. Numerous petitions were presented, and the required appear ances were entered against each of the above, except the Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings (Keymer Branch), and the London and Greenwich, which were unopposed. Mr. Rastrick, the engineer, and other witnesses, were examined, M prove the engineering capabilities of the Keymer Branch line. BRIGHTON, &c. (KEYMER EXTENSION.) . The preamble was agreed to, and the clauses of the Bill having been gone through, the Committee decided to report it to the House. LONDON AND GREENWICH RAILWAY. The Bill for enabling this Company to lease their railway was gone through without opposition, and the Committee agreed to report it to the House. LONDON, CHATHAM, AND NORTH KENT RAILWAY BILL. Mr. Sergeant WRANOIIAM, for the promoters of this Bill, then stated their case. The railway was intended to supply inland communication to a densely.peopled district, which was now al most destitute of that accommodation. Since the great increase of steam navigation on the river, and the establishment of the railways passing throuffh Kent, there had been a great decline of coach conveyance on the high road. So much so that in the iast few years 70 coaches had been taken off the road between London sod Gravesend, and great inconvenience was felt by the very crowded population of the towns through which the propssed railway was designed to pass. The measure was opposed by the South-Eastern Company, who came forward with their project to supply the de ficiency only after the prospectus of the North Kent Company was published, having for the ten years of their existence neglected to do anything for that purpose. However, this project was bsought out so hastily, that it remained still only a project, as the Standing Orders Committee were una. ble to sanction it. But the Committee of the Board of Trade—a tribunal of which he would not speak olherwise than with deep re spect—reporting in favour of both lines, gave the preference to the Seuth Eastern, on the ground that they possessed already an available income, which was a security for the proper execution of this additional plan. He did not know where that available income was to be found; for he believed that just before toe present Bill was offered to the House of Commons, the South-Eastern Company gave a dividehd of ten shillings per share. He could scarcely admit that this was an income upon an outlay of three millions, so large and so available as to form by itself a sufficient ground of preference over a company which had the whole of its capital subscribed, and was entirely free from debis, debentures, and other embarrassments. The Learned Gdntlesnan then read at length the report of the Board of Trade respecting the rival Companies, and assured the Com mittee that he should be able to prove that the Board was mistaken in supposing the two plans were substantially the same. There was a most important difference in the mode in which they were to can y their roads across the Medway. The South Eastern plan would interfere with the navigation of the river, aed would greatly injure property, with which the plan of the North Kent, carefully and successfully avoided to Interfere. The Learned Ser. geant then went into a detailed comparison of the plans, and con cluded at four o'clock, by expressing his confidence, that upon hearing the evidence, the Committee would decide in favour of the Bill. The Committee then adjourned to twelve o'ciock on Wednesday Group KK. The Committee on the Railway Bills comprised in Group KK, met this morning at One o'clock, Sir C. Lemon in the Chair. The Bills referred to the Committee were the Liverpool, Omskirk, and Preston; the Liverpool and Bury (Bolton, Wigan, Liverpool and Bury Extension) ; the Liverpool and Manchester, and the Southport and Exeter Junction. The usual preliminaries having been gone through, it was arranged that the Liverpool and Bury (Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool and Bury Extension Bill) should be taken first. THE SUN, LONDON, M Some little delay took place in consequence of the non-atten dance of one of the members of the Committee. The Hon. Mem ber was sent for, and, after waiting a few minutes, Sir C. Lciumi, the Chairman, determined to proceed In his absence, and ac cordingly Mr. Sergeant WIIANGITAM proceeded to open the case on the part of the Liverpool, Bolton, and Bury project. Group K. LOWESTOFFE RAILWAY AND HARBOUR, The Committee on the lines for accommodating this and the ad jacent district, assembled at the usual hour this morning, when the consideration of the Lowestoffe Raiiway and Harbour was com- meneed. Mr. GIRDEN, on behalf of the promoters of this Bi expressed his ignorance of the nature of the opposition, or even the parties from whom that opposition emanated, he therefore urged that the petitions and names of the petitioners should be immediately stated. The Committee having assented, the clerk mentioned that petitions had been presented to Parliament by the Commissioners of the Great Yarmouth Haven, for whom Mr. James appeared as Counsel ; the Mayor, Alder. men, and Town Council of Norwich, for whom Mr. Bircham appeared ; a third from the merchants and traders; a fourth from the inhabitants generally of Norwich ; and another from a Mr. Clarke, a landholder near that town. Mr. GIRDEN briefly stated the main features of the Bill, for whose promotion he contended, urging particularly the great ad vantages accruing to the fishing trade and manufacturing districts inland, by the formation of a line, connecting so important a fishing town with the populous localities at present unconnected, as well as the making Lowestoffe a harbour of refuge, proceeded to c.,1l his witnesses. Edward Leathes examined by Mr. GIRDEN—Is a resident of Nor manstown, within a mile of Lowestoft. Has attended a pubic meeting held four months since in that town, at which the expres sion of opinion was unanimous in favour of the line. Considers the construction of the proposed railway would confer the most distinguished advantages on the neighbourhood, particularly as a means of conveying cattle and agricultural produce to the markets, which has now to be conveyed by water. Cross-examined by Mr. JAMES, on behalf of the Commis. sioners of the Great Yarmouth Haven—The popula tion of Lowestoft is about 4.500. The line will not go through valuable lar.d, although the price is be tween 401. to 501. per acre; there is no town of importance on the line between Lowestoft and Needham, the point of junction with the Yarmouth and Norwich Railway, but an immense body of produce would fall on the line from the surrounding country. George Parker Bidder examined by Mr. GtRDEN—Is a civil engineer, and the plans and sections of the proposed Lowestoft railway have been submitted to his inspection. The length of the line will be eleven miles and thirty chains, without tunnels and wilh favonrable gradients. The general charac. ter of the line is practically a level, and the curves are perfectly easy. It will have the first-class station at Needham, crossing the River Wensham a few miles from that town, and the Waveney near the Oulton Broad, by bridges of forty-four and thirty feet opening, and terminating at the harbour of Lowestoffe. For effecting this object 80,000/. has been named is the necessary capital, besides 40,000/. for the improvement of tl.e harbour of Lowestoffe, including the construction of a breakwater and other important works. The Admiralty had been made acquainted with the improvements they devised for the harbour, and had sent down an engineer to inspect and report on it, and the result was most favour able to the pro)ect. He had also had a Interview with Captain Beaufort, the hydro grapher to the Board of Admiralty, who had since communicated the entire approval of the erection of the bridge. Crofs-examined by Mr. Brac►tsM, on the part of the conserva tors of the river Marsham—Gave Mr. Brunel, the engineer, whom the Admiralty deputed to inspect the harbour, every in formation respecting the nature of the bridges. The river is 130 feet wide. The working expenses of the line will be 2,7504 He calculates that 6,000 passengers will travel on the line to Norwich, 1,650 to London, 6,276 to and from Yarmouth, and 26,000 to and from Beceles. 