The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-24 00:00:00

VALE or NEATIL

precedence having been given to this Bill. Mr. Calvert opened the
ease for the promoters.
Mr. Harris *its examined, and stated that the present price of
coals at Merthyr Tydvil was 7s. 10d. per ton, owing to thansufficlent
supply afforded to that place, which would be remedial By the pro-
posed railway.
Mr. White, F.C.S., residing at Dowlais, and had about a hundred
patients under his care daily, at ironworks and collieries.
The highest wages were about 30s. a week, and the lowest about 14s.
a week. Swansea was the favourite resort of persons of that class,
and if a railway like the proposed one were constructed, the number
that would avail themselves of it would be illimitable. Had himself
recommended, as a medical man, persons to take these excursions
when in a state of convalescence.

The Committee, having heard some further evidence, adjourned,

Room C.
LONDON AND GRAVESEND.
(lontinued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

In answer to Mr. GoLnsmin, Mr. Clough replied that with respect
to the public institutions he did not speak as a public servant, but as
a town commissioner.

A discussion here ensued with the Committee as to whether
the evidence was satisfactory.
Lord Sondes, Mr. Plumptre, Ar.r., Sir Edward Filmer, and two
or three witnesses from Gravesend, confirmed the assertion that the
line would be generally acceptable to the district.
Colonel Menzies, of the Chatham garrison, was called to show that
the line in a military point of view would be highly advantageous,
giving a quick and easy communication with Woolwich, Deptford,
and Portsmouth.

Mr TALBOT was proceeding to cross-examlne as to the point
whether the line would not be equally advantageous as a military
communication if carried on to Canterbury, when

Mr. MERAEWETUER objected to the questions, and the room was
cleared. . _ _

After a very lengthened discussion the parties were again admitted,
when _

CHAIRMAN read a resolution to the effect, that there being no
Bill before the Committee for any line below Rochester, no inquiry
ought to be entertained which affected any point below that place.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow.

Room D.

GLASGOW,: DUMFRIES, AND CARLISLE
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

After the absence of about three-quarters of an hour the parties
were re-admitted,
The CHAIRMAN intimated that as the Committee had considered
rallwapommunication was required for the district, they desired
that the parties against the Bill should confine themselves to showing
that the estimates for the line were inadequate, or that the line, if
made, would not be remunerative for the capital invested. Till this
was done they could not entertain any other proposition.
After some conversation between the Learned Counsel on both
sl6les,
Mr. CocßotriPe said he was willing to go now into the question of
estimates, and reserve any other point that had been raised till after-
wards. should the Committee then think such to lee necessary.
The ezasainatien of witnesses against the Bill was then proceeded
with.

Mr. Collister, civil engineer, examined—Said he was acting engi-
neer of the Caledonian line. He knew the route of the present lino
well. He knew the price paid for work on the Caledonian and the
Lancaster and Carlisle Railways, and he brought those prices to bear
on the estimates of the present line. He had gone over the esti-
mates of the present line carefully, and he felt confident it could
not be made for the sums named. He considered it could not be made
for less than 1,453,0001. The estimate of the promoters was 1,200,0001.
From the nature of the country he considered the line could not be made
for less than he had stated. He had endeavoured to take cross sac-
tions of the country, to know the extra works necessary, but his
assistants had been prevented by the agents of the Duke of Buc-
clench. In fact, they had been assaulted on the highway. He
considered that the estimate should also have included houses for
workmen engaged in making the line. They had included these

