The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-24 00:00:00

Room B.

The Committee on the Newport,Abergavenny, and Hereford Rail-
way—the Vale of Neath Railway—the Llynvi Valley and South
Wales Juncti on Railway and the Monmouthshire Railway Bills, con-
sisting of Lords Fortescue (chairman), Suffolk, Liverpool, Beverley-,
and Lilford, assembled at eleven o'clock.
VALE or MEATH.

Precedence having been given to this Bill, Mr. Calvert opened th•
case for the promoters.

Mr. Harris was examined, and stated that the present price of
coals at Merthyr Tydvil was is. 10d.per ton, owing to the insufficient
supply afforded to that place, which would be remedied by the pro-
posed railway.

Mr. White, F.C.S., residing at Dowleis, and had about a hundred
patients under his care daily, at ironworks and collieries.
The highest wages were about 30s. a week, and the lowest about 14s.
a week. Swansea was the favourite resort of persons of that class,
and if a railway like the proposed one were constructed, the number
that would avail themselves of it would be illimitable. Had himself
recommended, as a medical man, persons to take these excursions
when in a state of convalescence.

The Committee, having heard some further evidence, adjourned.

Room C.
LONDON AND GRAVESEND.

The Committee on the South-Eastern 'group of projects assem-
bled this morning. The Earl of Devon in the chair, with the
Duke of Cleveland, the Earl of Craven, Lord Klunaird, and the Duke
of Leeds.

Mr. AUSTIN opened for the promoters, and stated that this was a
line from London to Gravesend, using the line of the Greenwich
Railway for about two miles, as far as the Grand Surrey Canal,
thence by a detour to Lewisham, skirting Greenwich Park, passing
thence to Woolwich, thence to Dartford, and so on, outside North.
fleet to Gravesend. In the contests in the Commons, allusions had
been made to the traffic, and although he would not enter
into that subject., thus much he ought to observe, that
although the fare by the railway was Bd. and 6d. for
the respective classes during last year, and the fare by the
steamboats was 4d. to Greenwich, the number of passengers by the
railway was more than 2% millions, while that by the steam-boats
were only 1% millions. The time required to get to Greenwich by
the boats was half an hour, while by the railway they got in half
that time. The time occupied in the passage by the river to Graves-
end is two hours and a half, while by the line it would be only three-
quarters of an hour. The anticipated traffic to Gravesend by the
new line would be 3,500,060, which, at a fare of ls. each, would give
175,0001. of gross return, and deducting working expenses, at the
usual rate of 40 per cent, there would be a net profit of a hundred
thousand guineas, or a dividend of tea or twelve per cent. He might
further observe, that along the 20 miles which this line ran to Graves-
end, or the 28% miles to Rochester, there was a more dense population
than on any other line after leaving London for the same distance.
For the same distance on the South-Western line the population
is 40,000, on the Great Western line it is 55,000, on the
Eastern Counties 41,008, on the Northern and Eastern 55,000, and
on the London and Birmingham it is 43,000 ; while on the Graves-
end line it is 100,000, or nearly double that of the best of the other
lines. The Learned Gentleman then entered into an explanation of the
proposed lines of railway, which, without the plaits submitted to
their Lordships, would be quite intelligible. It may be sufficient,
therefore, to say that the object of the explanation was to assure the
Committee that no accident could happen at the junctions of the
numerous lines which leave the South-Eastern terminus at London-
bridge. They reached Woolwich by rounding Greenwich-park. It
was preferred to do this to going through the park, because
the instruments in the Observatory might have been affected by the
passing of the trains. They thence passed at the back of Blackheath,
and entered a tunnel of considerable length, reached Woolwich
about 165 yards from the Dockyard gates, 65 from the Arsenal ; and
from the lowness of the level, by a very ingenious piece of engineer-
ing, they were enabled to give accommodation by a subv ay both to
the Arsenal and Dockyard, with ample opportunity for putting the
stores upon the line. From Woolwich they passed over Plumstead
Marshes, within half a mile of the pier at Erith, a level station at
Craylard and another at Dartford ; they then passed within fifty
yards of Erith, where they entered a tunnel of about 160 yards
long, and so on to Gravesend. The steepest gradient would be
one in about 120, and the smallest radius of a curve 616
yards. The length of the line would be 20 miles one furlong. The
estimates for the whole line were 800,0001., and the capital asked for
is 1,000,0001. The line is devised by Mr. Robert Stephenson and Mr.
Bidder, and it was not too much to say that it was most judiciously
laid out. In fact, the project was merely to form a connexion be-
tween London and Gravesend, for at both termini the stations were
made. After noticing the intended opposition of the North Kent
Company, who lost their Bill in the Commons, he said that he should
object to any opposition than that which had reference to the parti-
cular part of the country which they had desired to obtain. In this
petition there was an allegation of the fares being too low, but this
was both unfair and ungracious, because though they were low they
were quite sufficient for paying a handsome dividend. The only
petition of landowners was that of Sir Isaac Lyon Goldsmid,
who was Chairman of the defunct line, and who possessed
two small plots of land in the parish of I'lumstead, just sufficient,
and that was all, to give hint a locus standi before the Committee,
and for his land there would be a check ready at the bankers the
moment it was asked for. The North Kent line had been debated
before the Committee nine-and-twenty days during last session, and
thirty-four days this session, so that it could not be said that it had
not been sufficiently deliberated upon, and it had been thrown out on
both occasions. Ile had said that he objected to any opposition being
allowed, or any allusion to the country below Rochester, which he
had described as being the ultimate of the present Bill, but he wished
particularly and expressly to prevent any supposition that the pro-
moters of this line were not ready to continue their line all the way
to Dover, for that was decidedly their intention as soon as tho Par-
liamentary powers could be obtained for that purpose.
Mr. Charles Jones, formerly a civil engineer, and now chairman
of the Woolwich Gas Company, testified generally as to the conve-
nience of the line to that town, stating that there were as many as
twenty-seven steam-boats on the river, but those did not run later
than nine o'clock at this time of the year, and four o'clock in winter.
He also stated the feeling of the inhabitants of the ,lace, all of
whom were exceedingly anxious for its formation, and the more es-
pecially as the lines running along a lower level, gave access to the
Arsenal and Dockyard, while on the other hand the North Kent not
only would not afford those advantages, but by running on a viaduct
would act as a screen. Meetings had been held in favour of the
Gravesend line, at which it was resolved to support that projoct.
On croes-examination by Mr. GoLDsmin, it appeared that there
had been a change this year in the North Kent project, which made

