The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-26 00:00:00

'PION).

but the Committee were engaged fur two hours with a question of corn
pensation to Mr. James Pullen. a landowner on the route. After the room
had been cleared, the Committee decided that the Company should take
the tolls on Mr. Pullen's property at 641., and thirty years' purchase,
and pay Mr. Pullen the taxed costs of his opposition.
The clauses of the Bill for the Amalgamated Company were then
gone through and passed.
The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP LIT.
This Committee re-assembled this morning at the usual hour; 31
P. Miles in the chair.

ST. !SEMEN'S CANAL AND R.A.ILWAY, AND
GRAND JUNCTION (HUTTON TO 'WAR-
RINGTON BRANCH).
The evidence en behalf of the promoters of the St. Helen's Rail-
way was resumed.

I Mr. Robert Dagleish, the contractor for the supply of the locomo-
tive power on the present St. Helen's and Runcorn Gap Railway,
examined—This line was eight miles long. There were two inclines
on it about half a mile long, in which the gradients were 1 in
25 and lin 31. These could not be worked by locomotive power, but
a stationary engine was used. The expense of working the proposed
line would be much less, and It would afford railway communication
to many collieries which did not possess it at present.
Examined by Mr. HAYES, on behalf of Sir John Gerrard—The line
would pass through this gentleman's property, and close to his corn-
fields. He considered that it would be of advantage to his (Sir John
Gerrard's) estate. He was aware, however, that Sir John was op-
posed to the line.
_ _

Mr. Rendall, the engineer of the line, was then examined. The
cost of the line would be 225,741/., in addition to which,
there would be the cost of a dock at Garston, amounting
to 86,9711. This scheme was purely a protective measure to
the owners of St. Helen's Canal. The coal trade could not
be carried on efficiently unless increased facilities of transit were
given. The proposed line would meet the exigencies of the case.
To take the line along the canal was the best and cheapest mode of
proceeding. _

The Ctimmittee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP LIII.

The Committee to whom this group of Bills has been referred, ssu
to-day at one o'clock, in Room 26, in the New Houses of Parliament.
Present Mr. Lascelles (in the chair), the Earl of Arundel and Surrey
Mr. Rice Clayton, Mr. Hildyard. and Captain Dalrymple.
The following are the lailLs that have been referred to this Com-
mittee, viz.:-
1. Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Dudley.
2. Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley, (Birmingham,
Wolverhampton and Dudley lines).
3. Birmingham. Wolverhampton and Stour Valley, (Stour Valley
line).

4. South Staffordshire Junction.
S. South Staffordshire Junction (Bilston and Prestfield branch).
6. South Staffordshire Junction (Wilhenhall and Bloxwich branch)
7. Trent Valley, Midlands, and Grand Junction.
8. Birmingham, Lichfield, and Manchester.
9. Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Worcester Junction.
10. Shropshire Union Railway and Canal (Shrewsbury to Stafford)'
11. Shropshire Union. Railway and Canal (Chester and Wolver-
hampton line).

12: Shrewsbury and Birmingham.
13. Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, and South Staffordshire Junc-
tion (No. 1.)

14. Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, and South Staffordshire Junc-
tion (No. 2.)
15. South Staffordshire (Showhill and Portobello branch).
16. Grand Junction (branch from Showhill to Portobello).
The Committee decided that the Bills should be taken according
to the order in which they were read a second time, and accordingly
took, in the first instance, the

SHROPSHIR.Z UNION RAILWAY AND
CANAL (CHESTER and WOLVERHAMPTON).
Mr. Acsurt (with whom were Mr. Hope and Mr. Lang) appeared
as counsel, and said that the length was 45 miles, the cost 730,0001.,
and as it was a canal proposed to be converted into a railway, the
Committee would, of course, suppose that the gradients were
not bad. The line had a great deal of local support, and
very little opposition. The principal opposition would be on
the part of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Com.
pany. Some opposition would also be offered on the part
of certain iron• masters in the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton ;
but the great majority of the iron-masters were in favour of the line.
The traffic did not support the present canal, but he should be able
to show that it would nevertheless pay the proprietors when con-
verted into a railway.

