The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-14 00:00:00

been raised before two Committees of the Commons, one
which sat on the Rugby and Huntingdon Bill, and one on
the Leicester and Bedford, the Bill before their Lordships.
It was founded on an agreement come to between the Rugby
and Huntingdon and the Leicester and Bedford Companies.
to the effect that one or other of these companies would
construct a deviation from the defeated plan on that
part of the line common to both companies, between
the Thorpe-road and the Wellingborough-road, if the con-
sent of the landowners can be got, and powers from Parlla
ment to make it, and meanwhile smpending their compul-
sory powers for the construction of that part of the line.
Mr. Hildyard argued that the consent of certain parties on
that portion of the line was of no avail, that only Parliament
could sanction the alienation of glebe land or the passing of a
public road; but as their Lordships could not be certain that
next Parliament would give this sanction, and the conse-
quence would be a line with a chasm in the middle of it to
the length of about two miles. He was sure that their Lord-
ships would not pass such a line.
Mr. Sergeant ‘VRANGII,III, in reply, said that the agree-
ment was misrepresented, fur though the deviation could
not. be constructed for want of the sanction which would be
necessary, those compulsory powers to construct the depo-
sited line were merely suspended, and remained to provide
against any chasm.
Mr. HtuDrAnD replied, and the room was ordered to to
cleared.

The CHAut3rAN informed parties on their re-edit:lotion that
the Committee saw nothing in the objection to prevent them
proceeding with the Bills.
Traffic evidence in favour of the line was continued.
The Committee adjourned till eleven to-morrow.

