The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-20 00:00:00

GROUT XXXVI.
This Committee met this morning at the usual hour.

GRUT L
S.)W.
The Cornmitte.e re-assembled to-day at the usual hoar; present,
lir. Bannerman (chairman), and the other members.
iSTAILUTZ (ILISIOESTZE ALND SW
ANNING
'SOW .auteralus:rxour AUX) MUUMUU
The evidence respecti
bung Mr.-Marna (one of the pet tionareagainst
the Bill) was resumed ; t, owing to the absence of one of the :lace.-
gary witnesses, the farther consideration of the Bin was postponed
till to-morrow.
Tho Committee then adjourned.

GROUP LT.

DULNCHZEITZN, SZEPPIEL.I), AND =ID.

LAND avNcTsori.

The Committee, Mr. Shaw in the chair, resumed its sittings this
kitorning, when
Mr: Vignoles, the engineer of the line, gave evidence as to the na-
ture of the earthworks', tunnels, and other features of its course, by
which it appeared that there would be no tunnels
was lso
af untousbuealthrtheare miles
as to the difficulty of forming them, though one
in length ; but there was to be a viaduct carriedthirr
a through
alhplafitkeolfy to
town of Sheffield, not, however, as he conceived it,
interfere with the property or convenience of the town. The cost,
including land on one of the main lines, would be about 50,0001., and
on the other 44,0001. per mile. The traffic would, on the usual data,
give a clear 7 per cent. profit.
The Duke of Rutland, and several other witnesses, deposed to the
Bdvisability of the line, and the benefit it was likely to produce to
the property through which it ran. The country was represented as
hilly, but the opportunities of improvement were great, and the
people had Sufficient spirit to employ any facilities they might obtain.
' A person was called en behalf of the Woodhouse Branch of the
Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, and stated there are five seanis
in the Ilaudsworth coal-field of variable thickness, bat fit severally
for converting iron into steel, for refining steel, fir furnace work, and I
for domestic purposes. The quantity contained in these seams he
estimated at 300,000,000 tons. There was another bed running for
six miles in the course of the Lincolnshire line from Woodhouse, and
extending for a mile on each side of the line. This bed, allowing one-
fourth for faults, would, he thought, yield more than 90,000,000 tons
before it was exhausted.
After Mr. Jeffcock's evidence the case of the promoters was stated
$0 be closed, and,
Mr. James, on behalf of the Manchester, Buxton, and Matloek
Company, took an objection to the-preamble, on'the ground that an
agreement had been entered into by them with the Sheffield, Man-
che-ter, and Midland Junction, which precluded the latter from.
issuing scrip; and- in effect violated the contract deed, and conse-
quently rendered the project ineligible for Parliament.
Mr. TALBOT, Q.C., contended at considerable length that this was
not so, and even if it were, that the question was one which the
Committee were incompetent to try, and that a court of equity was the
authority to which the complainants ought to apply.
After Mr. James's reply, the Committee decided against him, and
Mr. John Power, engineer, of the Lincolnshire Eastern Junction
Railway. was called to state that he had surveyed the country be-
tween Chesterfield and Sheffield in 1836, after the North Midland
Company had obtained their Bill, and that after the submission of
his report to Mr. Locke and Mr. Leather, it was decided by those
gentlemen that there was no opportunity for a line in that direction.
At the conclusion of this evidence, the Committee adjourned till
to-morrow.

GROUP LVI.
This Committee met to-day for the first time, in Room 29 mew
Honses of Parliament). The members are Mr. Ewart (chairman)
3f r. )ifr. Pulsford, Mr. Irton, and Mr. Heneage. ,
The llnettncluded in this group are-1. The Eastern Counties Ste-
deed rinartitrient. 2. London and Birmingham (Camden-town and
Easton- Stations Enlargement); 3. London and Jigsaws]] town ; 4.
Zest London Extension ; 5. Enfield and Edmonton ; 6. London and
• , Croydon (Thames Junction Canal) ; 7. Eastern Counties (Thames
~
, atutoticer ;8. East and West India Docks, and Birmingham
ittlfetteu
- - IVO P2lO Zr 91414 W. appears:lca wide
_

Itant. A railway would be an
manufacturers In the valley.
provement on the line of last
manufactures was carried on to
old line was neither near
to this the line would give
which they were desirous
of sending their goods. It would also open up communication with
Staffordshire. Porthcawl, the only available port in the vicinity,
was most inefficient for the number of ships communicating with
that part of the country. It was too small, and the water was at times
extremely shallow. lco ornamental ground on the property of Mr.
Talbot, at Margem, would be interfered with, and, in his opinion,
it would be of great advantage to that gentleman.
Sir H. De la Beche, examined by Sir T. PHILLIPS—Is Chairman of
the Geological Society of England ; had made a geological survey
of Glamorganshire. Llynvi Valley was extremely rich as it pos-
sessed a quantity of " black band" ore. The deviation line would
afford facilities for the transit of these minerals, which the original
line would not have afforded.
The Learned Counsel for the Severn and Wye Railway Canal
applied to the chairman to move for the production of the notes
of the evidence taken before the Committee on the Rugby, Worces-
ter, and Wolverhampton Railway in the last session of Parliament ;
and also for the report of the Gauge Commissioners.
Mr. Ausnx held that the report of the Gauge Commission was not
binding or conclusive, inasmuch as no measures had yet been adopted
with respect to it by Parliament. Then the parties before the Com-
mittee this year had no connexion with the lines which the evidence
referred to The Learned Counsel contended that the report of
the Gauge Commissioners was conclusive as far as it went, and that
the parties in the Bills to which he had referred were the same par-
ties which were interested in the Bill before the Committee.
The CHAIRMAN considered that such a motion, if made, should not
Proceed from him, or from any other member of the Committee, but
from a member unconnected with the Committee. The Committee
would express an opinion whether the motion ought to be acceded
to or not.

