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

way desired by the promoters if no considerable Injury could be shown
by the opponents.

;, AND CAR.

LISLE E.arzwair.

This was the first Bill taken up. Counsel for the Bill, Mr.
Talbot, Mr. Austin, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Martin, and Sir Thomas
Phillips. The principal opposition to the Bill is the Caledonian
Railway, which has several competing branches to this in the group,
and were represented ;by 'Mr. Sergeant Wrangbam, Mr. Hope, Mr.
Pickering, and Mr. Richards.
Evidence was then briefly taken as to the conformity with Mr. T.
Duncombe's resolutions and tables on the several points required, put
in and received.
Mr. Sergeant ANDREWS then proceeded to open the case on behalf
of the Bill. The line for which powers were sought was proposed to be
constructed from the Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway, near to
Old Cunmock, tea point on the Caledonian Railway near to the crossing
of the river Sark. This was called the Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle
Railway with branches. One of these branches was from Sanquhar to a
point on the Caledonian Railway, and the other branch was from a
point near to the York to a place called Canoabie. There was also
a little branch from the main line to Annan. The latter, however,
was not very material, but the other two branches were. Having
stated the line and branches proposed to be constructed, he would
call attention, in the first place, to,the main line, which was the most
important. He appeared before the Committee on the necessity of such
a line being formed to connect the northern part of Ayrshire and nen-
tewshire with the north of England and England generally. He would
not trouble the Committee with evidence from Lanarkshire or Glas-
gow, as he was persuaded he could show that the traffic of the other
parts imperatively demanded such a line of railway. The present
railway accommodation towards the south item Ayrshire, stopped
at Cumnock, and that from England towards that quarter of Scot-
land stopped short at Carlisle, so that there was a complete gap to
fill up. As the Bills at present sanctioned stood, goods for the south
I uas gp
tohws,
fsoerntthefr
south.
h Ay. shh ler
pe r
ow,nooult
edr. h
ofa yule
ptro, e
ng
t•
B ilr su no
udg h t bore fillG
gap. In dealing with the subject he would take Kilmarnock as the
centre of the district that wanted the accommodation most urgently,
and when he spoke of Kilmarnock, the Committee would understand
that he meant the district of Kilmarnock—a district, the worth and
importance of which he could not exaggerate. At present, with the
lines made, and those for which Bills were obtained, Kilmar-
nock would be connected in the most direct manner with Glasgow
and Paisley, as well as with the principal towns in the county of Ayr
Anlrossan, Irvine, Ayr, Kilwining, Kilburnie, and Strathaven. The
town of Kilmarnock Vas the trading centre of this district, which
comprised a population of 320,000, and was rapidly increasing. To
show the rapid increase—the development of mineral and mar ufac-
taring traffic in this district, he would call their attention to the
progressive increase of the goods' traffic on the Glasgow and Ayr
Railway. To 1840, the year in wl.ich the line opened, he would not
refer, but he would take the following years. From July 1, 1840, to
June 30, 1841, the receipts for ods were 4,4301. In 1841-2, 14,000/, ;
1842-3, 18,0001. ; 1843-4, 24,0001. ; and on the 31st July, 1845, the
receipts were 34,0001. From preterit appearances the traffic fully
justified that the estimate for the present year would be 50,431/.
In 1843, the tonnage of good, was 50,431 tons ; in 1844,
104,000 tons ; and in the year 1845, 180,000 tons.
Kilmarnock had a population of 22,000, and had doubled itself within
thirty years. The goods manufactured here annually was about
half a million sterling, and it had a connexion with the principal
manufacturing districts of England:an 1 Scotland. To show the im-
portance of Ayrshire, he need only state that it had eleven iron
furnaces in blast, fourte' n constructing, and nine proposed; the
whole of which, when in operation, could make 176,800 tons of iron
yearly. The Duke efPortland alone exported annually 100,600 tons
of coal. The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to follow the route of
the line, showing that it would accommodate, independentl3 of the
large mineral and manufacturing traffic of Ayrshire, the largo lead
mines at Lead-hills, the coal and lime-stene beds of Closebuni and the
important ports of Dumfries and Ai.nan, both rising towns.
The main lino was sixty-four miles long, and the capital
was 120,0001. There were no engineering difficulties, and It toold
eas ly be made within the estimates. The Sanquhar branch was
sixteen miles in length. The Southern branch from Gretna to Ca-

