The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-14 00:00:00

GROUP XVIII.

LONDON, CHELTENHAM, AND OXFORD.
(
The Committee on this group assembled this morning, at
twelve o'clock ; the Earl of Lincoln in the chair.
Mr. CALVERT called Mr. Clutt, a land valuer, who stated
that he estimated the whole of the land to be taken for the
line at 146,8981.—the money required for the main line
being 119,434/. ; that for the Gloucester branch to the bank
of the Isis would be 2,6324 ; for the Worcester branch, 7,650/. ;
and for the Cheltenham station, 17,0721. The quantity of
land required would be 429 acres.
To Mr. ATKLNSON, the witness replied, that in this esti-
mate he had not included the land required for the ap-
proaches to bridges, supposing the alteration of the mode of
crossing the existing roads to be adopted.
Mr. Woodhouse, an extensive coal agent at Oversee!, in
Leicestershire, stated- that if the narrow gauge lines were to
be used the Erewash coal at Oxford would be 16s. 4d. a ton ;
the Moyle coal would be 153. Bd.; the Worcestershire coal
12s. 6d.; the Derbyshire, 15s. 2d. ; and the Leicestershire
coal 15s. 10d. The Worcestershire coal at Cheltenham
would be 12s. Id., and the Staffordshire coal 14s.
To Mr. KRATING the witness replied that the distance
between Birmingham and Cheltenham is forty-six miles, and
he calculated that the coal for the north-west would come
by way of that town.
To Mr. CALVIRT, on re-examination, Mr. Woodhouse re-
plied that he had calculated the price of the coals at the pit's
mouth, and had put upon that a penny per ton per mile for
the carriage.
Mr. Nicholson, assistant engineer, put in a map with a
coloured line upon it, to show the assents or dissents of the
owners.

Mr. KEATING objected that the map did not show the oc-
cupiers and lessees as well as the owners.
The Earl of Li/tan-NT, after some discussion between the
Committee and the counsel, directed that new maps should
be prepared to-morrow morning, which would show all the
assents and dissents separately between Tring and Oxfjrd,
and Orford and Cheltenham.
A long discussion ensued upon the way in 'Which the se-
veral properties were marked upon the map, but the exami-
nation was ultimately waved. The point then taken up was
the number of roads to be crossed on the level, when Mr.
Nicholson stated that the whole number of roads to be tra-
versed on the level was fifty-five, of which forty-five may be
considered public roads. He believed that a clause was to be
inserted to enable the company to put bridges ever these
roads so as to prevent any public inconvenience.
A long cross• examination ensued, to ascertain the way in
which the alteration would affect the different roads.
Mr. Nicholnci's cross-examination was continued during
the greater part of the day, in order to show the injury that
would be done to the residence of Lady Ricketts, at Chelten-
ham, the property of Colonel Sibthorp, and other landowners
on the line.
This concluded the case for the promoters.

GROUP XIX.
This Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, when the
case on behalf of the

FLEETWOOD, PRESTON, and WEST BIDING
JUNCTION (BURNLEY AND COLLIERY
BRANCHES)
was proceeded with. _ _

On the assembling of the parties the room was cleared. On
:heir re-admission,

The CHAIRMAN said the Committee had decided to hear no
further evidence on traffic, but they wanted the evidence to
be confined to the relative merits of the two schemes before
the Committee.

Mr. Bidder, C.E., was then examined at some length on the
engineering features of the former line.
After the hearing of some further evidence, the case for the
promoters of the Bill closed.
The remainder of the sitting was occupied with the oppo-
sition of the landed proprietors to the Bill; after which the
Committee adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.