200,000 passengers annually go on the line; and the receipts for these, together with the payment on goods, amounted to 15,000/., being an average of Is. sd. per passenger. Mr. JAMES here stated that as his clients only opposed the Bill on the fear that the navigation of the river would be impeded, he would withdraw all further objection until any clause affecting those interests should be under discussion. Mr. (3 titoEN,acting on this announcement, urged tie immediate passing of the preamble. The Committee, tEmever, decided on suspending their adjudi. cation, until negotiations which are to be offered this evening steal, have been concluded. Some documentary evidence was put in on the part of the pro moters of the Bill, and the Committee adjourned. Group X. LONDON AND YORK LINE. The Committee assembled to-day shortly after twelve o'clock. NDA YEVENING, MAY 26, 1845. -- within five miles of the line for which he appeared (the Leeds and Thirsk) had not been accurately computed—in fact, 19,000 of the population within this district had been omitted in the returns fur nished by the witness. Mr. ROBINSON said such was not the case—what the witness hatl taken from one line he gave to another, and examined the witness in confirmation of this statement. _ _ Mr. John Leather examined—Owned a colliery near Leeds. The Ripon and Harrogate line would pass near the mouth of his colliery—within forty yards of it. Coals were now sold at this colliery for four shillings and sixpence a ton, and would be sold in Knaresborough for six shillings, in case the Ripon and Harrogate line were completed. The Leeds r:nd Thirsk line would not carry any of the Yorkshire coal, as now projected. Cross-examined—Had an interest in the Ripon and Harrogate line being carried out. His coals were as good as Middleton or Rothwell Haig coal. . Reexamined —Had been concerned in railway contracts. Had looked over the plans of arches on the Lecds and Thirsk line, and thought they could not be performed at the price proposed, nor at less than 21. 7s. 3d. per cubic yard. COAL TRAFFIC EVIDENCE. Mr. Edward Wrigley resides at Manchester, and is a mineral surveyor. Has visited the coal-fields to the eastward, in Norfolk, and endeavoured to ascertain in that district the prices to the mer chant and consumer. (Produced a map.) The blue colours on the map exhibited the places he had visited ; his route from north to south comprehended Retford and Barnet, and all the in termediate towns ; and from east to west from Norwich to -Stamford, and all the intermediate towns. One of the London and York branches passed through the Sheffield and Bedford coal beds, and joins the existing tram road. The Barnsley bed was a very large district in Yorkshire. There was no mode of transit at present for Barnsley coal but by the Dorn and Dove Canal, and the Don Navigation. The London and York branch proposed to join the latter at Doncaster. The Silkstone bed was, in fact, part of the Barnsley bed,but was called the Silkstone, and was a very large one. The Wakefield beds were to some ex tent immediately upon the London and York line. Has made a tabular statement of the present cost of transit for coals from the different towns he had visited, and compared it with the cost by the proposed London and York pine. To the Committee—The North Midland line did go through a coal district. To Mr. Pauer—The line of the North Midland runs nearly due north and south. The table now in his hand contained the com parative list of prices; did not include Cambridge, because it was not on the London and York line. The prices were based upon the average cost of Silkstone coal, for That fairly represented the ave rage price of the whole article in Yorkshire. The columns of the table represented the pr: sent cost to the merchant at the pit's mouth, the cost to the consumer, the cost by the London and York line, and the saving to be effected by the latter. The speci- men ofcoal now on the table was from the Silkestone bed, the price o that at the pit's mouth would be ss. 3d. per ton, price at Doncaster, Os. Pd., at Bawtry, 7s. 3d., or say 7s. 6d. Assuming the latter to be the price, the cost at the Lnulon depot, by the London and York line, would be 165., including a cost of id. per ton per mile from Bawtry; inferior coal for gas, coke, and smiths' use would be delivered in London by the London and York line at 130. 6d , and the Barnsley slack at 13s. 3d. ; this price did not include city dues. The quantity of coal now raised from the pits in the neighbourhood of Barnsley in a year was 805,500 tons, but 1,872,000 tons could be raised without sinking new shafts ; this included Silkstone. In the Sheffield and Rotherham district the present quantity raised in a year was 727,200 tons; they had facilities for raising 1,380,000 tons, with the present establishment. In Wakefield the present annual supply Was 1,592,000 tons, could raise 3,429,000 tons; this quantity could be much increased, if necessary. The expense of raising the ad ditional quantity would he less than that of the present quantity, because the greatly increased demand would lower the price. A long digression here took place, which was occupied by counsel in explaining the object of his giving this class of evidence so minutely. The witness continued by saying that if Cambridge had been in. eluded in his calculation, the average price of coals would have been raised instead of lowered. There were also some other towns not included. Has no doubt that the London and York line, passing through the blue district, would compete with the sea. borne coal. Cross-examined by Mr. CoweN—lf the sea-borne coal could be brought as cheaply as by rail, the difference then would be as to quality. The city dues amounted to Is. 1 id. per ton. Believes there are extensive coal fields in Leicestershire, in the neighbourhood of Leicester. If they were to be brought by the Swanington line, their price would depend on the cost of transit. Is not aware of the distance between the South Stafford shire fields and London. The distance between Durham and Lon don was 240 miles, and between Silkstone and London, by Doncas ter, 160 miles. Could not say whether that was less than the distance between South Staffordshire and London. Mr. Edward Wrigley, cross-examined by Mr. Coweav—The price of Durham coals, coming by the London and York line, would be 18s. 6d., exclusive of City dues; the cost of transit being 14s. 6d., and that of the coals at the pit's mouth about 4s. This was tender coal. Knows nothing of the price of South Staffordshire coal. To Mr. Webster—The cost of transit of all description of coal by railway would control the price of coal itself. Does not know much of the Kingston or Nottingham coal. The average on which he had fixed the price of Stamford coal in London at 245. 9d. coming by the London and York line was the price of Derbyshire, Leicester, and Seaborne coal. The saving to be effected was 12s. 2id. per ton. Was not aware of the distance between Stamford and the Derby, or Leicester coal-pits, nor of the fact that there was a project for a line of railway from Stamford to those places. To Mr. Wells—The Leicestershire coal was rather an inferior article; believes that any coal coming to London by the London and Yorkshire would be cheapened in price. To Mr. Barker—Said in his direct evidence that the nearest point at which Silkstone coal could be put upon a rail was at Doncaster. Has heard of a line from Lincoln by Doncaster to Swinston. The latter town is nearer Silkstone than Doncaster. The North Mid. land line proposed to go through the heart of the Silkstone coal field, but that had died away. Does not know the Derbyshire coal field, but found that coal in the Newark market arid found it in. ferior, It came from Swanick. Mr. Joseph Pease was then re-called, and he deposed that Dur ham coals, conveyed by the London and York line, would be 245. per ton to ►he consumer, after pa) ing lid. per ton per mile, or 19s. 3d., if the tonnage were 1 / 2 d. The cost to the consumer if brought by sea, would be 28.9. 7d. per ton, including all charges ; the 19s. 3d. per ten was arrived at, assuming the rail way company to be the vendors. To ➢ir. CowEN—Did not think the South Staffordshire coal could compete with his. • To Mr. HILDYARD—The price of coals at Thirsk is Ils. per ton ; the cost of transit of coal from the pit's mouth to Thirsk, by the Stockton and Darlington line, was, practically, 2d. per ton per mile. Dr. Webb has lived fifty-two years in Cambridge. Is well ac quainted with the Cambridge and Lincoln, and the London and York schemes. Is decidedly in favour of the latter, because he conceived it would afford much more general pubic accommodation, being much more direct. Pays 275. per ton for coals at Cam brielge. 10 Mr. Lau—Does not say that the road proposed to be made from Cambridge to Lincoln by engineers in 1845 was inferior to that made by the Romans.—(Laughter.) The Cambridge Town Council signed a petition in favour of the Cambridge and Lincoln line, and also one by a large number of the residents of the University. The London and York line did not pass nearer his land than seven miles. To Mr. WELLS—The reason he conceived that the London and York line would afford more accommodation to Warwickshire and Derbyshire than the Cambridge and Lincoln, was because it went more westward. It would be a great accommodation to have frequent communication daily through Cambridge, north and south ; therefore it would be better to have a trunk line than a hraLch line. To Mr. Cowsw—l believe the Romans were founders of direct rather than circuitous roads—(Laughter)--they were a straight forward people?