The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-31 00:00:00

To take into consid,ration the beet rneans of enfo

- ,
or.e uniform s)stem of management on railroads in operations,
or to be constructed, and to secure the due fulfilment of the

pre vi•ious of the Arts of Parliament under which the compa-
nies have obtained their powers, when-by greater aecenoneda-
tine and safety may be insured to the public. 9d. To take into
consideration what means may rest be adopted for diminishing
the extravagant expenses a tendant en obtaining Acts of Par-
liament fur legitimate and necessary undertakings, and at the
same time for discouraging the formation cf schemes got up
for the mere purpose of speculation. 3d, to consider what
legislative measures could be framed to protect individuals from
the injury they may sustain by laying down lines of railway
through their property, without subjecting them to th • ruinous
expense of opposing Bills in Parliament. These resolu-
tions contained the objects which he sought to carry
out by the present motion. He bad no hostile
feeling against railways, but he wished to place them on a good
and wholesome footing. There was now found a great diffi-
culty in the other House of Parliament, in legislating on this
subject, from the strong railway interest that was growing up
there, end unless the matter was taken up in good time, this
-power would so increase that it would be very difficult to des
with it. No time therefore was to be lost. Some steps were
absolutely necessary to be taken, in order to control this grow-
ing power to a certain extent. He knew it would be said that
it was now too la eto urge on this question. That was the ob-
jection by which it was met before ; and he was glad that no
step had been taken upon the subject befure, because when this
preject was urged on a former occasion, they had no idea of the
extent to which this railway spirit would spread; but now they
had the advantage a the experience the delay afforded them;
and he di-A tru-t the House would take advantage of it, and
frame some measure by which the publin, as well as individuals
would be protected. He might be met with the answer that
the Board of Trade had certain powers over railways, but he
did not think those powers sufficient. The Board of Trade
was net to be blamed for that; he bad no doubt they did their
best ; but it was not because they had failed that another trial
should not he made, with a view to a more successful result.
The Board, he suggested, should have a power of superintend-
ence over rail ways in actual operation, and appoint superintend-
ents in the same way as they had superintendents now over
parishes, and over rivers, and other matters. Now he thought
there were certain means which might be adopted by the Com-
mittee, and wheh would, in his opinion, exercise a control
over them. This was one of them. He found it in a
letter addressed some years back to a Member of the
other House by an eminent engineer. Atter come
paring roads and canals with railroads, and cow'
plaining that there was no adequate safety to the public, he
said that by reducing the capitals of all railways into one stock,
he would venture to say that the evils now complained of would
be done away with. He ( Lord Kinnaird) thought the thing
prac•icab e ; at all events, it was worth the consideration of
the Committee. His own idea was that the public would be
efficiently protected lay encouraging competition. There were
eree„ey several lines in existence, all proceeding from this great
metropolis, and all Arming what he ralght term rile great
arteries of the country His proposal was, that these lines
should be considered great arteries, and therecore should not be
allowed to amalgamate. Now let them look at the lases is
Operation. They had the Great Western, which proposed, by
way of Oxford, to reach Liverpool, then Lancaster, and so along
the coast to Glasgow; then the Landon and Birtninghsnas
which partly taking the same route, joined the Caledonian, and
so round by the north to Edinburgh and Glasgow. They had
also the London and York, which, by way of Hexham, reached
Edinburgh ; end the Eastern Counties, which, proceeding by
Newcaerie, reached Berwick. If they turned to the welt,
they found the Great Western throwing out lines to
Exeter, and the South-Western doing the mine
thing They had lines to Dover, to Brighton, and
to East Kent, and these all formed great and distinct lines.
He thought that competition should be encouraged between
these companies ; and he put it to their Lordships' consideration
whether such a system would not be likely to coneuce to the
public interest, if adopted. Suppose they wish to accommo-
date the country between these lines, say perhaps Nottingham'
then a reference would be made to the Government Boards
which would apportion it in reference to the existing railways.
There were several other points bearing upon the question, but;
as the motion was nut to be opposed, he would content hirnseir
with moving for the Committee.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE confessed that he did not entere
taro such sanguine expectations with respect to the Noble,
Lord's plan as the Noble Lord had expressed for himself
With regard to the amalgamation schemes referred to, he won't;
ray, that it was a matter which should be looked upon with h
jealous eye, whether the amalgamations referred to railway td
railway, or railway to canal. The attention of Parliament
had more than once been called to this question. It had beet!
treated by a Committee of the other House in 1844, and 10'
year by the Beard, in connexion with the Executivi;
Government. 'The subject in the present sessi .n was referre