Mr. George Skee, carrying agent to the Canal Company in ques-
tion, was then called and examined by Mr. LANG—This witness
proved that the present traffic on the canal was between 1,600 and
2,000 tons per week, the goods principally consisting of heavy ken
castings, which were taken northwards. The Grand Junction
Railway had deprived the Company of almost all their other traffic.
If a line were made direct to Birkenhead, the cost and trouble of
transhipment of goods passing along the canal to the neighbourhood
of Liverpool would be obviated.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant liliNGLAxe—A large sum of
money had lately been expended in the improvement of the river
Severn for the purpose of making Stourport a convenient place for
bringing up merchandise, and that sum of money would be rendered
useless if this line were constructed.

Cross-examined by Mr. JAMES (who appeared on behalf of the Ha-
berdashers' Company)—The tolls on the canal in question were re-
duced in February last a farthing per mile on iron goods, and a half-
penny on others. The arrangement for the conversion of the
canal into a railway WitS made some time last year.
The next witness not being in attendance, the Committee ad-
journed until twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP LIB".

NEXIM.A.ND, BITETON-ON-T2ENT TO NUN,

EATON, AND nnANCH.

The Committeesuisembled at twelve o'clock this morning, and pro-
ceeded with the further Investigation of this scheme.
The Bill was opposed by Mr. Kenning, a landed proprietor on the
line.

Mr. Woodhouse, the engineer to the line, was the first witness
examined. He deposed as to the general route and estimated ex-
penses of the railway. The proposed length of the line was 23 miles
and 2 furlongs. The total length of the branches would be about
10 miles. The gradients on the line were generally favourab'e, and
the !smallest radius of a curve consisted of 36 chains In Slacker's
line. The total amount of the estimated expenses of the construc-
tion of the line was 656,0001. An assistant engine would be neces-
sary on a plane near the Wooden Box branch. There would be

three tunnels on the line, which would have to be bored through red
sandstone, and with that exception, there were no peculiar engineer-
ing difficulties on the line.
The examination of, the engineer having been corroborated the
case for the promoter. was eoneluded.
The opposition on behalf of the landowners on the line anl the
Canal Comp y
an was winor,,,„4 ....rrio.nument,
having
to between the partiest . been come
The preamble was then declared to have been proved, and various
clauses for compensation and the arrangement of tells were intro-
duced into the Bill.
The Committee then adjourned.

GUP LIT.
This Committee re-assembledßO to-day at 3 o'clock. Present, the
Right lion. Fientatcx SHAW, chairman, and the other members.
SHEPPIELD, ASLITON.:I3NDER..IsYNE, AND
MANCHESTER COZHAINEW BRIDGE AND
MEAVVIELD ERANCEES.)
The preamble of this 8111 was proved on Friday, and the clauses
as the last Bill on the list, and
the Committee
were read
t".
ttou cohsredri seriatim.
17- e platst

GROUP LVI.
The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Us
comprised in this group re-assembled at the usual hour itd. morning,
Mr. Stuart in the chair.
LONDON AND CROYDON (THAMES aline.
TlOlir CANAL).
The clauses in this Bill were settled, amended, and passed by the
Committee.
LONDON AND laravanvG/TILIVI STATIONS.
The next case taken was that of the London and Birmingham
Company, who were the promoters of a Bill for improving and en-
larging their stations at Camden-town and Euston-square.
he Bill was opposed by several holders of land an. 4 houses, whose
property it was proposed to take for the purposes of the improvement.
Mr. R. STEPHENSON, the engineer-in-chief of the London and Bir-
mingham Company, stated to the Committee the inconvenience
which was felt at present from the platforms of the Euston-square
being so restricted that very often some of the arrival trains were
longer than the platform itself. The Bill was for power to remedy
the defect, as well as to enable the Company to erect new offices and
a new departure station for the northern passenger traffic. The im-
provement of the Camden-town station was a couple of slips for
accommodating the goods' traffic.
The Committee declared the preamble to be proved, but the con-
sideration of the clauses was deferred till to-morrow.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. jj

MURDEROUS ASSAULT IN PARIS.—AU atrocious out-
rage was committed on Sunday evening on an English gentleman in
Paris. The victim is Dr. Tuke, who was for many years at the head
of a private asylum for insane patients in England, but who retired
from practice, and has for some years been residing in France. It
appears that on his return from dining with a friend at a restaurant,
near the Barriere de PEtolle, he was compelled, when crossing the
Esplanade des Invalides, to step aside, and was, while in this state,
in a brutal way accosted by a soldier, who severely cut him about
the face with a razor or knife, and left his victim on the ground
bleeding, and apparently dead. The 1145455 in ha; net been appre-
hended. Dr. Ttilto is 70 years •f ago.