The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-03 00:00:00

LONDON AND YORK (CAIYIBRIDGEI JIND

LXNCOLN EXTENSION).
Mr. Leather, the engiceer to the line, was examined this
morning by Mr. BALNES—He stated that the line for a con-
siderable distance had gradients of the most favourable cha-
racter-1 in 1,000 for fourteen miles, and the remainder
averaging from lin 560 to 1 in 360. The cost of construc-
tion was 860,0001. It was proposed to cross the river Ouse
by means of swing-bridges. There was very little opposition
on the part of the landowners.
Cross-examined by Sergeant WRANGLIAM, on behalf of the
London and York—There would be a delay of sixteen mi-
nutes with every train at the swing-bridges, when the bridges
were required to be swung for the purpose of allowing vessels
to
pass.
Cross-examined by Mr. HILDTARD, for the Eastern
Counties—The line from Selby to York, as
proposed
EaA gradients ern Counties, has as favourable b
y the
as his own
line. _

At this stage of the procedings the Noble Chairman inti-
mstid the t their Lordships thought it an insuperable objec-
tion to this line was found in its proposal to cross the Ouse,
as there was no security to:the public that the Lords of the
Admiralty might not also require the two additional
bridges proposed to be constructed by the line over
another part of the Ouse to be also swing
bridges, and unles the counsel could bring forward evidence
of a nature to remove that uncertainty, he thought it useless
to proceed with the further examination of the witness.
Mr. BALNES re-examined the witness, but nothing material
was elicited, and their Lordships then adjourned.

SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.
(THIS DAY.)
A special meeting of the shareholders in this under-
taking was held to day at the Paddington Station of the
Great Western Railway, in compliance with the sessional
orders, for the purpose of taking into consideration the
drafts of the following Bills how before Parlianaent :
" A Bill for completing the line of the South Wales Itail-
way,and to authorise the construction of an extension and
certain alterations of the said railway, and certain
Branch Railways in connexion therewith ;" by which
Bill power is proposed to be conferred on the said South
Wales Railway Company to make certain deviations
in the line of railway as now authorised, and to extend
the ,ttrue, and to enable the Company to rent or purchase
the Forest of Dean Railway, and the Severn and Wye
Railway and Canal, and for other purposes.
" A Bill for making a Railway from Gloucester
to the Monmouth and Hereford Railway, and to the
South Wales Railway at Awre, to be called the Glou-
cester and Dean Forest Railway ;" by which Bill power
is proposed to be conferred on the South \Vales Railway
Company, to subscribe towards the said intended Glou-
cester and Dean Forest Railway, and to purchase or
lease the same.

" A Bill for making a Railway from LTangynwyd to
Margam by a Company to be called the Ll3nvy Valley
Railway Company ;" bj which Bill power is proposed
to be conferred on the South Wales Railway Company
to purchase or lease the said last-mentioned intended
railway.

" A Bill f r making Railways to connect the Saunders-
foot Railway with the South Walt s Railway, with the har-
bour of Saundersfoot, and with the town of Tenby, to be
called the Teuby, Saundarsfoot, and South Wales Rail-
way, and for other purposes ;" by which Bill powers are
proposed to be conferred on the South Wsles Railway
Company of purchasing or leasing the undertaking by
the said last-mentioned Bill proposed to be authorised,
and of raising money for the completion of such pur-
chase, or for executing the works therein referred to.
" A Bill for making a railway from the South Wales
Railway, at or near the town of Neath, to Merthyr Tydfil,
with branches, to be called the Vale of Neath Railway ;"
by which Bill powers are proposed to be conferred o❑
the South Wales Railway Company of purchasing or
leasing the undertaking by the said last-mentioned Bill
proposed to be authorised, and of raising money for such
purpoEe
The chair was taken at 12 o'clock precisely.
The SECRETARY (Mr. Armstrong) having read the
notices convening the meeting,

C. RUSSEL, Esq. (chairman) said that the object of
the shareholders having been called together was in
consequence of the sessional orders of Parliament. The
South Worcester proposed to cross the Severn ; the
Committee of the House of Commons, however, thought
proper to prohibit that mode of crossing, although fully
recommended by the engineer of the Admiralty. The
other alternative fur crossing the Severn wai that offered
by the Gloucester and Forest of Dean Railway, of which
they now proposed to avail themselves. The Committee
decided that the agreement made with the Brilhip Vale
Railway should be clogged with a condition, that they
should purchase the Severn and Wye Railway. The
committee of management, however, could not think
of complying with this unprecedented request, and
have, therefore, thought proper to abandon
the Bill for the present. The tunnel near Malvern had
also been thrown out by the Committee. Thess three
schemes having been rjected, the only course lett for the
Committee was to obtain a line from the south of Wales,
in connexion with the metropolis, by the way of Glou-
cester. This scheme the committee of management
had now obtained by means of the Bills which would be
submitted to the meeting.
The SECRETARY then read the abstract and short
titles of the