less objectionable than formerly to the inhabitants of Woolwich.

On re-examination by Mr. MEaxxwETßEa,:the witness stated that
the North Kent Company had not resolved to go to Woolwich till
the project of the south-Eastern Company had been published.
Mr. Clough, clerk of the Arsenal at Woolwich, and one of the town
commissioners of Woolwich, stated that both the proposed lines had
been submitted to that body, and that of the South-Eastern had been
unanimously approved. In his opinion, this line would be very con-
venient for putting stores on the line, both from the Arsenal and the
Dockyard.
In answer to Mr. GoLbsstin, Mr. Clough replied that with respect
to the public institutions he did not speak as a public servant, but as
a town commissioner.
A. discussion here ensued with the Committee as to whether
the evidence was satisfactory.
Lord Sondes, Mr. Plumptre, M.P., Sir Edward Filmy, and two
or three witnesses from Gravesend, confirmed the assertion that the

line would he generally acceptable to the district.
Colonel Menzies, of the Chatham garrison, was called to show that
the line in a military point of view would be highly advantageous,
giving a quick and easy communication with Woolwich, Deptford,
and Portsmouth.
Mr TALBOT was proceeding to cross-examine as to the point
whether the line would not be equally advantageous as a military
communication if carried on to Canterbury, when
Mr. MERBSWETZIER objected to the questions, and the room was
cleared.
After a very lengthened discussion the parties were again admitted,
when
The Cuatastan read a resolution to the effect, that there being no
Bill before the Committee for any line below Rochester, no inquiry
ought to be entertained which affected any point below that place.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow.