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

GROUP XLIX.

This Committee met to:day at twelve o'clock; Mr. Cripps
in the chair.

CALEDONIAN AND GLASGOW, PAISLEY
AND GREENOCK AMALGATION.

The case on behalf of this line was resumed.

- —.--
Mr. Grieve, Provost of Greenock, was examined in support
of the Bill. The amalgamation would be the means of
opening up a direct communication between Greenock and
the mineral districts of Lanarkshire, and also between that
port and London and Manchester. Arrangements are in
progress to connect the railway with the harbour, so that
coals could be loaded on the quays.
Mr. Hunter, a magistrate, of Greenock, gave evidence
that the supply of coal at present was limited on account of
the want of direct access with the Lanarkshire mineral fields,
and that it was dear as compared with the price at Glasgow.
He considered the united management and the continuous
line would give them much larger and cheaper supplies, and
enable them to increase their exportation. At the present
time the trucks had to be changed at Glasgow, and tran-
shipments made. The Lanarkshire coal, which at present
cost 13s. 6d. at Greenock, would, he thought, by the amalga-
mated line, be sold for Bs. 6d. per ton.
Mr. James Ferguson examined—Said he knew all the lines
in connexion with Glasgow very well. He knew also the
coals of the Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, and he gave the de-
cided preference to the latter over the former. At present
many of the ships at Greenock were obliged to take out
rubble and stones, on account of the difficulty of getting coals
cheap enough. This would, iu a greater measure, be obviated
if the companies as proposed were united in management.
Mr. Baird, a coal-merchant, of Greenock, gave evidence
as to the increased advantages Greenock would receive front
direct railway communication with the Monkland and Ha-
milton coal-fields. At present the supply of coal was limited,
and came mainly by the river and canal from the Monkland
coal-fields.
Mr. Ker, the manager of the goods traffic on the Greenock
line, deposed as to the present traffic, and the great benefits
the amalgamation would confer. The company at present
ran five goods' trains each way daily, taking on an average
324 tons each train. Their engines could take about
three times as much if necessary. The benefits of the undi-
vided management would be to keep up a better staff and
plant, and enable them to give better accommodation to the
public. Hitherto the dividends had been but two per cent.,
r s eaxta
presentmi n e d
but the Caledonian bad guaranteed four per cent., with sub-
sequent advantages.
Cross-examined—The o
toTh Greenock Ayrshire,
reenock
a s theyCompanyobj
ec t datidtonothtecarartrey
minerals ,
which was 2s, a ton from
Paisley to Greenock. Mr. Dixon,
for the whole distance,
was because Mr. Dixonwas charged ls. 91Ad. a ton. This
used his own trucks and servants,
and the company had nothing to do but to find haulage for
Captain Huish, general manager of th
Western Line, said he had formerly e London and North
been secretary of the
Greenock Co natty for four years. It was ' • - e
impossible to work a
short line so profitably as along one. He knew a good deal
of the benefit of amalgamations of this kind. One of the most
remarkableas the Grand Junction with
w the North Union.
Before the amalgamation the traffic between the two lines
rates high, but since the
very small and the
was
creased, w
Hhil the public were beneted
traffic had vastly in
c vices. ee considered that bothfit he
by the redaction of pri