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

GROUP Iv.

The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Bills
comprised in this group re-assembled at the usual hour this morn-
ing; Mr. Protheroe in the chair.
RENT ATMOSPHERIC.

The business of the day was commenced with the general evidence
in favour of the Kent Atmospheric scheme.
Lord Stanhope was the first witness called.—He said he had at-
tended the meetings at Sevenoaks, ealled to consider the merits of
the two schemes. The meetings were numerously attended, and by
most of the influential gentlemen of the county. At both meetings
the Kent Atmospheric line was unanimously adopted, in preference
,to the South-Eastern scheme. For himself he decidedly thought the
Atmosphesic line was the best line for Sevenoaks, and the best for ac-
commodat ng the county generally. He was interested in neither
line, nor would either prove of much benefit to his own property.
Be preferred the Atmospheric line because it afforded the most ac-
commodation to the county and to his neighbours.
Mr. S. Pierce, carrier of Tunbridge, Mr. B. Baker, brewer of
Tunbridge, Mr. J. Chapman, of Southborough, and Mr. James M.
Richards, surveyor of Tunbridge, gave general evidence in favour of
the Atmospheric line.
Mr. Sherrad, the engineer of the line, was then called, but his
examination was interrupted by
Mr. KEATING, who contended on behalf of the South-Eastern
Company, that as the Atmospheric Company proposed a deviating
line which would affect the Medway navigation, they were bound to
show that the consent of the commissions of the navigation had been
obtained to the deviation. The standing orders provided for this,
and he submitted that such consent right to be proved before they
could proceed with evidence in favour of the deviation line.
Mr. Sergeant TALeaa V, on the other side, urged that the consent
of the owners, lessees, a id occupiers of the land near to the Medway,
which was proposed to 9e taken for the purposes of the line, had
long ago been obtained for the present case, however the commis-
sioners seemed to claim a vested right in the bed of the river, and
complained that their consent had not been obtained to the deviation
line Interfering with it. But the truth was, they had no right to
the bed of the river, for all property of this nature, namely, the
beds of navigable rivers was vested in the Crown, and unless the
Commissieners could show that the Crown had transferred its pro-
perty in the bed of the Medway to them, they had no right to main-
tain this objection.
Mr. KEATING replied that if the Medway Commissioners had not a
right to prevent the line interfering with their navigation, they had a
right to complain that their towing path in which they had the fee
simple, was unjustly interfered with, and that before the deviation
line was gone into, it should be proved that their consent had been
given to it, in accordance with the standing orders.
The room was then cleared, and after a short consultation,
The Committee decided that the consent of the Commissioners
must be before the deviation line could be proceeded with.
had ithuiene. d
tand
aeltu adduced tot
as provei satisfactory, that,e ethe Medway Commis-
sioners,et-ect, enattteear consent to ,1 dline, but that
the Committ'ee"de
consideration of the point was postponed. deviation
oannd te further
Mr. Sherrod's examination was then proceeded
with—lie said
the works on his own line were, or at least might: be
if not better, than the South Eastetn. Ilia ownline betwaealade good, as
Lon-
don Maidstone was nearly one mile shorter than the South
Eastern
between London and Tunbridge four miles and 'fifteen chains '
between London and Seven Oaks, two miles and 76 chains ; between
Seven Oaks and London, nine miles and eight chains; showing a
saving of new line, in favour of the Kent atmospheric line, of 19 miles
and 40 chains. The distance upon his line as between London and
Dover would be 88 yards longer than the South-Eastern line, while
it would save the making of many miles of additional railway. On
the Maidstone line there would be a tunnel 2,376 yards in length,
and on the Tunbridge line two tunnels of 342 and 2,717 yards in
length. On the whole line there were only 88 yards of viaduct.
intoill thbeefodreetatihise
Mr. Cocitatice objected to the w_itne...ess
egotihneg of the
line, as it approached Maidstone, e.
Coin-
to be taken for it. The taut was the line before
mittee did not relate to it, nor did the schedule of the Bill contain
rtantospherie
the Committee was
osed
only part of the original
on a branch to Rochester, scheme,
the line entered Maidstone which was
arid
the lands prop
not included in this 'pl.
Committee adjourned at four o'
The CoMnal clock till to-morrow, at twelve.