In the Caledonian line of last year. There were now
ton thousarel men engaged on the Caledonian line, and a
proportionate number of men per mile would be required for the
present line. The country was so thinly populated that these
houses must be required. He thought, also, 100,0001. should have
been added for working stock, plant, &c. These items were in ad-
dition to his estimate of 1,453,000/. Now with regard to the latter
estimate, which was 253,000/. over Mr. Blythe'e estimate, he as-
sumed nearly the same amount of earth-work as they did, while
be estimated the coat at 311,5361. He calculated it at 12%d.
per yard, whereas they had set it down at 10d. It was often thick
blue clay, and the price he stated was the least It could be done for.
The whinstone and sandstone cuttings had been much underrated.
He considered from the survey he had made there was not less than
622,300 cubic yards of these rock cuttings. Their quantity was
336,000. There was more than this on the Crawick branch algae.
He calculated this kind of cutting at 2s. 1010., whereas they
had set it down at 2s. 6d. He calculated the work
at the prices on the Caledonian line, and if the works
were to be done the next three years, from the almost certain nature
of the labour-market, it would be impossible to do the work for less.
He calculated the whole rock cutting at 88,940/. instead of theirs,
which was 42,0001., being 46,0001. more. The masonry, also, he con-
sidered to be much understated. They made it 92,230/., or about
1,0001. a mile. Me made it 199,516/. (The witness here
passed over in detail several bridges along the line,
which he represented to be under-estimated considerably,
compared with the prices he was paying on the Caledonian line. He
also characterised the bridges in meet instances as inadequate for the
safety and proper accommodation of such a line of railway. Both
the bridges over the streams along the route of the line, as well as
those over turnpikes and public roads, had been understated. With
regard to occupation bridges there was a glaring defect. They had
only fifteen of these in an extent of ninety-two miles, whereas
he considered there should not be less than seventy-three. He
said so from experience on the Caledonian line. Fer there
bridges they set down only 5,070/., whereas he estimated them at
29,1631. The level crossings and lodges had alsobeen ander-estimated
both in number and expense. The tunnel at Drumlanrig he esti-
mated at 451. per cubic yard, against their estimate of 351. He cal-
culated it at this price, as he considered it would have to be lined
with brick-work. In similar works, where there were different
layers of strata, it was usual to line the tunnels. His
calculation would be 15,0001. more than theirs. The per-
manent way he made 5,5741. per mile ; their estimate was
5,320/. Resting roads they made 7.000/. ; be made it 11,0001. In
his opinion the working expenses, e hich had been stated at 33 per
cent., was fixed too low. A per tentage on the gross receipts could
nor fairly represent the working expenses, as, whatever might he the
amount of the traffic, there would be fixed expenses going forward.
A certain uunabcr of truing would have to be ruts daily, officers tied
alerks paid, and the way maintained. He considered a lane of 92
miles would require 1501. per mile yearly to keep it in repair. This
was 32,5671. 10s. in all. To accommodate the traffic four
trains would be required each way daily, and two on Sunday.
This, at ls. 3d. per mile each train, would be 15,3821. Goods trains,
two a-day, he estimated at 8,810/. ; police, 1,0001.; station ex-
penses, 1,6501.; rates and taxes at 201. per mile, making 1,8151.;
management and chief office expenses, 2.500/.; Government duty on
passengers, 1,9501. Total, 46,352/., or 45 per cent. on the estimated
receipts.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant BELLASTS—Iid went over the Ilse
about Whitsuntide with Mr. Errington. He left London, and was
absent about a fortnight. They started at Springfield to go over the
line on Monday, at ten o'clock, and were engaged till
Wednesday. Witness was the assistant of Mr. Locke. Mr. Locke
bad only completed one line as yet in Scotland—the Glasgow and
Greenock. Mr. Miller had, he believed, completed in &co land about
2041 miles of railway. With regard to Mr. Miller exceeding the
original estimate on the Edinburgh and Glasgow line, he was not
aware of any branches beyond what were provided for in the
original estimate, but there was the expensive entrance into
Edinburgh, which was not originally given. It ought in fairness to
have been stated. He was not aware that the pleat and stock of the
cempany, were not included in the original estimate. lie was In
possession of most of the data he had given three weeks ago, but
it was put into its present shape last night. He had no doubt the
North British line was completed for lower prices than those he had
stated, as there had been a great competition. He was not aware
that the Edinburgh and Hawick, or the Ayrshire line to Cumnock,
were contracted for at less prices than he had stated. The Cale-
donian line had not been contracted for by public competition ; it
was agreed for at a certain price, which he was satisfied was as
little as it could be well done for. The Caledonian Company were
paying in some cases is. Gd. a yard for rock cuttings and supplying
the parties with waggons and other conveniences. The prices he
had named were similar to those on the Lancaster and Carlisle, and
Blackburn and Preston. The same contractor was enaged on the
former as was engaged on the Caledonian line. The working stock
of the Caledonian he calculated, last year, at 137,0001. He did not
add any additional working stock this year for the Dumfries and
Langholm branches. There was about 16 miles of the Caledonian
line higher than the Dumfries line—not more. (The Learned Gen-
tlemen then went over the Nithsdale line along with the witness,
with the object of showing that there were villages along the route
that would accommodate the workmen without the erection of the
houses spoken of.)
. _

The Witness Was next subjected to a rigid cross-examination on
the details he had given respecting the bridges and viaducts, with
the object of showing that the scale and principle on which he had
estimated them were exaggerated and unnecessary. and that the
prices of masonry had been fixed too high. He made a, esti-
mate of the whinstone rock cutting three weeks ago, but
be had it not upon him. He estimated this rock from
the examinations he had made by borings and by observa-
tion of its repeated protrusions on the surface. After a few
more questions on the details by which he had arrived at his conclu-
sions of the amount of rock and whinstone cutting, the witness, at
the request of Mr. Sergeant Bellasis, promised to furnish them in
writing by the morning with the particulars which he sought to
obtain.
The Committee then adJournel till to-morrow at eleven o'clock.

