The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-14 00:00:00

EAST COAST.

The examination of Ai r.iulton, the engineer, was continued.
The witness was cross-examined at considerable length by Mr.
WEBSTER, as to the engineering details of the bridges, and other
works projected on the line, and as to the mode of junction with the
Direct York, the Ambergate, and other railways.
Sir John Rennie was examined by Mr. Cooa, on the part of the
promoters, and gave detailed evidence of great length in favour of
the line as respects the probable traffic, the wants and capabilities of
the district, and the engineering merits. This gentleman was also
examined by the Committee minutely on the subject of the large
tract of land now in course of being gained from the sea, and is
called 'Victoria county. He described this as being in a most promis-
ing state, 4,000 acres being completely reclaimed and now in culti-
vation. Several little towns had sprung up there, and the East Coast
Railway would give a great stimulus to further improvement. He
approved of the bridges designed by Mr. Fulton, and he thought they
could not be dispensed with.
Mr. Cubitt, the engineer, was next examined to the sam pur-
pose, when
The Committee decide 4 that the preamble was not proved, and the
Bill was, accordingly thrown out.
The Committee than separated, having gone through the Bills in
their group.-

!
U
.-
The Committeeinet t the usual hour in room 25 ; Lord Pal-
merston in the chair.,:4* embers as before.
The gentilirtie .1 in favour of the .1
HER,OE JUNCTION
was contisued. he first witness called was
Mr. Leach,-, eaten spinner, .at Enfield, and also at a place
near Clitheffe, and a land-agent at those places. He said that
nearly one thousand hands-'were employed on his mills
at Enfield. It would be a great advantage to the people of Clitheroe,
&c , to have a line from Accrington, through Clitheroe, Long Pres-
ton, &c., to Settle. lime was used very extensively as ma-
nure, and would be used much more extensively if a
better communication was obtained. At present it could
only be used when obtained from places near those where
it was to be used, as it would be unprofitable to lay it
down as manure at a greater cost than Is. per load.
Settle would derive great benefit from this line, perhaps more than
any other place on the line, as it was farthest from the coal districts,
and very much required communication with them.
A desultory conversation here arose as to Mr. Taylor's property,
in the course of which Mr. Mcrrivale said that no sum of money
could compensate his client for the injury to his pro-
perty, and Mr. Brentd said that he would be ready to
adopt any proposition made on the part of Mr. Taylor, by which the
injury to his property would be avoided.
Mr. MEREIVALE knew of no manner in which the injury
could be avoided, except by the line passing under the
property in a tunnel,which his client would, he bad been instructed,
most readily assent to. However, he had no doubt, if the mischief
could be obviated in any way, Mr. Taylor wouldwithdraw his opposi-
tion.

Mr. BRENTD proposed a consultation between Mr. Taylor's en-
gineer, and the engineer to the line. If this proposition were ac-
cepted, and any mode devised by which the injury to Mr. Taylor's
park could be obviated, it would readily be adopted.
Mr. 31EREWETHER and Mr. CALVERT, on the part of the Black-
burn, Clitheroe, and North-Western Railway, were quite willing that
the engineer to their line should also consult with Mr. Taylor's en-
gineer, and with the engineer to the Clitheroe Junction line.

It was ultimately arranged that the three engineers, viz.,
of .the Clitheroe Junction, of the Blackburn and Clitheroe,
and of the petitioner; should meet and coosnit, and en•
deavour to devise a line that would avoid the injury
to the property. That whatever mode of passing his property they
should fix upon should be adopted, and that whatever Bill the
Committee approved of in other respects, Mr. Taylor's
property should be passed in the manner agreed upon, so that
this would become a question of which_ railway shall do—not how
shall it be done.

Mr. Thomas Burdy, of Staekhouse, a banker at Settle, and a three.
tor of this line, gave similar evidence as to the cattle traffic, and also
the traffic in coal and in freestone. He was cross•examined by Mr.
MEREWETIIER.

Mr. nigley, a mineral agent, gave evidence as to the probable
coal traffic. He had made calculations as to the probable
saving to the people of Settle that would be made by
the superior accommodation which would be afforded by the pro-
posed line, which calculations were founded on the following data :
The ordinary price of coal at Settle was I Is. per ton. By the pro-
posed line it would be reduced to Bs. He supposed that two tons per
head per annum were used by the whole population, and as the popu-
lation amounted to 52,000, the saving, at 3s. per ton, would amount to
15,6001. per annum.

Mr. Townley, a gentleman having a seat within a mile and a half
of Burnley, gave general evidence.
Mr. BRENTD thee► sale, that he would not call any further evi-
dence, but would proceed to call witnesses as to the amount of traffic
between certain places on the line of the Blackburn and Clitheroe
Railway.