nonbie was seven miles in length, and would acc ,mmodate large coal-
fields there belonging to the Duke or Bnccleueh and Sir J. Graham.
Having stated so much about the nature and objects of this schemo,
he would now refer to the oppt,nents of the Bill. The Caledonian
Company. That Company had a branch from the North to Dum-
fries almost parallel to the southern portion of the scheme for which
he appeared. They had also a blanch north from Lockerbie, and
one from Lockholm, which was almost identical with 0220 of the
branches of the Glasgow, Dumfries, :and Carlisle—they had likewise
what was called the Caledonian Extension which was to connect Peaks
with Ayr Now he was prepare to show that the Caledonian Company
only partially supplied that accommodation which his clients did
completely.. lie would also show that what they proposed to do was

not so effective as the Glasgow, Dumfries, andßile, and, tiler;
fore, that the latter should be allowed to make the whole. Tte
scheme for which he appeared would alone connect, in an
efficient manner, the whole of Ayrshire with the south.
Ills opponents were seeking to do in a roundabout and im-
perfect manner that which his scheme should do in the fullest
and most direct way. Ile had no Coubt he would Chow, from the
evidence he would adduce, that his scheme was infinitely preferable
to the rival projects. Under the Caledonian plan, a persm going
from Kilinaniock to Dumfries would have to travel 82 miles, 6 fur-
longs, whereas by the Dumfries line the distance would be only 59
mile 6 furlongs ; showing a difference in his favour of 23 miles
But the difference was not alone in distance. The gradients on the
Caledonian !Me were much worse than on the Dumfries line, the
gradients being lin 75, lin 82, and lin 100 respectively. Besides
Passengers travelling, independent of the great loss of time, would
have to change three or four times. Again, taking Kilmarnock anti-'
Carlisle by, the Calesionian the distance was 100 miles, 51 chains;
by the Dumfries line 91 miles 12 chains ; giving a difference in ta-
_„ .

vour of the latter of 9 miles, 39 chtiiii.s, besides much more
favourable gradients. As well as these great differences,

the Caledjulan scheme only gave accommodation be-
tween Carlisle and Dumfries, leaving out altogether the
_

gap between Dumfries and Old Cumnock. Seeing, therefore,
that this was lett out of consideration, he considered he could prove
a ease tor not only granting his clients the Cumitocit and Dumfries
Nrtion, but also that between Dumfries and Carlisle. In conclusion,
ue would say that while the line would confer the greatest benefit on
the district, all the landowners along the line were favourable to it ;
as were also the inhabitants generally. He would now proceed to
call the wit esses on behalf of his scheme.

Mr. IV. Cranford was the first witness examined. He lived near
Kilmarnock, and was as justice of the peace for the county of Ayr.
The trade of Kilmarnock was very largely on the increase.
There were eight print-works in Kilmarnock, employing 2,000 hands.
and paying 69,0001. in wages annually. The annual value of the
goods produced was 437,0001. There were carpet factories, employ
ing 800 workmen, and producing annually goods worth 120,0001.
Nearly the whole were sent to England. The manufitture of iron
was greatly on the increase in the neighbourhood of Kilmarnock,
principally on the Duke of Portland's estates. There were also large
coal works on that nobleman's estate. The Duke of Portland ex-
ported about 100,000 tons of coal, and Mr. Fennie about the same
quantity. The general trade of the whole county was fast advancing.
The staple manufactures of Kilmarnock are carpets, shawls, gown
printing, leather tanning, &e., grass and other seeds are grown in the
neighbourhood. Immense quantities of goods of all descriptions
are sent to the south of England.

The Committee then adjo-urned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XIV.

