The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-14 00:00:00

GROUP XXII.

This Committee met for tie first time to-day at ono o'clock, Sir
George Grey in the chair.
Some time was consumed in arranging the order of business, which,
when accomplished. the Committee proceeded with the
IPSWICH AND BURY ST. EDMUNDS
(NORPOI.E. BRANCH.)

This line Is opposed by the Norfolk Extension to Newmarket.
Evidence was shortly taken in proof of compliance with Mr. T.
Duncombe's resolutions.

Mr. TALBOT then opened the case an behalf of the promoters.
The line, he stated, was an extension of thitty-two miles long from
the existing Ipswich and Bury St. Edmand's Railway from Stow-
market to Norwich. The whole scheme when completed would be
113 miles long. The Learned Gentleman then proceeded to explain
the engineering peculiarities of the line, which he represented to bs
generally favourable, and the necessity which there existed to con-
nect an important agricultural district with the populous mono.
factoring city Norwich, proceeded to call his witnesses.
Mr. Frederic Brown, and other witnesses, were examined as to
the agricultural ar d other traffic that would go along the line. The
amount was represented to be very large between the two termini
of the branches.

The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till to-morrow at twain.

GROUP xxx.

This Committee assembled to-day at one o'clock; present, Lord
Charles Wellesley (chairman), and the other Members.
mrni...anra AND EASTERN COUNTIES
(CAMBRIDGE TO WEEDON).
The usual preliminaries having been gone through,
Mr. 0. Matxxv, on the part of the promoters of the B ill, said, that
it would be his duty to lay the merits of the Bill before the Committee.
At present Cambridge was the focus of several railways—one of
these,connecting Cambridge and Norwich, Cambridge and London, and
Cambridge and Bury. The object of the present railway was to connect
Cambridge and Weedon, and by that means to connect Yarmouth,
Harwich, and other ports on the eastern coasts with those on the
western coasts by a direct line, instead of having to go round by the
port of London, as is the case at present. The line they
originally proposed was one from Cambridge to Worcester,
and many of the difficulties they had labbured under
were occasioned by their connexion with Worcester, for
the London and Birmingham Company considered that that
district belonged to them. But this was not the only difficulty they
had to encounter. The South-Western Company, who at first entered
warmly into their interests, after inducing them to alter their course
and make their surveys for a line to Esham, had then deserted them.
They then found themselves obliged to give up that portion of their
line as far as Worcester. It was then so late that they were com-
pelled to make deposits of alternative lines, thus considerably in-
creasing the preliminary expenses. At present they proposed to con-
struct a line only to Weedon ; here it might be as well for him to state
that if the London and Birmingham Company should succeed in their
line from Worcester to Northampton, so as to meet their Peterborough
line, that they proposed to have a clause inserted in the (Midland
and Eastern line) Bill, to carry their line only as far as White Mills,
to run then into the London and Birmingham Railway. From this
it would be evident that the Bill at present was virtually
for a line to White Mills, from a conviction that the London
and Birmingham Company would proceed with their line. He
would just briefly point oat to the Committee the advantages
that would result from the Bill. The port of Harwich was likely to
become the great eastern port, and it must be consequently of great
importance to the towns in the district and the people of Harwich
to have a direct line of communication with the western ports, in-
stead of as at present being obliged to go up two sides of
a triangle. The town of Ipswich was a most important trading town.
It was chiefly important, however, from its iron manufacture, and
the importance of a communication directly to it must be apparent.
At present the • town of Northampton was really without any good
communication with the towns on the coasts, and their line proposed
to meet that want, and to give them direct communication with
three ports. Lynn, which was already connected with Ely, which
was not only a pert, but one from which Northampton itself
drew at present very many of its supplies, would thus
be connected more immediately with Northampton.
It was therefore evident that as far as the town of
Northampton was concerned, there could be no doubt of the advan-
tage of this railway. This, too, would be clearly shown by evidence.
With respect to the line generally, an inspection of the map would
satisfy any one of its importance ; for it would be
seen, that though a number of railways were traversing
the country, there was still a total absence of anything
like a direct communication between the coasts on the eastern
and western sides of the kingdom. It was a matter of the
greatest importance that such a communication should be es-
tablished. In conclusion, he had only to say that the gra-
dients were very favourable, there being only two of I in 100,
and these not exceeding together more than four miles and a half.
The other engineering points were equally favourable, and the oppo-
sition of the landowners was not greater than that usually offered,
and upon no more forcible grounds.
Mr. IlorE, on the part of the petitioners, said he had to make a
propos'tion which might save further trouble with respect to this
Bill. There could be no moral doubt that the shareholders of this
undertaking did not intend to proceed further, and that the soli-
licitor was going on merely with a view to discharge
what he considered he was legally bound to perform.
He thought, therefore, that it would be desirable if the
further consideration of this Bill should be postponed till the
sense of the shareholders should have been obtained. He would,
therefore, propose that Mr. Wilkinson, the solicitor of the Company,
should be called to substantiate this statement.

