The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-25 00:00:00

MAJORITY-NOES, 105.

Ainsworth, Peter Gore, W. 0. Palmerston, Via.
Alford, Viscount Graham, Sir James Parker, John
Anson, Colonel Greene Thomas Paulson, J.
Antrobus, Edmund Grey, Sir G. Perfect, Robert
Arundel, Earl of Grosvtnor, Lord R. Plumridge, Captain
Baine, Walter Hallyburton, Lord Pulsford, Robert
Bannerman, A. Hanmer, Sir J. Reid, Colonel
Baring, F. T. Hastie, Archibald Rich, Henry
Bellew, R. H. Hatton, Captain Romilly, John
Berkeley, Captain Hawes, Benjamin Ross, David R.
Bodkin, W. H. Holland, Robert Russell, Lord Jolfn
Buller, Charles Howard, C. W. Russell,
,Lord E.
Burke, T. J. Howard, P. H. Russell, Lord C.
Byng, G. S. Howard, Sir R. Rutherfurd, A.
Cavendish, G. H. Jermyn, Earl Shell, R. L.
Christie, W. D. Johnstone, Sir J. Shelburne, Earl:of
Clerk Sir G. Kelly, Sir Fitzroy Somerville, Sir W.
Colebrooke, Sir T. Labouchere, Henry Strickland, Sir G.
Cowper, W. F. Lawless, Cecil Strait, Edward
Craig,,W. G. Lindsay, Colonel Thornely, T.
Crawford, W. S. Macaulay, T. B. Towneley, John
Dalrymple,:Captain Maule, Fox Tuthell, H.
Dawson, T. V. Mitchell, T. A. Turner, Edmund
Dennistoun, J.' Moffatt, George Vane, Lord H.
Dickinson, F. 11. Monahan, J. H. Villiers, Charles
Duncombe, A. Morpeth, Viscount Vvlan, J. H.
Dirndl's, Admiral Morison, General Walker, Richard
Dundas, Sir David Mostyn, E. M. Walpole, S. H.
Ebrington, Viscount Neville, Ralph Ward, H. G.
Ellice, Edward Nicholl, J. Wellesley:Lord C
Esmonde, Sir T. O'Brien, C. Wood, Sir Charles
Evans, William O'Brien, John Wortley,7J. S.
Ferguson:Colonel O'Connell, M. J. Wyse, Thomas
Forster, Matthew O'Conor, Don TELLERS.
Fox, C. R. Ogle, S. C. Hill, Lord Marcus
Gibson, Thomas M. Owen, Sir J. Pakington, Sir J.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES,
HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YESTERDAY.)
Room B.
CALEDONIAN (BRANCHES TO CANONBIE).
This Committee met to-day at eleven o'clock.
The evidence for the opponents to this Bill was pro-
ceeded with.
The Duke of Buccleuch was examined, and stated
that he was the proprietor of the Canonbie coal-fields, as
well as the whole of the parish of Canonbie, and the pro-
posed Caledonian branch would run for three miles
through his estate. He was opposed to that railway
being constructed because it would cut up the beautiful
piece of land between the Esk and Liddesdale, so cele-
brated in border song. The objection could be got rid
of by the way in which the North British Company pro-
posed to go past Canonbie. He had no objection to a
line properly constructed to the Canonbie coal pits. He
had supported that line, as, independently of its affording
accommodation to Canonbie, it would connect the im-
portant town of Hawick with the south—a moot valuable
district for gracing and agricultural purposes, which a
railway would contribute to open up. The portion of
the country between Canonbie and Hawick was very
thinly populated, and would not pay for the construction
of the proposed railway.
Cross-examined—lie believed that the Nithsdale Corn.
pany last year went no further than Canonbie, and the
North British Company had a scheme for a line of rail-
way between Carlisle and Hawick. Both of these
schemes had been lost. He was in favour of the fist,
and he gave evidence in support of it. He believed also
that he petitioned in favour of the Nithsdale and Ca-
nonbie branch. This branch proposed to cross the
Caledonian main line at Gretna, and went to Canonbie.
He had no objection to admit that the present branch
would be of considerable benefit to the country west of
Canonbie. and would also cause the Canonbie traffic to
go on the Caledonian as far, perhaps, as Leckerbie.
The present branch of the Caledonian line was very little
different to that of the Nithsdale scheme of last year.
The line this year was quite clear of " Johnny Arm-
strong's Tower," which lay more in the direction of
Langhohn. Canonbie Lea was all pasture ground, and
,et to the tenant.
The engineering evidence was then proceeded with.
Preamble proved.

Room C.

BIRMINGHAM, WOLVERHAMPTON. AND
STOUR VALLEY (No. IX.) BRANCHES.

Their Lordships met this morning at eleven o'clock.
Mr. Robert Stephenson, C.E., was re-examined by Mr.
Hope on behalt of the promoters of the scheme. The
narrow gauge was much more suitable for the develop-
ment of the traffic in the Staffordshire districts. It
could be much more easily worked in connexion with
the existing canals of that district, and it would also
have the advantage of communicating with the great
majority of the railways at present constructed, or in
course of construction, throughout the country, without
break of gauge. By the construction of this line, Stour-
bridge and the whole of the mineral district would be
placed on an unbroken communication with the whole of
the Midland system of railways—the North-Western
Railways, and the Oxford and Birmingham Railway as at
present authorised to be constructed. It was his opinion that
canals could not successfully compete for the long
traffic with railways, except perhaps in such articles as
coals and minerals, not requiring a speedy transit; but
even in the case of coals, such a system of pilfering was
habitually carried on, that the loss by that system fre•
quently exceeded the whole cost of carriage. Coals had
also to contend against the disadvantage of drought in
summer and frost in winter. Many canal companies had
wisely foreseen the unequal contest in which they were
about to be engaged, and bad, in order to prevent the
consequences of such competition, either purchased,
leased, or projected railways themselves; and it was his
most decided opinion that unless the railways of Stafford-
shire could be made to work in conjunction with
the canals, the public could not possibly derive
any benefit from the competition. The pro-
posed line would afford facilities for being worked in
conjunction with the canals. The line was not projected
merely as a competing line, but as one which was
imperatively called for by the growing wants of the
district which it proposed to supply.
Mr. Rastrick, C.E., examined by Mr. LAING—He had
gone over the proposed line, and considered it well
adapted to provide for the wants of the district, and as'
giving ample accommodation to the various coal mines
and iron works of the district.
In his cross examination he admitted that he had laid
out a line in the year 1836 through the same districts,
the gradients upon which weressomewhat more favourable