The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-11 00:00:00

feeling of the inhabitants was decidedly in favour of that project,
The line to Dover was shorter than the South-Eastern line to that
place by four miles. The Kent Atmospheric proposed to use three
miles and a half of the best railway in England, the Croydon, and
would thus save themselves the construction of the most expensive
part of the line that crossing the streets and over
and through the masses of the houses of London. The
South-Eastern proposed to avoid the Croydon altogether,
and thus do that important railway the most serious injury,
by diverting its traffic. The Learned Sergeant then reviewed the
evidence on both sides, and entered into the details of the advan-
tages the Kent Atmospheric possessed over the lines of the
South-Eastern Company, and contended at some length, and with
considerable animation, that the Kent Atmospheric Railway
was entitled to a preference over the schemes of the
South-Eastern Company, as affording better accommodation
to the public at a less amount of cap
viltealover a
of road of lesser gradients and better and
He
on
osthnole r
nta length
ad-
dress by insisting upon the superiority of the atmospheric principleas laid down by Mr. Cubitt, who sanguinely anticipated its ultimate
success, and even if the atmospheric traction should be laid
aside, the line they projected was the best locomotive line, and
for that reason, setting aside • lll others, they were, according to the
general conduct of committees similarly circumstanced, entitled to a
preference over
• the South-Easteni schemes. But as respected the
atmospheric traction, lie firmly believed it would supersede the loco-
motive principle. Sir Robert Peel, to mean prophet, some years
ago told the locomotive advocates to pause, for it was his @pinion
that it would in course of time be superseded by the atmospheric. He
(the Learned Fergeant) thought that the time had now arrived,
or..if it had not it was not far distant: therefore it behoved the
Legislature to pause before they sanctioned an outlay of money upon
public works, which would eventually be useless. The atmospheric
that could
g reovercome
man
Caolllerotbas,,te obstacles, niontltinhaigt
system might be beset and crowded with minor and insignificant
(‘lyi
ale itt)lnt ile3osaantoblve,
to geniusbuts
c e c: e
' brilliant and beautiful poem, the " Ancient Mariner," anticipated
the atmospheric traction--it had dawned upon him happy hour
of n an
of inspiration :

" 0 wherefore dr:ves that ship so fist,
Without a tide or wind ?
' The air is cut away before,
And closes in behind."
The prineip/e, then, of the atmospheric was true and practicable. It
bad been successfully tried, and he sincerely believed its adoption
would be a boon to the.nation.
Mr. COCKBURN, for the Soutli-Eastern, then proceeded to address
the Committee. He contended that the line from London to Maidstone
should be made by his clients, because they were a strong Unitei
company ; whereas their opponents were divided Into tarn or three
managements, and the Committee well knew that union was an
essential ingredient in the success of any undertaking, both as
respected the public and the undertakers. The Kent Atmoeplferic
had not that elemmt, and, therefore, their chance, Compared
with that of the South-Eastern, was proportionably decreased.
It was quite evident that the aceommodation to Maidstone should
be supplied by an established company, whose expenses bad hitherto
been enormously great and their profits nothing. The superiority of
the South-Eastern wan evideeced from the fact that their rivals
where last year Lefore Parliament, with a project similar to their pre-
sent one, but bad been obliged to abandon a part of their scheme through
a want offends, and the d:fficulties inseparable from the atmospheric
system. Mr. Cubitt, no doubt, was influenced by a fear that he
could not venture to propose an atmospheric line on a locennoilve
one, with a gradient of I in 80, between London and athford ;
therefore he would make the Toubridge branch their main line,
and take advantage of the excellent levels and direct road of
the South-Eastern Railway. It was but justice that now
the angle by Red hill had been cut off (and the ad-
vantage of the opening of the continental lines about to
be derived), that the South-Eastern Company should be ell Owed to
remedy the defect, and provide the required accommedation. It bad
been stated that there was a superiority, as respected gradients,
distance, and expenses, over the South-Eastern Railway—that
a saving of 4% miles between London and Dover would be Wetted
by the proposed Kent Atmospheric. He contended that the advan-
tages thus trumpeted were all superficial—they had Po foundatio.e
and that the only advantages offered to the public by the
two companies worth accepting were those the South-Ettsterit,
and the South-Eastern only, had the power of bilering.
The gvadients of the Atmospheric were bed. SOMe of them
verkviseron Whist gradient in the
1 in the Atmospheric were
were as low as I 81005;
.wlimilee
South-Eastern was
heavy, and would coat enormoes Sums of money. There were tarn
tunnels, one 3,343 yards long, the other aeoee 2,000 yardi lohg. As
to going to Sevenoals, they would never be able to get
there ; and they did not intend, the Committee would
observe, to have any stet' Oil there, in fact, the going
to Sevenoaks was a lure throarh out to deceive, because the papules
lion and the district around Sevenoaks did not demand any railway
such as that the atmospheric said they were about to make. The
mile and a half branch of the South-Eastern Would be quite suf-
ficient, and quite as acceptable to the neighbourhood of Seven-
oaks. Instead of a line running near the Seven Oaks
the South-Eastern proposed to go through the Valley of
Bapford, and open up a communication by a branch with 'Wester-
barn, and other populous localities. The line ttitotigh the Valley
would command a large amount of water power, which would be
used to a still ihrther extent—indeed to an incalculable extent. Ile
then submitted to C.e Committee, that in point of gradients, and
other engineering capabilities, the South-Eastern line to Maidstone
was the one that Should be preferred. The Learned Counsel then
went very minutely through the evidence, and concluded by urging
the superior claims of the South-Eastern scheme upon the attention
of the Committee.