to another Committee, just appointed, with the view of layioit
down additional rules and conditions respecting amalgarnatio°'
Regarding the other fea,ure of the plan proposed by the Nobl!
Lord, that of a Board in connexion with the Executive Govern:
meet, he would pass by the consideration of the Board 0,
last year, in comparison with it, as the powers now sore:
by the Noble lord were more extensive than had been tbf
fuuction of the Board of Trade. It was quite clear that th!
present system was open to strong objection, but he did M
think that much advantage would result from taking the power
of dealing with them out of the hands of those who now had 11,
No doubt, when a company was formed for the purpose
getting the power of taking possession of the property of other's
it. would not be well to leave so large an amount of power eel
their hands. As to what had been said about the expenset
incurred in going before Standing Orders' Committees'
it would be desirable that the amount of those expenses shoal('
be lessened, still he did not think that that was a matter
which the Legislature ought to interfere.
Lord KINNAIRD did not intend that the powers ssbift
Parliament had should be taken from them ; but what he v._
suggest was, that certain parties, on behalf of the Governteteq
should be taken down to make inquiries upon the spot into Sri
merits of each case. He had been on a Commit et in
this plan was adopted. and the results were most satisfactel3
and such plans would also have the effect of preventing a "'
"s
mass of litigation.
The Marquis of BREDALBANE said he agreed with b:f
Noble Friend. Nothing could be more desirable than th''
there should be somecontrolling power over those I anew eoss?
petition anti private enterprise; but, with respect to the de'o
for amalgamation, no doubt it would be very tie irable that '4l
great lines should be under the control of one great director:
and that frequent ownership along a line should be preventet°l
hut be could not say that he entirely concurred in his NOu.
Frienp's view of the principle o amalgamation.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said he was in faysl/t
of amalgamation; but care should he taken that it was It
extended too far, lest too great encouragement should '
given to monopoly, which would be ve y dangerous to tty
public interest. He was of opinion that those matters sh°s„";
he left untouched until the present Committees had sent
their reports.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE said, that although he di3
wish to express any opinion upon this question, yet he f
not with it to be understood that by giving his vote in fat's:,
of the Committee he was giving his sanction to the li,*
pointmen: of a Board of Commission. Railways had Seri
become matters of national importance, and it would be 'tee
desirable that the Government should have a power of coutroloSe
the companies to a certain extent. He was not very saogsl,
as to the results of this inquiry, but it might, to some este kr
be useful ; and it was not too late, as had been supposed. to toad;
it, because, in every railway Bill that had been receMeti
passed, a clause hail been inserted to the effect that all tbto
companies should be subjected to any general rule which i
Legislature might deem it necessary to adopt.
Lord moNT EA GLE said that great misconception elisdij;
out of doors upon one point connected with railways. as„.4
was this. In many cases the parties to a deed for a W." 01
felt indisposed to curry it out, and would prefer not doing og
but they were under the impression that they could not e°lo
before Parliament with a petition praying that they raightder
relieved from this work, which they themselves had ell oit
taken to complete ; but he believed they were rniosken,
he thought it would be well that the public should be lei
aware that parties to a deed of this sort had the power to
in such a petition, and the Legideshliarnttohguwirrleeiikrkteootfhga
the
hsta
uen
tffithlaicotwisseenpbtrceaofeool.o.*:ti
The Duke of WELLINGTON said it was the Prim" test
submitogvoet
rtheir
th er railway companiesytbeurtwar
theredd.
wHa tseontdohit
should be amenable to the common law after they bad
their railways, as well as before. trisg
Lord HATHERTON did not think that the fact of P,ld
petitioning to be released from the making of a line, slos' etr
lieve them from certain responsibilities which they bsda !selfdertaken. He was also of opinion that the expenses Rag,
of time consequent upon parties being obliged to go
two Committees on Standing Orders should be avoideelt s
could easily be done by means of a commission. ,oger
Lord CAMPBELL, said he agreed wi'h the Noble v oft
that the public safety should be more carefully guarded led
than it had been upon the railways. The infliction g-0Y
deodand had no effect whatever, and he agreed with I
and Learned Lord, that that was nothing more than 6460
culous remnant of ancient superstition. Care should be i„,
also that in case when a man, the father of a family sae r fee
should have been killed, that the widow and family 'should lot
ceive compensation. A Bill to that effect was introdoceallei
session, but ass thrown out. In Scoland the law e‘trel
pecuniary compensation in such cases ; and he had P`-ii bIS
ore instance in that country, where a man been killed an,
widow was awarded 2,0001. d
Lord REDEFeDALE hoped the Noble and Learne ere
opposite would introduce that Bill again, for, under doled
sent cirennistances, parties had no redress whatever•
of tbs
might apply to the superintendent or to the ehairromt ed
b 'ard, but all these were parties interested; they eve
civil answers, but no redress was to be had.
The motion was then agreed to ; and
to'Lord KINNAIRD said he would name the Calle°
morrow.