— (Laughter.) — Sometimes.—(Laughter.) —lf the Cambridge and Lincoln line were 10 times shorter than the Lon don and York, would it not be more classical—more Roman ? (Laughter.)—lt would. Considers the northern traffic greater than the western. To the Committee—Has taken into consideration the branches proposed to be made by the Cambridge and Lincoln scheme, and still considers the London and York preferable. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. Group L. GUILDFORD, CHICHESTER,_ AND PORTSMOUTH RAILWAY. The Committee resumed their investigation of the merits of this line this morning, at twelve o'clock ; Mr. Denison in the chair. Mr. GURNEY, for the promoters, called Mr. G. W. Homo, now secretary to theGuildford and Chichester Railway, who stated that the gross number of passengers on the line between Nine Elms and Gosport in 1844 was 60,270; and from Wandsworth and all the stations east of Woking 4,743. The projected line branches off from Woking. From Nine Elms, through the same stations, to Fareham the number was 6,058. The next station which he took was the licensed conveyances on the turnpike road—the data of this he had obtained from the Stamp-Office, and he found by these that the number of passengers by these conveyances was 82,680. • To an inquiry from the CH&IIIMAN, the witness stated that he took the passengers to all places on the line. This was the number which had travelled. On this there was an increase allowed for railway conveyance. By posting, before the opening of the Brighton and Great Western liyc, they averaged in the year 1,706 journeys between the south and the west of England, generally carrying four passengers, making a total of 6,894 pas sengers. To this Mr. Vs traTeLev objected, because lie thought the infcr mation was intended to be unintelligible. The witness further added, that he calculated that the journeys to London by Medhurst and Petworth, were 200 ; by Peters field and London, 75, and by Petersfield, Petworth, and London, 100; by Chichester, Medhurst, and Petworth, 200 journeys; by Chichester and Petworth, 125 journeys; and by Bognor and Arundel, 200 journeys ; making the communication by posting in which this line would be interested 9,624 journeys, averaging four passengers each. The commercial passengers were 2,000 on the line, and the passengers from stations were 21,157. He had taken his data from the persons passing through the turnpikes. The passengers by van were 13,104, and the gross extent of distance was 251,784 miles. The passengers to Goodwood he estimated were 6,300; the total number of miles travelled from all these sources was 6,131,282. That was the esti_ mate of the existing traffic by rosd and rail; and he further estimated on the three first items an increase of 25 per cent. his gave for the number of miles travelled by the passengers be. tweet] Nine Elms and Gosport :3,81)8,748, between Wrielsworth and the stations east of Woking and Gosport 306,844, and to the sta tions east of Woking and Farnham 378,625. By the road conveyances he calculated an increase of 100 per cent , and by the rail an in crease of 25 per cent., giv ng a total of increase of passengers of 326,704, making for the increase to Gosport 449,000,400 miles, and for commercial passengers 2 07,000, and for passengers by van 503,568. The evidence of Mr. Home (continued from our afternoon edition )—The increase to Goodwood he estimated at 200 per cent., making a total of 435,861 miles from this source. From the in crease of commercial passengers there would be 139,177 miles. This would give a ; resent traffic from these sources between the stations at Nine Elms and those east of Woking of 34,104 pas. scngers, which, with the increase to Farnham, would make 39,936. On this, he calculated there would be an increase, both from the road and rail, which he calculated at 74,046, at 9d, would make a total of 2,7761. 10s. a year. It appeared that the carriages carried from the Nine Elms station to the stations east of Woking, and to Portsmouth and Farnham, last year was, by the railway, 369, which, with those passing by road, would make 619, passing over a mileage of 34,039, at 6d. a mile, giving a total of income of 8501. 19s. 6d. The number of horns carried by the railway was 377—by the same stations to Farnham the number was 424. This gave an increase from carriages at 3d, per mile of 7911.45, and from 1,6571, for horses, makings total of miles of 63,296. On the Gosport branch he calculated an increase of 25 per cent. on the present number of railway passengers. The population at Gosport lie estimated at between 8,000 and 9,000. The traffic from coals the witness estimates at a total of 18,250 tons, carried over 302,312 miles at I id. per ton per mile, and the revenue at 18,8911. 9s. per annum. Of chalk and lime he calcu lated that there would be 20,000 tons carried on an average of 10 miles, making a total of carriage over 200,000 miles at 2d. per mile, and a revenue of 1,666/. 13s. 4d. Of heavy goods carried coast wise by water to Chichester, Portsmouth, and for Fareham there were 13,367 tons carried 419,591 miles, at 2d. per ton, and yield ing a return of 3,4961. 11 s. 10d. On Timber there was about 13,500 tons carried 272,000 miles, at 2d., and yielding a revenue of 2,2661. I3s. 4d. Of Sheep and Lambs he calculated there would be 52,531 carried 1,264,124 miles, and making a re turn of 1,053/. Bs. Bd. For cattle, he estimated there would be 52,851, at 1 id per head per mile, and making a return of 330/. Os. 41d. Of calves there would be 1,324 head, carried over a total number of 32,127 miles, at a halfpenny per head, making a return of 641. 16s. Hid. From these sources, therefore, he estimated a total revenue of 305/. Is. 2d. From the mails Mr. Horne antici. pated a total revenue of 2,000/. ; from passengers the total amount at present received from this source was 69,890/. Is. Sd. ; and from parcels he anticipated 2,7761. 10s. Those conclusions were drawn from the data furnished by the Stamp-office, and from his own knowledge of what occurred on the South. Western Radway.l Of corn there was 6,050 tons carried over a distance of 69,775 miles at 2d., and which would yield a revenue of 581/. 9.. 2d. Of third class goods there wound be 3,640 tons car ried 106,615 miles at 2d., and yielding a return of 1,100/. 7s. Of fourth class goods there would be 19,833 tons carried a total per mile, and whi c h wou ld o f course distance of 1,127,7 34 ma klea7 retur n miles a u rn of t3d a 6,4341. . 3tons! 7 1d. From these s evera l sources there would be a revenue. From merchandise there .could be 17,4451. I Is. 9d. per annum. From cattle and pigs, 395/. 7s. 4d. For sheep and lambs, 1,0531. Bs. Bd. making with the difference arising from passengers an aggregate income of 95,202/. 18s. 1 Id. Deducting from this an allowance of 40 per cent. for working expenses, which amounted to 57,121/. 155. 5d., it would leave a return of 5/. 14s. 3d. per cent. on 1,000,0004 capital. With respect to distance, the saving by the Guildford line over the Atmospheric line to Chich es t er was 51 miles. To Chillingford the distance by the Guildf or d li ne was 40 in favourmiles, by o f h the r Atmospheric foformer ofl3l m i les. it wass3 miles, makfng a difference Portsmouth, To Mr. W. J. Choplin, Chairman of the Sobuadtba-i:VaeysstebrenenCodin:iraonuye, was then called, and in his cross.examinatien by Mr. RA WLINSON, tesof a ti c fi c e o tt . h od at a th ti e n So ti u ,e th i - n W ha es bi t t e a r n n ts C o o f m r p o a To an inquiry from the CHAIRMAN, Mr. Chaplin stated that the Company bad contemplated a line from Windsor through Chertsey by Woking and Weybridge to Portsmouth direct,• but they were thrown out in the surveys last summer, not being able to bring them ou; in time to deposit the notices required by the Parliamentary Standing orders. The Company had made several efforts to get the privilege of running packets to Havre, and other places in France, as well as to the west of England, but they could get no countenance from _ . the Government; but they had establsshed a communication by packet, and every packet going in and out of Fouthampton called at Portsmauth. From zn inquiry from Mr. Milnes as to whether if no other Company had started the project of a raijway direct to Nortsmouth, whether they would have proposed any line to Portsmouth. Mr.. _Chaplin stated, that he having had d conver sation with the Duke of Wellington, who was a leading authority with respect to the defences of the country, he had been led to the conviction that the caast line from Dorchester was of the utmost importance, and the Company had determined to run a line to Corsham, and then turn into Portsmouth. From the position of the coast-line a great portion of the traffic