The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-18 00:00:00

TUN DONCASTER, WAKEFIELD, AND

LEEDS

The Committee on this Bill met again this day at eleven o'clock ;
Lord Somers in the chair.
The case for the promoters having closed, Mr. Alexander, Q. C.,
opened for Mr. Fountain Wilson and other landowners opposing
the line.
The Learned Counsel contended that the line was unnecesQary to
the population of the districts which it proposed to accommodate ;
and that the injnry It would do to property would be much more
than the good which would result.
After Mr. ALEXANDER concluded his address, evidence was called
to prove the injury which the landowners would sustain by the con-
atructton of the line.
Mr. Sergeant WasNcriew then replied, after which the room was
cleared.
After some deliberation the parties were called In, and informed
by the CHAIRMAN that the Committee would defer their decision
till they had heard the case for the Swinton and Lincoln line.
Mr. AUSTIN then addressed the Committee on behalf of the pro-
moters of the Swinton and Lincoln line, after which the Committee
adjourned till eleven o'clock to-marrow.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
CROUP 11.
WEST CORNWALL
3fr. Hancock an r were ex.anined this morning in
this case.
In consequence of the absence of Mr. Brunel, the remainder of the
case was allowed to stand over till to-morrow.
The remaining clauses of the Bill were passed through the Com-
mittee.
The Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow,

GROUP XIII.
The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock ; Sir William Clay in
the chair. Other member, present, Karl .Jerrnyn, Mr. Curtels, and
P. Ainsworth.
The clauses c f the Glasgow, Dumfries. and Carlisle Railway Bill
were postponett till to-morrow.

CALEDONIAN EXTENSION.
This line was then proceeded with.
The formal proofs were then put in, in conformity with Mr. Bun-
combe's resolutions.
The line is opposed by the Duke of Portland and several petition-
ing landowners, for whoin Mr. Austin, Mr. Sergeant Behests, Mr.
Deedes, and Mr. Denison appeared. The Ayr and Glasgow Railway
also petitioned, and was represented by Mr. Andrews.
Counsel in favour of the Bill are Mr. Talbot, Mr. Sergeant Wrang.
ham, Mr. Hope, Sir Win. RI Well, Mr. Richards, and Mr. Boyle.
Mr. COCKBURN opened the proceedings on behalf of the Bill. The
line for which he appeared, he said, was proposed to run from Ayr to
a point on the Caledonian line, about two miles from Lanark, called
Ita.yenstruther, with two branches north and south, the former the
Lesmahagow branch, and the other went on to Abingdon
on the Caledonian line. The great object of the main
line was to
.connect .tyr with Edinburgh, so that the
Waffle from the former might be carried forward on the Edinburgh,
Tork, and the Caledonian line. ft passed through the important
mineral fields of F.nterkin, Mitirkirk, Glenbuck, and Douglas. The
object of the south, or Abingdon branch, was to open those extoisive
Coal fields fa Annandale and Dumfries-shire ; and the north branch
was intended to open up the valuable coal field of Lestnahegow,
which at present was locked altogether. The Lesmaliagow was a
most extensive and valuable coal field, containing an abundant sup-
Ply 01. gas coal, which would command through the railway a ready
Market in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The line, with the branches also,
Would be of the greatest service in accommodating the agricultural
traffic of the three counties that would be connected v nth the line.
With regard to the accommodation of passengers passing from Ayr
to Edinburgh, he believed that at present by the coast route the dis-
tance was fifteen or sixteen miles more than it would be by the pre-
lent line, independent of the break of two tidies at Glasgow, which Would occasion a material delay. Even were the Barrhead and Kil-
marnock line formed, the distance would still be ten miles in favour
of the Caledonia!' Extension. This advantage was indepen-
dent of the great Mineral fields that would be opened up.
The whole scheme was 76 miles in length ; the main line being 44
mites, the Lesmatlagovr branch 17 miles, cud the Abingdon branch
12 miles. The main line was estimated to cost 7a2,2361., the Lama-
hagow brar;ch 302,862 i., and the Abingdon branch 193,2611. ;making
the totat oapital 1,330,000/. Ile would support the scheme by wit-
Dent: Of the highest respectability, and though the scheme was op-
posed by several proprietors, he did not think they could make out
case that would justify the rejection of such an important line. The
Learned Gentleman then proceeded to call his witnesses. • Mr. Bell Teller, shipper, of Ayr, examined--He said he was in the
baloit of shipping the iron of the Muirkirk Company. He had three
ships of his own, and exported about '2,000 tons of that iron yearly. The Iron was brought twenty miles by carts, at a charge of about
10s. a ton. That was a low charge. Ile also exported a consider-
elle portion of wool that came from the Muirkirk district. The line
passed through an important agricultural and mineral district. The
principal return cargoes were salt, guano, and oil cakes, which were
sent up into the interior. There were large cotton works at
Cartine, with which there was considerable traffic from Ayr.
There were considerable beds of freestone along the line that
Would dnd an outlet to Liverpool by this line. There were 100,000
tone of coal exported from Ayr at present, which Caine from ports
between Ayr and Mem:Mine on the route of the line; the supplies
were mainly on the Anchinernive estate. A considerable amount of.
grain and flour was shipped into Ayi from Ireland, a great portion of
which went into the interior. At present the largest ships that
entered were 250 tons register, but the harbour might be much im-
proved, and the line would tend to that object. The harboar
trustees were in favour of the tine and he hellved such was the
general feeling of the inhabitants. The Town Connell had petitioned
in its favour. Ayr contained upwards of 17,000 inhabitants, and
!hose would be much benefited by the shortening of the distance to
adinburgh.