The room was then cleared, and on our re-admission,
The CHAIRMAN intimated, that the preambla of the Bill of the
South-Eastein Company was proved; and that the preamble of the
Mil of the Kent Atmospheric was not proved.
The Committee then adjourned until twelve o'clock on Friday nekt.

GROUP XVII,

riZANCILMaTER AND SetrraisraPTON, AND
SOITTII-WESTIMN 'l.lt-Ci'MSZY AND Etat-.

BIZAATCH).
The Committee ma this morning at the hour.
_

TitiI.NC2IESTER. AND SOUTHAIV/PTON.
The promoters continued to call evidence in support of their line.
The first witness callA was Mr. William Dennison, Government
contractor. Portsmouth, who stated that for the last
thirty years he had supplied the regiments stationed
at Portsmouth, in Lancashire, Hampshire, Kent, and other
counties, with meat, bread, flour, and forage. Killed about 160
beasts a-week, many of which he purchased at Salisbury and other
fairs in Sotnersetshire and Dorseteure. Driving injared the beasts
about 4/. per cent. Supposing the railway were Made, he Would get
them direct from the dealers, which woutd effect a great saving of
time and expense. He sent great quantities of meat, bread, and
forage to Birmingham and Coventay, for the transit of which this
line would be most advantageous. Frequently it is necessary to
supply the ships with these articles at twelve hours' notice, so that
he was ebligeo. i o keep h Dirge stock on hand, in the event of a supply
being required, which of course entailed considerable expense upon
him. The railway would go a great way to effect a saving.
By the CHAT/MAN—The increased facilities which the line will
iitIOP.I, would enable him to fulfil the tiovernment contracts without
,11?ticulty. The Government would likewise be benefited by it.
Mr. Gue, a builder at Andover, deposed as to the delays which
occurred In transmission of goods by the canal from Redbridge to
Andover. The charge for conveying goeds per ton by the iSouth-
Western to Andover was It. 10s. Gil. By the proposed linen saving
would be effected of 12s. per ton. It would he of great benefit to the
town of Andover. Meetings had been held in that town, at which
strang feelings were expressed in favour of this undertaking. The
same feelings were entertained by every person in Romsey. This
witness was subjected to a cross-examination, but only confirmatory
of the evidence which has been already given.
Mr. Thomas Ilia, shipping agent of the Oriental Steam Naviga-
tion Company. Southampton, was examined respecting the traffic
carried by these vessels. They conveyed a great number of passen •
gers mid also large quantities of packages from the manufacturing
disiricts.

Mr. Wm. PauHot, cattle dealer, at Cricklade, near Cirencester,
deposed that the line would open up a communication to the north
for the conveyance of agricultural produce. This witness was
examined at some length with regard to the advantages which this
railway possessed for the conveyance of cattle and sheep to and from
the different cattle markets.

Mr. P. Matthews, a farmer at Hicken, near Cirencester, said that
the district between Cheltenham and Cirencester was much in want
of a direct communication to Birmingham. The whole of the agri-
culturists in the district Pupported the undertaking, because they
knew that it would open up a more ready market for their produce.
The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XX.
The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock in room No. 31 (Grand
Corridor) ; present Mr. Sotheron, Mr. Tancred, Mr. Ross, Lord W.
Bentinck, and Sir A. Pigot.
They proceeded with the consideration of the
LONDON, HOUNSLOW', AND WESTEZN.
Evidence at considerable length was taken in support of the Duke
of Northumberland's opposition.
The caw of the Duke of Northumberland having been concluded,
the Committee adjourned at four o'clock to twelve on Friday.

GROUP XXIV.
NORWICH .IUTD BURY.