Room C.
The Committee re-assembled this morning, Earl Rat:nor
in the chair, when
Mr. Fowler, the engineer of the Sheffield and Lincolnshire
line:was crone-sxamined by Mr. AIEREWETHER, and I stated
that the ruling gradient in the line would be 1 in 84.
On leaving Sheffield, it would have to be worked
by assistant power, and as this would be very
expensive, rather than incur such a cost it would
be better to establish a tramway from. the mineral dis-
ii tricts, which would answer every purpose. Such a design
ate had been proposed, but it had been dropped in consequence
of a breach of engagement.
% Mr. Gee, civil engineer, gave evidence against the Bill to
Xi the same effect.
Mr. Locke, the engineer, stated that he had been the con-
sulting engineer, and when he surveyed the country bad come
to the decision that a line towards- London would be best
carried out by Weodhouse Mill, and that opinion was con
firmed by the Sheffield and Lincolnshire line being sanc-
tioned by Parliament. There was no opportunity
fcr the Slif ffield and Manchester line to come
down by the Chesterfield line. The Bradford traffic
_ would come by the Sheffield and Manchester line, and the
junction would be best effected at Woodhouse Mill. This
lee line was certainly laid out inconveniently for the coal-fields,
running as they do through two deep cuttings. The esti-
mates of the opposing lines are certainly much higher than
4 Mr. Fowler's route, for which the amcunt stated is 867,0001.;
fie, another was E 83,000/., and a third 887,000/.
5i To Mr. TALBOT'S cross-examination, Mr. Locke replied
;;I") that he had executed works through reeks at a lower rate
',a than 40/. a yard, but of course the expense depended upon
sei
the nature of the rock to be passed through. Certainly the
. country was a difficult one.
44 Mr. HOPE cross-examined; but previous to his addressing
% the Committee the room was cleared, and on the re-admission
of the parties, the Chairman inquired of Mr. Talbot, the
leading counsel for the promoters, whether be could inva-
lidate the evidence of Mr. Fowler, who had stated that
64,0001. per mile would be requisite for the formation of the
4 lines. To this Mr. Talbot replied that Le could not speak
certainly.
, By direction of the CHAIRMAN
;(7, Mr. HOPE then addressed the Committee, contending that
!..i both from the expense of the sustaining walls and the alter-
I% nate expense of the spoil and waste, it would be altogether
, beyond the power of any traffic to rellltiller.le the proprie-
-11 tors. Mr. Vignoles bad stated that he was the father of the
71 steep gradients, and as the whole of the flat country had been
exhausted, that difficult country must now be attempted.
t. It had been originally intended that the Manchester
and Sheffield line should pass through this country,
but both Mr. Locke, engineer for that line, and Mr. Gee, who
was also intimate with the country, thought the proper access
of: h afield to the south was by Woodhouse. The line as ori-
ginally planned had been divested of five of its branches, and
was absolutely now a distortion, and quite incompetent to
satisfy that want which was now felt for communica-
tion with the south. Mr. Vignoles had proposed five
objects, the shortening of the distance of Sheffield from
London by eight miles; the cheapening of the price of
coals at Shsffield; the opening of the Dronfield and Burlow
coal-beds; a better communication with the south, and the
increase of the access to other coal-fields. After going
through all those points, and making reference to the evi-
dence which had been Iduced, Mr. Hope went to the intrin-
sic merits of the line itself, which he contended were insuffi-
cient tojastify its formation, especially on the ground that the
population was too small to create a traffic upon any line in
the neighbourhood. - The local traffic thus failing, the next
consideration was the through traffic, and tbis, he contended,
ite, was also such as not to justify the expenditure of so much
Ift cap:tal. With respect:to the saving of eight miles, which it
rif was alleged would be saved by the Sheffield and Lincolnshire
;I line, which was now sanctioned by both Houses of Parliament,
the greater distance would be only 34 miles, while if the line
were to be used as now projected, the trains from the north
would have to back fully a mile, and thus the distance would
4 thereby be actually reduced to 14 miles. Then with respect
to the transit to London, there was a distance by the Lon-
don and York Company of 160 miles, with a difference of nine
miles against the Midland Counties, with the superior advan-
tage of a united management; and if the Erewash Valley
were to be used, there would be a saving of a mile and a half:
Mr. TALBOT replied, resting chiefly in the outset upon
the opening made by the station at Brighton. The Sheffield
people were notoriously a persevering people; but it was a
tact which was patent to all the world, that just as the
London and York Railway bad progressed to Parliamentary
success—a line which involved three hundred miles of rail-
way—so bad the worth of its capital decreased. He
would treat with the contempt which it merited the hardy
assertion of Mr. Fowler, that the whole of that line would
be made before this little lino of thirteen miles long was con-
structed. He would assert that on the line of the London
and York there was not a single town of the slightest com-
mercial importance, while on the other line there was access
to Sheffield, Nottingham, and Derby, and the several other
places connected with the great manufacturing interests of
the country. After going through the evidence upon
the transit of coal from -the neighbouring coal-fields to
Sheffield, the Learned Counsel stated that the projectors'
had reduced their capital by 50 per cent., in order to meet
the necessities of the times and the emergencies that might
arise to the business people of Sheffield, and the considera-
tion for the Committee was not the amount of capital to be
employed, but whether it would be judiciously ex-
pended for the public benefit. With respect to the
estimates, it was well known that half-a-dozen valuers
might be brought on one side or the other, and all speaking
to different portions of the subject, might speak the truth,
and yet flatly contradict each other, but he had opened this
case as one necessarily involving heavy works. The pro-
moters were quite willing to take upon themselves the ex-
pense, so that no objection could stand on that account.
The North Midland Company, into whose hands this line
must eventually fall, were quite ready to take it up,
The people of Sheffield were equally anxious for its success;
and after the rejection of the line last year a meeting had
been held, at which the repetition of the effort was strongly
recommended. For himself, he regretted that the pro-
moters had no better advocate; but he felt that in zeal and
earnestness he had fully done his duty by his clients.
The room was then cleared, and on the re-admission of
parties the Chairman declared that the Bill was not proved
and is, therefore, tor the present lost.

Room D.
The members of this Committee re-assembled to-day at
eleven o'clock.
ZPSITZICH AND BURY ST. ED Z4ZITND