NORTH RENT DISTRICT, SOUTH-EASTE 72N
LINE.

The Committee on the railways projected through this district met
to-day at twelve o'clock. Present, Mr. Protheroe (chairman),
Lord Emlyn, Mr. J. O'Cennell, and. Mr. Grogan.
Mr. AtrsTlN, on the part of the South-Eastern Company, pro-
ceeded to address the Committee. He stated that he was happy to
say, that without doing injustice to his client, he would be able to
address the Committee at much less length than he originally intended,
but still he must entreat their patience, as his address must necessa-
rily be very long. He would not so much trouble the Committee
with any detailed remarks on the enormous mass of engineering evi-
dence that had been adduced, but should direct his attention to the
comparative public utility of the lines, and to the accommodation
they would give to the districts through which they passed. He
gbould at first address the Committee on the evidence in support of
parts of the line, and afterwards he should speak to the whole of the
line ; And he should take the course of the two lines from London to
Dover, and compare them with each other in their more
impertmait features and points. Mr. Vignoles had laid some
tress ore the fact that his line was of an integral cha -
sracter. and in doing so had decidedly been in error, for his prin•
cipal station at Union-street by no means deserved that definition.
His proposed embankment of 2% miles in the City of London and
through the borough of Southwark would be an exceedingly incon-
venient erection, and would assuredly prevent any efficient commu-
nication between so much of the Borough and City as was on one
side of the embankment and so much as was on the other. The sta-
tion was 4 acres In extent, was 30 feet above the
level of the street, and it would require a raised approach of
300 yards. That approach would sccupy 1% acres of their ground,
leaving 2U acres for the purposes of their station, and it had been
hs'ard in evidence that, from some defect in the ground or plan, one
qua-rter of an acre would be lost—thus leaving only two acres for
their' station. The metropolitan stations of other lines occapicd a
censic'erably larger space, and some of them were even then incon-
veniemly small. The Union-street station was to accommodate 100
trains pe T diem—those trains, including all the West-end traffic as
well as tbic City traffic. The estimate for the station and the em-
bankment, as calculated by the North Kent, was 696,0001., but
Mr. Bldd!o.r had proved that the cost of the line would
be i,100,0,,x4:., and, for a reason which he would afterwards give,
the cost would be likely to arrive at the sum of 1,200,0001. The
value of this Wad alone was 550,0001., and consequently a very in-
adequate earn would be left for the formation of the station and em-
bankment. Didependently of these points, it would be impossible for
Mr. Vignoles to form his junction with the South Western
under circumstances as favourable as those proposed by him ;
levels,wtho utmoachdebeviyationedn
Ifoor
ththe coarse at jiunetioonf
tbcoenldlinneo, t
anbde
ifnormitoed
that whi nit the Act of Parliament would permit of. The
junction with the Croydon line, as proposed by Mr. Vignolles,
was to be made under circumstances which Mr. Stephenson had
properly described as unparalleled in engineering. He was to join
the famous, or rather infamous Croydon gradient of 1 in 100, and
his own line was to join at a gradient of lin 71. There was a clay
cutting of 44 feet deep at the point of junction, and the junction in-
volved the severance of the atmospheric pipe within 35 yards
loectgltihe aternf , station.xep;i3heyriaerasof pipe Mr. h
Stephenson v
,onm
had toldnot be
them
sufficientthatina
Dower obtate.ea to enable the train to cross tehetobretak in the pipe, or
the
el in In Under these
ddolottabctultitehselnalintholitenli features of
sufficient impetus on its re-entering the pi
c"ring the in-
ert
.up an incline
snlticiency of -the estimates, he submitted that Mr.. certainty—of
Arid tjthnde
available metropolitan station at all. lie would then
proceedgnos had no
the metrop, flit an portion of the South Eastern line as contrasted
with
with the very peculiar circumstances of the North Kent line. Til
South-East u-ii Company had the advantage of having already a sta-
tion at Lot don-bridge. That station was devoted to the Brighton
Company 1 int were tenants-at-will, and WEIS only for the eastern
traffic of the Company. The western traffic would be accommodated
by a very cot. t.venient junction with the South-Western line, with a
terminus at "..Tlungerford or Waterloo-bridge. Mr. Vignoles would
have his tra ill c involved in a troublesome manner amongst the
quarter-of-an. In rur trains on the Greenwich Railway, while the South-
Eastern trite le would have the accommodation Of being divided
between two l line's. The South-Eastern Company availed themselves
as much as pc SSFPIe of existing lines and
alre•
capital aof dy expended.
It would be ( tray the passenger trains which would have to nse
the Greenwi,.ol terminus, for the goods trailic would betaken to tl le Bricklayers' junction
with Arms station. Their
with the Scut tz-• ~ entern line was so contrived as to save half a mile
while Mr. Vignoles's line went two and a half
n• ty, for
of house prop' ,„_ k and Its neighbourhood, the South-Eastern
miles through :Sou,..
ee and a quarter mile. He could sum up the
would hare , is 'IY 0—
b saying that Mr. Vignoles's Union-street
metropolitan ot ations Y
tot to be perm , .
tted because it was not sufficient for
station ought
.
on.
Neither ought he to be
. •
the traffic, or 1 ix r the purposes of a stati
allowed to brie sg his traffic
to the London-bridge station by the
y. His interference with
in-
convenient rc nt eof the Greenwich Rallway. his Interference wtih
property woulS -greatly exd that oreen
fßailwa the South-Eastern, which had
property would :,greatly e
lines for the
Bripc searationklayers'of their
also the adve red sat
of having to
I Arms,
t one of their w
stat ons, the
bailie, and in id a
ample accome 3e dation for the stowage of goods, The Learned
of the Committee for
indulgence
Counsel here nquested the i
a few minutes. bt tug rather fatigued. On again rising he proceeded
the two , but as
to detail the other points of comparison between
repetition islines
anneees-
most of them. hat 'die:
been elicited in evidence, a

