The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-09 00:00:00

JUNE 9, 1846.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
(YESTERDAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
IPOTAG N ROTUPDL
M R ECISION .
'LONDON Aral "StOIZX (TIM ZASTERN
competing
their
This being the day appointed by the Committee for giving
decision upon the ofpreambeleslYtrl all-important
lines of railway, the parties interested crowded the gallery leading
to the Committee-room long before eleven o'clock, the hour at which
their Lordships usually take their seats. The greatest interest was
manifested by all parties, many of whom were now faces, evidently
importations from the provinces who came to Judge for themselves
and according to the result, do their own business at
Capel-court. The p:ofessional gentlemen who make that
piece, not only their locale, but their "be all and their end all
here," on this uncertain earth, were first of the first on the spot, and
the anxiety which, notwithstanding their assumed indifference, was
not only plainly, but too painfully, depicted en their physiognomies.
Had Mrs. Gore been present, she would would have learned that her
new work was not, ner could not possibly have been completed
without an embodiment froin her graphic pen. Care, anxiety, loss
and gain—in tact, all the passions of the speculator and the money-
grub, were concentrated in each of those whip clung round the room,
spots the opening of which hung the destiny of their fates.
At ten minutes past eleven o'clock the Noble Lords took their
seats, consisting of the Earl of Lovelace (chairman), Lord Morley,
Lord Vivian, the Marquis of Camden, and Lord Bandon.
Their Lordships, much to the disappointment of all parties, instead
of throwing open the doors, as was expected immediately on their
assembling, continued in close consultation for about an hour, when
they then called for counsel. The next summons was for Messrs.
Brunell, Locke; and Cubitt, civil engineers ; the do,rs were still
closed to the public and the press, and we could only hazard an
opinion, that they were then discussing some change of the stations
on the line which Interfered with the property of many of the influ-
ential landowners. After about half-an-hour's close and most myste-
rious conferencewith the engineers, the parties were called in about one
o'clock, when a general rush, which filled the room to suffocation,
'tea place. As soon as order was restored—no sudden matter, where
a whole legion outside the door struggled for admittance in
from the fact of the impossibility of the place holding one additional
—athidst the most breathless silence, . .

The Noble CueramArl. addressing the parties, said—lt is my duty
you, on the part 01 the LODlUlittee, 1.114“ acciston
/.4 unanimous in favour of the Loudon mid York Railway.—(Lou4
cheers burst simultaneously from the *mord in the room, wiles
taken up in the gallery and passages.) Upon which the Chairman
said, we must have the room cleared If there is any interruption of
that kind.
Soon after the decision on the preamble of the Bill was given,
'The CHAIRMAN said—l have to request your attention to the case
of the landowners 071 the Rae. There is the case of the Archbishop
of York, where you interfere with his property. I think you should
have clauses to meet his objections to the present interference with
his property.
Lord VIVIAN—There is also the case of Mr. Chapman. I think
something must be done for the landowners.
Mr. Sergeant KINOLAKE said that he had to inform their Lordships
that clauses which met with the approval of the landowners had been
drawn up.
The clauses of the Bill were then proceeded with, and after some
amendments they were agreed to.
The following Bills, being unopposed, • were called on and
agreed to :
The York and North Midland Railway (widening and enlarge-
ment), the Sheffield and Lincolnshire Extension Railway, and the
Ely and Huntingdon (Bedford Extension).
The Committee said that they would report to the House, if pos-
sible, that evening, and pray to be discharged.
The Committee then adjourned to four o'clock on Thursday, when
they will meet pro forma, if discharged from further attendance;
and if not, to Select the first Bill to be heard out of the following in
the group :
The Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway; the Doncaster,
Wakefield, and Leeds Railway; the Manchester and Lincoln Union
Railway, and Chesterfield and Gainsbarough Canal ; the Manchester,
Midland, and Great Grimsby Junction Railway; the Lynn and Ely
(Extension to March) ; the Lynn and Ely (Extension to Spalding) ;
the Wisbeach, St. Ives, and Cambridge Junction Railway ; and the
Stamford and Spalding Railway.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP 11.
CORNWALL RAILWAY.

The Committee met as usual ; Viscount Morpeth in the chair.
The witnesses examined this day were, Sir Charles Napier, M.P.,
Mr. Harrison, Mr. Ramsden, Mr. Walker, the Admiralty engineer,
Mr. Mainewright, and Mr. Taylor. The evidence was almost en-
tirely confined to the effect which the railway would have upon the
navigation of the Hamoaze. The bridge proposed to be constructed
over the river would be 70 feet in height. It was considered that the
trains crossing the Hamoazo by means of a steam ferry would be
a great inconvenience to the navy, and of the river, if not altoge-
ther impracticable.
The Committee then adjourned.