- - The evidence in favour of the line having teen concluded, the do
elsion on the preamble was postponed.

LONDON, HOUNSLOW, AND WESTERN,

The Committee then adjourned to Saturday, with the underatand-
ing, that If Mr. Cockburn, Q.C. (for the Kew branch), cannot attend
on that day, there will be a further adjournment till Monday.

GROUP XXXI.

BIRMINGHAM AND BRISTOL (ASH-
CHURCH, TEWKESBURY, and MALVERN).
The Committee to which the above railway is referred met to-day
at twelve o'clock.

The day was occupied principally in hearing the evidence adduced
on the part of the promoters of the Bill, in order to show the
amount of passenger and goods traffic upon the route of the
proposed line between Malvern, Worcester, Tewkesbury, Chel-
tenham, and Gloucester. It was proved that the amount of
traffic between those points would be amply sufficient to support a
railway, such as the one proposed. The feeling along the line was
much in favour of its formation, as it would afford an infinitely bet-
ter means of communication than the Severn, which was an uncer-
tain river, as it was subject to great floods and low ebbs, which some-
times stopped the passage of the river for weeks together. Goods
conveyed by water had also the disadvantage of being much subject
to pilfering, by which considerable loss was sustained.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

GROUP XXXIII.
The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, in Room No. '24,
(Grand Corridor); present, Sir Robert Ferguson (Chairman), the
Marquis of Worcester, Viscount Newry, Mr. Smollett, and Mr.
Fellows.
They proceeded with the

LONDON AND WARWICKSHIRE (THRZE

BRANCHES

The traffic evidence in favour of these branches, Al against the
Great Western projects, occupied the whole morning.
The trafilc evidence having been concluded, it was arranged that
the engineering evidence should be taken to-morrow, and the Com-
mittee adjourned at four o'clock.

