The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-27 00:00:00

DECISION.

The CatIRMA-N said I have to inform you that it is the
opinion of the Committee that the preamble of the
South-Eastern (North Kent line) has been proved—
that the preamble of the South-Eastern (Strood
and Maidstone line) has been proved—that the pre-
amble of the Mid Kent, Direct Tonbridge, and Paddock
Wood Branch has been proved, omitting the branches to
Set enoaks and Maidstone, and the branch from Maidstone to
Chart, and the branch to Bromley and Croydon, that the
preamble of the London, Brighton, and South Coast
Bill, Mid-Kent, and Direct Tonbridge line,
has not been proved. It is the opinion of
the Committee that it is of importance with the
public interest that the North Kent and Strood and Maid-
stone linos should be constructed first, and therefore it is the
int..hition of the Committee in those cases to limit the time
fur the compulsory purchase of land to three years, and the
completion of the lines to five years; but considering the pre-
sent state of the money market, the Committee proposed to
extend the time in the case of the Mid-Kent lines to five
pars and'seven years.
The consideration of the clauses was adjourned till to-
morrow.

REIM BAY AND CANTERBURY 3UNC-

TION.

The Committee then went into this cue. The length of
the line was only three miles. The estimated coat was
25,001,1.

The preainble to the Bill was proved.
The Committee thee adjourned.

GROUP V.
The Committee met at twelve ; Lord H. Vane in the chair.
WINDSOR., STAINES, AND SOUTH-177ES-
Traiti (*maxims TO ASCOT, &.c.)
The promoters of the Bill produced clauses this morning
restricting them from making their railway, unless they ob-
tain the consent of the Ordnance to pass the drilling ground
at Hounslow.
al Brunel could not be found.

Me Committee soon after adjourned till twelve to-morrow.

GROUP VI.
swam:mm.lr AND YEOVIL.

ZXXTEIit., TZOVXL, AND DORCHESTER.
The Committee met this morning at twelve; Mr. Deedes,
chairmen. _ -

The first witness called by the promoters of these lines
was Mr. Cuff, the late mayor of Chard. His evidence went
to show the great facilities which would be afforded to the
inhabitants of Chard by the continuation of these railways.
Mr. Divett, M.P. for Exeter, was the next witness called
—fie gave evidence in favour of the desirableness of a com-
peting and independent line between Exeter and London.
Witt, respect to the comparative merits of the gauges, he
gak e itis his opinion that the broad gauge line was a luxury
Co. i"n"habitants of Exeter, and he believed that the re-
miiyit of that gauge would prove a positive injury to that
part (f the country. He was a director of the Bristol and
Exeter Railway, but, at the same time, he could not help
thinking that the construction of a competing line on the
narrow gauge weald prove of great service to the western
districts of the country. The feeling of the people of Exeter
was also decidedly in favour of a narrow gauge competing
line

Sir J. Duckworth, M.P. for Exeter, gave evidence corro-
bor*tive of that given by the last witness with respect to
the feelings of the people of Exeter in favour of the proposed
lines, and the advantages to be derived to the inhabitants of
Ex.-ter and the west of England by their construction.
Several other witnesses were examined, and the Com-
mittee adjourned till twelve to-morrow.

GROUP IX.
WEST CORNWALL AND BRANCHES.
This Committee met, for the first time, to-day. Mr. Tatton
Egi,rt on, chairman.
Mr. SMITE opened the case for the promoters of a branch
to Wit. Ive's.

The length of the line was three miles, the cost of con-
st rticytion, with quays, 70,0001.
Evidence was gone into to prove the preamble.
"rue Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

GROUP XI.
The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of
the .hills comprised in this group re-assembled at the usual
1 P.L. this morning; Mr. Feibes Mackenzie in the chair.

C CHESTME. STOUR VALLEY, SUD-
nVAT, AND UALSTEAD (STOUR NAVY-
CATION PITECTIASE.)
lo true case the Committee decided that the preamble had
nun u.en proved. The Committee then adjourned.

GRO P XVI.
EASTERN COUNTIES AND GREAT

NO ATNIARN EXTENSIONS (NENTTOND
AND NITCHIN).