Mr. O'MALLEY said he was ready to accede to the proposal of his
Learned Friend. However, though he entertained a different opinion
last night, he believed that this Bill would be prosecuted, and he was
instructed that a meeting would be held on the 22d with reference to
the subject. He had no objection to Mr. Wilkinson being called.
Mr. Wilkinson was then called and examined by Mr. HOPE
Mr. Wilkinson stated that he had attended a meeting of the share-
holders on the Sth instant. One advertisement of the meeting had
been omitted from the Times. Ile stated to the shareholders
that he would call another meeting, and made a statement
of the aecounts of the company, which was received with
considerable disapprobation from several parts of the room. There
was a general disinclination on the part of the meeting, under the
financial condition of the company, to proceed with the Bill ; one
ground being that the five per cent. had not been paid up. A
forest of hands were held up on the motion that the affairs
of the Company should be wound up. It was in conse-
quence of his being of opinion that they were legally bouni to
bring the Bill before the Committee, that he had proceeded with it.
He had no objection to the proposed postponement.
The room was then cleared, and on our re-admission,
The CHAIRMAN announced that the Committee were of opinion
that it would be better for all parties to postpone the Bill till the
25th instant.
The Committee then adjourned.

GROUP XXXI.
The following Rills aro comprised in this group:-
1. l'ortbury Pier and Railway (Na. 2).

2. Bristol and Birmingham (Bath line).
3. Bristol and Birmingham (Aslichurch, Tewkesbury, and Malvern
line).

4. Bristol and Birmingham (Bristol and Stonehouse Junction).
5. Bristol and South Wales Junction.
6. South Wales (No, 2).
7. Gloucester and Dean Forest.
The Committee to whom they have been referred mat this after-
noon, at one o'clock, in No. 22 Committee-room. Present, Alr.
Charles Round In the chair, Lord J. Manners, Mr. Burroughs, Sir 11.
lialford, and the Hon. C. Cavendish.

No. I was petitioned against by the corporation of Bristol and the
Bristol Dock Company ; No. 4, by the Great Western Company ;
No. 5, by the Duke of Beaufort; No. 6, by the merchants and cor-
poration of Gloucester, and others ; and No. 7, by the Hereford and
Gloucester Canal Company, the corporation and merchants of Glou-
cester, Severn and Wye Railway and Canal, &c.
The usual formal proceedings having been gone through, some dis-
cussion ensued with respect to the Bill which should be taken first.
It was at length decided that the

BRISTOL AND SOUTH WALES JUNCTION
Bill should be first proceeded with.
The Bill was unopposed.

Evidence as to its length, amount of capital, &c., having been
given, the Committee immediately passed the preamble, and agreed
to the clauses without alteration.

GLOUCESTER AND DEAN FOREST.

