The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-14 00:00:00

Railway and Public Companies in Parlia- I
ment.

Yesterday, iv. the committee on the new metro-
politan railways, the case for the London and
Blackwell Railway was opened by Mr. Hope Scott,
Q.C.; the object being to empower that company
to make Tour extensions of their existing system—.
the first, a line of two miles from their main line
at the East of Limehouse station, passing between
the Thames and the western enas of the Victoria
Docks, thence southward, eastward, and north-
ward parallel with the Thames to Manchester-road,
va'..th three coma:wing branches—ono to the bank
of the river at Johnson-street, the second to the Ad-
miralty works at the isle of Dogs,
and the third
to cc lancet the company's extension to Bow at
Stepney with their main line at Limehouse, the
works to be completed within five years. The other
ge'aeral objects contemplated are the widening of
the company's main line,
to accommodate the in-
'Creasing traffic on its south aide near the Stepney
station, the enlargement towards Mark-lane of their
present terminus at Fenchurch-street. Additional
lands aro also to be taken at the eastward of the
Limehouse station, arrangements to be made with
the East and West India Dock Company with re-
spect to the construction and management of open-
ing bridges to carry the first railway over their
cuts, and to construct tramways from the other ex-
tensions to any private premises at the river side
with the consent of the owners and road authori-
ties. For these purposes they propose to raise
£250,000 as new ordinary or preference capital, and
£BO,OOO by mortgage. The second and third ex-
tensions are to terminate at the high water mark on
the northern shore of the Thames, one opposite
Greenwich Hospital and the other three quarters of
a mile lower down the river, the limits of deviation
extending about 100 and 130 yards into the river.
Mr. Pownall, the surveyor, and other witnesses
were examined by Mr. Johnson and Mr. L. Webb
in favour of the bill, and which is opposed by the
Hon. Mr. Liddell and Mr. Round for the East and
West India Docks. The conomitttee on the com-
peting lines of the London and South Western Come
pang in North Devon and Somerset Railway passed
the preamble of both bills, subject to certain
arrangements inter se, which will form subject-
matter for consideration upon clauses. Mr. Baxter,
of the firm of Baxter, Rose, Norton, was examined
at great length by Mr. V. Harcourt, on the general
merits of the proposed Great Eastern Northern
Junctions Railway. In the event of the bill
being granted the company, by means of
better gradients than existed upon other
lines, combined with more economical working
arrangements, would be able to carry coals at the
rate of a farthing per ton per mile. Mr. Hankey,
the banker, was also examined for the bill.
Traffic
and engineering evidence for the promoters con-
tinued to occupy the committees on the Lancashire
Union Railways, Glasgow City Union Railway, and
on the Dublin Railway. After taking evidence for
the opposition, the committee of the House of Lords
passed the North Eastern Company's
proposed ex-
tensions between Doncaster and York. In the
committee on metropolitan subways, Mr. Simpson,
hydraulic engineer, was under examination all day
by Mr. Phinn, Q.C., relative to the features and
alleged injurious effects of the proposed new sys-
tem. The committee of which Mr. Gaskell is chair-
man concluded its inquiry on the Belfast Improve.
ment Bill, deciding that they could not grant the
preamble, but suggesting that all the parties should
come to an understanding with the view of bringing
in a pablic bill for the purpose. The Belfast Water
Bill is withdrawn,