must of necesity be drawn from the South-Western line. The cruise quence of this would be to spread the dividends over a larger amount of capital, and yet, notwithstanding this, the witness thought it was worth the while of the com pany to go to the expense of making the two lines, because they expected to draw that which was now turn pike road traffic on to their line, and in addition to this they anticipated some facilities from other sources. Besides these cir cumstances, the Board were induced by a saving of expense in havingl only, to begin at Woking. And in consequence of all the inferences they drew they anticipated a reasonable profit from this projected railway. To the cross-examination of Mr. O'MALLEY, Mr. Chaplin stated that the South-Western Company had done all that they could do for the Portsmouth population, and, in some instances, more than ley were justified in doing. The highest dividend the Company 6d. on a 50/. share. The first dividend they ever paid w as 1 5s. a s h a re, but that was on had ever paid was 725. part of the line. One of the autumnal dividends had been as much as 40s. a share, but this was counterbalanced by the bad dividend in spring. . . . - To Mr. OswaLD's inquiry, Mr. Chaplin stated that the di s t an ce to London by the Brighton li ne would be to Chichester 7871 miles. To the questions of Mr. bI ILNE the w i tne ss replied that he and several others of the Dir ectors of the S ou th Western Com pany had met the Mayor and several other individuals, whom they considered the most persons in that town, and he be. lieved that she line they proposed would agreeable to the inhabitants of Portsmouth ; and at any rate he was convinced that the Sout h. Eastern Company would gi ve satisfact i on to Portsmouth. The Company would have no obj ection to anopt t h e atmospheric prin. ciple if it were proved to be the best. They thought, indeed, that after they had got their Bill they would have an opport unit y of seeing the principle on the C roydon and E pso m line before they commenced their earthwork s. To the cross-examination of M r. Aturisr, Mr. Chaplin stated that the estimates were made out on the supposition that the line would be a locomotive line, but there was no obstacle t o makin g it an atmospheric line. To the re-examination of Mr. GURNEY, the witness replied that he expected much of the loss which would otherwise accrue from the abstraction of traffic from the South Western line would be made up by the increase from other sources, to whirls he had alluded. Mr. Cornelius Stovin, superintendent of traffic on the South Western Railway since 1 839, stated that no favrur had been shown to the Southampton traffic over the Bortsmouth traffic ; in fact, the railway to Gosport w as l ess than that to Southampton. The charge for the delivery of goo d s f ro m Nine Elms within a cir cuit of 4 miles from the statism, var i es from 3s. 6d. a ton for heavy goods, and 6s. Bd. a ton for li g ht er goods single parcels. He range of delivery extended east war d a ll over the City, and west wa.rd as far as Chelsea. By water he had n ow a contract which enables him to deliver goods by wa t er at any wharf betwee n Nine elms and Woolwich, a shilling a t on . There was no tra in now to Southampton without a corresponding one to Gosport, and a reduc tion had been made last September on the carriage of goods, the charge to Gosport was the same as to Southampton, although the distance was greater. This reduction had been made, in his opinion, in consequence of the impression that the carriage by rail was high, and partly, :also, in consequence of the opening of the Southampton Docks. The reduction had been 50 per cent., the charge for the whole distance having been 20s. a ton. The present traffic made a return for pas. sengers of '254,0001., goods 52,0001., horses 3,9741., carriages 4,3791., parcels 11,17 31 ., and for live s tock 2,6981., making a total for all sources of upwards of 337 , 517 /. ; the account being made up to the end of 1844, the cost for expenses being about 40 per cent. The reduction of charge for goods during the first three months had occasioned some falling off in the receipts, though they hz.d gradually recovered. The effect of the restriction had been this :—During the last three months of 1843, the quantity of goods carried was 19,518 tons, and during the corresponding months last year, 25,875 tone Turing the first three months of last year, the quantity earned was 18,681 tons, and during the three corresponding months of the present year, 2 6 , 2 0 4 ton s, making an increase of 1831. The number of passengers between Gospost and London during last favourratbetweeno definitef o 1' speedtSouth_i the e wasii n .. . year had been 60,237, and to Southampion, 108,142, making a making a superiority in favour of. Southampton of 47,905. The quantity of goods carried between London .and Gosport was 6,564 tons, and g to show that the rates all the other railways. ampton of 8,808 tons. to Southampton 15,372 tons, f he road, and a passenger To the enquiries of Mr. RAWLINSON and Mr. FLOOD Mr. Storin stated the rates of charge for the. of total t i goods h n e kk e l l n y o t t o g b iv e e d a i n ve y rted, by the bwT t e yeh r r r et n eht e at )h d tii i rg a tdhr t ea, class train ba stations, sucsto utnloti nni all ioiwtg ahr h ese i tr s fiu vrt r enh e a p htn l 1 o i l carr i age srhsa t om e os ene d ' do n t a y ; goods, made last September, ex more than sixteen miles an . hour, although the rate required by Parliament was only twelve miles an hour. for T m o at l io i n r. other proposed lines, from the South.. Western line. To Mr. GURNEY, on re-examination, the witness stated that asW t l 0 1 A T t i E w L Y a . —n, amount of witnessraffi E c o l u i tended to all export and import goods. The charge varied from I 6s. to 20s. a ton for heavy good , , and 3/. for goods of a costly kind. From the former charges, however, the reduction on the carriage of , there was a deduction of 40 per cent., reducing the charge for delivery at Southampton, to less than 10s. a ten. But the Company were ready to give equal advantages to any port which supplied traffic to their r a il way. The Committee were adjourned till twelve o'clock tomorrow. HARROGATE LINE. This Comm Group B. RIPON (Mr. AND M. Stewart, c h a i rman), resumed this morning. 14A1) Mr. Eatison of Knaresborough was the first witness examined. He stated that they were supplied at Knaresborough with coals i s.l O ton. from Kippax, Manston , M iddleworth, and o ther p l aces, which, if the Leeds and Thirsk lin es were formed, the y cou ld not be con veyed by, but nearly the whole district traversed buterseti la w y e t r h e e n Ripon ol ipo s na d t a id t K H ar rogate Junction was i n coal districts. The coals were sold at iB L i a Being ietnsdebs oao, cross-examinedi gh presentfr. atfrom aboutl3 sby y Mr. OVEREND, h e sa id t h e coa l s used to 6 , 9 perd. a ton, for burning lime at Knaresboreugh came from Mauston. Silkston coals were bet er than Mans ton. Re-examined—The coals whic h c ame by the Leeds and Thirsk Railway could not compet e with the north countr y coals. upon which iday last. hllicohwghaetaedwnaisisre- exa mined regarding th e popu l a ti on re tur n s, w itness was examined a t g reat length on Fr U pon cross-examination by Mr. OVERCND, witne ss admitted that he had not calculated the population in several townships within five miles of the Leeds and Thirsk line—Flaxby, Goldsborough, Cannethorpe, and other places. Tile CHAIRMAN said that he could not allow counsel to go through the same facts over and over again. Mr. OTERENO said his object was to show that the population Group FF. The Committee on the Bills in Group FF (Edinburgh and Nor. than and Edinburgh and Hawick) assembled at Twelve o'clock, Lord Ashley in the Chair. Mr. AUSTIN opened the case for the Edinburgh and Northern, and had not concluded his statement, which he illustrated by fre quent references to maps and plans, at the hour when we went to press. Group DD. THE CALEDONIAN, AND THE GLASGOW, DUMFRIES AND CARLISLE RAILWAYS. __ _ On the re-assembling of the Committee thiintornig, at twelve o'clock, the business was commenced by Mr. HILDYARD calling Mr. Murray, the provost of Paisley. He said that Paisley was the principal and most thickly-populated town in Renfrewshire. The population of Paisley, including the adjacent villages, amounted to 60,000. There were 79 steam en. gines employed in the public works to the extent of 661. horse power. The shawls that were manufactured were principally sent for disposal to London, Manchester, and Ireland, but the greater part were transmitted to London. Shawls were a spe. cies of manufacture which, from their delicate texture and liability to damage, required great dispatch in their transit, and every order that was received was usually accompanied by a direction that the greatest possible expedition be used. The value of the shawls that were annually manufactured amounted to 1,000,000/. There was a very extensive trade carried on between Paisley and Bradford and the western and midland dis. tricts of England. The railway communication to Greenock and Port Glasgow diverged to Paisley ; and of the two competing lines before the Committee, and that which in his• opinion would most conduce to advance the interests of Paisley, was the Dumfries line. He knew nothing about the engineering evidence with regard to the proposed line. The general feeling in Renfrewshire was de. cidedly in favour of the line. A petition had been presented from the people of Paisley, which was signed by its most influential and respectable inhabitants. On cross-examination, Mr. Murray admitted that as tar as the northern districts were concerned, the Caledonian line possessed greater advantages than the other. Group DD. THE CALEDONIAN, AND GLASGO W, DUMFRIES, AND . CARLISLE RAILWAYS. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) The CnAnnum said that the plan which the counsel was purse ing, in so minutely inquiring into points of merely local import ante was unnecessary to the interests ofthe line. He could under. stand "stistical details and maps, and from the consideration of thee. , and upon general principles, the decision of the Committee would be founded. Mr. Anderson, the next witness, said—He had mare up the traffic tables, and had submitted them when prepared to the in. pection of the different individuals from whom he had obtained the data on which they were constructed, and they had expressed their approval of them. He had abstracted and classified the mate rials, and the result showed they had been correctly brought out. Mr. Hone, laud valuer at Clackmarman, stated the value of the land to be taken for the purposes of the railway, amounted to 102,6031. The quality of the soil generally, along the line, would be greatly improved if a sufficient drainage were made. He had no doubt the value of the land through the Dumfries line would pass would be increased 30 or 40 per cent. He did not consider that the Caledonian line, from its levels being in some instances 1,000 feet above the level of the sea, would much benefit the soil of the country through which it would pass. Mr. LAURIE gave concurrent testimony to the last witness. Sir THOMAS PHILLIPS then called Mr. Miller, civil engineer— He stated that in 1840 he was instructed to survey and report on the construction of the best line between Carlisle and Glasgow, and on that occasion he was assisted by Mr. Locke: Several other lines were in eontemplation, about the same period, but of those only the two schemes now before the Committee had been persevered in. The opinion which he then formed of the favouruble nature of the Nithsdale line had been subsequently confirmed; and in the appendix to his fourth report, he had stated his reason& in vindication of that opinion. At the period at which Mr. Locke formed his guagement. The severest gra client on the line was I in 113, but since that time an east coast had been made. Mr. Miller considered :that the East Coast line would command the traffic between London and Edinburgh, as the gradients on that line were very favourable; and a very consider able speed in the transmission of goods could be obtained. If the traveller from the South to Edinburgh went by the East Coast Itne, it would be the most convenient for him. The distance between London and Edinburgh by the East Coast Railway is 389 miles, and by the Caledonian the dis. tance is about 400 miles. He was of opinion, that on the subject of carrying the line northward from Carlisle, there were several important points to be kept in view, especially as regarded the communication with the west of Scotland, and from the Lancashire districts to Scotland and the coast of Ireland. The terminus at Carlisle was conveniently situated, to form a coalition with the terminii of the different railways there, and would communicate with all the line radiating from Carlisle on every side. The distance to Dumfries by the Niths. dala line was very much shorter than by the .Caledonian Raiway, and was, in every respect, more convenient. The country between Carlisle and Dumfries is generally flat and easy. From Dumfries the line begins to ascend the valley of the Nith, and here the works would be tolerably light. There were several villages in the valley and the soil was rich in agricultural produce, it termed part of the estates of the Duke of Marlborough, and the line would pass for 22 miles through his property. The summit of the line was attained at a point between Stukconnel and Old Cumnock. At New Cumnock the railway passes through the large mineral field belonging to Lord Bute, and it was very important that the highest level was situated near it as the mineral produce could be conveyed in either direction. The distance between Carlisle and New Cunnock was 91 miles. The only gradient on the line steeper than 1 in 176 was one coming from Thilinarnock, three miles in length, and consisting of one in a hundred ; and it was proposed to have a constant engine stationed there, The gradients were all very conveniently situated along the line. The highest elevation was attained at Cunnock, where the railway would be carried at six hundred feet above the the level of the sea. There would be two tunnels on the line, one of which was near Kilmarnock, of 660 yards in length ; and an. other at Dumlanrigg, to avoid injuring the estate of the Duke of Buccleuch, of 1,500 yards long. The character of the strata through which the tunnels worked was very easy, as the soil con. slated for the most part of red sand stone. The stations at Paisley, Glasgow, and Greonock, were all very conve niently situated. The levels of the line to Glasgow were all of a favourable nature; and It was intended to carry the rail. way into the heart of that city, through the medium of the Glas gow Junction line. He was of opinion that as far as the com mercial, agricultural, and mineral interests of the counties through which the Dumfries line would pass, were concerned, it was far preferable to the Caledonian. The Haweir line was carried thirty. two miles through the property of the Duke of Buccleuch, who approved of the scheme. The estimated expense of the railway was 1,200,0001., and the working expenses were calculated at 33 1.3 per cent over the gross receipts. Mr. Miller admitted, on his cross.examlnation, that there were two gradients on the Hawick line of 1 in 75 and 1 in 90. In the course of the cross.examination a messenger from the Commons announced that the Speaker was at prayers, and the Corn mittee adjourned till half. past eleven to-morrow. Group Q. The Committee on this Group, composed of Mr. Sotheron (Chairman), Mr. T. Pusey, ➢lr. Escott, Sir E. Colebrooke, and Lord Duncan, sat today on the NORTH WALES RAILWAY. Our readers will recollect that the consideration of this railway was adjourned to enable the engineer, Sir J. Rednie, to give some additional evidence. Mr. CALVERT, on behalf of the promoters, stated that the opposi. tion of Mr. Wynn was withdrawn, on consideration of a special agreement having been entered into by the Company not to take his land without consent, and also to extend the line from Bargin and Caernarvon to Port Dywllaen. A further opposition, however, was offered by Mr. Whalley, a coalowner in the district, in consequence, as he stated, to a person of the Comwany having made arrangements with him, and then having offered equal advantages to another coalowner, although he held an incumbrance on a large property through which the rail way passes, to the extent of 40,0001; but this opposition was ulti. mately abandoned. The preamble was then allowed to be proved, and the Committee went through the clauses of the bill, when some discussion ensuee on the rates of toll, which were decided to be 3d., 2d., and lid, per mile for first, second, and third class pas sengers. These alterations having been made, the report was agaeed to, and ordered to be made to the House. Group V. SHEFFIELD AND CHESTERFIELD. This line was taken into consideration this morning by the Committee. The opponents consisted of their Graces the Dukes of Norfolk and Devonshire, with other landowners and lessees on the line. The promoters were assisted by Mr. Baines, Q.C., Mr. Wrang ham, Q.C., Mr. Alexander, Q.C., and Mr. Adams ; the opponents by Mr. Austin, Q C., Mr. Talbot, Q.C., Mr. E. James, and other Counsel. Mr. Batrts, Q.C., opened the case for the promoters by pointing out the importance of Sheffield as of the very first consequence in the scale of British manufacturing towns, and particularly the im mense quantity of coal and iron which entered into the production of their staple manufactures. These minerals were to be found in abundance in the immediate neighbourhood, but for want of accom