LONDON, HOUNSLOW, 11-111) WM:STERN.
The examination of witnesses on the part of the petitioners against
the Bill was proceeded with.
The first two witnesses examined were market-gardeners, who
gave their opinion that the proposed line would be of little or no use
to their business, and that it would be used by very few gardeners.
The Comma-rex expressed their opinion that any huller evidence
on this point would be superfluous.
Mr. Nelson, a solicitor, and one of the petitioners, was then called,
and spoke to the injury this line would do to certain property be-
longing to him at Putney. As laid down the line would pass through
his house, and even using the extreme limits of deviation the line
would pass close to the wall. It would also do great injury to the
property of Lady Shelley and others.
Mr. Salter, clerk to the Hammersmith vestry, gave evidence as to
a meeting of the Hammersmith vestry, at which a resolution con-
demnatory of this line was passed almost unanimously. An amend-
ment was proposed, but only 27 members voted, and of these 9 were
for, and 18 against the amendment.
Mr Hughes. a salesman, in Covent-garden market, gave evidence
against the Bill.
Mr. Warren, a land surveyor, was then
had made an estimate of the cost' of thland "lled, and said that he
proposed to be taken
by this line, which he said would not be less 104,7201.
The Rev. Mr. Baker, the rector of Fulham ; Mr. Panter, con
farmer. and other witnesses, gave
go-
tractor ; Mr. Charles Lloyd,-
dence against the Bill. •
Mr. Key, secretary and manager of the Fulham Omnibus As.
'anon,
stated that he had held that-situation about thirteen months.
were nineteen omnibuses belonging to the Association, and all theTio'inere
Whims going to and fro between Fulham and London were included
in this number. Each of these omnibuses made twenty-nine journeys
per week—four on every week day, and three on Sundays ; 560,149
passengers were carried by theie omnibuses in the course of the week,
being, on an anverege, twenty-one passengers per journey. The
omnibus fare was but sixpaice the whole way; it would be much
more by the railway, and the saving of thne would not be very,
great. Not more than one-fifth of the existing traffic would go by
the railway.
Mr. Turrel, secretary to the Hammersmith Omnibus Association,
gave similar evidence to that of Mr. Key.
Mr. Hughes, civil engineer; was then called, and gave evidence
against the Bill, showing how, by a deviation (not within their
limits), a line much superior, in his opinion, to the Hounslow and
Western, might be made. It would be shorter by one mile, and
would inflict much less residential damage.
Mr. Garling,la surveyor, gave evidence as to the manner in which
the line would pass through certain private property, and more
especially as to the injury to the propertylot a Miss Anderton, which
he said would be rendered almost useless by the line Passing through
it ;u /t. 11.4 mann..

it was then intimated that there was one more witness to be
t he was not now present,
The Committee, after some discussion, rose at half-past three
O'clock; and adjourned till Wednesday (to-morrow being the Queen's
birth-day), with the understanding that they would not sit on
Thursday, but on rising on Wednesday would adjourn till Friday.

GROUP XXIV.
ELY AND BURY.

The Committee on this line re-assembled at one o'clock, Mr. Gran-
ville Vernon in the chair, when
Mr. S. Valentine, the engineer of the line, gave the general en-
gineeringevidence,which showedthe gradients to be exceedingly easy,
and the earthworks small. The estimates for the works are
180:2371., and for land 49,7631. ; making a total of 230,0001. for the
whole of the expense.
To Mr. Horztes the witness replied that he had been instructed to
lay out such a line as would effect a through traffic, but Lynn was
not a primary consideration in this line. An endeavour was made
to show that the proposed communication between Weedon and
Cambridge would satisfy the requirements of the district. The line,
would run, like the Eastern Counties Extension, for a mile over fen, the
height of the embankment for which would be 14 feet, which he pro-
posed to lay down on the surface, without digging out to forma bottom.
The width of the embankment at the bottom would be 86 feet, the
width at the top 33 feet, and tilt:slope 134 to 1. There was another
point at 13 miles, 3 furlongs where there was bog, but the depth of it
he bad not ascertained, not conceiving it necessary, as he proposed to
carry the line on a level. There was fenny land, but nothing
that truly could be called bog. He had bored in several pieces
to ascertain the depth of the bog, but only where he
proposed to erect bridges. For an embankment there was no ne-
cessity to do this, as the country was perfectly sound from one end
to the other. He intended to build a bridge at Ely, where he had
bored, and found the depth to be 91C1 feet, and had not bored at any
other place. There was a bog 23 feet in.depth at the end of the

