The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-27 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(YESTERDAY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP IL
CORNWALL.

This Committee Emet at the usual hour, Viscount Morpeth,
chairman.

The first witness called was Mr. Pearson, the manager of the
Steam b-idge over the Ramouse. He stated that carriages were
easily driven over it and with perfect safety. At one time Womb-
well's menagerie passed over. It had borne a weight of 210 tons,
and it was calculated that it would bear upwards of 100 tons more
than that.

Mr. Brunel, C.E., was then examined by Mr. Sergeant KINGLAKE
—The gradients were of a favourable nature, the steepest one being
lin 60. The soil was particularly favourable for the construction of
railways. They proposed to cross the Ramouse by means of the
exit ting steam bridge, but if that were not found to be sufficiently
strong they could easily build another. The trains would run down an
incline on to the bridge. There would be no difficulty in getting them
up again. It might be done by simple mechanical means. It could
be effected by means of an engine over a perpendicular shaft, such as
that used for the purpose oflifting carriages from the Derby Railway
On to the London and Birmingham Railway. Great care had been
taken in the laying out of the line, and he considered it would prove
highly remunerative.
The Earl of St. Germans was called, who gave evidence in favour
of the line and the accommodation which it would afford to the
district.
The Committee then adjourned.

GROUP I.Y.
The members of this Committee resumed their labours at 12
o'clock this morning, Lord Worsley in the chair. All the members
Were present. The adjourned case of the
CALEDONIAN (GLASGOW TERMINI AND
BRANCHES).

wax resumed.
Mr. Hors, on the part of the promoters of the Bill, reminded the
Committee that the object of their adjournment was to give time for
an alteration in the plans, and for an application to Parliament to
dispense with the standing orders. This had been accomplished ; the
proposed alteration had been made, and the Standing Orders' Com-
mittee had reported that the standing, orders ought to be dispensed
with.
Mr. Errington, the engineer to the line, explained the manner in
which it was proposed to accomplish the deviation. The objection-
able gradient of one in eighty had been got rid of, and an incline of
one in 100 substituted.

Mr. Sergeant Mual'nv, who appeared to oppose the line on the
part of the General Terminus Company, opposed the Bill on the
ground that it interfered with part of their property, and would
prevent them from fulfilling a contract they had entered into with
the Kilmarnock and Ayr Company, and for the carrying oat of
which this land would be required.
Mr. Sergeant 311:73P11Y put in a copy of the agreement, and Mr.
Hope consented to admit this document, Mr. Sergeant Murphy not
being prepared to prove it.
Mr. C. D. Donald, Secretary to the General Terminus Company,
was called to prove that the notice of the intention of the Company
to introduce arnew clause was only received on Saturday, the 6th
instant, and that the Bill went through the Standing Orders' Com-
mittee on the following Tuesday; so that he had not time to oppose
the Bill.
In the course of this witness's evidence, it appeared that the land
in question had been bought by the provisional committee upon their
own responsibility before the passing of the Bill, and that there were
no powers to buy any such land in the Bill.
The Cuslumsx put several questions to the witnesses as to the
manner in which the Company had become possessed of this land,
observing that though it had nothing to do with the point under con-
sideration and could not, therefore, be said to come directly before,
the Committee, that it was certainly a matter for the consideration
of Parliament. He suspected it was a very common thing for rail-
way companies to purchase, and make use of, land not included in
the powers of their Bills.
Sir T. Puirxrps, on the part of the Glasgow and Ayr Railway Com-
pany, was about to make some observations, when
Mr. HOPE objected, and said that his Learned Friend had no
locus standi. _ .

Sir T. PHrLuns said that the Glasgow and Ayr was a part of the
West of Scotland Junction, and that at the time the latter Bill was
disposed of, power was reserved by the promoters to oppose this Bill.
The Committee ordered the room to be cleared, and after a short
time re-admitted the parties, in order to learn more distinctly upoa
What grounds Sir T. Phillips claimed to appear.
Sir T. PHILLIPS said that he claimed to appear on the part of the
Glasgow, Pais ey, and Ayr, both as a part of the West of Scotland
Junction, and as being .one of two parties having a contract, f7r the
carrying out of which it was necessary that they should retain the
land which it was proposed to take by the additional powers.
The room was again cleared, but the door was hardly closed when
the parties were called in again, and the Committee declared that Sir
T. Phillips could not be heard.
The CHAIRMAN then said that the Committee had decided upon
inserting the additional power in the form of a clause, and that a
clause should be inserted, to the effect that if any additional expense
should be incurred by the General Terminus Company, in making
their branch to the Glasgow and Ayr, in consequence of the introduc-
tion of the additional powers into this Bill, that such additienal ex-
pense should be defrayed by the Caledonian Railway Company.
A message was received from the Admiralty, to the effect that as
the report 'f their Commissioner on the Clyde Bridge had not yet
been received, they could not give any opinion as to whether they
would be likely to assent to the crossing of the Clyde by this line.
After a discussion of some length, it was determined that the Bill
Should be passed, with a clause that if the Admiralty refused their
consent the Company should use the alternative line.
Here a question arose as to the right of th 9 counsel on the part of
West of Scotland Junction to appear against the alternative line.
The room was cleared on this point, and after a long discusion the
Committee re-admitted the parties, and announced their decision,
that althc ugh counsel for the West of Scotland Junction could not
appear on the question of the adoption of the clause for additional
powers, yet such counsel could appear against the alternative line.
In the course of a desultory conversation which ensued, Mr. Ser-
geant MURPHY expressed his doubts of the power of the Committee
to pass the additional clause, and intimated the intention of the Corn.
pany to dispute its legality, if they should find it advisable to do so,
after the passing of the Bill.
The consideration of the manuscript clauses was, at the request of
Mr. Hone, adjourned until Thursday. The printed clauses were all
disposed of.
Mr. HOPE said he presumed the Committee considered the preamble
proved ?
The Committee considered that it was, aid gave their formal vote
to that effect.
The consideration of the alternative line stands over till Thursday
GLASGOW, PAISLEY, AND GREENOCIC