The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-20 00:00:00

GROUP XVIII.

egateriNDATA AND OXFORD RAILWAY.
The Converkittee, comprising the Earl of Lincoln (in the
mohair), Captain Jones, Mr. M. J. O'Connell, and Sir Walter
camas, et this morning at twelve o'clock.
gr. TALBOT opened on behalf of the Great Western Com-
pany., and expatiated for a considerable time, with the as-
aistranoe of Mr. Brunel, on the evils of the break of gauge.
On the disounion of the Manchester and Southampton
rigi, A crt of undertaking had been given that a double
iiio4ld b. made ; but, u that company was not

at present defunct, it was uncertain whether the district
between Oxford and Cheltenham would be supplied with
the broad or the narrow gauge. If the latter they would
have the obstacle which flowed from the break of the
gauge, and he would venture to suggest to the Committee
that it was worthy of mature consideration whether this
impediment would offer an insuperable obstacle to the trans-
mission of minerals from the westward of Gloucester to the
towns in the valley of the Thames ; as also kmoin the South
Wales and the Staffordshire coal-fields. The line proposed
by the Midland Counties would be, at all events, very cir-
cuitous; and even if the Great Western Company were to
carry it, they would, at any rate, be obliged to interpose a
check bar at Cheltenham. If this line were, therefore, to
be made, there should be no temptation offered to the Great
Western Company either to increase the expense or prolong
the distance. And this case both applied to the Forest of
Dean and other places in England, and, indeed, the Irish
traffic also. The saving between Gloucester and Oxford was
25 miles, and between Cheltenham and Oxford the saving
would be 40 miles, all the advantage of which would be
impeded, if not lost, by this break of gauge. The saving
from Ireland would be less, for it was only five miles between
Fishguard and Oxford; but in these days, when we had
lived to go so fast, and when we required to go so fast, even
this was_a matter of great importance. Now, there was the
advantage of retaining the opening which had been made by
the Great Western Company with the Swansea district, and
this line entirely provided the greatest convenience fur the
lo as well as tor the through traffic; and it appeared.
the ,fore, the greatest absurdity to shut out Witney ; and he
would, therefore, put it broadly on the rint of the advantage
given by the local traffic. With respect to the saving of
distance, the saving between Gioncester and London would .
be five and between Cheltenham and London 18 miles
and a fraction. The saving of distance by the competing
scheme would be something less, and that betwe n the other
tbci what Le bad stated. The distance ou the narrow gauge
line between Oxtord and London was certainly a little
shorter, but it had a variety of severe gradients, while that
of the Great Western Company was nearly on a dead level,
being, in fact, only four feet in a mile. The Learned Counsel
rh,:n cited the statements of the Chairman of the North
Western Railway at the last meeting, and in which he said,
that in consequence of the increase of traffic, the directors
Is 1 determined to lay down two new lines of rails between
Primrose-hill Tunnel and Watford, in order to accommodate
the great traffic now in existence, and which had already
caused some irregularity. But, in addition to that, there
Was likely to be an increase of this; for there was the Chester
and Holyhead, the Trent Valley, the North Shropshire line,
SA well as several other lines, all of which would bring a
traffic equal to, perhaps, double the quantity of that which
was already in existence. Now, was this inconvenience, and
the danger resulting from it, to be endured, when there was
an opportunity of carrying it all on a line comparatively un-
obstructed, as it was in consequence of the superior power
possessed by the Great Western Company? This observation
was borne out by the evidence of Mr. Stephenson, the emi-
nent engineer of the North-Western Company, for in that
evidence, which he read, he bad intimated the necessity to
form a sort of loop line. in order to relieve the main line
from the traffic by which it is now overloaded. So much
for the through traffic ; and for the local traffic
there was the same objections, and he trusted after
the great war which he saw brewing was over
that he should be able to prove that the stations
at the several places were not only superior to those of the
competing company, but the very best that could be devised,
for, practically, they shut out Oxford, as well as other places,
from the main line. The greater part of the rest of the day
was occupied by the Learned Gentleman in showing the
small amount of traffic Which was likely to come on the nar-
row gauge line.
Mr. Baker, a banker and coal proprietor, at Gloucester,
expressed himself strongly in favour of a broad gauge line,
and stated that if this line were formed it would open the
way for the Forest of Dean line, notwithstanding that a large
quantity of the Derbyshire and Staffordshire coals were
brought up by the Gloucester line.
Mr. Goole, also a coal-owner, gave evidence to a similar
effect.

Some conversation ensued respecting the heads of houses
at Oxford refusing to appear, although they were represented
to be unfriendly to the plan, and the Committee then ad-
journed.