Room E.
ILICEITEZ AND DORCHESTER.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

Mr. lIILDrAItD said Sir E. Duckworth, Bart., 31. P. for Exeter,
was in attendance, but they did not think, in consequence of the in-
timation of the Committee, that it was necessary to call him before
them.

Mr Juft, of Chard, was then called, who gave evidence as to the
benefits to be derived by the construction of the proposed railway to
the town of Chard.
Mr. Hayward, of Crewkerne, thought the present line better
adapted for the interests of Crewkerne than the line
Great Western Company, notwithstanding the artreer posed by tibne. ,
tended to run nearer to the town than the former one. almgai.
alone were entertained by the majority of the inhabitants of Crew_
;:erne upon this subject.
Mr. J. Thytherleigh, residing at Axminster, said that he felt great
Interest in the success of this line. His opinion as to the superior
merits of the line before the Committee was also shared by the inha-
bitants of Axminster.
Mr. T. Holloway, timber merchant, of Salisbury, stated that there
Were considerable quantities of tim:)er grown in the districts between
Salisbury and Yeovil, which was at present unsaleable in conse-
quence of there being -no means of transporting it to the water
without considerable expense. The prepozed line, if constructed,
would open the dockyards of Southampton and Portsmouth
markets for timber—elm timber especially, large quantities of which
were grown in those districts.

Mr: Dowding, meat salesman, of Newgate.market, was in the
habit of receiving from 8 to 10 tons a week of dead consignments
from his son, who resided at Gillingham. It occupied one day and
two nights to make the journey to London. He had often lost as
much as 501. in a day, In consequence of the delays that had fre-
quently taken place by sending meat, first to Andover, a distance of
28 miles, ,and then by the Great Western Railway, that being the
course they were obliged to adopt. If the railway went through this
d strict, they would, of course, be able to receive the meat quicker
and fresher.
Cross-examined by Mr. BLADE—The Great Western Railway
Company had refused to compensate him for the losses he had sus-
tained by their delay.

Mr. MEsszwrraza then proposed to call Mr. Oliver, butcher, of
tiouthampton, bat .

The CI!AMMAN stated that there was no necessity for calling any
ferther traffic evidence. The Committee were quite satisfied upon
the point, and were quite sure that no evidence which could be
brought forward by the opposing parties could shake the evidence
which had been given. The teas spoken to i • were ncentrovertible
by their very nature.
Mr. MElletwerneit then proposed to call the engineerity, evi-
dence.
Mr. Locke, engineer to the South-Western, was then called.—The
line before the Committee had been laid out by him with a vletw'of
affording the best mode of communication between London and
Exeter. It was also proposed to carry the line from Eieter west-
ward to Falmouth. The total length of the line between Exeter and
London was 170 miles ; the distance by the existing route was 193%
miles. On that portion of the line between Salisbury and Basing-
stoke, a distance of 32 miles, there was no gradient steeper than I In
180. On the line between Salisbury and Yeovil, a distance of 41
miles. there was no gradient more severe than I in 10G—that gradient
only occurred once. The line between Exeter and Yeovil, which
was a very difficult country for the construction of a railway, was
47 '• miles in length. Toe steepest gradient was 1 in 81,
The steepest gradient upon the line between Exeter and Yeovil was
in 78. There was no really substantial difference between the two
lines in an engineering point of view. There was no curve upon
the line of a less radius than 20 chains. The amount of tunnelling
on the line between Exe`er and Yeovil was 2,950 yards. On Mr.
Brunel's line, between Yeovil and Exeter, the quantity of tunnel-
ling was 4,565 yards. From Yeovil to Salisbury there were 1,830
yards, and on the lino between Salisbury and Basingstoke 1,160
yards. The three lines forming an integral and competing scheme
between London and Exeter affected also the means of communication