Mr. Bell Telfer, cross-examined for landowners—The principal
portion of the Sanquhar coal-field was within a mile of the harbour
of Ayr. The Blackhouse field was still nearer to Ayr. About seven-
eighths of the coal shipped at Ayr was supplied by Mr. Gordon, who
worked all the fields In the immediate neighbourhood.
Cross-examined by Mr. ANDREWS, for the Kilmarnock and Ayr
Railway—The Caledonian Company had promised the harbour
trustees the loan of 10,0001. for the Improvement of the harbour, pro-
vided they gave their support to the Bill before the Committee.
lie was not aware that there was a much greater quantity of
gnano and salt brought down to Ayr from Glasgow than imported
direct into Ayr from Liverpool.
Mr. James Patton, builder and timber-merchant, resident iu Ayr,
examined by Mr. Banta—Between 7,000 and 8,009 tone
of American timber were annually imported into Ayr. A
great proportion of that quantity was sent into this country In the
direction of the proposed railway for building purposes. There had
been a considerable demand lately for wood in the neighbourhood
of Mulrkirk on account of the erection of iron works in
that locality. A great quantity of triez stone was annually
exported from Ayr, which was brought from a quarry about a
mile from the town. The supply was not, however, equal to the
demand, on account of the want of railway communication to the
eastward. Guano in great quaetities was imported into Ayr
every year, most of which was sent Into the interior of the
country: The present line of railway along the coast to
Glasgow (lid not accommodate the; interior of the county of Ayr. He
considered the Construction of the present scheme would be of the
greatest benefit to that district of country.
The witness was cross-examined at great length by Sir Thomas
PHILIPS, to show that the quantity of timber sent fl'om .tyr along the
line of the proposed railway was very ineouliderable, but nothing of
importance was elicited.
Mr. Thomas Gemmel, editor of the A✓r Advertiser, was next ex-
*reined —The revenue of the Ayr harbour had been increasing gra-
dually for the last three years. Last year it had amounted to
1,7001. The number of vessels which came into this harbour (luring
134.3 was 1,145. The entire amount of Custom.lioase duties was
lOW. per annum. The general feeling among the inhabitants of Ayr
was decidedly in"favour of the proposed railway.
Cross-examined—He believed there was y
. one meeting of the
Town Council In favour of the Caledonian Extension, and the general
feeling was in favour of the line. The dyes he had given of the
*arbour of Ayr for the three years were the gross receipts. The
illthOlities and the public of Ayr were decidedly ht favour of the
present line.
Cross-examined by Sir T. PHILLIPS, for the Glasgow and Ayr Coin-
pany—The slew In which the Town Council had considered the pre-
cent line was the advantage of it for the through traffic from Ayr and
Glasgow,

GROUP XXXVIII.

LEEDS, DEWSBURY, AND MANCHESTER

The Committee met at the usual hour, Mr. Acland in the chair.
A number of witnesses were examined this morning with reference
to the general merits or the proposed line.
One of the witnesses stated, in the district through which the line
would pass there were coal mines capable of producing one thousand
millions of tons. It was bat fair to suppose that a large quantity of
this would pass along the proposed line.

GROUP XXXIX.
OLDHAM DISTRICT.
The Committee met at the usual hour, Mr. Divett in the chair.
The case of one of the petitioners against the Bill was gone into,
and completed this day.
Mr. Coaaarr then opened the case for several landowners and the
commissioners of several townships of Oldham against the Bill.