awry.
The Commit ice :adjourned at four o'clock.
[Considerabl nvenlence w..s canned in this room by the knock-
ing of the woe (men over head, and also by the continued buzz of
conversation, c aused
strangers at the other end of the room. The
latter annoyan T was So
serious that the Chairman, after repeated
attempts to to sin silence,
was compelled to threaten to clear the
room ]

- - -
Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS admitted that he could not do so, as the
line (as now altered) stopped short of his client's property.
The Committee then decided that the preamble of the Bill was
proved, and the clauses were afterwards agreed to.
SLAIKANNAN (11ATFIGATE AND JAW
-
CRAIG BEANcrtra).

This Bill was unopposed. The thrmal proots having been given
in, the Committee passed the preamble.
The object of the Bill was to give additional accommodation to
the minerals of the district. The Jawcraig branch was already com-
pleted, and the Bathgate (four miles three ihriongs) was proposed to
be made at an estimated cost of 60,0001.
The clauses were passed with some verbal alterations.
The Committee then adjourned.

GROUP XIII.
This Committee met for the first time to-day in room 3in the
new Houses of Parliament.
The following are the Members of this Committee :—Sir W. Clay
(chairman), Earl Jermyn, Mr. P. Ainsworth, Mr. Curteis, and Lord
Shelburne.
The following Bills have been referred to this group :—Caledonian
Railway Extension, Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, North British
(Carlisle Extension), Caledonian (Dumfries Branch), Ayrshire and
Galloway, Glasgow and Belfast Union, Scottish Southern, North
British (Gretna Branch), Caledonian (Langholm Branch).
The list of Bills was read over by the clerk, with the petitions
against the Bills and the agents and counsel that appeared respec-
tively for each.
The Scottish Southern is off, it having been petitioned against by
the majority of the scripholders, in agreement with the provisions of
the resolutions recently agreed to by Parliament.
At this moment the pressure became so great that the Committee
agreed to adjourn to a larger room, in order to acciatunodate the par-
ties present.
The Committee re-assembled in Room 32.
TICE G LAS 001117,_