The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-23 00:00:00

the South-Eastern traffic would pass Over It In approaching the
metropolis. Here, however, was a line which proposed to
avoid the Croydon line altogether, while the Kent Atmospheric
used two miles and a half of it. He contended that the
evidence was perfectly germane to the matter in dispute
It was to show that the Kent Atmospheric proposed to use
a line which had been laid down for the express purpose of accom-
modating the Mid Kent traffic, while the South-Eastern scheme
altogether avoiding it, if the Committee granted that line, it would hi-
volve an unnecessary expenditure of capital.
The room was then cleared, and after a few minutes' consultation,
The Committee decided that they could not permit the proposed
course of examination to be adopted.
The examination of Mr. Wilkinson was then resumed—Originally
there was a more extensive scheme projected by the atmospheric
company. They proposed at first to go entirely to Dover, and depo-
sited plans for that purpose, but in the autumn of last year it was
thought expedient to abandon a portion of the scheme. Accompa-
nied by several of his co-directors he went over to Ireland a few
years ago to inspect the operation of the atmospheric prin-
ciple, and so satisfied were they with it that they agree
ito
take the advice of Mr. Cubitt and adopt it upon the,l.
Croy-
don line, and the experiment had proved most successful.
The miles. e.,,fT
h e
The atmospheric tube had been laid down for five
great advantage of the atmospheric principle was,
numbert of trains
were always at work, and consequently a larger
could be run at much less expense than by means of a locomotive
engine. The loss of time in passing from the ahat
to the
the engines
locomotive line was not more than two minutes,
s
that in a very short thee the difficulty wouldta tand it was hopeda a he t
removed.
On cross-examination, Mr. Williamson portion of the
original scheme was abandoned for the
want of funds. The want of
fends was occasioned by a change,ilwny .whichdirectors,
tetroos,klikpalancteheirn
atnhde
largerpubli
potentate
opinion of railways ;
they put forward their schemes..
turnpike
Mr.
CATERperonve a d
opinions
s e, f
twerehe
times obligedinaa , to o
hrmi
h odify their plans to meet the views and
theT South-n Eastern line crossed
roads was veryseveralese roads
ex-
tensive, and he had no doubt crossing them would be attended with
considerable inconvenience Indeed, the railway crossing in this
level. The
way was exceedingly dangerous, and the roads on the Croydon line
which were crossed on a level were diverted at the request of the
inhabitants of the neighbourhood, and 11l consequence of several
frightful accidents having occurred.
Sir John Lubbock s lid the two lines from Bromley to Ockford
were so nearly identical that he could not determine which was the
best. He understood, however, that the atmospheric line was first
in the field. He travelled every day upon the Croydon atmospheric
line, and was convinced the principle had entirely succeeded.
Mr. Ward, of Oldwood, a large landed proprietor, preferred the
atmospheric line, because it was the cheapest of the two, and would
in his opinion give more accommodation to the public.
Mr. Wm. Bell, bailiff to a large landed proprietor at Beckenham,
proved that the inhabitants of that neighbourhood thought they were
amply accommodated by the existing line, and were therefore in
favour of neither line. In his opinion the South-Eastern scheme,
crossing AS it did on a level w.th the Lewisham-road, it would be at-
tended with considerable inconvenience to the public. There was an
extensive traffic upon the road, and all kinds of vehicles, sheep, and
cattle were constantly passing and re-passing along the road.
Mr. Coleson, a farmer at Sydenham, gave similar testimony with
regard to the south eud and Sydenham road, which was crossed on a
level by the South-Eastern line.

Mr. J. W. Hilop, of Bromley, proved that previous to approaching
the Ravenbourne Valley, which it crossed on a high embankment,
the South-Eastern line passed a turnpike road on a level, and as
there was a large traffic on the road, he had no doubt it would be
attended with danger and inconvenience. The road was on a severe
inclination ; and on a recent occasion he witnessed a serious accident
upon it : the weight of a timber waggon going down it overcame the
horses, and the waggon was precipitated with fearful and tremendous
velocity to the bottom. The Kent Atmospheric line avoided this
road, and the inhabitants of Bromley were therefore in favour of it.
Mr. John Atkins, a landholder at Halstead, was decidedly in favour
of the Kent Atmospheric line. The majority of the inhabitants In
his neighbourhood, and in the neighbourhood of Seven Oaks, were of
his opinion. The Atmospheric Company was in the field long before
the South-Eastern Company. _ _ _

Mr. Bryan Barton, of Seven Oaks, and other witnesses, gave similar
testimony.

The Com:nittee adjourned shortly after four o'clock till Monday,
when the engineering evidence is to be gone into.

GROUP XVIII.
EXETER, YEOVIL, AND DORCHESTER,
AND LONDON, SALISBURY, AND YEOVIL
(Coitinued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

The line between Yeovil and London at the station at Hungerford-
bridge was 124 miles, the total expense 1,600,0001. The gradients
were of a favourable nature, the severest being only 1 in 106 for a
length of two miles.

The cross-examination ofthe witness was not completed when the
Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock on Monday.

GROUP XX.