modation the town of Sheffield could not avail themselves of them. The town, Hon. Members might be aware, had not less than 19.0,000 inhabitants, all more or less dependent upon the hardware manufacture, and it was in order to give facility to that very manu facturer that this railway vas sought to be constructed. The Learned Counsel then entered into a history of the railway com. munication which had been accorded to the town of Sheffield since the year 1835, and contended that that communication was alto gether inadequate to the wants of the town or the necessities of its manufactures. With respect to the complaints of the several yeti. tioners, he thought that they would be found in their most serious aspect to involve only questions of compensation, difficulties cer tainly the most easy to be overcome, when once the necessity for the railway project had been proved to the satisfaction of the Com mittee. The line was intended to be a double line—the distance 12 miles or a little better—and the capital 400,000 or at the rate of 33,000/. a mile, a price which would sufficiently prove that the promoters had taken the engineering difficulties fully into con. sideration. The Learned Gunsel then concluded by declaring that the feeling of the country was in favour of the line; and he trusted that when the Committee should hear the evidence he had to adduce they would be of opinion that this was one of those railways which the trade of the country imperatively called for. Edward Rawgeley, coal agent, Whittington, parish of Derby— Was lessee of certain coal-fields, and the proposed line would pass through them. The witness mentioned the great majority of the coal-fields in his neighbourhood. The line would be con. tiguous to all of them. The coal w.is of a valuable character, and would be Just suited to the trade of Sheffield. Their• only mode of conveyance now was by horse and cart, but if these lines were made, it would be wrought to a four-fold extent. They had also as abundance of iron-stone, which only canted an easy transit to be worked to a very great extent. Cross-examined by Mr. JOllNSON—Dronfield, the end of the coal-field nearest Sheffield, was six miles from Sheffield. It abounded in iron.stone, and there was a great demand for it in the latter town. The witness was cross.examined by Mr. JAMES—There was a considerable delay on the present railway from Sheffield to Chester field, which he thought would be obviated if the proposed line were constructed. By the CommirrEE—The coach fares were lower from Sheffield to Chesterfield than the railway charges were. Samuel Lucas, owner of certain coal lands at Dronfield—llad converting coal on his property, and used it himself. But very little of it had been used. lle made between two hundred and three hundred tons of coak every week, which was sent principally to Sheffield. Ile should be dto see the rilway opeued, as it would give an impetus toile coal and iron workings of Dronfield. The coal would extern' for forty-five airfare miles in the direction of Chesterfield. He should say there were 10,000 acres lit the Dronfield district. The Committee then adjourned till ten o'clock to-morrow. STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. This Committee, which is always a private one, assemb!ei at one. We ascertained that the Committee had allowed the North British Railway Bill, for additonal provisions, to pass. PRIVATE COMMITTEE. The Committee decided that in the case of The Portulington and Tullamore (Irish Great Western) Railway the standing orders ought not to be dispensed with. In the case of the Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings (Kymcr Branch) standing orders may be dispensed with, and parties to be allowed to proceed with their Bill. In the c a se of the Southampton and Dorchester Railway, powers refused to lease the railway. ' In the case of the Birmingham and Gloucester, the parties to be allowed to proceed on omitting the clause enabling them to sell on lease. In the case of the North Wales R: ilway, for additional provision, the parties to be allowed to proceed. In the case yf the Newport and Pontypool Railway, parties al. lowed to proceed; as also in the case of the Preston and Wyre Railway. PATTERSALL'S.-THIS EVENING Six O'CLOCK DERBY. 9 to 4 agst Idas 4 to 1 agst John Day's lot. 6 to 1 agst Weat•herbit 7 to 1 agst Alarm 10 to 1 agst Forth's lot 8 to 1 agst The Libel 18 to 1 agst Pantasa 20 to 1 agst Pam 22 to 1 agst Doleful 25 to 1 agst Old England 30 to 1 agst Ledger 30 to 1 agst Fuzbos 40 to 1 agst Mentor 35 to 1 agst Merry Monarch 40 to 1 agst Jinglepot 40 to 1 agst Columbus 50 to 1 agst Miss Whip colt 50 to 1 agst Laird o' Cockpen 40 to 1 agst Worthless OAKS. 5 to I agst Lady Wildair 6 to 1 agst Lancashire Witch 10 to 1 agst Maid of Orlaens 18 to 1 agst Venus IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR took hug seat upon the Woolsack at Five o'clock. Lord REDESDALE presented several petitions against the Maynootb grant. Petitions against the grant were also presented by the Earl of Bandon, Lord Kenyon, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, the .Bishop of Gloucester, and the Bishop of Winchester. Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition against the Cha ritable Trusts Bill. REGISTRATION OF DEEDS BILL. The NosLE LORD then laid on the table a Bill for the regis tration of all deeds and instruments respecting real property in England and Wales. This Bill was founded on the report ot the Real Property Commissioners, and was founded upon the plan which had b?en proposed by Mr. Duval, one of the ablest real property lawyers that had ever adorned the profession. —(" Hear, hear," from Lord Brougham.) That plan had been approved of by the Real Property Commission, over which He (Lord :Campbell) had had the honour of presiding. It had been considered for two sessions by the House of Commons, and had been favourably received in that House. The subject had not been mooted for twelve years, and he hoped that the prejudices which had been entertained against it had died away. The Bill was then laid on the table. RAILWAY CO tIPENSATION COMMITTEES. The Earl of FITZWILLIAM moved that the evidence taken before the Railway Compensation Committee should be printed for the use of their Lordships only.—Agreed to. MESSAGE FROM THE COMMONS. Messengers from the Commons brought up the Nottingham Waterworks Bill, and several other private Bills. (LEFT SITTING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. WHITTLE DEAN WATERWORKT. This Bill was read a third time. YORK AND SCARBOROUGH RAILWAY DEVIA TION BILL. --- This Bill was also read a third time. CORNWALL RAILWAY. Mr. PENDARVES presented petitions from landowners and others in the county of Cornwall against the proposed Cornwall Railway. - WATERFORD UNION. Sir W. H. BARRON presented a petition from the guardians of the Waterford Union praying the House to equalise the poor rates in all the different parishes. BANK OF IRELAND. Sir H. W. BARRON presented a petition from the Rev. Dr. Clay (as we understood) against the National Bank of Ire land 13111. RAILWAY BILLS. Mr. STEWART WORTLEY moved the order of the day for the adjourned debrte on Railway Bills. Mr. W. PATTEN said since the debate had been ad journed he had considered this subject fully, and he was in doubt as to whether they ought not to adopt the resolution altogether as it how stood. At the same time they ought to look that on framing these regu lations they threw no discouragement in the way of rail way Companies. The House should recollect that they bad in a former session passed certain regulations which at the time were considered as not imposing any restrictions np(.n railway Companies, - but were afterwards found to prevent many useful schemes from coming before the House. The House, he again repeated, should take care that they enacted that which was calculated in the smallest degree to discourage the extension of these projects. Mr. HAWES said that the commission had proposed that in any Railway Bill brought into the House which recited any Railway Act already passed this clause, should be in troduced. Therefore they must consider this clause as extending to all Railway Bills which had passed since the first Railway Bill had !Dern introduced into that House. The Hon. Member for the West Riding went as far as that—but the Noble Lord we n t muc h . . furthe - r. The Noble Lord further required that every Railway Bill reciting any preceding Railway Act should be subject to revision and alteration, as regarded the rates of fines. Now if the House intended to revise the rates of charges of all railway com panies, let the House distinctly decide that it intended to revise the rates and charges of all railway companies, after due notice given, and after the parties objecting had had an op portunity of being heard. It had been said that the charges were high—but the returns which had been made it had been shown that for thirty-eight millions of capital in vested in railways the average return had not been more than five per cent. Thus it did not appear that such an enormous rofit had been made on the capital invested in railways as ought to induce the House to interfere. It had been said that the charges in foreign railways were lower. Undoubtedly they were ; but it should be recollected that in foreign railways a portion of the capital had been fur nished by the State, while here the whole had been subscrib d by private individuals. And in foreign railways, if there was not a certain return for the capital invested, taxation was imposed upon the people to secure the required amount. 