Mr. Adam Hunter, merchant, of Ayr, deposed that he carried on a
large business as a general merchant. He had purchased a consi-
storable amount of wool along the route of the present line, and if it
Were formesi it would be a great accommodation for that kind of
goods. Wool from Muirkirk cost about His. a ton carriage. Corn
was often brought to Ayr from Edinburgh and Leith, the latter
being the principal Scotch port for Baltic grain. Were
the line formed there would be great advantage to
the traffic, as, since the Edinburgh and Glasgow Company ha 4
bought up the canal, freights by that route had risen a great deal.
Corn was now, he believed, 16s. a ton carriage. He imported grain
Rom 'reload, a considerable portion of which went up to Catrine and '
the neighbourhood. There was no doubt that a great number of pas-
gengets went from Ayr to Edinburgh.
'roe witness was cross•examined with the object of showing that
he Was but superficially Informed as to the details of the traffic he
TefeTred to, when
The Committee adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XIV.
Zitilital'OOL, ORNISILI3L3C, AND PADSTON.
.Trtee, Committee uset at twelve o'clock.
vftto btrer.,tzattie Part or the promoters was Opened by Mr. Tatsor,
considerable that this line was one which must evidently have
deration of the advantage Com over the others which were under the consi-
Others would test 116%-to,%as it would onl cost 7,50,0001., while the
SCCommodation as the C,- --?:, and
would
byY
no means afford the same
main line ~,,a., 23,4
n‘,3:14:,1,4 Thiel. he appeared. The length of the
mileS; the Southp,,rt branch wiT'ir.reA and Bury branch was three
entire line Wi miles, showing ; ''',,,,,ittl, making the length of the
Of the line over the Canal Company.' Ildetlible difference In ravo„,
line The Lea tared Counsel then called lir. P.thecete",
would be of conAiderable benefit to ceunt° Proved that the
rY. bY the exten-
sive accommodation it would afford.
Dr. Williams stated that along ths intended course of the line the
'eras a great want of accommodation tor the passage of g,,,,,,u,
.),r7l
that evil would be removed by the foruiation of the line.
Mr. Samuel Cherey proved that the terminus. of the line was s
I I
%iterated as to adord the greatest pose' ) a accommodation to the
district.
Mr. Smith, examined be Mr. BRANDY (who appeared on the part
Of the promoters), stated that there was great, want of accommoda-
tion for goods at the station of the North Inion line ever since the
line were still high,
natation had been enlarg ed. '
though they hail lately undergone
ratneaeg en the
reduction.
There was every
Necessity for the formation of this line.
and a director of
Mr. Cornelius Nicholson, Mayor of Kendall,
the Lancaster and Carlisle itailvvay—This line wag 011!
'which would give such material accommodation to the
country, especially by Its branch to Blackburn, that its
Importance could not he sufficiently estimated. Had often
travelled over the North Union line, and I was of opinion that the
laCeommNiatiou afforded by it was by no means sufficient for the
rapidly increasing traffic, even at Preston. There was not sufficient
roam on the rails f'or all the trains whieh arrived, so that an engine,
!Which had just arrived, had to run into the adjacent tunnel, and
remain there a, quarter of at, hour, and sometimes twenty minutes,
until another train had passed. He had heard that last year there
were not less than 60,000 passengers from Liverpool to Scotland. He
15elieved that that number of passangers would, when the lines were
Opened would take advantage of the railway. The inhabitants were
Very much in favour of Its formation,
Other evidence of a similar nature was then adduced.
The Committee adjourned until twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP X V 11.
The Committee resumed its sittings this morning at twelve o'cleck
the lion. E. Torte In the chair.
MA.NCHESTER. AND SOUTHAMPTON.
Mr. Bidder was cross-examlued at great length by the opposing
Connsel, with respect to the stations, level crossings, landowners,
&c. In the course of his examination it was elicited, that the posi-
tions of the ordinary stations had not been decided upon, but that
Arst class stations had been erected at Romsey, Andover,
Marlborough, Cirencester, and Swindon, the cost of which
tirotild vary from 2,000/. to 12,000/. Ile confidently anticipated that
the expense of constructing the stations would be defrayed in the
Course of time by the rent which would be derived from farmers
Deteg the granaries which would be constructed in connexion with
them. He could not say whether arrangements had been entered
Into to the amonnt of zoomet. to neutralize the opposition of land-
Iwners ; it was mot within his province to answer such a question ;
tint, speaking for himself, he might say that landowners would re-
'Vivo fair compensatir n for any property which might be required
'or the purposes of the line. The expense of erecting another station
tt Southampton was perfectly justified by the wants of the inha-
;situates Mil cQuildero4 that Vas 1630 nuict Dof solToatigs

