The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-16 00:00:00

thirteen of the principal lines the average was 1-75th, while
on the South-Eastern it did not average more than 1.63 rd.
On the Brighton the average was 1-70. If the lines the com-
pany had now before the Committee were granted, he was pre-
pared to pledge himself that the maximum charges for
passengers on the line should be—fur express 2-75ths per mile,
for first 2-25ths per mile, fur second 1-65ths, and for third
Id. per mile. With regard to the charges for goods, a state-
ment upon that head would hereafter be submitted to the
Committee. Competition in railways could never be main-
tained in Kent, and he thought it highly desirable that the
Committee should discountenance such a principle. It had
been openly denounced by Mr. Grenfell, the chairman of
the Brighton Company himself, while speaking at one of
his own meetings of the absurdity of their attempting
to compete with the South Western Company for
Portsmouth traffic; but, indeed, upon all hands it was ad •
mitted that a well regulated monopoly in railways always
proved more advantageous for the public than competition.
Hitherto the South-Eastern Company had been struggling
with severe difficulties, but it was now approaching a state
when it could: afford almost every amount of accommoda-
tion to the public. These extensions, it was true, would
render a great portion of the main line useless, but although
the undertaking in its early career involved an immense out-
lay of money, these new lines and extensions would amply
repay the shareholders for the risks they had already
run for the benefit of the public. With regard to the ex-
tension of the line from Canterbury to Dover, that
was, in his estimation, a question of.time. lie fully ad-
mitted the expedience and utility of such a line, and was
prepared to pledge the South-Eastern Company to construct
it, so soon as the works they were, he hoped, about to under-
take should be completed.
Mr. Macgregor was cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT. The
cross-examination was confined almost exclusively to the
question of raising the fares. All, however, that it elicited
was, that on one or two occasions, shortly after the reduction
of the fares, Mr. Macgregor admitted at a meeting in Canter-
bury, and at a meeting of proprietors, that the experiment had
so tar succeeded beyond previous expectation ; while in Mr.
Morrison's committee, one of the officers of the South-Eastern
Company (Mr. Wheatley, the accountant) made the same
admission. The long or through fares were settled by the
board of directors, but the intermediate fares were fixed by
the local officers, who were previously put in possession of
the views of the directors on the subject. He denied that
the board had recently contemplated raising their charges on
parcels. It was true, that a new order had been issued,
altering the mode of charging, but not raising the charge.
Mr. TALBOT said he should require that the minute-book
containing the note of the change should be produced.
The COUNSEL for the South-Eastern Company said It-
was hardly fair that the director of one railway com-
pany should be allowed to go rummaging over the pri-
vate books of another company. His Learned Friend
should have a certified copy of the minute he referred to,
namely, 4th December, 1846, and no more could be required
of Mr. Macgregor.
The Cross-examination was then continued.—The secre-
tary of the company wrote a letter to the different depart-
ments, authorising the alteration, but the order was subse-
quently rescinded. The truth was, that the directors were
anxious so te reduce the carriage f parcels by passengers'
trains, as to throw that description of traffic off the goods'
trains on to the passengers' trains, and the minute or rider
now under discussion was in that spirit. Under the existing
system, the parcel was not sent directly from the transmitter
to the railway, but through the agency of receivers, who, al-
though they-had a large package of these parcels e cried at a
low rate, still charged a very high rate to the original
transmitter. The order in question was made to break down
that system, but unfortunately the order was so framed that
that the carriage of a parcel by passenger trains for a short
distance was charged the same as for a long distance. The
defect was only discovered recently, and the company were
about to establish the system of carrying parcels by the
passenger trains and charging for them by the distance in
the same way that they charged for passengers. Mr. Mac-
gregor complained that his character and veracity had been a
good deal maligned upon this point by interested parties in
Canterbury, and again through the medium of a particula-
channel in town, and be had hitherto felt a delicacy in ex
plaining the matter, thinking it beter to have it thoroughly
sifted in a tribunal like the present.
The cross-examination bad not terminated when the Com-
mittee rose, and it was adjourned till Tursday, Mr.
M'Gregor having to preside at the South-Eastern meeting
to-morrow.

The committee adjourned at five o'clock till twelve o'clock
to-morrow.

GROUP XII.

This Committee assembled to-day at twelve o'clock, in
Room 25, the Hon. Mr. Lascelles in the Chair.
LYNN AND ELY (EXTENSION) TO BURY

ST. EDMUNDS.

This was the first Bill proceeded with, which is an ex-
tension line from the Lynn and Ely Railway to Bury St.
Edmunds.

Mr. Sergeant WRANGUAM opened the case for the pro-
moters, explaining the merits of the scheme, which he de-
scribed to be free from engineering difficulties. It was
twenty-three miles in length, and was estimated to cost
830,0001. _ _

' Several witnesses were examined as to the expected traffic
on the line, which was described to be very great. It would
be the means of affording accommodation to an important
agrieul.ural district.

—Mr. Valentine deposed to the engineering peculiarities of
the line, which he represented to be very favourable. The
curves were light, and the heaviest gradient was one in 165.
The works generally were light, and would be easily con-
structed within the estimation.

This was the case for the promoters.
Mr. Sergeant KINGLAXE was heard on the part of certain
petitioners against the line, after which the Committee ad-
journed till to. morrow at twelve o'clock.

STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.

THIS DAY.

The Committee on Standing Orders met this day at the
usual hour for the dispatch of public business. The gteatcr
portion of the pay was occupied in the consideration of the
case of the North British Railway. The following were the
decisions announced :

NORTH BRITISH—(No. 2).
Allowed to proceed.
COVENTRY, BANBURY, AND OXFORD JUNCTION

RAILWAY.

Allowed to proceed.

SALE OF RAILWAY SHARES BY
AIX TION.—(TIIIS DA Y. )
The sale of Railway Shares to-day, by McssrP. Lamond
and Co., was dull, and rather less business done. There
was no great change in prices. The following are a few of
the principal sales :
Vale of Neath
Del by, Staitord, and ‘Vorcestershire .... 0 9 0
Calcutta and St. George's Point 0 4 6
Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A) 3 14 0
North Staffordshire
Great Northern (London and York Reg.) 2 3 6
East Indian
South Yorkshire, Doncaster, and Goole
Leicester Sc Bedford, Exchange Certificate 0 12 6
Paris and L`•ons

Boulogne and Amiens ... 13 15 0
South-Eastern and Dover, N 0.4
Waterford, Wexford, and Valentia .. 0 5 0
Sambre and Mouse
Northern Counties Union - 0 13 0

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

(THIS E VENIN G.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.