1 herefore, the resolution in its present state, ought not to be passed, but, at all events, he could not consent to it unless he heard some explanation of the words which provided—that if any future Bill should recite a former Act, such Act should be subject to the decision of Parliament. Such a resolution he repeated, ought not to be passed by the House, but before the House did pass it, he hoped Government would favour them with their opinion upon the subject, because the resolution in itself affected great masses of prop er ty, an d was looked to with great interest by the public. Mr. BARING said the House, by its previous legislation, never intended to sanction the monopolies which were exercised by some of the existing railway companies. If the House re ferred to the reports of former Committees, they would see that, so far from this being the case, a clause was introduced in almost all the Bills to prevent such monopolies, but that clause had since proved to be defective ; but, nevertheless, it was evident every Committee appeared desirous of establishing such a system of competition as would avert the existence of monopoly. He was, therefore, inclined to think the House had already the power to make additions and alterations in the Acts of companies, who should come to them for extended powers ; but, in his opinion, they had no right to make these alterations until the companies did come to Par liament. He hoped, before the approach of the next session, of Parliament, Government would take the whole subject of railway legislation into their consideration, and see if something could be done to improve the present system. It was evident such a system could not last ; and he thought Government could, if they liked, place railway legislation upon a more firm, settled, and satisfactory footing. Sir R. PEEL thought the resolutions contemplated two distinct things. In the first place it contemplated subjecting every Railway Company, whether new or old, when they ap proached Paniament for new or extended powers, to such restrictions and additional legislation as the House might think desirable. The second resolution sub jected any railway which might hereafter come to Parliament to a resolution affecting the tolls and farms which might be charged on such railway, and he must confess the two resolutions appeared to him to be anything but o bj ec ti ona bl e. They (the House) had not time then to consider all these ob. jections, but they said to the promoters of railway schemes— " We should be prejudicing your interests were we to postpone the passing of your Bill until we had time to give the subject due consideration. We shall consent to pass your Bills generally, without inserting this resolution ; Lut we shall reserve to ourselves the power of subjecting your tolls to such further control as we may see proper." That was to say, they would not exercise an arbi trary right on the subject of tolls generally, but they should deem it their duty to see that passengers were protected, and, holding these opinions, he should support the motion of the Hon. Member. (LEFT SITTING.) rHE MAYNOOTB. BILL. requested u s t The Committee of the Anti-Alay a n b ooth h th Dissenters Conference have to publish We pub lish many things follow ing address to the Catholicsof course of which we d o no t approve, and this isone, h of eitasadz i l t ir i document issuing from a body of religionists, v le g iN possibly u an impressi . on on others of a different t • that hat chance is there, however, ic hope a o s f ia n n ia . kin l g y n s l u make the slightest impression ? Thy Catholics are naturally highly indignant at the hostility dis played against their religion by the English Dis senters, and will look upon this admonition as only adding mockery to insult. They have approved o'f the Maynooth Bill to a man, they regard it as a proof that a Tory Government means to consult Irish in terests. The only trill opposition made to it is by men who denounce their religion as damnable and idol atrous, and though the party that recognises Juhn Burnet as a leader may di,claim such vile accusations, they are too much mixed up with the enemies °Ore land to be regarded as impartial monitors:— ADDRESS TO THE ROMAN CATITOLICS OF IRELAND, nom THE CONFERENCE OF PROTESTANT DISSENTERS HELD IN CROSBY-HALL, LONDON, ON MAY THE 20TH AND 215,T, 1545. Fellow Subjects.,—There are crises whi c h occasionally occur in nati ona l higory so momento us as to rar . r , fi t iit eal departur e f rom a ll t h e Qrdinary methods or intercourse ; wad to justify an appeal, not to individuals, hbwever distinguished, nor to any isolated bodies of men, bnt to a nation at large; such a crisis, in our deliberate judgment, has now arrived, and we therefore feel that in embracing it no further apology is necessary. You are placed by circumstances, the origin and growth of which it is unnecessary to trace, in a position so conspicuous and so critical as to attract towards you the anxious attention of all patriotic men in these realms, and of the liberal and thoughtful throtighout the civilised world. On your conduct at the present juncture, the mightiest and most sacred interests are suspended, and with you, tinder divine Providence, rest those issues which are destined to give a complexion, for an indefinite period, to the history of this empire. Your fidelity to the great principles of justice must inevitably promote its peace, prosperity, and freedom ; your betrayal of them will necessarily be the omen, at least, of their tem porary disaster and defeat. You will not suppose that, professing as we do the principles of civil and religious freedom, we are instiga ted in our present appeal by a desire to cajole you into any intermission of your efforts ire the great cause of justice to Ireland. We highly appreciate her resources ; we deeply sympathise with her wrongs. We have ever advocated her claims, and we have long admired the pa triotic zeal of her people to achieve,*by peaceful mans, the restoration of her unquestionable rights. You need not to be reminded that the Dissenters of England were among the warmest supperters of the Catholic Relief Bill ; that they heartily advocated the equal ex tension of political privileges to the Irish as to the Eng lish people ; that they support:A the chimers of your country to an equal share in the benefits of Municipal Reform; that they rejoiced in the abolition of your Vestry Cess ; and that they viewed with strong indig nation the recent attempts of your Government to strain the powers of the law in the tyrannical suppression of public opinion. They have ever fought side by side with you in all 3 our conflicts for social and political equality, nor will any misconstruction which may have been pat on their conduct prevail to diminish the earnestness of their efforts in your defence. Still yc.o cannot expect them to surrender, on this very account, the principles which, even on the occasions referred to, have regulated their public conduct. We have ever held that, of all the grievances under which yeur country has laboured, the establishment of the Anglican church in Ireland is the most unjustifiable and oppressive, and we pledge ourselves never to remit our etibrts to remove from you this intolerable burden. We deem it a fundamentel maxim, even of the commonest political justice—and ip this opinion we are fortified by that of some of the most eminent members of the Roman Catholic church—that no compulsory payments can be rightfully demanded for the support of any religious system whatever. In this simple but vital principle lies involved the whole philosophy of Nonconformity. The slightest deviation fee m this ground would virtually amount to a surrender of ou r consistency, and vvoulj obviously expose us to the merited derision of all discerning men. Now it will be plain to you that the preposel mew. sure for the permanent endowment of the College of Mayneoth involves the most direct invasion of this prin ciple. It places your dissenting know-subjects in the very position from which they are striving to rescue you. It violates their consciences as offensively as the Pro testant establishment, in its tyrannical