The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-23 00:00:00

GROUP xx.

SURREY' IRON 3LELXIAIiav mutB"neet
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition 074)....__,_).
The evidence of the opponents having been c0nem.77"47.-)
tbs .
Illittee postponed their decision. Cent
LONDON, nomwszovr, AND WESTlring.
Mr. CoCißrAN's summing up of the evidence in support or this
line occupied the Committee through the remainder of the sitting,
when they adjourned till two o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XXXI.
NIZZEITOL AND. BINVIINGNA24 (SATE

BRANCH).
The Committee re-assembled this morning at about half-past
twelve. and proceeded with the examination of witnesses In favour
of the above Bill.
Mr. Bachelor and other witnesses were examined, and gave
general evidence in support of the Bill, and the Committee then ad-
journed.

GROUP XXXIII.
WORCESTER. AND vrEassoN.
HAMPTON AND ASUCEITECH,
HAMPTON AND BANBUET.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
'Viscount Villiers and other witnesses gave similar evidence against
the.lines, chiefly on the ground of the injury that would be done to
property in the district to be traversed, in consequence of the inter-
ferenee with the fox-hunting pleaoures of the county of Warwick.
The Committee akiourneel at four o'clock till twelve to-morrow.

GROUP X.:CCV II I,

WiTAZ.ZPZELD TO LEEDS (mnmawn Ez.

TZ.TeSION).

Several witnesses were called this morning, who gave evidence in
Favour of this extension scheme of the Midland Railway. The evi-
dence was brought to bear upon the present inetficient mode of com-
munication between the important towns of Wakefield and Leeds.
The Coniatittte adjourned till twelve to-morrow.

GROUP LIII.
This Committee re-assembled this morning In Boom 26 (Grand
Corridor), at the usual hour. Present, the Hon. E. Lascellee (in the
chair), the Earl of Arundel and surrey, Mr. Llildyard, Captain
Dalrymple, and Mr. H. Clayton.

41=7=3/Guass, Du1n.377,_ alga womprai

HAMPTON. --
The Hon. Mr. TALsot Q.C., opened the case on behalf of the pro-
moters. After a few remarks, he contended (and he said he would
be able to show by evidence) that the parties whom he represented
lad a preponderance, and under the circumstances a most remark-
able Dreporderance of the opinion of merchants in the manufacturing
lwricts tbxough which this and Um rival lines proposed to poi.

