The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-11 00:00:00

GROUP XLVIII.

CALEDONIAN AND DITMEA.RTONSIIIRE

JUNCTION.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. VENABLES for the opposition, and on the part of Sir
James Colquhoun, of Luss, and others, contended that the
alteration made on the line of last year was not by any means
an improvement, and that the three reasons urged by the
promoters for this alteration were, in fact, no reasons at all.
The first of these, that a saving of 10,0001. would be effected,
he would show could not be the fact; the second, that
the alteration would get rid of a dangerous curve,
was a fallacy,inasmuch as no danger could be well supposed to
accrue in a curve worked by horse-power, and the radius of
which might be extended (with permission of the land •
holders) beyond the limits of deviation. The third reason,
and the most contemptible of the whole, was, that the united
talent of tl,e eminent engineers employed by the Caledonian
Company could Hot get over two miserable " burns" (Drum-
ork and Milling), which his Learned Friend had magnified
into " two impetuous mountain torrents."—(Laughter.)
The Learned Counsel then proceeded to contend that the pro-
posed line, traversing two of the principal streets in Helens-
burgh, Princes• street and Clyde-street, would occasion grea
danger, not only to the inhabitants generally, but in a par••
Ocular manner would endanger the lives of the children at-
tending the schools of the chapel of ease dependent on the
parish church of Stow. After meeting in detail the allega-
tions of the promoting counsel, and endeavouring to show
by reference to the tables of estimate that the advantages in
point of economy were not so great as the Caledonian Com- j
pany had stated them, the Learned Gentleman proceeded to
call

Mr. Gale, C.E., Glasgow, who endeavoured to show that
the works in the deviation line would prejudice the fencing
ground in Helensburgh in a very great degree, and that it
would generally deteriorate the property situated in the pubic
streets. There would be increased danger from the steepness
of the gradient.
On cross-examination by Mr. A. M'NEILL, it was elicited
that the witness had laid out many branch mineral lines, the
greater proportion of which were distinguished for their steep
gradients.

Mr. Ronald Johnston, Mr. Joseph Gale, C.E., and Mr.
William Spence, architect, were examined in corrobora•
tion. They all thought that the line of the previous year
was the more excellent one.

The Committee here interrupted the evidence, and ordered
the room to be cleared.

On the re-admission of strangers,
The CHAIRMAN announced that they found that portion of
the Bill which prayed for a deviation line through the town
of Helensburgh was not proved.
Mr. Bateman, C. E., was then examined as to the Glasgow
deviation. His evidence went to show that the construction
of a tunnel under the canal would inevitably lead to a
catastrophe at some time or other. The Scotttish Central
had received the sanction of Parliament to pass under the
canal near Falkirk. There the soil was a stiff gravel, and
therefore well fitted for tunnelling operations, vet there the
canal had filtered into the works, and they were obliged to
use great precautions to prevent accidents.
The Committee rose at four o'clock.