The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-23 00:00:00

GROUP XII.

The Committee, consisting of the Hon. Mr. Lascelles, Sir
William Molesworth, Admiral Bowles, Sir John Guest, and
Mr. Shirley, re-assembled this day in Room No. 25.

NEWMARKET AND CHESTERFORD (EX-
TENSION TO BURY, ELY, AND THETFORD).
Mr. HILDYARD, then proceeded to call witnesses in sup-
port of the project.
Mr. Beeton, coach proprietor, Bury ; Mr. Ilacintyre, gover-
nor of the gaol; Mr. Jeremiah Gidney, ironmonger, East
Dereham ; Mr. Berry, merchant,Bury ; Colonel Anson, and the
Marquis of Granby, were all decidedly in favour of the
schemes promoted by the Chesterford and Newmarket Com-
pany. The feeling of the country generally was in their fa-
vour, and the traffic was amply sufficient to warrant their
construction.

Mr. Peter Clark had great experience in the management
of railways. He did not consider that the descent of 1 in 60
on the proposed Bury and Ipswich line iuto the line at New-
market was a favourable feature, and sooner or later he con-
sidered that dangers might arise.
Cross-examined by Mr. AUSTLN—He was now engaged on
the Brighton Railway, and they had an incline at Shoreham
Wharf of 1 in 20. They did not kill a certain number of
persons per day there, as on that portion they did not convey
passengers, and the carriages were not assisted by locomotive
power. rerhape there would be no caug.. ana tsar
lin6o if proper care were taken. He should not hesitate to
trust his own life upon it.
Mr. Borthwick, C.E., had laid out the Newmarket and
Chesterford lines, in conjunction with Mr. R. Stephenson, and
with the sanction of the Jockey Club. On leaving Newmar-
ket they had a tunnel of about 1,500 yards, but it was easy
of construction, as the excavations were through a chalk
formation. The gradients were very fair, certainly not diffi •
cult. The estimated cost of construction from hentford to
Thetford was 425,000/., but from this was to be deducted
165,0001., the proportion to be furnished by the other lines.
The branch to Ely was estimated at 160,4251.
Cross-examined by Mr. BURKI—Iie had nearly 700,000
cubic yards of earth to remove before reaching the tunnel,
180,000 of which would be required for embankinent3, and
the remainder would be used in screening the racing ground
and in spoil. He would require for the spoil from fifteen to
twenty acres of land. The expense therefore would be, be-
fore commencing the tunnel, 22,500/., which, with 65,0001.
for the construction of the tunnel, would be near 90,0001.
Mr. R. Stephenson, C.E., considered that this was the best
line, in order to supply the wants of the district. lie
considered that the descending gradient of one in
sixty, at the Newmarket station, was most objectionable, and
he would not in any works of his wish to introduce it. The
London and Birmingham Railway, at Euston-square, was not
a parallel case, for there they had a flat of a full half-mile, and
as a further check, there was an ascending gradient of 1 in
132. He thought that the expense which would be incurred
on the line would be fully justified for the purpose of getting
rid of the lin 60 gradient. There would be no difficulty in
working the Kentford station for three lines. The thing
was done every day at Derby.
The Committee adjourned till to-morrow.