The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-12 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN RAILWAY SCHEMES.

Earl GRANVILLE. on movies the appointment of a corn-
*Wee to act jointly with that of the Home of Commons in
considering the subject of the proposed metropolitan rail-
way', mid this year the alarm in the metropolis was
greater than it was last year, and be thought it desirable
that a body havieg the authority of a joint
committee should ham the subject entire before
them for calm and mature coomderation. If their
lordships acceded to the proposition he would on a future
evening Dame the committee. He should be glad that
members of the government should not take any part is the
inquiry, but at the same time the government were pre-
pared to give the committee every amiatance in their power.
Their lordships would be glad to beer that the noble lord
the chairman of committees (Lord Redeedale) had ex-
pressed his readiness to act upon the joist committee.
The Earl of DERBY mid it was so matter of setonish.
meet that a panic prevailed in the metropolis oo the
subject of the proposed railways when they coneidered the
extent and variety of the schemes with which the metro-
polis was threatened. He was informed that the capital
of the several companies amounted to about 35,000.00.4,
and that s per cent. of that amount bad bees lodged as
deposits. No fewer than IGO streets were to be seriously
interfered with. Some of the railways were to be under-
ground, some over ground, and some on the level, and they
were to run in every possible direction. They were
brought forward without any general scheme, or any
reference to one working in connexion with the other.
He quite agreed, therefore, that the question should be
taken up and considered in some such way aa that proposed
by the noble earl, and though the course was one for
which there was no precedent of recent date, he did not feel
disposed to object in she slightest degree to toe appointment
of &committee to act jointly with the committee of the
House of Commons, still leas was be disposed to object to
members of the government forming part of that committee.
He thought that the government ought to have taken a
more active part in the matter, and to have laid out what
appeared to them to be the best general scheme for railway
traffic through the metropolis, without reference to this or
that romnany. considering only the convenience of the
public He soy of opinion that some such scheme should
be provided, and that, imitating the French system, there
ehockl be a ommeasion from the government to carry on the
%theme proposed. This so doubt would be a great Ulna's-
tioe upon our present practise, and nth respect to other
parts of the country he would sot have suggested it fbat as to
the metropolis be thought it would be better that one go-
verning mind should be applied to the question, without
reference to personal interests. (Hear, bear.) He would
take that opportunity of pressoUn two petitions on this
subject, see from the Society of British Arekiteets, tits,
other from the Architectural Amoriatioe, in which they re-
preesated the greet iaceseentemm which would w I arise bus

the emiffict of railway interests They also observed that
no adequate Mast thoroughfares bad uses proposed, and
expressed their *Moe that the Tertian of street commu-
nication should be first and forthwith coasidered and deter-
mined, and that lines of Armes, nacre especially with refe-
rence to railway termini, should be laid oat ; they
that all railway projects should be posepooed ZVI!
question of great leading thoroughfares should have been
considered ; and they prayed that a committee or a com-
mission should be appointed on the subject. With refe-
rence to the present mein, be was glad to hear that
his boo. friend the chairman of committees !had [mud that
it would to remanent with his laborious duty to booms •
member of the joint committee, as his presence would give
the country the greatest confidence in that tribnuaL He
fasted that If no gamed wham wee proposed by the
'oven/meat the committee would be wader great died-
vantage.
Earl GRANVILLE said be could not pretend that he
setertained no views of his own upon the 'abject, but be
did not think that it would at present be right to state
them.
Lord REDESDALE entirely approved of the appoint-
ment of a committee under the circumstances of the ems—
Dot, however, as an experiment, but because the circum-
stances were exceptimaL The precedents for the course
proposed were ancient, and referred to oases in which the
joint action of the two houses was desirable.
Joint committees were principally appointed to
regulate the proceedings in cases of impeachment.
He trusted the commission would Dot be deadest is bold-
Ram He thought the course proposed to be adopted was
an exorptional one, but that they were chime to it by the
very exceptional character of the matter they hod to coo-
alder. (Heer, bear.)
The Earl of CARNARVON said they were practically
entering upon a new era with rimed to railway legialatioa.
He Mould be sorry if the appointment of this committee
were to be held sa a precedent for the appointment of
joint committees on ordinary railway bills.
The Earl of DERBY wished to bow whether it was in-
teoded that each railway should be represented by a sepa-
rate counsel, or whether the committee was to form its
judgment without affording the different milway menpa-
nice an opportunity of obtaining the assistance of to
weasel.

After a few words treat Earl Gaarrvatt sad Earl Pow's,
The niaolutioo war agreed to.
Their kiniehips adjourned at 20 minute' to eight o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THITRADAY, FEB. 1L
The SPLICES leek the chair at a few minutes before 4
o'clock.

NEW MEMBER.

Mr. Yoazz took the oaths and his seat for Tewkesbury,
is the room of Ur. Lygoa, who has bonnie awather for
West Worosetesehire.

itlaripTausaber ofprivate NIL wan mad a Ant time.
STANDING ORDERS.

Upon the motion of Colooel Wirnon Pamir, the follow.
tag were appointed members of the sided onnonttos on
standing ado.: Calomel Wilson Pastes, Mr. Walpole,
Yr. Henley, Mr. Wrightmoo, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Bounstoo,
Mr. &idiom-Cm ter, Mr. Letroy, Mr. Dunlop, Mr. Filler,
and Mr. E. E4erta►

COMMITTEE OF SELECTION.
Upon the motion o/ the rune hon sad gallant menthe'.
the following were appointed members at the committee of
selection : Mr. Huth*, Mr. Herbert, Mr. Banhem-Carter,
Lord Hotham, Mr. Monkey, and the chairmen of the
select committee ea standing orders.