A number of witnesses, residing in the neighbourhood of
the Hertford and Hitchin Railway, gave evidence in favour
of the communication proposed to be effected between the
towns of Hertford and Hitchin by means of the Eastern
Counties Railway Company.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve
o'clock.

GROUP XVIII.

.62ND OZPOR7b.

The Committee assembled this morning at twelve o'clock;
the: Earl of Lincoln in the chair. The whole of the morn-
ing was consumed in the
.crone-examination of Mr. Brunel,
chictly on- the - minor points of the -deviations that- would
affect certain pans of the town of Cheltenham, the details of
which would, without a very lengthy elaboration, be totally
unintelligible; and if that were given it would be utterly
u in ;mating..

GROUP XXI.
The Committee assembled to-day ; Sir James Graham,
Rhairman".

giving VALLEY (No. IX).
The witnesses called this morning in favour of the line
proposed by the Stour Valley Railway were Mr. Scat, M.P.
fur Walsall, and Mr. Thompson, manager of the British Iron
Works at Walsall, and several others, all of whom gave evi-
dence favourable to the line as proposed by the Stour Valley
Company, in preference to the accommodation proposed
1,2 be given by the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton
i•ailway.
several other persons interested in the coal and iron trade,
etarovw_fon business in the neighbourhood of Walsall
line. Icu, also gave evidence in favour of the proposed

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

GROUP XXIIL
This Committee met to-clay at half-past twelve, pro formci,
re .erred the unopposed Bills to the Chairman of Committees,
slid then adjourned till twelve to -morrow.

GROUP XXVII.
9OUT7i-311.1LBTZRZif (WianNICTI .8.7X71 Bp
ING ILICTENSXO7I‘).
MI Committee met to-day in Room No. 33; Mr. Card-
well, chairman.
Evidence was taken for the promoters of the Wisbech
Branch.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

GROUP XXVIII.
sznarostao B7iANCHES.
The Committee on the London and York and Eastern
Counties group assembled this morning at twelve o'clock,
Mr. T. D. Acland in the chair, when the whole of the morn •
ing was spent in taking evidence on behalf of the latter cora-
pecy respecting the traffic that is likely to pass ell the re-
sperive lines.

GROUP XXXHI.
This Committee re-assembled to-day in Room 27; Mr.
W. H. Hope in the chair. All the members of the Committee
ware present,.
MOLDS CaNTRAL 314LIZAVAT STATION•
The case on behalf of this scheme was resumed.
lktr. Henry Marshall the extensive manufacturer of Leeds,
was generally examined.as to the advantages .the proposed
.tenon would confer on the town and neighbourhood. Such

a station was much wanted to centralise the traffic in Leeds,
and its public advantages were such as fully to warrant the
proposed outlay.
Mr. Gott, manufacturer, of Leeds, was examined to the
same effect.
Mr. Martin, a surveyor, entered into a statement of the
station, explaining its peculiar advantages, and the lines
that were to be accommodated. It was to furnish accommo-
dation for the following limes :---Leeds and Thirsk ; Leeds
and Dewsbury; Great Northern, and Manchester and Leeds
Railway Companies. The estimated cost was 300,0001.
After some further evidence on behalf of the scheme had
been taken, the ease for the promoters closed.
The case for the opposition of the Bradford and Leeds
Company, which petitioned against the Bill, was then taken.
Mr. Robert Stephenson was examined with the object of
showing that the levels of the scheme were objectionable,
and that the several lines could not be accommodated in the
mode proposed.
Mr. Locock and several other gentlemen of Leeds were
likewise examined against the scheme as objectionable, and
preferring the plan proposed by the Leeds and Bradford
Company.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve
o'clock.

GROUP XXXIV.
The Committee appointed to consider the merits of the
Bills comprised in this group assembled for the first time in
Room 31; the Right Hon. F. Baring in the chair. The Com-
mittee consisted of Mr. R. Palmer, Mr. Stanton, Mr. Comp-
ton, and Mr. W. Martin.
In this room there was no accommodation whatever pro-
vided for the press, and the reporters had therefore to con-
tent themselves with taking up a pos►tion amongst the crowd
of spectators who were present.