The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-09 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN RAILWAY SCHEMES.

Mr. MILNER GIBSON called the attention of the
house to the report of the Select Committee on Railway
Schemes within the limits of the metropolis, and moved
that the following bills be not proceeded with in the present
session :—Victoria Station and Thames Embankment Rail-
way, Oxford-street and City Railway, London Main Trunk
Underground Railway, Charing-cross (Northern) Railway,
Charing-•cross (Western) Railway, Tottenham and Hamp-
stead Junction Railway (Extension to Charing-cross),
London Union Railways, and Tottenham and Farringdon-
street Railway. That the fees which have been incurred
in respect of the said bills be remitted. That the said re-
port be referred to all select committees to which any rail-
way bills within the metropolis may be referred, The
right hon. gentleman said that the joint committees of both
houses had examined evidence, and eliminated out of
the mass of metropolitan railway schemes those undertak-
ings which they considered wou!cl be most beneficial to the
public as supplying certain necessary links in railway ac-
commodation to the metropolis. Having referred specially
to the Oxford-street Railway, the London Main Trunk
Underground Railway, and the Charing-cross Northern
lines, he said that some of the schemes to which the com-
mittee were adverse were shown, according to evidence, to
be likely to interfere with the sewerage of the City, and to
interrupt the traffic of one of the principal thoroughfares,
The principal scheme which the committee approved, in
reference to these projected railways, was that which pro-
posed to connect East and South Lundon by means of the
Thames Tunnel, and although he differed with some of his
colleagues, he considered that these schemes would be b9st
carried out by private enterprise, subject to the supervision
of Parliament.

Mr. AYRTON advocated the construction of the London
Main Trunk underground Railway, as connecting two
important points of London, and was the only one of the
schemes that would afford facilities to the working classes
to obtain proper house accommodation in a healthy locality.
He concluded by moving an amendment to the effect that
certain portions of the lines tending to connect the south
and eastern portions of the metropolis should be excluded
from the operation of the motion of the right hcn. gentle-
man, Mr. M. Gibson.
The amendment was negatived without a division.
Sir J. PAXTON moved as an amendment to Mr. M.
Gibson's motion, that " The Charing-cross (Western)
Railway be omitted from the list of bills which are not to
be proceeded with during the present session."

Lord STANLEY vindicated the course which the com-
mittee, of which he was a member, had taken in respect to
their selection of the competing schemes of railways for
the metropolis. He contended that unless the house were
prepared to deal with the whole question, the only course
would be to accept the reports of the committee.
Sir J. SHELLEY said that the discussion proved that
the House of Commons was not a proper tribunal to deal
with the subject of metropolitan railway legislation.
The amendment was negatived without a division.
Mr. CRAW FORD then moved the following amendment
to the motion of Mr. M. Gibson, that after " Tottenham and
Farringdon-street Railway," add, "and so much of the Me-
tropolitan District Railways Bill, No. 33, as refers to the pro-
posed works situated to the eastward of Blackfriars-bridge,
together with the Metropolitan District Railways Bill, No.
34." He contended that the construction of the underground
railway to which his amendment referred would be attended
with the greatest obstruction to the traffic of a most impor-
tant thoroughfare of the metropolis. He did not think
that the house was called on to adopt the suggestion
of a committeeof gentlemen which more materially affected
some of the most valuable property in London. Having
referred to the hardships inflicted on some of the humbler
classes by being driven out of their dwellings through the
construction of railway undertakings in certain districts,
he appealed to the house not to sanction the construction
of the railway to which he adverted.

Mr. TITE seconded the amendment, and con.idered that
the question should be delayed in order to afford more time
to investigate the subject.

Mr. M. GIBSON reminded the house that the duty of
the committee was not to select any of these schemes, but
to decide which they considered should not be proceeded
with.

After a few words from Mr, ROBERTSON against the
amendment of Mr. Crawford,

The house divided—
For the amendment
Against ...
Majority —2Ol
The amendment was accordingly lost.
THE MUTINY ACT.

Col. NORTH asked the Judge Advocate General if it
was his intention to make any alterations in the 162 d and
other olauses of the Mutiny Act ; and if so, if he would
state the nature of such alterations ?

Mr. HEADLAM replied that the Mutiny Bill would go
into committee at a later period of the evening, when he
would make a further explanation. At present, therefore, he
would only state that he did not intend to propose any al-
terations in the clauses refeired to.

Col. NORTH—Then I give notice that I shall, when the
Mutiny Bill is in committee, move that it be unlawful for
the judge advocate general or the deputy judge advocate
to take a part in the proceedings of a court• martial, similar
to that taken by the deputy judge advocate at the court-
martial on Colonel Crawley. (Hear, hear.)
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