The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-22 00:00:00

Mr. Locke, civil engineer, was cross-examined by Mr. ROBERTS on
this subject. He was of opinion that the force of the current would
not be increased by his bridge of two arches, as the river would be
widened in proportion for a sufficient space to counterbalance any in-
creased impetus that might be given to the stream by the erection of
his buttresses, and, moreover, that a bridge of fifty feet span would
be quite ample for all the purposes of navigation.
Mr. JAMES followed up the eross-examination of this
witness, who stated that there was a very ex-
cellent natural dock in the river Crouch, near Burnham, and he
did not hesitate to say that that place must rival Harwich, though
Mr. James was of opinion that the sight of an Ostend steamer
would very much astonish the worthy oyster drudgers of Burnham.
Mr. Locke was further of opinion, that, there would be no danger in
transferring the traffic on to the Blackwell Railway, as he had an
idea of altering ono line, and substituting either the locomotive or
atmospheric principle. The curves also on his proposed line were very
favourable at this junction with the Blackwell Railway ; there was a
curve of 42 chains ; with that exception there were none ender three-
quarters of a mile. The steepest gradient was 1 in 150 from Lon-
don, and 1 in 250 towards London ; there was no tunnel. The
gradients on the two branches were also good, but better on the
Tilbury than on the Southend Branch.
The Committee were then engeged for some time examining the
plans and sections, after which Mr. Locke stated the working expenses
to be 64,1971., which subtracted from 124,324/., gross amount of
capital, would leave a net revenue of 60,127/. for the branches, Scc.
Mr. Tite, the architect of the Royal Exchange, said the esti-
mate for land was 108,940/., which he. considered a very fair esti-
mate, being an average of nearly: 2001. per acre; but he believed
the land would be bought for much less, and also that no opposition
would be experienced from Lord Petre.
This gentleman's cross-examination having been postponed,
Captain Fisher, harbour-master of the City of London, was of
opinion that a station for colliers on, the Crouch, communicating by
railway with London, would be of very great service to the metro-
polis, as during south-west gales coal vessels were often wind-bound
for days when there was a great need of the article in London.
Such a station would also relieve the Pool of that pressure which sl
often was the source of accidents to large steamers passing up and
down the river. Could not say that a vessel would, under every
circumstance, be able to beat up the river Crouch with a gale from
S.W. A vessel could not beat up to London with wind at S.W.
Mr. Wightman, of the Blackwell Railway, gave evidence favour-
able to the proposed line. The traffic began steadily to increase on
the Blackwell line after the opening of the station in Fenchurch-
street. Was of opinion that the South Essex would effect a junction
with the Blackwell Railway as it was at present laid down ; and
that 250,000 tons of coal might well be consumed about Stepney if
brought by the South Essex line.
In answer to the Hon. CHAIRMAN witness stated that the station
traffic on the Blackwell Railway was about two-thirds of the whole.
He also, in reply to Mr. MAURICE O'CONNELL stated that 50 per
cent. was a good amount of increase on the traffic of the first year,
I considering the great rush of traffic they experience on first opening.
Mr. Wm. Pare stated that the number of passengers carried had
exceeded the estimate by half a million. The rate of traffic of in-
crease between Liverpool and Manchester and between Brighton
and London was less than between Newcastle and Car-
lisle; or, generally, that when the pre-existing ;traffic
was considerable, the opening of a railway has not caused so great a
ratio of increase as between places where the pre-existing traffic was
comparatively small. The increase of traffic on the Liverpool and
Manchester was only five times, and on the London and Brighton
only three times greater than before the construction of the railways,
whereas on the Newcastle and Carlisle it was thirteen times greater
than before.
Mr. Tite, being recalled, stated, in reply to Mr. Maurice O'Connell,
that estates and ocecupancy are regarded, but parochial and other
divisions are not ; that arable land is more liable to consequential
damage than any other description, and that no objection was made
now to level crossingo even in pasture countries.
This virtually closed the case for the South Essex ; and after a
table of assents and dissents had been given in, the Committee decided
upon bearing the North Gravesend, on the rebutting evidence.
Mr. John Cooper, owner of West Ham corn-mills, was called, and
stated that from 6d. to Is. per quarter was the charge of freight from
the eastern coast of Essex to the various mills about West Ham,
which he thought was a cheaper mode of conveyance than by any
railway at Id. a mile. The carriage to London from West llam cost
him 2s. 6d. per ton, the distance being about three miles.' Most of
the large mills in the vicinity of London were near the water.
It being four o'clock the Committee then adjourned till twelve to-
morrow.

GROUP XXVII.

SOUTH MIDLAND, AND LEICESTER AND

BEDFORD (CO/YIPETING) znwEs.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
IMPORTANT DECISION.
The CHAIRMAN announced that he could not then (It being past
four o'clock) give the official decision of the Committee, but he would
do so to-morrow at twelve o'clock. He might, however, say, that
the decision to which the Committee had come was, that the pre-
amble of the
SOUTH MIDLAND RAILWAY
was not proved, and that the preamble of the
LEICESTER AND BEDFORD RAILWAY
was proved.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow.

GROUP XXXI.