The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-25 00:00:00

CALZDONZAN (LANGHOLM DRANCU.)

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The case on ihalf of this line, and in opposition to the North
Eritish (Carlisle Extension) was then gone into.
The formal proofs, in compliance with Mr. Duncombe's resolutions,
wars put In and received.
Mr. Elpot, late of Roxburghshire, and now of Dumfries, ex-
amined—His brother was a manufacturer In Hawick, and he had
often assisted him. He now lived about six miles from Annan, and
had baelthere for about nine years, He knew the country between
Annan and Hawlek well. It was a very hilly district, and the popu-
lation very thin—a sheplterd population. He was now often
In the habit of going into Rcgburgh, The. road he went
WiatoLangtoimp and from •thence to,
_4=l4._ Aetween

Langholm and Hawick the farms were mainly grazing,
there being but little under cultivation. The priacipal outlet
of the hosiery trade of Hawick was Edinburgh and Glasgow. But a
small proportion went southwards. The same applied to the other
branches. He believed the total trade was not morn than 800 or
1,000 tons, and if half of that went south, it would not be very
much. They were generally coarse goods that could not find a
market in England, The population between Hawick and Lang-
holm. In the parishes of Hews, Westerkirk and Eskdale Muir,
through which the lirie passed the popidation was in the proportion
of 9%, 16%, and 93 to the square mile, for these parishes there were
but 10, 11, and 10 houses respectively paid window-tax. In
Hoberton and Cavers, the proportion was somewhat similar. In the
whole town of Hawick but 72 houses paid the window•tax. (The
witness then went through the whole route of the line reading from
a table in his hand the respective populations of each parish to the
square mile and the houses in each assessed to the window-tax.
A number of places for which the traffic-tables of theme
British took credit, would be but little accommodated
Throughout the
firth i e.
The population of Langholm was but 2,000, and the mbaYnnf eturers
were trifling. There were two distilleries there.
Ilisra°tiogn on the
extent of the country he referred to, the principal
me
ewe
so
tu ir
lanpasds awloansgrathis
ei raising
elean s thoec kre,
fat stock
ehke
ads not t
mainlyhln
rma
toasdyueoef tt
hh em
Havriek, and Newcastle and th he thought
Rut little went by Carlisle. Newcastle and Morpe
Morpeth were the principal markets.
would still continue .the best markets. Though he
yreeseireded, but six
miles from the port o
his fat sheep to Newcastle. Of the grain that came from Roxburgh
towards Langholm the quantity might be 2,000 tons. He thought
the quantity of slates taken from the port of Langholm would be
abaut 1,200 tons, of which 800 tons went to Hawick. The principal
traffic of the district was coal ; of which from 7,000 to 8,0000 tons.
For the wants of the district the Caledonian Langholm Branch
would serve the town of Langholm and the places below it, but
Hawick would be greatly benefitted by the North British Branch.
That benefit, however, would be got at the expense of the Caledo-
nian, as it would take away the Edinburgh through traffic
of that line. The locsl traffic of the North British (Hawick line)
Railway could not support the railway, and it must depend on taking
the through traffic from the Caledonian Railway. He was per-
suaded two through lines could not be supported by the traffic. The
witness then went over the calculation of the number of parties that
were estimated by the North British to use the railway—a quantity
which he considered greatly exaggerated.
Cross-examined—At the time he was in Hawick, Cheviot wool
was alone used, but now there was a great deal of foreign wool used.
He knew Messrs. Long and Nixon well, and they were well qualified
to speak as to the trade of Hawick. The trade of Hawick u. fight have
been increased one-third since 1839 He did not think that a great
quantity of grain came into Dumfrieshire from Rossburghshire. Ile
thought that if lean stock were taken cheaper by railway than by
driving, the former method would be preferred.
The witness was strictly cross-examined by Mr. Liddell, who ap-
peared for the Duke of Buccleugh and Sir James Graham, but no
point of material importance was elicited.
Mr. Adam Black, Lord Provost, of Edinburgh, examined, said,
that when the Caledonian was brought before Parliament
last year, there was a strong feeling in Edinburgh in its
favour, and a numerously signed petition in its favour was sent up.
The inhabitants of Edinburgh supported the Caledonian line, because
it gave them a good outlet to the south, opened up the Wilsonstown
coal-fields, be the means of bringing a supply of water into Edin-
burgh, and be a check on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Company. It
would bo a great injury, he considered, if anything should happen to
cripple the proper working of the Caledonian line. He did not think
the extension (from Hawick to Carlisle would benefit Edinburgh
much. while it would take a large proportion of the through traffic
from the Caledonian line.
Cross-examined—At the time the feeling was so strong in favour
of the Caledonian, the choice was between the latter and the line
by Dumfries through the Hawick and Carlisle line was talked of,
that had no doubt the Hawick line wou d take a considerable deal 01
the through traffic, but he could not say how much. He did not
think llawick should be benefited at the expense of larger and more
important interests.
Mr. Dunlop, merchant, of Glasgow, said he dealt largely in tweeds
and purchased at Hawick and Galashields. Very little stock
was kept in either place, but the goods were stored in
Glasgow. The ordinary course was for the Eoglish mer-
chants to come to Glasgow. Similar goods were made in
the north of Scotland that were also sent to Glasgow. A por-
tion of the goods went to Edinburgh. The whole value of the goods
manufactured in Hawick might be 236,0001. The greater proportion
of the hosiery and blankets were consumed in Scotland. The.Dods
for the English market went by the east by steam from Berwick and
Leith. The English and foreign wool was brought from London to
Berwick at 12s. 6d. a ton. It was of no importance that the transit
should be quick, and the steamers were the most eligible conveyance.
The dye stuffs were principally brought from Glasgow, and time
was not of much importance in the conveyance of these
groceries for Hawick were mainly purchased at Edinburgh. The
whale of the general merchandise brought into Hawick was 1,768
tons, and the gross traffic that went f. om that town was, to Edin-
burgh 832 tons, towards Carlisle 88 tons, and towards Newcastle
234 tons. He was assisted by Mr. Thomson, of Glasgow, a hosiery
merchant, in making out his calculations. The traffic in goods be-
tween Edinburgh and Carlisle was not such as to warrant the con-
struction of two lines.