RAIL WA Y COMMITTEES. near
tine
evwillill
paansds
at
tlsr
Oulftham.pottotn, ; lbudtoif there's:
(YESTERDAY.) were injured they would be amply compensated by the Company.
The junction with the South-Western at Ramsey, in order to obtain
r— access to Portsmouth, would be effected (as the existing line is 17
H OUSE OF LORDS. feet higher than the Manchester and Southampton at that point) by
two sidings rising about 1 in 50—one a half and the other a quarter
DZILIICT LONDON AND PORTSMOUTH.
of a malls in length, and the cost probably 3,0001. To have avoided
aumnpoßD, CHICNESTER, PORT:33IO'O'IW, the land of Mr. Genler and Mr. Everett would have entailed upon
AND PARaNAM. the promoters the necessity of leaving Andover out of their route, and
Their Lordships met this morning in Room A (New Houses of the selection of a line more expensive, less convenient by being longer,
and inaddition, with objectionable gradients.
the Members were present.
Parliament) at the usual hour. Lord Beaumont In the chair. All Re-examlued by Mr. JANCEI—Mr. Mataerley, a solicitor, at &oath-
The case on the part of the promoters of the Guildford and Chi-
anipton, who opposed the line because it would pass his house on an
theater was proceeded with. embankment. Formerly supported a line which was intended to pa-,s
The Duke of Richmond was called by Mr. Sergeant WAANOTIAM to in a similar manner. The tramways along the pier, at Southampton,
would not inconvenience persons using the pier, either for the par-
give evidence in favour of this line, which his Grace declared to he poses of business or pleasure, besides a satisfactory arraugernent had
far superior to the Direct London and Portsmouth, net only on
account of its being shorter men made with the trustees. The wishes of the landowners would
(by two miles), but also as it gave at'-
sommodation to more important places. Chichester was ley far a be met as much as possible within the limits of deviation.
mere important place than Peterstield, and he thought it would be In reply to questions from the Committee,
works were commenced at once that he would undertake to complete
could be
much better to have Ch'eltes •
, i tel on the main line and Petersfield on it in two years and a half—from Southampton to Andover
a branch, as they would be on this line, than to have Peers-Feld completes in a year. the witness said if the
-exami-
, on the main line and Chichester on a branch, as proposed The CaAlaifaN suggested that for the future thec
r
ess
should
h.)! the Direct London and Portsmouth. It would be
nation of the witnesses should be so arranged that one Counsel a
a great advantage to the rich agricultural Cistricts through which respect to the engineering, an
this line would pass, to have the direct communication it would cross-examine the witnesses with
afford to London and other important places. Th the other with respect to the landowners.
and Direct London The opposing Counsel intimated that the suggestion, although sur-
and Portsmouth would eertainly Co considerable damage tells pro- rounde2wpith difficulties, would meet with their earnest attention.
perty, but he was not the person to oppose a railway Bill on such Some discussion then ensued with respect to theCommiitee visiting
a ground as that. He denied that he had entered into an agreement Southamptn, hi order to inspect the pier, and the relative positions
with the London and Portsmouth, by which he became an interested of the two stations.
party ; " and WETS" observed his Grace, " I never vet was • con- ire intimated that the South-Western would be happy to
netted in any Way witli any railway,Mr. H
and I never intend to be."
put a special train at the service of the Committee.
•
His Grace was not cross-examined by counsel on the other side.
The Cuatrimas salt it was not the intention of the whole of the
Other witnessed were then called, and gave similar evidence. Coommi 'ttee to visit Southampton. Ile was going to Southampton by
The Bishop of Oxford was called and examined by Mr. MERE- the nine o'clock train on Saturday morning, and should be happy to
werna on the part of the promoters of the Guildford and Chichester. meet the parties at Southampton in order to inspect the pier. He
The Rev. Prelate gave evidence similar in effect to that of the Duke iomala also be glad, lf possible, to see the property of Mr. Everett,
of Richmond, in favour of this line, shit against the Direct London at Appleshaw.
and Portsmouth. Mr. Hawkshaw, C.E., examined by Mr. GCRNEY—Iiad surveyed
On the conclusion of his Lordship's evidence, it being past the line, and he considered It was judiciously laid out, and would
four o'clock, the Committee rose and adjourned till to-morrow at meet the concurrence of the districts it would traverse. He was
eleven o'clock, also satisfied with the sufficiency of the estimates, and of the de-
sirability of the station at Southampton. The tramways en the pier
LONDON AND YOILIE. would not he objectionable. The course of the Andover canal was
AND , advantageous, inasmuch as it would not interfere with pri-
vate property, and was the most direct course that
could be adopted. The line to Andover could be com-
pleted its twelve months. The line could be carried underneath
the Great Westent at Swiadon without interfering with the free
working of the line. The heaviest works on the lice were at the
Coteswold hills, which were to be tunnelled ; but they presented no
engineering difficulty, and the gradients were extremely good, con-
sidering the nature of the country.
The witness was cross-examined by Mr. Hill, Mr. Keating, and
Mr. Hatherton. In reply to questions from the last-named counsel,
he stated that the line, if prevented from making its proposed ter-
minus, and obliged to use the terminus of the South-Western, would
yet be an advisable scheme ; but If the proposed station were not
made, the line would suffer from not having communication with
the pier.
The Committee then adjourned until one o'clock tomorrow.