third iurlong, but that he thought was no impediment.' He pro-
posed to cross the Ouze at Ely, behind the Eastern Counties
station, and very near the spot where the Eastern Union ',rowed to
cross it. The whole length o f the line ver uld be 23 miles 5 furlongs 7 chains
and 50 links, and taking the whole length of the line the side cut-
tings would be 81,298 yards, the total cuttings 432,1,3 yards. They
crossed 33 roads, of which 31 would be crossed at a le,el. The rail-
way was crossed at Sonham at the expregs desire of the inhabitants
by a bridge. There were to be eight stations on the railway.
There is a special agreement between the Eastern Counties Railway
and the Lynn and Ely Company that the latter should have the
free use of the station • of the former and a mile of the railway
gratuitously. It was proposed to cross the Sark four
times between Mildenhall and Bury, the distance being eleven
miles, but these crossings would be within six ladles. Ile proposed
to obviate the flood water by timber viaducts. The bridges would
be twenty feet span, while the bridges at present in existence were
only twelve feet.

Eastrick, the eminent engineer, confirmed the whole of the
evidence of Mr. Valentine, the enigneer of the line, especially with
respect to the soundness of the line in the fenny district, and the
needlessness for boring, except for the foundations of brick or atone
bridges.

31r. Allan Ransom, a machine maker, especially of agricultural im-
plements, at Ipsfrich, testified is the dock accommodation of that
town, and also as to the extent of the trade with Holland, and the
advantage this line would be of in opening the communication with
Lincolnshire and the western counties. The distance from Harwich
to Rotterdam was 145 miles, while the latter place was
248 miles from London. Harwich is a harbour of refuge,
and the only one between the Thames and the Humber.
Taking the whole district into consideration, for all the general
parposes of business, although the populations on both lines were
pretty equal, the Bury and Ely line would give the best accommo-
dation. But, considering Newmarket as an important place, he
thought that the Ipswich and Bury would afford the best accommo-

dation, and Mildenhall was not a place of sufficient importance to
justify the withdrawal of the line, from the best districts. So far as
Lynn was concerned, the same benefits would arise as would occur
to Ipswich. The Ipswich and Bury line was shorter, and would be
nearer both to Newmarket and Cambridge ; and he could see no ad-
vantages to be derived from the Ely and Bury line which were not
coufbrred by the Ipswich line. •

To Mr. ItonTnwica, the witness replied that ha employed about
740 men, of whom somewhat less than one-half were engaged in the
manufacture of agricultural implements, the rest were occupied in
the making heavy machinery, but the trade is restricted for the
want of railway accommodation.
To Mr. BAGELLY the witness replied, that nine tenths of their iron
was brought from Newport, which came by water to Ipswich. All
the produce of Holland, or intended for that country, which came
from or was intended to go to the south-east of England, would doubt-
less go through London; but that which may be intended for the
interior and to the west would go by Harwich, especially the oats,
which may hereafter be imported from Poland and carded
to Newmarket and to that neighbourhood.

On cross-examination, Mr. Ransom stated, that although it had
been intended to go to 'Newmarket, yet that branch had been
abandonded in favour of the Chesterfield and Cambridge line.
The witness was then cross-examined as to the respective advan-
tages of the several ports, which Mr. Ransom gave in favour of Ips-
wich ; and to which Mr. O'Malley replied that the tonnage on goods
was rated in the port dues according to the size of the vessels in which
they were carried, varying from Id. per ton to Is. Gd. on vessels of
500 tons.

After some observations from the Castamew, Mr. O'Malley was
proceeding, when the time for breaking up arrived, and the Com-
mittee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-if orrow.

GROUP XXXIX.
OLDHAM DISTRICT.

The Committee assembled to-day at twelve o'clock, Mr. Divett In
the chair, when
Mr. Clayton gave evidence as to the relative utility of the exten-
sion of the Manchester line, called the Oldham and ;Manchester, or
as it was otherwise called the Birkenhead line. The evidence
adduced in the early part of the day went to show
that the Oldham District lines were the most advantageous,
partly from their opening the coal-fields better, and partly from the
circumstance of there being two termini, one at the east end and the
other at the west end of Oldham, while the Birkenhead line proposed
only one, which Is intended to be in the centre of the town. A large
tract of land on Broadbent Moss might be brought into cultivation
if the facilities likely to be afforded by this railway were obtained.

