The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-26 00:00:00

GROUP XIII.

This Committee Id not•meet till one o'clock to-day. Slr Wiillnm
Clay was in the chair.

C 11.2• ED 4)NIAN EXTENSXON.
The whole of the afternoon was occupied with evidence impugning
the accuracy of the trati;: returns adduced by the promoters of the
Bill.
The Committee adjourned at the usual hour. • •

GROUP XVII.
MANCHESTER, AND SOUTELEMPTON.

The Committee met this umrailig, at twelve o'clock, the lion.
E. Yorke in the chair.
The first witness called was Mr. N. Brown, a gentleman possessing
prone, ty and residing at Chisiedott, between Swindon and Marl-
borough, who stated that the line would run through a great portion
of his property, partially by a ; that the country was not
thickly populated In addition to this, the line would Interfere, and
possibly dry up, on account of the nature of the soil, several wells
supplying the inhabitants of the town with water. He generally
disapproved of the line, as not required by the wants of the district,
or for through traffic. Eastern and western communication was all
that Was required.
Mr. Locke, the engineer to the South-Western and other lines, was
then called, and examined by qr. Him--he Manchester and
Southampton was 884 miles in length from Southampton to its
points of junction with the Itristol and Birmingham, at Swindon, in
oloucest, rshire. The entire distance to Manchester was 212% miles
It length. ThP distauc by Birmingham would be !16% miles. The
distance to Ma tchester by ‘he South-Weiner!), via Basingstoke, Rees:-
fig, the Oxf rd and Rub,. the TrentValley,And the Grand Junction.
was 231 miles and a quarter; by the South-Western, the Basingstoke
and Reading, and he proposed Oxtord and Birmlogham, 222
ilea
and a half; by tin. 1 d.icot branch proposed by the Iloaril of Trade. 212
miles and a half, w!'ich would be as short as the proposed line. Mr.
Locke was then examined with respect to a line from Southampton
called Lacey's line, which was thrown out by the Standing Orders'
Committee, and which he stated was as direct and would be more
locally important than the proposed lino.
Mr. James objected to this course of examination as the line had
1.0 tangible existcnce, and was sot before Parliament.
The (;11AIRMAN was of the same opinion, but as By: ConLeittee
not agre, with him, the exatnination was continued.
Examination continued Knew the gradients on the Manchester
and Southaaipton and the Oxtivi, Worcester, and Wolverhamptoo
lieu, and conceived those on the latter line preferable, and that goods
could be carried by it at a cheater rate than the other. and that It
suffici, nt for the general purposes of the district. The Manchester
and Southampton IN ould cross 14 turnpike roads, and 87 other raids.
A better line might have heal adopted between Salisbury and
Marlborough, both with regard to shortness and local convent. ace
By lbansey and Luggershall a mute four miles shorter could have
been o By the Salediury route 261,0001., and 46,0001. by the
Luggershat and Rom,ey would be saved.
Cross-eZamined ny or. JAMES—The first break of gauge was at
Basingstoke, and the second at Rugby. Mr. Bethel's line was not in
existence ; he was consulting engineer to it. - He never surveyed the
line, but yet he put it In contrast with the Manchester and South-
ant,lon. lie was not engineer to Lacey's, although his name
appeared in the prospectus as filling that office. His name was not
put th. re with 11.3 COllvellt. Mr. Hubberty, his assistant, surveyed
the line. anti he (Mr. Locke) saw the plans, which were not, how-
ever, Irene- ed in his office.
The CHAIRMAN stated that it would be advisable to have Mr. Lacey
sun molted is lore the Committee.
Mr. JAMES considered that it would he advantageous to lo se.
EXIIMIHaIIOII continued—Was not aware that the capital of Lacey's
line was proposed to be 1,600,0001.
The Committee then ai'journed until twelve to-morrow.