S,)uth Wales Railway,
Gloucester and Forest of Dean Railway,
Llynvi Valley Railway,
Tenby and Saundersfoot Railway, and
Vale of Neath Railway.
The CHAIRMAN then read the resolution approving o
these Bi

W. ItocitE, Esq. proposed, and Mr. IRONMONGER se-
conded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN then said, that it would be necessary,
in his opinion, to add a clause to the resolution just
passed, which would be to the following effect :—" That
this meeting authorises the directors to agree to such
alterations in the said Bills as may be deemed expedient
during their progress through Parliament."
This resolution was moved accordingly, and nnani
mously agreed to. _

Mr. ROACH then said that as it wanted a few minutes
to one o'clock (the time announced for the second
meeting), he should feel obliged to the Chairman if he
would briefly state what were the intentions of
the directors with respect to, and the progress of, the
new works, brcause in the country the general opinion
was that there was little" or no progress made in them,
and in fact
_some despaired of their ever being completed.
That, however, was not his opinion, but he was satisfied
of this, that the p .ogle of the country held that opinion.
The CBAIRMAN said he could assure the meeting that
it was the intention of the directors to proceed with the
works in question with as much rapidity as they pos-
sibly could, consistent with the general interest of the
proprietors. Ile might state that the directors
had already entered into three contracts—two
with resreet to the works at Newport, ex-
tending over a length of six and three-quarter miles,
:rid another with regard to Swansea, which extended
over a length of two miles. One of the contracts at
Newport embraced a tunnel. Now those three con-
tracts embraced the heaviest of the works on the
line ; they were, in fact, the key to the whole.
It was hardly necessary to say that the
directors deemed ,it prudent to complete the heavy
works before they entered upon those of minor im-
portance. However, he could assure the Honourable
Proprietor that every attention should be paid to his
suggestions, and care would be taken that the works
should be prosecuted with the utmost activity.
Mr. ROACH again begged to assure the Hon. Chair-
man that his only object in alluding to the progress of
the works was, that the people in the country might
have the benefit of the Chairmanis statement on the
subject.
Mr. HUMFREY—I wish to ask, Mr. Chairman, whether
those Bills limit the South Wales line to any particular
gauge.
_ _

- The CHAIRMAN—I believe there is no clause whatever
of that sort. Tae South Wales is committed; you know
by the Bill that they have already obtained—they are
a broad gauge
trai
tl winlyy.
ft .
flow
i shouldnto i t think,. as a matter of
tea-on and eQtrunon sense, that that will be the gauge of
every railway h
Mr. HUnFREY thought that, as the Bill was about to
be altered, it would be well now to insert a clause giving
the pr,ptivtors power to alter the gauge as they might
hereafter think de irable.
The CIIAIRMAN said that the question of gauge would '
be settled by Parliament before these Bills could receive
1 the sanction of the Legislature ; and, of course, what-
, ever determination they might come to must guide the
course ot the proprietors. At the same time, he must
observe, that he c.ittlil not for one moment entertain the
notion that Parliament would compel them to alter their
present b. oad gauge.
M. IiumEREY begged to differ from the Chairman.
The CHAIRMAN—However, before these Bills Call be
brought to a conclusion, we shall know the decision
both of the Government and the Legislature upon that
gauge.
As it still wanted w
I am informed that there is no clause in the
question.
of the time an-
South Wales Act thatt
nounced in the advertisement for the holding of the
bindsenty u sm
ion uatne ''s
adjourned until that time.
At
toonnde meating, the meeting
o'clock
the speciul p
of uprose
said that the re assembled foF
al or ers both
The Chairman of the Board again took the chair, and
of carrying into effect the session
Houses of Parliament of this year. Now by those
sessional orders they would be aware that it was
required that a public meeting of a uhere
e w railway com-
pany should be. convened, at which. t
presented, ether in person or by proxy, one-third of the
t one-third
shareholders of the company, and that of th • a
should be re-
there should be a majority of two-fitths at least
Lest in
favour of the prosecution ot the scheme before the .
the
e:islature would sanction it. The capital of the South
to ;
Wales Company now amounted3,ooo,oool.
quantity, tht.rt tore, that must be represented at the
meeting was 1,000,0001. Now, in proxies, they hadre-
ceived the notes of the holders of shares
.amountin? to

1,289,2501., independently or the shares of the proprietors
who were then present, in favour of the scheme. There
could be no question, therefore, that they were
a properly-constituted meeting. After the ob-
servations that he had already made at • the
previous meeting it would, perhaps, be unnecessary for
him to make any further statements upon the present
occaiion. He then read the resolution approving of the
prosecution of the works.
In reply to a SHAREHOLDER,
The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee had ex-
punged the clause with reference to the Severn, and
they TrAild now Wm to go round by Gloucobtor, which