Cross-examined—He got the traffic to Carlisle, to Newcastle, and
to Edinburgh from the carriers on the roads. He had only been in
Hawick two or three times, but they had communication with
Hawick weekly.
Re-examined—Though he did not often go to Hawick himself, his
partner went there monthly, and they knew the trade well.
Mr. Thompson corroborated the evidence of the previous speaker
respecting the hosiery trade, which he represented to be principally
for the Scotch market. The whole weight of the hosiery was 200
tons, of which about one-third might go south.
Re-examined—He knew Mr. Nixon and Mr. Lang, of Hawick,
and they were well qualified to speak of the trade of Hawick.
Mr. Sanderson, who was well acquainted with the carrying trade,
supported the evidence of the previous witnesses as to the traffic of
Hawick and Galashiels. About one-sixth of the goods manufactured
went to England, the remainder went to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The freight from Leith to London for manufactured gcods was about
Is. per foat, or 40s a ton by measurement. He did not think th,rc
was sufficient to support two lines of railway from Edinburgh to
Carlisle. He applied the same principle to Galashiels he did to
Hawick. . . . . . .

Cross-examined—He had been at Galashiel., but he never had
carried between Edinburgh and that towu. He had not been at
Hawick. _ .

The Custawr said there was a discrepancy between the present
evidence and that of the witnesses,called by the North British re-
specting the traffic south.
The witness said he had some memoranda which be took down at
the time he visited Galashiels, detailing the information given by the
manufacturers. (The witness here read several of the items he took
down at the time, in support of the estimate he had given in.) Mr.
Syree, the witness who had deposed that the most of his goods went
south, would not give him any information.
31r. Railton, manager of Mr. Mitchell, carrier, of Carlisle, said that
the whole through traffic from ( arlisle to Edinburgh was 742 tons
each way. The Galashiels and Carlisle traffic was about 40 tons each
way. The traffic irom Carlisle to Hawick and back was 335 tons.
The traffic from Hawick to Edinburgh and Glasgow was 800, and
from these cities to Hawick about 2,000 tons. He hail seen the goods
tables of the Hawick and Carlisle line, and he thought them very
much overcharged. They were more likely to be 3001. than 3,0001.
He thought especially the estimate for parcels most exorbitant. Mr.
Hargreaves was the only other through carrier.
Cross-examined—He estimated the traffic ou the road from the
number of horses employed by the other carrier and the carriers be-
tween llawick and Galashiels and Edinburgh and Glasgow. With
regard to the parcels, he merely thought from his knowledge of the
present trade, that no such traffic could be had. He did not, how-
ever, know how many parcels were carried by other lines.
Mr. Carruthers generally deposed that there was but little traffic
from Hawick, by way of the Annan, and Carlisle, and Liverpool
steamers. He generally agreed with the evidence of Mr. liailton.
Cross-examined—He only spoke of his own vessel, the Newcastle.
There was another, the Victoria, but he could not precisely speak of
the traffic of that vessel. He thought the present communication
sufficient for the wants of the traffic of the district, except it might
for the coal traffic.

Mr. Piper, proprietor of the coaches between Carlisle and Edin-
burgh, through Hawick and Galashiels, examined—Said the pas-
senger traffic to Hawick was inconsiderable. There were two
coaches, the mail, and the Engineer. From Hawick, by the mail,
the passengers yearly were, to Langholm 34 ; to Langton, 40 ; to
Carlisle, 76. From Hawich, by the Engineer, the passengers were,
to Langholm, 162 ; to Langton, 10 ; and to Carlisle, 212. The En-
gin er went through to Lancaster, and the through traffic made up
for the small Hawich traffic. The country from Hawack was vet v
thinly populated. He thought the estimate of 3,0001. for parcels per-
fectly fictitious.

Mr. Tither, coach proprietor, of Carlisle, generally concurred in
the evidence of Mr. Piper. Last year the passengers fren Carlisle
by the mail to Langholm were 282, to Hawick 388, and to Galashiels
and Selkirk 132. The traffic on that road was not great, either in
passengers or posting. The passengers taken by the other coach were
about 30 per cent. more than by the mail, the number of which he
had given.
Mr. AusTIN called tke attention of the Committee to the figures in
the table of the North British, which did not materially differ in the
results to which the last witness had deposed.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.