The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-06 00:00:00

GROUP XXVII.

This Committee re-assembled to-day at the usual hour, Sir Charles
Lemon in the chair.

SOUTH MIDLAND (INTORTHAI TPIC3N TO
impronm).

Mr. HiLDYARD, Q.C., proceefed to open the case of the promoters
on behalf of the above line. The great advantage which would be
conferred by this line in accommodating the general traffic of the
country as well as the district through which it passed, made it one
of the most important railways which had been considered during the
session. The line commenced three miles south of Leicester,
diverging from the south Midland Railway, and ran south-east to
Market Harborough. The line there divided itself into two branches,
one of which went to Northampton, connecting it with Market
Harborough and Blisworth on the London and Birmingham line. The
other branch ran through Kettering to Bedford, the remaining part
of the scheme (the Huntingdon branch) having been selected in pre-
ference to the Rugby and Huntington line by the Committee to whom
they were referred, on condition that the Bedford branch of the pro-
moters would be selected in preference to the Leicester
and Bedford line, which was put forward by the same
promoters as the Rugby and Huntingdon. It would not
of course come now before the Committee, but it was
necessary that this Committee should advert to the Huntingdon
branch, as its formation depended on the decision of this
Committee on the general scheme of the South Midland Com—
pany-. One great advantage conferred by the South Mid—
land scheme was, that it placed Bettering on the main line..
The coals of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire wouldl
by it be conveyed to the east, which could not be done at present, in:
consequence of there being no means of transit. He detailed with_
great minuteness the greater advantages which would result by they
proposed line being constructed, rather than the Leicester and Bed—
ford, inasmuch as the former might connect itself with the.
Direct Northern, or any other great scheme that might be
subsequently made to intersect the country in that direction, 1
and there was already a connexion between Bedford and the Lond on
and Birmingham line, by whom this district of country was open ed
puopsteo the south, while the
thLeeiLceosntaeornanandd Bedfordlsclime was
)r e
,
very d probable would never be formed. The capital of the South ts -
f-
iend Company Was 1,900,0001., on which a deposit of ten per
scheme
cw.
cent. had been paid up. The promoters of the opposing scheme In id
only paid np five per cent. As a further guarantee of the bona
fide nature and stability of the South Midland shem,!,
the Midland Company had undertaken to be responsible f
one-third of the shares. This he thought was a sufficiei It
answer to the insinuation thrown out as to its being a " bubble. "
He would conclude by stating, that though the line passed througlh.
an important district of country, no objection as to residential inj, A-
ries was made, the only opposing landowner being Mr. Justini, to
Asher, who complained that his drainage was obstructed, and this, if
it was so, was only a case for compensation.
The Rignt Hon. R. Vernon Smith, M.P. for Northampton, d !-
posed to the general advantages which would be conferred on the it
town and the district generally by the proposed railway. In la is
lo
opinion there was no other projected line which would afford th tp
same accommodation to the traffic of the district.
roborateMr.
the Herbert
testimony:Langham of
andlasotthNveirtwnLtsn,essandwetroesexhoawmithnecaled to
amp
general advantages which the project Would confer.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till twelve to-morrow.

GROUP XXX.
AYLESBURY AND THAME JUNCTION.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
The examination of Mr. Stephenson was then resumed, in thee
' course of which he expressed himself decidedly in favour of the:
Aylesbury and Thame line, and that the estimate for stations at cer—
tain points of the Cambridge and Oxford line was too low.
Mr. Sergeant CLARK cross-examined at considerable length, chiefly
with respect to the level crossings.
• Mr. G. P. Bidder, engineer, was then examined by Mr. CALCRAFT,
and stated that a single line held by one Company could not be
worked efficiently with reference to the other lines. Did not think
the traffic tables of the Cambridge and Oxford line accurately esti-
mated, because they were made on wrong assumptions. The general
traffic of the line went in a north and south direction, but he con-
sidered that a railway would change the direction of the traffic.
Cross-examined by Mr. WADDINGTON—Was associated with Mr.
,ved at the conclusion he had
not from personal inspection.
stated
rtionA of the works. Considered general
higher estimate for other po
t th knowled deriv d f
o e g e rom
in certain cases
fromnson itnhesee; evidence aOlfwMayr.s.LoAreljoi
of the line. Would himself have allowed 100,000/. for stations, and a.
experience superior
Stephenson
detailed
Mr. Lode.
the estimates, as stated by by Mr. CaLcuarr.-Considered
Mr. Brunel, engineer, eXaffilnea the proposed railway would
that these cross lines in the country or i.
estimate. Did not find that there was any surplus fund in,
• ^ral opinion,
not be efficient.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant CrAnaz.—As A te.....
was opposed to single lines. Considered single lines unsafe, ti„,
he could not state that any accident had occurred on any of those
single lines either in this country or in Belgium.

The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till to-morrow.

GROUP XXXV.

AMMORGATE, NOTTINGZAM, and 130STO1eX.

(Continual from our Afternoon Edition.)

Buterick, the engineer of the iue, was wilco, and exAmined

by Mr. MACAULAY, for the promoters. The examination of this
witness occupied the time of the Committee up to the hour of ad-
journment.

In the middle of his examination, a proposition was made by one
of the opponents of the line, with a view to entering into terms of
arrangement and compromise, but the counsel for the promoters de-
clined to entertain the proposition, as the promoters had every con-
fidence in the merits of their case, with which they were deter-
mined to proceed.