The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-12 00:00:00

GROUP XVII.

MIDLAND (EXTENSION IMOD,/ LEICESTER
TO EXCHIN).

GREAT NORTHERN (DEVIATIONS BE-
TWEEN LONDON AND GRANTHAM).

The Committee met this morning at the usual hour, Sir
J. B. East in the chair.

The Committee were occupied for a considerable time to-
day in hearing counsel on the question, whether the Midland
Company (the Siston and Peterborough Branch) could be
heard against a deviation proposed by the Great Northern
on their line between Peterborough and Grantham, which is
about 15 miles in length.
The Committee decided that the Midland Company had a
locus standi.

Mr. DENNISON, who appears for the Great Northern, said
the real object of the opposition of the Midland was merely
this, to compel the Great Northern to run along the Midland
line for a considerable distance. Now, the only an-
swer the Great Northern had to offer to this was,
" that they would not do so." They had been
empowered by Parliament to run their line parallel with
the Midland line, and if the Committee did not accede to the
deviation they could make the line wholly independent of the
Midland, which they would only cross once. The deviation
was proposed to offer greater accommodation than the old
line would to Stamford, and in compliance with a promise
made last session to Sir John Trollope to avoid his property.
Lord Lindsay opposed the line, and had instituted a suit in
one of the courts against the amalgamated companies,
in order to recover a greater amount of compensation than
the company were inclined to afford him—but if the devia-
tion were passed, less injury would be done to his property,
and, consequently, his claim would be materially reduced
He believed, however, that no serious case of residential
injury would be made out by his Lordship against the line.
Mr. Haycock, the Mayor of Stamford, was then called,
and gave strong evidence in favour of the Stamford devia•
tion.

Mr. Cubitt, jun., one of the engineers to the line, explained
the nature of the deviation, and the advantage which it
would confer on Stamford.

Adjourned until to morrow at half-past eleven o'clock.

GROUP XVIII.

LONDON, OXFORD, AND CRELTENRAIYX.

The Committee met this morning at twelve o'clock ; the
Earl of Lincoln (in the chair), with the Hon. Mr. Smythe,
Sir W. James, Mr. M. J. O'Connell, and Captain Jones.
A considerable discussion took place on the opening of the
Committee, between the counsel for the several parties, as to
the course to be pursued—the promoters of the London and
Cheltenham line having determined to alter their mode of
counties,
eight
o
passing turnpike and other highways from the level to that
of going over them by bridges ; and it was ultimately directed
by the Committee, that the cross sections of the plans should
Norfolk,truck containing ai othernitl g
be furnished to their opponents.
Mr. Read, of Easton Lodge, near Gloucester, was then
tthat
Nhv
ae
3f,afrrmo
from
Carlisle, upwards
be
ef 1
believed, 30 0
at, but
th e
many of which were brought from great distances I, , rail-
way. They had cattle in their market last Saturday 3 which
ehxapdemn soes of o7f 71. their
lOs . percat ttruck, m
each
were
calledbrwouhgohattaatelld
ten animals. The distance from Norwich to
Gloucester is
200 miles, and as they had many head of cattle from Nor-
folk, he could confidently state the diffe
driving cattle that distance and having themrence ot cost of
by railway.
By the former mode the cost was about
255. per head, while
they could get them by railway for 12s. There
fore, not tke slightest doubt that the establishment of a
narrow gauge communication would be
the district in which he lived. of essential service to
Mr. J. Powell, a wine merchant at Worcester, stated that
he bought his goods chiefly from London, Gloucester and
Bristol, the first being the best market; but the obtaining
wine from London was expensive, as it cost sometimes lOs.,
sometimes 155., and even 16s. a ton for haulage from the
docks to the Camden-town station. The carriage of wine
by railway is about 355. per ton, a pipe weighing about nine
cwt. He at present paid 275. 6d. per pipe for carriage. He
understood that a line was to be made from the Camden-town
station, which would, he conceived, save him from much in-
convenience.
On cross-examination, Mr. Powell allowed that even if this
new line were made he would still use the old route.
The Earl of LINCOLN here interfered, and stated that al-
though the Committee had not the slightest wish to interfere
with the course of counsel in the conduct of their case, yet
they could not help suggesting that witnesses of this kind,
notwithstanding the fair and admirable manner in which
they had given their evidence, were not of the slightest use
to the case.
It was accordingly agreed that a new set of witnesses
should be brought forward.
Mr. Kendall, a merchant and coal-broker at Gloucester,
said he preferred the narrow gauge line because it would give a
direct communication between the docks at Gloucester and
those in London, the narrow gauge line being already laid
down round the docks at the former place. There was a
great deal of miscellaneous merchandise which now came
coastwise by sea from London, which would be transmitted
by the line at a less cost both of money and time. There
was a large importation of Irish produce at Gloucester winch
went into the interior of England, Oxford being a great depot
for it, and between that place and Gloucester there was
only an imperfect communication. With respect to the pro-
bability of the South Wales Railway being able
to compete with the water alongside of it,
the distance between Swansea and Gloucester is
about 102 miles, and the cost of the carriage by water was
only 3s. 6d. to 4s. a ton. As to the importation of Irish pro-
duce into Fisliguard, he deemed it totally illusory, for,
every shipowner knew, whcn goods were once on itoard it
cost little if anything inure to carry them a hundred miles
further, and as it was always an object to
get
a return
would be sure t
freight, Gloucester to be the port preferred.
auge lines be belteved carried goods
-Narrow g at a cheaper
• rate than the broad ones.
Mr. Gold, Mr. Burton, and several other gentlemen from