exactions, violates yours. It re-enacts the obnoxious rtinciple, it is an extension of the very system, which you, in com mon with ourselves, have long been labauring to over throw. To tolerate this measure, is distinctly to sanction and assert that principle. It is impossible, moreover, to mistake the design of this measure. If it could be regarded as a legitimate, though scanty instalment of the heavy debt of justice which England owes to your country, we should be the first to hail it; but, were there no other consideration, the quarter from which it comes forbids this supposition. If, as your justly indignant feelings lead you sometimes to suppose, you have natural enemies in this country, it is with them that this measure originates. Defeated in their attempts to overawe you by the terrors of law and the array of military force, an oligarchy, notoriously hostile to popular feeling, addicted by their ordinary policy to measures of coercion, yet vacillating in all their courses, and open to the influence of the meanest me- Lives, now insult your public virtue by the cif, r of a paltry bribe. We have greatly miscalculated the high feeling of the Irish people, whose modern history furnishes the most demonstrative vindica tion of the voluntary principle—who, oppressed by an opulent and alien hierarchy, drained of their resources by aristocratic absentees, crippled in their com merce by selfish restrictions, and, with sill their un equal local capaLilities turned to the condition of a desert, have borne up the &brie of a religion on the sinews of poverty, and maintained their worship by the mites of indigence thrown into the treasury—we have s we repeat, greatly misealeu'ated the high fc, ling of the Irish people, if they are to be seduced from their lsfty position by such fawning blandishments and transpa mit arts as these—if, like the ill famed heroine of uu tiquity, they will surrender the citadel they have so nobly defended, in consideration of the worth', ss er na . meats which bedizen the arms of their foes. No ! fellow-countrymen, let it never be said that 3 - ou, who, in your majestic course, hate braved the terrors fd phy sical coercion, and who have ris• n unharmed front th e tires of legal prosecution, have yielded to the first mere tricious smile of those who, from the highest seats of power, have denounced you " aliens in blood, aliens in language, aliens in religion." The boon thus gratuitously effercd by the liovern ment has no relation whatever to the real grievances of your country. It is manifestly designed ►s a diver sion, to relax your interest and to %% ithdra re your at tention from the substantial evils which oppress you. had her Majesty's Government been possessed with a tineere desire to serve you, they might have found innu►nepable opportunities of doing co without violating cur conscience or compromising your independence. They might have conceded to you a proportionate share in the national representation ; they might have thrown open to you the advantages of your metropolitan university ; above all, they might have relieved 3 ou from the incubus of the Protestant Church. From the attainment of these and similar essential reforms, which the Government are un willing to concede, it is, in our judgment, the purrose of this insidious measure to beguile you ; and should they succeed, they will have thrown back indefinitely the cause of justice to Ireland, and have rendered one of the most imposing movements for national freedom, the object of lasting and of justly merited derision. It is for you, fellow-subjects, whose characteristic sagacity cannot fail to detect this ill-concealed design, to avert, by a timely and resolute opposition, so fatal and dis graceful a result. If, again, this grant is to be regarded for a moment in the light of restitution, the meanness of the proposal sufficiently indicates that it is intended merely as preli minary. It is too absurd to suppose that the wealthiest and most powerful Government in the world, should look upon the insignificant pittance of about 26,0001. a year, as a compensation for the urgent claims ( f a great people. But if this measure is preliminary, vie beg you to consider what is th a t system which it is de signed to introduce. The cautious and characteristic silence of the Government has been generally, and, we believe, correctly interpreted, both wiihin and without the walls of Parliament, as a virtual admission of their desire eventually to take the whole hody of your priest hood into the pay of the State. Can it be necessary to suggest to you the consequences of such a scheme ? It would violate the consciences, not only of the class who already su ff er a scarce ly tolerable indignity on this accou n t, b ut o f t h e ent i re Christian commu nity in these realms. Dissenters, who already groan under the exactio ns o f o ne es tablishment, will rise with a more resolute determination against the endowment of a second. The recognised leaders of . th . the Irish Catholic; a h n a vaerragain arrangement again ;lvin io the pronounced Anglican dec decisively against list either h a re n p d e n tli cY e g al oo i t d s a f r a t i i t c h l . e s o n r e g a i c o r n i fi s c a e n e .un v e o r s y n 7 e l claim r t r o v c e • r o b n isa i most bitter that agitate the breasts of men, would b e exacerbated to an incalculable degree ; whil e , as State support and State control arc invariably corr e l at i ve, the most earnest of your religious teachers would be placed under a dictation unbearably galling to all save those whom it may seduce to the compromise of all that is d ear to high-minded and conscientious men. In a word, such a measure would reduce to a mere name all publi c v i rtue and consistency, and stain with ineffable disgrace the sacred cause of Christianity itself. The opposition of the Dissenting body to the Govern ment measure has, by some thoughtless and impetuous men, been indiscriminately condemned us fanatical and bigoted. We indignantly repudiate the charge as applied to the great Nonconforming body. Let us newt. hear it repeated. We are ready to contend by your side for the attainment of an equal participation of all rights, ecclesiastical, political, and social ; but we will not sacrifice our consciences to the success of a State trick, nor will we patiently submit to be taxed for a bribe to you, which we would spurn with contempt, were it offired to ourselves. With all the earnestness, then, which a concern for the highest interests of our fellow men can excite, we conjure you, by your self-respect as British subjects—by the lofty position you occupy, as the peaceful but reso • lute defenders of your national freedom —by the claim of ordinary consistency, as political agents—and, above all, by the solemn requirements of religious fidelity, to reject the unhallowed bribe offered at your very altars by secular and hostile hands; and, turning your back upon the temporary and crafty homage of a faetirn, to throw yourself on themight of those resources, by which the reli gion of Christ survived, at its origin, the persecution of a world ; and in the strength of which it is, as we trust, destined hereafter to bless the universal family of man. Signed on behalf of the Conference, Jc~IIN BURN CIIARING-CROS,IIIOsPITAL.--Yestelday morning a sermon, on ht half of as preached at St. Paul's ovent 18 indigent swk persons ,he vencrr.hle 11. 1.. gtr t hh.e h ie. : in s l(c..inAnb i t n ;.ir N . : cAi h. of eagietniaoarstitt garden, snutesiacib,rin).o.9. Chiches ter. lie ICS ed en l ii i l c . f r , a a t t i( c:. nt c s o , st of 2.4311. 15s. 24d. ; of these, 1 , 056 w ere and 8,462 were out. patients (many of whom were visited at their own homes, and the greater part were restored to the blessings of henl,h and to their occupations for the ftipport of their families). These, with the casts reported in former annual statements, make a total of 102,776 sick find needy individuals who have partaken of the hem fits of the Institution, from its commencement, in 1818, to the 31st December, 1844. After a very energetic appeal on behalf of the peculiar claims which this useful charity has upon the feelings of the wealthy and benevolent, the sum collected amounted to 40/.105., and an additional annual subscription of five guineas from a biewavolent supporter of the hospital. . ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY, re added to the society : .A f t D a u meeting o i c f fellows, e.p rese h n eLd tent the e e e g h te , n n the following ladies and gentlemen we re the Honoura b le William The Venerable Archdeacon Clive is CaA lmer Chapman. Esq., H. J. I h G a Sa:Fr t d 'S z i : t i, l; tt e ee ß , is a lz Gordon, 11. Drummond, myth, 4e. t c ir . an li t a , r E ri s s q pn , , R. m w rz B p r i a ag n r d:', " ;t:. "i Tay E l d o n :,;(B. ll'' T ell. : ; rl l.s. c .' , EE: : . c. Whately, En., Q.C. Commeril , q.,