Mr. Sergeant WWs GUAM cross-examined, and elicited the
traffic on the Birkenhead line, and that meetings had been
held in Oldham in its favour. With respect to the termini, it
appeared that they would have to reach both by a hill, and a tunnel
was now being formed by the 11 anchester and Leeds Com-
pany to go under the town. And with respect to coals,
the price of house-fire coal was generally about les. a ton
at Oldham. The witness conceived that the York-
shire coal was not likely to supersede the Oldham coal, because
he was aware that the cartage was for seven or eight miles before
the railways were made. The usual time of transit to Manchester
was half an hour, though he believed it was sometimes three-
quarters.
To Mr. FOOO the witness replied that he conceived the Yorkshire
coal would not go to Saddleworth. for it never bad been, but that
might be in consequence of the want of railway accommodation. He
could say nothing of the probable management of the district lines,
as lie had taken no part in the direction, although a shareholder ;
though he conceived that stoppages would arise there, as many
lines met. He was generally acquainted with the trade of the die-
trict, but could speak to no details.
Mr. Wright, Deputy-Chairman of the line, was examined
and cross-examined at great length, and stated that the Man-
chester and Leeds Company took one-half of the capital
ill the company by whom the line was to be worked,
and to whom it was to be leased at a certain rate of per tentage.
By a clause in the Bill a power was to be given to sell the line
altogether, but the right of voting in the Leeds and Manchester
Company was only one vote for two shares, while the Oldham Dis-
trict Company was one vote for one share ; and there was another
clause—on which the point of amalgamation —the present
established Company were prevented from voting at all.
There could he no question as to the superiority of the convenience
of the two termini instead of one. These lines would so open up the
communication with Rochdale, Bolton, and all the surrounding
districts. As respects coals, lie believed that the consumption of
coal for house purposes was about equal to that used for steam-
engines. He himself was a cotton-spinner, had three steam-
engines, and consumed about 1,000 cwt. In
were
ne tili4e:sot,toannmd anti: facture
quhaanat iht,Ten of
ae ogtrteoant
there were 80 steam-engines, with tut aggregate of 2,795 horse.
power ; the number of hands employed
quan-
tity of coals consumed was about 99,944 tons;
Ththere e
and worsted made was about 42,804,0601b5.
number of Paris velvet hats made of cotton at Oldham, a business
which might be very largely increased.

Mr. Platt, a partner in the machine manufacturing firm of Platt
and Co., of Oldham, stated that they employed more than 950
hands, that they received more than 5,500 tons of pig iron, and 250
tons of bar iron. They consumed 900 tens or coke, and sent to the
several places around machinery to the value of 165,1481., making a
tonnage of 15,000 tons ; of this quantity, insufficient as the railway
accommodation might be, goods to the worth of 81,000/, were even
now seat by railway,
and there was a general desire among
those
supplied to have the goods sent by railway. The
witn whome.te stuLdhey to the necessity of further accommodation, and to the
dissntisfaction of the public in Oldham with the management of the
Leeds and Manchester line.
Mr. Schofield, a timber merchant, stated that it cost more to bring
timber from the wood-growing district of Masborough, near Sheffield,
than it did to bring it from Dundee and London, until the Sheffield
Railway was opened.

The immune:aunt of the Speaker being at prayers was made. and
he Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XLVI.
The following Bills are comprised in this new group, Tic
Newcastle and Darlington Junction and Tyne Dock.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Edinburgh, and Direct aitSgOW Junction
Wear Doek Railway.
Newcastle and Berwick.

Newcastle and Carlisle Extension.
Newcastle and Darlington, Durham and Sunderland, and Wear.
mouth Deck Purchase and Branches.
Northumberland and Lancashire Junction.
The Committee assembled at a few minutes to two o'clock it
room 13 ; present Mr. Bramstona (chairman), and the other Mem

hers
. etinligstthbeen read through, it appeared that the parties
Dock Railway,
Railway,,
and the Northumberland and
lied abandoned these Bills.
NzNIIC
ASTI.= AND DARrArNGTON, Dun—
romThoiTevVringear
SUNDERLAND, AND wtalt-
-motrwt Docx & PURCHASE DRANCH=S.
Precedence was given to this Bill, and, the formal business having
been gone through,
Air. Hudnall'', counsel for the promoters said, that the object
of this Bill was to construct branches to a railway called
the Newcastle and Darlington, which Bill had received the
sanction of Parliament in 1842. The advantages of that
line were admitted, and their object was new to improve it still
farther. Ile would call the attention of the Committee to the Im-
portance of the objects sought by the promoters of the Bill before
them. At the first branch off Sunderland hptere was a population
of sixty thousand persons, who were rovided with the
requisite accommodation. ♦ Bill for the improvement of the docks
south of the Wear had received already the sanction of Parliament
this year. The present mode by which the people of Sunder-
land went southward was most inconvenient, because in
effecting that object they had to go northward, which
would be obviated by the proposed branch, the esti-
mate for which was 178,0001. Tne only opposition offered to the
Bill was, with respect to the last branch, namely, from Hetton to
Fenchurch, and that by a party through whose property the line did
complwotuhlids
not pass. It appeared that there was a tram-road on the line, which
had been constructed for the purpose of conveying coals, and which
traversed their property. The partypetitioning
ram-road was in the neighbourhood of his property, aithneed same that as
la any diversion of the Irani°
be injuriously effected by the railway