The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-20 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
("Y ESTERO AY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
OROUP D.

sitarrniza) AND LINCOLNEINUIS ZUNC-

TIAN RAILWAY.

The Committee re-assembled this morning, Lord Someriin the chair.
The evidence taken this morning was that with •reference to the
traffic from the counties along the Eastern coast, the object of Mr.
Paget, who appears for theiDoncaster and Wakefield Company, being
to show that the line of the promoters was circuitous to Sheffield,
and the expense of transporting goods and agricultural produce from
sue means of conveyance to another would destroy the benefit of
the railway.
Mr. Moring, the present mayor of Doncaster, testified to the
unanimous feeling of the people of Doncaster in favour of the Shef-
field and Lincolnsnire Junction line.
On cross-examination, it appeared that they were also unani-
mous in favour of every other line to the westward, and
the Town Council had evinced so little interest in this
line that they had not once during the present session discussed
the necessity of petitioning Parliament in its favour. There was a
resolution of the Corporation, about two years ago, to the effect
that they would countenance no line NI hich crossed the main en-
trance of the town at a level.

On re-examination the witness stated that the Corporation were
as favourable now as they were three years ago.
Mr. Vicxaas, solicitor, of Sheffield, and local solicitor to the line,
stated that the agreement between Earl "'hewnliam and the Mid-
land Counties Company for the use of the Greesborough branch aro e
oat of the opening of Lord Fitzwilliam's coal mines at that place, and
that the Sheffield and Rotherham Company had been put to the addi-
tional expense of three lines of rails instead of two,the earthworks alone
costing 12,0001., and the rails 4,0001. or 5,0001. His Lordship then en-
tered into arrangements with the Company to pay 1 per ton for
the exclusive use of that line, but that included a right also to a depot
and yard at Sheffield, for which other persens paid 501. or 1001. a
year. Earl Fitxwilliam was favourable to this Bill, and had both
last year and this given permission to Mr. Byron, his mineral agent,
to testily favourably of this line. The practice of the 'Midland Coun-
ties' companies is to charge a penny per ton per mile.
On re-examination it appeared that therewas no clause
eminen t the
, but
to restrict the charge to a penny. There is no written agre
rranged with the
there is one in equity and usage, Mr. EYTonhavina - aen the Sheffield
company to the effect of what he had stated.
and Rotherham Company Witt; amalgamated with the Midland
Counties, the latter company took up all the engagements of the
tormer, of which this one had been in action for seven years before.
It was upon this arrangement, and not on the statute, that the com-
pany relied for their payment.
In re-examination, the witness stated that he believed that the
evidence of Mr. Morton and Mr. Brown was similar to that which
would be given by all the other Yorkshire coal proprietors, and that,
In fact, the rates of charge are uniform both to the Yorkshire and the
Derbyshire proprietors.
The letters of Earl Fitzwilliam, and of Mr. Newman, his Lordship's
agent, giving the assent of both to the line of the promoters, were
then put in evidence, but the assent of the former was given pre-
paratory to the session of last year, and that of Mr. Newman before
tuts session. . .

Mr. Swanwick, the engineer of the line, stated that the line from
Doncaster to Lincoln was part of the Eastern Counties scheme to get
from London to the north, but on the passing of the London and
York Hill, that portion of the Lincoln and Swinton line was aban-
doned. The line as it now stands would join the London
and York line about three miles south of Doncaster,
but there is a good opportunity of making a good Junc-
tion at Doncaster. On leaving this place the line runs up
the valley of the Don, near the lime-works at Sprotborough, where
it forked, one branch going to Barnsley, Wakefield, and any place to
the north, opening the mineral field —the other branch gave
access to Rotherham and Sheffield, the distance to the
latter town being eighteen miles, and to the former thirteen
and a half. The distance from Doncaster to the end of
the northern fork to its junction with the Midiand line would
be ay. miles. The worst gradient between Doncaster and Sheffield
is one in 201, which continues for only half a mile, which, as the
heavy goods would have to descend it, Is extremely favourable.
On the northern branch there is a gradient of one in
117, but nine-tenths of the heavy traffic would have
to descend that line. The smallest radius of a curve is one
of 20 chains, of which there are two instances, but both are
near stations, so that they are advantageous rather than otherwise.
The estimates are 5,2001. for fencing, 50,0001. for earth-works,
bridges, 59,0111., masonry at different points, 44,0001., perma-
nent way 78,0001., land 22,0001., stations 25,0001., and 24,7891.
for contingencies, being something more than 10 per cent.
on the gross expense, the whole amount being 249,0001.
The examination then proceeded on the points affecting the pro-
perties on the line. There are two turnpike roads crossed on a level,
but the witness knew of several others of far more importance than
those on a level. One of them was near the station at Doncaster, and
the other near Kilnhurat.
A long cross-examination then ensued on the discrepancy between
the evidence as given by the witness on the expense of construc-
tion, and the testimony he gave a year ago, but the difference was
reconciled by the explanation, that on the former occasion one part
of the line was easy and cheap, and the other difficult and expensive.
After this a conversation of considerable length was held on the
opposition of Sir Joseph Copley, with whom the Swinton and Dou-
easter Company are ready to make any compromise consistent with
their main object. The counsel, however, for that gentleman having
declined to make an election as to what deviation he would wish, Mr.
Hildyard, for the promoters chose the South line, which only effected
Sir Joseph Copley's property to the extent cf half an acre. There is
to be an embankment near to the house Sprotborongh Hall, of about
twelve or thirteen feet high.
The-Committee then adjourned till to-morrow.