The Committee assembled this morning shortly after twelve
o'clock ; Mr. Granville Vernon in the chair, when a long conversa-
tion ensued as to the necessity :for flirther evidence of the traffic,
which was followed by the testimony of
Mr. Brat; the engineer, who stated the general features of
the line, which is easy in its character, and light in its
earthworks. The oliiect in making this line was not so much
to accommodate the two towns of Cambridge and Bury, as to form
a communication with distant parts of the country, Cambridge being
the focus of a series of ramifications to Lincoln, Weedon, and all those
and other places which the great trunk lines accommodated.
Thu people of Bury had always been very desirous of
a direct connexion Zvi h Landon, and this line in conse-
quence of the throwing out of the Direct Norwich, the
east Suffolk, and other lines, would be the nearest. He had
surveyed the line of the Ely and Bury Company about fifteen months
ago, but had abandoned it for several reazons, but principally on ac-
count of the great expense of repair to the subsoil. He had sent his
assistants to try the soil on both sides. It ran through the valley of
the Lark, where, of course, there was the greatest deposit of vege-
table matter. This would occasion a much greater outlay than
could be met by the estimates of the engineer of that line.
By the reports of his assistants, as well as by his
own observations, he found that the subsoil was loose and the surface
shakey. The generality of the line was flooded in wet seasons. By
the report of one of his assistants, he learned that the boring-bit had
sunk, at the distance of 12 miles 7 furlongs, by a pressure of
5 pounds, 12 feet ; at 13 miles 3 furlongs, it sunk 23 feet by its own
weight ; at 16 miles it sunk 18 feet by its own weight also, and in wet sea-
sons the land was all flooded. He had himselfmade an embankment in
similar land, and he found that as fast as the stuff was put in it
pushed out at the side, and he believed that some such accident had
occurred to the opposing Company, and that it took them weeks, if
not months, to repair It. The ruling gradient ok this line was, as on
the Norwich, Ely, and other lines, 1 in 132. The estimate for
the whole line Is 300,0001. ; for earth-works the sum allowed is
49,7291.175. 7d. ; for brickwork and bridges, 30,8071. ; permanent way,
185,750/. ; for stations, 25,9871. ; for land, 30,000/. ; for contingencies,
23,7001,; and for management, 18,4001. ; which, together, allowing
for incidental differences, would make a total of 300,000/.
A long examination then ensued, upon the way in which the line
would affect the property of a gentleman named Webb, the object of
it being to show that this was not the best line which the country
could afford.

On the cross-examination of Mr. Sergeant Waelvonam, it was
shown that the gradients on the Ely and Bury line were so mach
superior, that the power which on that line would draw sixteen
carriages, would on this line serve as traction power only for nine.
The access to llury also appeared to be bad, it requiring great in-
genuity to make a junction with the Eastern Union line. It was
also sTiownthat the subsoil was not of so unstable a character as the
engineer conceived it to be, or at least that the danger and difficulty
which he apprehended in the formation of the embankment would
not or might not arise. . _

Mr. CAINERT then entered upon a long examination of the mode
in which the line affected the interests of the several landowners on
the line, which had merely reference to private Interests.
A discussion then ensued as to the course of practice to he pursued,
after which the Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow.

thewas
iilttixicjrto
311:177n:itt:e--
asserabled th.
GROUP xxxr.
, TEn livnicirribwr33owlltzlVlnloNuGsEHA.7urfac(G:loollNC.
e further i
behalf or the il .
.is morning at twelve o'clock,aSnd—
till; eoegereoduepa NWvhitlighliatl
sbi,tatentents, that heeeereZille4igattoiotteomfthe schemes comprised in
t°ePra nad"Setaorne eh-at sie
trended
ristel and Birmingham
t wouidpass,
(Glllofra.celsl
the greatest
poared front the Learned GenJunenmetalonnd, and openedw?ttille:dttcthitaiisferen.goeinn:lsg:t;,;autilie..-
oamntattunlcatlon on
lion of the proposed branch woe
twhortodudgh
we
a° rcotnl'ci:ll nU Public
benefit to the various localities
also materially advance the interests
Comp/LIU, and be generally beneficial to
present line wa3 proposed to form
the narrow gauge principle, between Gloueester
The Great Western Company had established a cocommunPet"thre•
the janctiOn at Swindon on the broad gauge, sad
supply the remaining portion of
the district with railway ac
This commo_
elation oh the narrow gauge principle. was the object Which
ate promoters sought, and which he hoped the Committee would
concede.
Witnesses were about to be called to give evidence as to the pro-
posed junction, when
Mr. AusTIN objected to the evidence being received as to the pro-
Posed junction between Gloucester and Storehouse, as it would
materially affect the interests of the Great Western Company, and
would also be a contravention of the agreement at present subsisting
between that company and the Gloucester and Bristol Company,
with reference to the district between Gloucester and Storehouse.
The room was ordered to be cleared. On our re-admission
The CILAIRmAN stated that the. Committee were of opinion that the
promoters of the proposed junction should be allowed to proceed with
their evidence; but at the same time they entertained a strong feel-
ing with reference to the agreement of 1840 between the Great
Western and the Bristol and Gloucester Companies, and recommend
that its leading provisions should be made the foundation of an
amicable arrangement between the parties.
The Committee then adjourned. •