RAILWAYS. Dife°
L,,rd BEAUMONT presented a pirition against the bat
Northern Railway, and in favour of several other railft"
his Lordship did not name them.
The House then adjourned.

Sir,(l)H.ici,(E)
lc(
ATS 110ANOmForCi
a(d)L.lfnF:fte oa(tcj
present
crs,MeAriatNrice)ho):
decision as to the course which he intended t.,,,() P,.(1 bad
with regard to the Bills to which the Noble d to
athsefaTmassep7
,:ssi,,tieh..tßtuhetsteheßNillosbslheoLuoldribiewboruoldught tae"
alluded ; but the course which he would recnoT,.ll,ol7l
undeloce
that the orders of motion should take re with
of the n.,tices of the day, and it was in acco‘l'deeenenurxe.
the strict rules of the House to abide by thix the
He could not, therefore, without the sanction of the
House, make such a motion. The strict rule° °Kier.
House were, that on Mondays and Fridays till ..",thox6,
of the day should have precedence of motions. ""fe fo'
the sanction, then, of the House, he could not ree'eite
postponement of the motion ; but he was neei„tiesee
ready to move that the House should give the preeL
to the notice of motion over the order of the day roost
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said he rose for the Pe'ttteo
of moving that the words "be postponed" be °II' that
teem the motion of the Right Hon. Baronet, tto"
the orders of the day be proceeded with. the
would not be necessary for him to trouble
sioo,
tense at any length On the present oce4oloo
but he wish-d to call the attention of the toe
to the gre.t inconvenience that wool I arise freitee'
postponement of a measure which had occupied the gh the
tion of the House for so long a time, and on whie-icl tt/
attention of the people of this empire might be °ld b 0
he centred ; ar,d scarcely less inconvenience vfoeo.ocl
felt from the fact of the Government bringing f° rd ex'
at this early stage of the session an exciting an 511,
asperating debate on a measure which, stfter rod
it was the intention of Government to lea future
a first time, and then postponed until some 13the
day. It was necessary for him to enlarge post'
inconvenience which would arise from the laws.
poriement of the debate with respeet to the core, her
and no persona wi re more aware of that fact tnanet at
Majesty's Govern near, rod the Right Hon...l3o:edetire-
their head, ho hirns( if presented
eating in the strangest language the delay whair, re
taken place on this measure. He had "
petite n' itasa