GROUP XX.
The Committee on this (the Windsor) Group met to day, at twelve,
In Room No. 31, present Mr. Sotheron (chairman), Mr. Pigott, Sir
William Bentinck, Mr. Tattered, and Mr. Ross.
They proceeded to hear the arguments of counsel on the point in
part reserved from yesterday, in the ease of the
LONDON AND WINDSOR.

It will be remembered that the continued evidence in favour of this

line was interrupted by• the Chairman stating that It wss, in the
opinion of the Committee, fatal to this Bill that the consent of the
Commissioners of Metropolitan Roads had not been obtained by the
promoters, to cross those roads on a level. According t• the ar-
rangements then agreed to,

MEREwETHER, for the promoters, now addressed the Com-
mittee. He said that the present plans were such as the Metropolitan
Roads Commissioners would assent to.
Mr. Cocgetati, on the other hand, contended that the consent of
. .

the Commissioners would be now of no avail, as the alteration of the
plans was such as to bring the Bill under the fifteenth standing order.
The promoters would require to build a bridge, whereby their limits
of deviation would extend into ►ands not laid down in the plans de-
posited, and of which the owners were not named in the book of
reference.

After some discussion upon this point, from which it appeare 1 that
in some cases the standing order in question had been dispensed
with, . _

The CHAIRMAN said the Committee had heard nothing to induce
them to proceed further with this case. Whatever might be the cir-
cumstances under which the standing order had been elsewhere dis-
pensed with, they must hold it to be fatal to the Bill.
The Bill was accordidgly thrown out, and the Committee took the
RICHMOND (HEW BRANCH).
Mr. CHAMBERS stated the case of the promoters. The proposed
line was intended to be connected with the Richmond line about
to be very shortly opened. [t would extend from Mortlake to Kew,
the length being little more than a mile and a half, and the coat was
estimated at between twenty-five and twenty-seven thoeisand
pounds. There would ultimately be a continuous line from the
York-road to Kew, an accommodation of great advantage not only
to the pleasure traffic, but to the Scientific traffic of the metropolis.
The Learned Gentlemen then went into a detailed statistical enume-
ration of the numbers and various classes of visitors for pleasure or
science to the Botanical Gardens at Kew, and the other points of
attraction in that neighbourhood. He quoted largely from the re-
ports of Sir W. J. Iloooker, in the years 1845 and 1846, on the Royal
Botanic Gardens and the proposed new Palm-houses, at Kew, to
show the importance of this railway hi a popular as well as scientific
view.

In respect to the petition against the returns relating to this Bill,
the decision on the preamble of which stands deferred, the Commit-
tee, after a ion: argu.nent, decided that the petition could not be