This Bill was next proceeded with, the parties promoting the South
Wales Railway (No. 2) not being prepared to proceed with their case.
Mr. WIIATELEY then proceeded to open the case on the part of the
promoters. He said it was promoted by some merchants in the city
of Gloucester, and by the Great Western and South Wales Railway
Company, and it was intended to make a railway from the Great
Western Railway at Gloucester to join the Monmouth and Hereford
Railway at a place called Westbury, on the Severn, thus completing
that portion of the Monmouth and Hereford Railway, which
but for being thrown out in the Standing Orders' Committee,
w:mld no doubt have been passed last year. The second object
which they had in view was to join the South Wales Railway in the
parish of Awre, in the city of Gloucester, thus completing
the railway from South Wales to Gloucester, and the third
object was to make a branch for the conveyance of coals
from the main line at Awre to the Gloucester docks. The
length of the llne from Gloucester to the South Wales Railway
was fifteen miles and a half, the branch to join the Monmouth and
Hereford Railway one mile and two furlongs, and the branch to Glou-
cester docks one mile and two furlongs, and the estimated ex-
pense 320,000/. During the last session an application was
made to Parliament to sanction a great part of the railway
for which powers were now sought, but in consequence of the acci-
dent to which he bad referred—an accident which sometimes hap-
pened to the best schemes—it was thrown out of the Standing
Orders, but the Committee reported favourably to the House on the
project, and stated that it had been mainly objected to be-
cause it crossed an objectionable part of the river Severn. The
line was not opposed by the South Wales Railway, but by the
merchants and corporation of Gloucester, but he apprehended that
their objection to the line would be removed by the insertion of
clauses in accordance with their views. They were also opposed by
the Wye and Severn Canal, but at the proper time he should object
to their opposition on the ground of inconsistency and misstatements,
and their total want of locus stand;. The line and branches would
greatly facilitate the conveyance of minerals, and would open up a
railway communication with the south of Wales.
Mr. Brunel, the engineer to the line, wag then examined with re-
spect to the line. After describing its course, he went on to say that
the works were very light and moderate, and were of a nature to allow
the opening of the line by the completion of the Monmouth and
Hereferd Railway. The Haglow or Awre branch was direct, and
passed along the valley of the Severn. There were no tunnels. The
steepest gradient was I in 90 for 15 chains, but it was close to the
Gloucester station. The shortest curve was 33 chains in length. The
estimates were amply sufllcient for the construction of the line. In
of
xtothr,erwmllinAe,nraLlEtryitffioj.
W3yler. C:tidowns:terawas
their
the event of its being Made, it would carry all the coals from Wales
to Gloucester and its neighbourhood, and would have a great quantity
C naboutal
let omcrio3sans-ye_XahualdinenoNtrl.ocunrstinsetla,abttti,tiri4s-
ected. on the ground that his clients—the
the Forest of Dean related chieflyYe tothtlei
itniotnerfered with They
tt oh
e3t
ft
property,
owpcied:etonywi:::inotdr
he theircaue: • n
theline.
eos:roieljuleattdiththseNvipicwadroeinsseariwttaeltocitlice:evawg:taaaalsniiidisatii
maintained that
tonfutelliemas, andtbneeithpeemtripdrlodpuertotynintotrvitihtehilrntreaftimci mites
before the Committee, as it would hbief materially interfere with
ll
interfered Wit/Tthe 4"
the Great Western
a locus standi
llaend the W)tt
joint project between the South Wales
way Canal. tits therefore held that his clients Railway, both of which
before the. Committee. Rail-
Al r. WIIATELEY said, if the arguments of his
admitted to be tenable, there would be ag end toth Learned Friend were
they would create. The simple ground 00
whichleieetfluslon which
right to appear wag this, that the nn
..—uthWales and thee} d he had a
Companies would furnish e portion of the reat Western
necessary capital. 'rise
Great Western Company supplied some of the capital for the con-
struction of a Wexford Railway; and if the right were admittedhs
Learned Friend might have opporied that line singly, beemuie the
Great Western supplied soeme.litihe aapital.Tae arguraent wa. a Hew
ono, and it almost porplxed m because d
clear Impropriety. was completely sur-
prised
by its novelty and clear
The room was then cleared.
On the admission A
of the parties, IltslAN intimated that the
the CU
Committee were of opinion that the Severn and Wye Railway Canal
had no locus Vail& before them.
The Committee then adjourned.