• This line would possess this great advantage over its rivals, viz., that
it would not be amalgamated with the London and Birmingham and
the Grand Junction, thus securing to the manufacture-s of that dis-
trict and the public at large the advantages of competition. This was an
entirely independent company, devised by the priuci al ironmaeters
of the district. Unless the Committee were prepared to establish
in the hands of the parties named, as it seemed to him, one of the
greatest and most overpowering monopolies that could ever be con-
stituted by the cupidity of companies coalescing for the purposes of
profit, they could hardly assent to the propositions of his Learned
Friend. The Committee might grant the line which he re-
presented without a single qualm as to the erect which it
Might produce upon the dividends of the eetisting canal. They
might legislate with perfect freedom upon this point,
for the proprietors had already provided against any loss
which they might sustain in this respect. In fact, this railway had
been laid out for the purpose of preserving the proprietors of the
canal perfectly harmless. A man could not, by the proposed
Shrewsbury and Birmhigham, pass from Stahel to Dudley. No ae-
commodation was given by it between Walsall, Blisters, and Dudley,
er West Bromwich and Walsall, all of which were crowded and
roost important towns. In order to remedy the defects of his
line, Mr. Stephenson proposed to unite with the Oxford, Worcester,
and Wolverhampton a line which he abominated, and spurned+ and
one too, which the promoters of his line said they believed would
never be made. And then, as to the an-important question of the sta-
tion at Wolverhampton—whether it should be on the high or the los
level—Mr. Brunel and Mr. Locke entertained the opinion, that thea
low level was the better plan, whilst Mr. Stephenson
an;entertained
contrary opinion. Now, he thought, that hil (Mr. Tal )
sanction of Parliament. If the Committee decided thatth
ought to be right, a priori, and for this reason, that theeyhhhcadh
level
e
one.uldecision
hhave
e they
we
yollaate
-,
was the better of the two, they would mnakaehaardthe
Parlia-
ment on this question appear to be a
nfbeatwineeilies. Tiptonwhy.
nei-
ther toned this, the Shrewsbury and Birmingham
and a canal running the
distance
hat.
Wolverhampton, at a
In " Punch"— (Laughter) —nor in Bradehaw's map could they tind
ofifvest-leigmhtihT
who had been brought for-
a similar case. The witnesses
ward in support of the Shrewsbury, and Birmingham
as far as regarded the accommodation which it would afford be-
tween Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury, did not live within ten or
twelve miles of Wolverhampton ; and, therefore, were not locally
acquainted with the district which they were ealled to speak ot.
lie complained that by statements in local newspapers the
promoters of that lime had attempted to mislead the public
with regard to the accommodation which their line would
afford. Their line would cause an enormous deStruc-
tion of property, and it would block up the access to all the
principal works of Wolverhampton. All the advantages which they
proposed to aft rd to the people of Wolverhampton would be afforded
by the line which he represented. The evidence of Mr. Stephenson
with regard to the advantages of a high level at Wolverhampton had,
in his (Mr. Talbot's) opinion, been shattered to pieces. In-
stead of having absorption of momentum, Mr. Stephenson would
have acceleration by his high level station, which would form a sort
of pinnacle, which would be in all respects- highly objectionable.
The Learned Counsel then proceeded to enter into'a comparison of the
proposed stations at Birmingham. He admitted that Mr. Stephen-
son's would be central, but he also maintained that his (Mr. Talbot's)
clients' station was still more central, whilst it vronld afford infinitely
more accommodation to goods and passengers arriving from Wolver-
hampton. He contended, too, notwithstanding the evidence that had
been laid before the Committee, that this company's stations would
be as near to the banks, post-office, town-hall, &c., &c., as that of
the Shrewsbury and Birmingham. He then pointed out, by the aid
of a most excellent model of Birmingham, the situations of the pro-
posed different stations there, the property which would have to be de-
stroyed by each, lice. The gradients of the Shrewsbury and Birmingham
line as it entered Birmingham were of a most difficultdescriptien, and
Mr. Stephenson, in order to get out of that difficulty, said that simi-
lar gradients existed in some of the lines entering London, Manches-
ter, and Liverpool, but he (the Learned Counsel) trusted that would
not be accepted as a sufficient reason for their approval of his scheme.
The Shrewsbury and Birmingham would also pass over a burial
ground in Birmingham, which might have been very easily
avoided. They were all fiercely opposed by the trustees
of the roads to pass, and however important the con-
struction of a railway might be in that district, he conceived
that it was the duty of the Legislature to take care that, by their
decisions, they did not deprive the public of the advantages of the
existing highways, which the Shrewsbury and Birmingham pro-
posed to destroy. Mr. Fowler, one of the witnesses called in sup-
port of that scheme, in his evidence, stated that it would afford ac-
commodation to a greater number of works than either of its
rivals, but he made this most serious omission—he forgot to state
that, although it might accommodate more numerically, it would not
accommodate nearly as much as this did the most important works
of the district. There was one point, and one point only, upon which
ids clients pleaded guilty to something like omission, which had been
of course made the most of on the other side. Their line
went nearer to Darlaston, which contained a population
of 8,244. His defence was this, that the Grand
Junction ran within three-quarters of a mile of that very
town, which was very inconsiderable when compared with the other
towns which the lines would accommodate, its principal business
consisting in the manufacture of hinges, bolts, &c. But, as regarded
the difference of accommodation proposed to be afforded by this line
and the Shrewsbury and Birmingham to the people living between
those two places, the rival companies bad made use of the pot and
kettle argument. If he were to be told of freaks of management, &c.
he could most successfully retaliate on his Learned Friend. The wed-
lock of tire Shrewsbury and Birmingham with the canal in that
district would entail the most serious consequences as regarded the
interests of the public. The cost of that line would be 1,200,0001.,
whereas the whole of the line which he represented would cost ne
more than 700,0001. ilia clients would have to construct
only In; miles of railway in common with the South
Staffordshire, whilst the rival line would involve the expense
of 26 miles. This line would be the freest, the moat independent,
and the best ; it would not be under the influence of a council sitting
at Euston-square, who could have no interest in the district. The
Learned Counsel having concluded his speech, of nearly three hours'
length, and resumed his seat, rose again in a few minutes, and stated
that since he had tho honour of addressing the Committee
he had the happiness to hear that an arrangement had been entered
into between the Trent Valley Midlands and the South Staffordshire
junction, which would have the effect of assigning all the lines on
the south of Walsall (which would include Dudley) to the former
Company.
Lord Hatherton was then examined by Mr. Sergeant Ktreeesge,
on behalf of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley line. His
Lordship stated that he was a landowner and mineral proprietor in
South Stafforahire, and that it was of the very greatest importance
that that district should have the advantage of having a direct railway
communication with Birmingham and other large towns. Those ad-
vantages would be best afforded by the scheme under the consideration
of the Committee. The London and Birmingham ltailway had
not been of the slightest advantage to South Staffordshire. The
greatest landed proprietors of the district through which this line
would pass, as well as the principal ironmasters, were the promoters
of this scheme. If the proposed amalgamation of the Shrewsbury
and Birmingham with the Grand Junction were carried out, to say
the least of it, a great and permanent evil—in fact, the most extensive
monopoly that Parliament had yet sanctioned—would be inflicted
upon the district. He conceived that the high level adopted by the
Shrewsbury and Birmingham at Wolverhampton would be most in-
convenient, and would entail a serious destruction of property.
All the lines entering Wolverhampton ought to meet ; it was chiefly
an exporting town, and would be decidedly best accommodated by the
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and budley.
Cross-examined by Mr. HOPS —He had no recollection of having
given instruction to agent to sell land to the Shrewsbury and Bir-
mingham Company on the erection of their high level station atWol-
verhampt on. He could not say of his own knowledge whether that
station would cause great destruction of property, but he had
heard "several say so, and being a chairman of this
Company's line, he believed the rumours. This line would have the
advantage over its rivals of being on the broad gauge, which, in his
opinion, was the best and safest. Ito believed that the amalgamation
of this Company with the London and 'Birmingham would be beneil-
cial to the public and the parties concerned. About half-a-dozen of
the principal iron-masters were in favour of the Company's line, and
there could he no doubt that several ot the roost wealthy and re-
spectable Iron-maters were in favour of the Shrewsbury and Mr-
Iniegham.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock until twelve to-morrow.

GROUP "XIII.
MIDLAND RAILWAY (PURCHASE or
OAICHAPI CANAL).
The Committee were occupied during the greater part of the day
on the clauses of this Bill.