This Committee met today at twelve o'clock ; Mr. Sotheron In the
chair.

LONDON, R OUNSLO IV, AND WESTERN.
Evidence on behalf of this line was resumed.
Mr. Scott, traffic-taker, was examined at great length as to the
traffic he estimated to go along the line. Ills total calculation of
gross traffic 'vas 130,585/. Among the items, in addition to the large
one for road passengers, he calculated that one-third of the Great
Western passengers from the Househill and Southall stations would
take this line ; that 4,9971. would be realised from passengers that
now went by water ; and that 2,0001. woul4 be got from Egham and
-!scot races. Deducting 40 per cent. for working expenses, there
would remain a net receipt of 78,7301., or II per cent. on the whole
capital embarked.

The witness was cross-examined at great length on the part of the
Great Western Company, but nothing was elicited materially to aster
his examination in chief.

Captain Moorsom, civil engineer, deposed as to the engineering
character of the scheme. The line was almost a perfect hycl. and
of the most favourable engineering character. The whole expense
of its construction he set down, if with an embankment and retain-
ing wall, 485,0001. ; and if with a brick viaduct, 53.5,0001.
The Committee then adjourned.

GROUP XXII.
WAVENEY VALLEY.
This Committee met as usual. Sir G. Grey, chairman.
Mr. MURRAY opened the case at considerable length for several
landowners who were opposing this line.
Several landowners were examined as to the injury caused by the
railway passing through their property.
IPSWIC 11, NORWICH, AND YARMOUTH.
This case was opened on behalf of the promoters by Mr. Harrison..
The first witness who was called was
The Earl of Stradbroke, who gave evidence of a favourable nature
with regard to the line, and also of the benefit it would afford to the
district through which the line passed.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock on Monday.

GROUP XXXI.
SOUTH WALES.

'Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)'

Mr. Cooaz followed on behalf of Mr. Hoskins, and
entered at great length into the present communication, and
the whole district proposed to be traversed, and held that
the proposed line was not demanded by its requirements.
That district required direct communication from the
pits to those places where the coal was greatly in demand. 'I he
line would not effect this as It was indirect, and as the Forest of
Dean Railway carried coals from the pits towards the north of the
Berkeley canal to Gloucester, and he called upon the Committee to
reject the preamble of the Bill.
The Committee then adjourned until Monday.

GROUP XXXII.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)]
BUCRINGHABISHIELE (TILING TO
BANBURY).
This line, for which Mr. Austin, Mr. lli2dyard, Mr. Calvert, Mr.
Hope, and Mr. Laing were retained, is promoted by an independent
company in concert with the London and Birmingham Railway
Company. It is opposed by the Great Western Railway and by Lord
Carrington, Mr. Richards, Mr. Cripps, and other landowners, who
appeared by Mr. Talbot, Mr. Cockburn, and Sir S. Phillips.
Mr. HOPE briefly opened the merits of this line. It is 40 miles
long, starting from the Tring station on the London and Birmingham
Railway, and passes through Aylesbury, Winslow, Backingham, and
Brackley, to Banbury, accommodating a large and important agricul-
tural district with carrying power to Birmingham and Banbury on
the north, and to London on the south, for their cattle, coals, and lime.
Mr. Thomas Pearse was examined in favour of the project. He
slated he was a land steward for 20,000 acres in the district through
which the line passes, and was well acquainted with the necessities
of that country. No other line offered equal accommodation for
reaching the cattle markets in Hereford, the coal-fields in Derby, and
Stafford, and Leicestershire. He himself made 300,000 draining tiles
annually, and would make double the quantity if the coals were
cheaper.

Mr. Humphrey Humphries, tanner, in Buckingham, stated in evi-
dence that it would be a great advantage to Buckingham, and per-
sonally considered it would be so in the conveyance of bark, fell, and
leather, for in the last article ho calculated a saving of about 10s.
a ton on the transit of it to London.

Mr. Fraser, steward to Sir IL Verney, whose land lies in the dis-
trict of Banbury, stated that butter sent away on Friday did not
reach London before Monday, that the timber grown in the district
could scarcely be got to a market, and the bark was sold for a very
reduced sum. lie calculated that a district of ten miles square
exporte I annually 600 tons of butter, 9,0e0 fatted beasts, anti 30,000
sheep, which he had no doubt would be greatly increased by facilities
of conveyance. The railway would offer great advantages for the
carriage of store stock, and give the farmers the opportunity them •
selves ol attending the market to make their own .election.

The lion. Sydney P. Pierrepoint and the Duke of Buckingham
were examined, and corroborated the evidence which had be•ti al-
ready g,:ven, both of them concurring in the rroposed line, and giving it
their utmost support.
7he Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock on Monday.

GROUP LV.

MANCHESTER. AND HYDE RAILWAY.

The Committee on this group assembled at 12 o'clock, and after
much conflicting evidence it was decided that the preamble was not
proved.

MANCHESTER, MACCLESFIELD, AND

ABIIT O'N-ITZT MI EU- LIME.

After some considerat on the Committee refrained from any dect-
shm on this line, but adjourned until three o'clock on Monday, when
their conclueon will be stated.