The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-17 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

Yesterday the case of the Mid-Devon and Corn-
wall Railway was opened by Mr. Phino, Q.C., in opposition
to the competing case of the Devon Central, which was
closed. The evidence of Mr. Fowler, C.E., on the gauge
question occupied the day. He deposed that both the broad
and narrow gauge were extending, and that the latter was
only a little less economical than the former. Engineering
and general evidence was proceeded with in the committee
on the Eastern Comities and on the Cork Railways. The
Bishop's Castle Railway Bill still occupies Lord Routes(le's
committee, and the bill of the Huddersfield Gm Company
was passed in another committee. Lord Redeschilis, in
his committee, disposed of the W bitehavcs, Cleator. and
Egremont Railway, Brighton, Rickfield, sad Toobridge
Railway, and other bills.

THE ROLTHKAD AND GREAT NORTH ROAD.—A. commit-
tee of the House of Commons has just commenced its fit-
tings on this subject, its object being to "relieve" certain
trusts oo the formerly well-known Great North
or Holyhead Road of old " coach times reminia.
mime. This road, it will be remembered, just DR the
railway came in to supersede it, had attained the highest
pitch of macadamised perfectibility, but has of late years
become a comparatively deserted highway and in debt, the
legislature, while granting compensation for interferon**
with vested interests in other cases, having apparently con-
ceded no compensation in this. The consequence is that
the total debt now due oo account of loans to the various
districts of the Holyhead Railway from the Consolidated
Fund and Exchequer Loan Commissioners amounts to about
&5,000/. ; the sum due from the Highgate Archway-road
being about 13,0001. ; St. Albans and Barnet, 13,00 W. ;
Hockliffe and Stratford, 10,000/. ; Stratford and Due-
church, 16,0001., the monies being granted under acts of
Geo. IV. and Win. IV. The bill provides for the repay.
ment of the loam by instalments, and proposes, should the
trustees of any road fail in making them, that the commis-
sioners shell enter on possession of all the toll gates and
repay themselves.

The Pont-office authorities of the United States
have just enacted a law that packets of cards, blank or
printed, not lees than eight ounces in weight, and packets
of seeds or cuttings, not more than eight ounces in weight,
can be sent through the post at the rate of one peony for
two ounces for • distance of 1,500 miles, and at the rate of
oeeenny an ounce beyond that distance.
THE ORNAMENTATION of WATCHER WITH FINE
Aar Dasioss.—" It Is singular that oar English manufacturers of
watches have overlooked the importance of superior art-designs
for their production.. The fact 1,, the cartiluess of wisteria!
and perfection of mechanism in the smallest compass seem here-
tofore to have been looked upon as the exclusive standards by
which a watch could he judged. the ornamentation being consi-
dered of no importance. Significant signs of Improvement are,
however, Indicated by at least one manufacturer. As observeup
of progress In all departments of art and manufactures, we feel
much pleasure in addlisg our testimony to the fine taste which bee
been displayst in the selection of artistic designs for ornament-
ing watches loy Mr. J. W. Benson, of 33 and U. Ludgate-hill, and
MI and 47. Cornhlll, the manufacturer referred to. Mr. Belll.ll,
as a tongestablished City manufacturer, his pined a reputation'
for the quality of his productions which Mands second so now
, in the City."—ben. Season's Illustrated pamphlet, pest free Oar
two stamps, is desert/Alva of every construction of watch now
Pads Watches sate by poet to ah parts of the globs.—(Adver-
I Wilmot]