Dr. Bowring, M.P., was then examined. He said he was a large
Proprietor of iron-works in Llynvi Valley, and the Chairman of the
Llynvi Iron and Coal Works. It was a rich mineral valley. No-
thing could he more wretched than the present mole of corn•
intuncation as It was the worst in the Queen's dominions. The
deviation of the old line would be a great accommodation to the
district, as it would afford more easy transit to the various ports
in the Bristol Channel. The coal-owners of the valley suffered
immensely from the defective communication to which they were
exposed, and even their workmen had done them great injury at
times by combinations, because they knew the difficulty of obtaining
workmen and materials from other places.
Mr. P. Bowring, acting manager of the Llynvi works, corroborated
the preceding evidence.
The Committee then adjourned until to-morrow, when the engf. I
veering evidence will be taken.

DONCASTER AND GOOLE.
Captain Laws, the superintendent of the Manchester and Leeds
line, was examined this morning.
Tha room was then cleared, and on our re-admission,
The CHAIRMAN announced that the Committee were of opinion
that the preamble of the Doncaster and Goole Railway Bill was
not proved.
The Committee then broke up.
The South Torkshire Coal Railway, which would have served as a
feeder to the Doncaster and Goole line, was thrown out about an
hour before.

GROUP 'XXVII.
B°lrra
Y°RZEIR-....."'V COAX. ItAXIIW'Air AND

, The mmitt
Co CANAL.
0 ee to Which this line is referred met to-day at twelve
T
in room No. 21 • present Lord Seymour (chairman), Lord
El:Tinton, Lord Hill, Sir Ralph Lopes, and Mr. French.
At a few wilnutes past twelve the room was cleared.
After the lapse of an hour the door was re-opened.
The, CustamAis said that the Committee would then proceed to
hear the evidence adduced by the landed proprietors against some of
the proposed lines. He should, however, state that the Committee
had determined, irrespective of the objections of the landed pro-
prietors, that some of these lines were not necessary :
With respect to the Midland, Barnsley, Sheffield, Dewsbury, Leeds,
and Bradford line, the Committee were of opinion the preamble was
not proved.

With respect to the Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Wakefield,
Huddersfield and Goole, and also the Huddersfield and Sheffield
Junction (Barfield Branch), the Committee were prepared to hear
evidence on the part of the landed proprietors.
With respect to the Midland (Barfield, Elsecar and other
branches), the Committee were of opinion that the preamble was
not proved, but they would hear evidence with reference to the
s n on the main line.
ilLregard to the Sheffield, Ashton, and Manchester (Barnsley
BrancU the Committee were of opinion that the preamble were not
proved.

