The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-29 00:00:00

GROUP XLVIII.

This Committee met Vv-day, at twelve o'clock, in Room
C, Lord Courtenay in the chair; all the other members of
the Committee present.
After some preliminary conversation,
The Committee decided to go on with the
CALEDONIAN, GARNHIRIE, AND COAT-
BRIDGE (BRANCH to GLASGOW STATION).
Mr. HOPE opened the case on behalf of the Bill.
The proposal was to alter the scheme of the company, re-
specting the entrance into Glasgow, from the scheme of last
year. l'he length was two miles and three-quarters, and
would cost 100,0001. The main alteration proposed was to
effect an entrance into the station on the level, instead of at
an elevation of fifty feet, as provided in the former Bill.
Mr. Collister, civil engineer, was examined in explanation
of the scheme. The alteration was suggested by Mr. Locke
as soon as the Garnkirk Company came into the possession
of the Caledonian. At would be the means of effecting a much
better station entrance, and do away with th& elevation over
the_streets. The gradients would be improved, the severest
would be one in 100 and one in 132.. The line would
pass under the canal, but the bridge would be constructed
without the least danger.
The witness was cross-examined at some length by Mr.
FORSYTH, on the part of the Leith and Clyde Canal; and
Mr. ANDREWS, on behalf of the Edinburgh and Glasgow
Railway, with the object of showing that there would be
danger to the navigation, in the proposed going under it by
the line, and to the tunnel of the Edinburgh and Glasgow
Railway, in its going over it. .No material point, however,
was elicited.

The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve
o'clock.

GROUP L

The Committee met this morning at twelve ; present, Mr.
Banks (chairman), Mr. Carew, Sir Benjamin Hall, Mr. Hind-
ley, and Mr. Henley.

GLASGOW. ILIMMAR.NOCIL, AND ARDROS-
SAN (DEVIATIONS AND AMENDMENTS).
Colonel More, cross-examined, said he had been a witness
on the line from Kilwinning to Glasgow. He thought the
proposed branch to Beith would be of advantage to the dis-
tribution of limestone from Leighton, the centre of his pro-
perty, over the district to the iron-works, and for the
accommodation of the Beith passengers to Glasgow. He
did think the present accommodation was very indifferent,
the station being a mile and and a-half from the town, down
a very steep hill. The road was kept in very good order.
The difficulties were so great that he did not think skill
could overcome the steepness of the hill on which the town
was built. The proposed station of the Ardrossan line wag
to be in the town, also on a hill, but not so steep as the
other. Last year, he stated that several of the largest iron
manufacturers—Mr. Baird, of Gartshelly, Mr. Dixon, of
Govan, and the Glengarnock Iron Company—had appeared
to lease the minerals on his property. Hematite was ex-
pected to have been found, both on his property and that of
the Messrs. Caldwell, but they were disappointed, and the
applicants did not follow up their first application.
James Picken gave evidence in favour of the Fennick
branch. He believed the general feeling of the people to be
in favour of the Ardrossan branch, which advanced to High
Fennick, while the other stopped at Low Fennick. A great
deal of dairy produce was sent from the district to Kilmar-
nock, Glasgow, and Dunlop. He expected the district would
be accommodated with coals from Loudon. Minerals were,
he believed, found near Fennick on estates belonging to Lord
Hastie, the proprietor of the coal-field at Loudon.
John Moffat, civil engineer, deposed that he knew the
country about the line well. He believed if coals were wanted
up about Stewarton and the way to Glasgow, they would
most likely be sent by the Ardrossan Railway, because they
would pass over only one company's line. Ardrossan har-
bour offered great accommodation for the shipment of coals ;
many were shipiled, but there were not enough, because
many vessels were obliged to leave unloaded, and others
prevented coming, by the want of coals. The distance to
Paisley was shorter by the Ardrossan Railway.
Sir B. HALL now intimated that the Committee felt satis-
fied with the amount of evidence produced on behalf of the
scheme.

Counsel on both sides agreed to leave both Bills in the
hands of the Committee, Sergeant Murphy to address them
to-morrow at their meeting.
The Committee then adjourned.