With regard to the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Manchester
(Worsborough Branch), the Committee were of opinion that the
preamble was not proved.
With respect to the South Yorkshire Coal Railway and Canal, the
Committee were of opinion that the preamble was not proved.
The Committee then proceeded to bear evidence on the part of the
landowners against the remaining lines.
At four o'clock it was announced that the Speaker was at prayers,
and the Committee adjourned until twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XLIV.
On the meeting of this Committee at the usual hour, in Room 25,
Lord Palmerston in the chair,
Mr. MORTIXSZ, on the part of the
PZEZTWOOOD, PRESTON, AND WEST
RIDING JITNCTION,
said, he was instructed to say, that the part of the line from Clitheroe
to Ealack. as well as the Whalley Branch, had been abandoned, and
the only part retained was that from the Preston and Longridge line
near Preston to Clitheroe. He would, therefore, withdraw all oppo-
sition to the Blackburn and Clitheroe line.
Mr ISAINEe opened the-case of the.
Inake7CRl7lLN, CIATIEBROE, AND NORTH
WESTERN JUNCTION.
The Learned Counsel's address occupied the Committee for a con-
siderable time, and on its conclusion
Mr. William Pease, agent to Lord Balcarris, who owns large coal
fields in the Wigan district, was called to give evidence on the sub-
ject of the coal traffic. Inl consequence of the low tone of voice
in which he spoke, some of the most important parts of his evidence
were lost, being quite inaudible. He was understood to say that
there were 30 or 40 coal-owners in that neighbourhood. He had
made calculations of the amount of coal that might be raised annually,
and would be available for the traffic on this and the Blackburn and
Chorley (another proposed line)--we understood him to say that the
resultwas 46,000,000 tons. Twenty-five feet was the average thick-
ness of the stratum. The royalty was Rd. per ton. Mr. Pease gave
details as to the price of coal at the pit's mouth and in the market,
and other similar matters, and expressed his conviction that the value
of the coal-fields would be increased and the price of coals diminished
by the proposed line.
Mr. William Withers, surveyor, gave engineering evidence in favour
of the line. In cross-examination by Mr. Bement, he said that the
line passed through the ornamental grounds of Mr. Thompson, a
cotton and calico printer, who petitioned against the Bill, on an em-
bankment. A viaduct of 120 yards might be substituted.
lir. Vignoles, the chief engineer to the line, was then called, and
gave the usual engineering evidence, describing the course
of the line, Re. The line started at Blackburn, at the
station common to the Blackburn, Chorley, and Liver-
pool line, and the Blackburn andj Preston. (The former
of these is a projected line, which had been placed in another
group—the latter is sanctioned by Parliament, and is in course of
construction.) The junction, with these lines, would be effected in
such a manner as to de no injury whatever to the property of the
other companies. The three lines were laid down by him (Mr. Vig-
noles), and in fixing the site of the station of the Blackburn and Pres-
ton line, be had had in view the formation of the Blackburn and
Chorley, and the Blackburn and Clitheroe. At Whalley there is an
abbey of great antiquity, near the banks of the Ribble. The line
would cross the Ribble near this abbey, but it would keep clear of
the building itself, crossing the river on a viaduct at some distance
from it. At Clitheroe there were extensive lime works, to which
this line would give the best accommodation. A meeting of the
Blackburn and Chorley Company took place yesterday, and it was
agreed, by a majority of 10 to I, that this line should be immediately
proceeded with, without waiting for the assent of Parliament. The
worst gradient on the line was 1 in 82, which occurred near Blackburn.
Near the point of junction there is a curve of a radius less than half
a mile, which is the only curve of so small a radius. The estimate
was 600,0001., which was much more than lines which he was now
constru.eting actually cost, though they were as expensive as this
conk! be, as they passed through the same country.
n cross-examination by Mr. BaENTD, on the part of the petitioner
Mr. Thompson, the witness said that the company would have no
objection to make the line upon a viaduct instead of an embank-
ment, if Mr. Thompson wished it. They would use either the main
line or the alternative line, whichever he preferred.
Re-examined—The use of the alternative line would lessen the n-
jary to the property of Mr. Tates, another petitioner.
By the Csatasfart—We might, if necesssary, go 100 yards farther
off from Mr. Thompson's property. We would thereby avoid his
ornamental grounds.
Mr. Meengwyrgra, on the part of the promoters, said he was
prepared to call further engineering evidence, if the Committee
wished it.
The CHAIRMAIe—We are satisfied that the line is a good one in an
engineering point of view.
Mr. Meanewernisa—Then my case is concluded.
The Committee gave no decision upon this Bill immediately, but
proceeded to the adjourned case of the
Nizionniroon, PRESTON, AND NORTH
3rxxorarts 3-anc-rscor.
to this
Mr. Bidder, the en
The length er, gave the time' evidence with respect
mate 268,0001. BM.of the line was sixteen miles, and the esti_
Mr. BEENTD, on the part of the Clitheroe Junction, was about to
moss-examine Mr. Bidder, when
Mr. CALVERT objected that the Committee having declared against
the Clitheroe Junction Bill, his friend had no Nees standi.
The Criataxas said that although the Committee expressed an
opinion that the preamble of the Clitheroe Junction was not proved,
they had reserved their final derision for the express purpose of giving
them an opportunity of cross-examining the witnesses called: and
although they were not likely to give them a line of rail-
way, they would give them a line of argument.—(A laugh.)
The cross-examination, which was of no interest, then proceeded.
The Cmtramset ordered the room to be cleared, that the Committee
Watt consult as to their decision.
On our re-admission, the Chairman gave the decision of the Com-
mittee en the Clitheroe Junction; Blackburn, Clitheroe, and North
Western Junction ; Fleetwood, Preston, and West Riding Junction.
Lord Psemsitsron.—The Committee are of opinion that the pre-
amble of the Clitheroe Junction is not proved; that of the Blackburn.
Clitheroe, and North Western Junction is proved; the preamble of
the FLeetwood. Preston,. and West Riding is proved, so far as it re-
lates to the line from Preston to Clitheroe, and not proved so far as
ft relates to the line to ELslack and the branch to Burnley.
The Committee postponed the consideration of certain clauses
until Monday, tO which day they adjourned, it being ten minutes to
four o'clock.

,7•77/.
"41f-them to the sea,. 13 miles distan
mense saving to all the other ml
7l'he deviation was a considerable impro.
session. The majority of the largest man
the north of the deviation, whereas the
►
towns nor manufactories. In addition I
direct communication to the ports to