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

GROUP XT.I.

MANCHESTER, BOLTON, AND BURT
(CANAL NAVIGATION AND raarx.wa.y).
The Committee to which this line is referred met to-day at twelve
o'clock, in room No. 16.
The day was occupied in examining witnesses, who proved the
material advantages which the carrying out of this scheme would
afford to the surrounding country. The property it had to cut
through was said to be of a most inferior description. Every step
hail been taken to accommodate the publ c by all the means
in the power of the Company, and at the wharf near Blackfi tare
At Manchester, the railway had been carried on on pillars, in order
that the loading and unloading of vessels might not be inter-
fered with.

The Committee adjourned at four o'clock, until twelve o'clock
0-morrow.

GROUP XLVI.
This Committee re- assembled to-day at twelve o'clock ; prevent,
Mr. Bramston (chairman) and the other members.
NEWCASTLE{ AND CARLISLE (EXTENSION
AND BRANCHES).
The evidence in relation to this Bill was resumed.
Mr. Hudson was examined to show that the apprehensions enter-
tained respecting level crossings were not well fouueed, as the !nen-
iary precautions could be taken to prevent accidents.
After some dirther evidence the Committee adjourned.

GROUP XLVII.
SWANSEA VALE,
The Committee on this group met at twelve o'clock to-day, Mr.
Evans in the chair, when
Mr. Morgan, a coal-owner, was called to show the nature of the
country, and the way in which the conveyance of the coal affected
the value of the article, and the expense of its transit respectively
by canal and by rail. The principal point put in was
the statement that the conveyance of coal from the lead of the canal
to the port it had to pay tolls to the amount of 2s. 9d. a ton, while
on the railway it would pay only Is. 1041. a ton. In his opinion a
railway was absolutely necessary.
Mr. Lima was about to cross examine the witness, on the part of
the landowners, when it was objected to by
3fr. WHATELET, who conceived that he had no right to pursue
that course.
On this a long argument arose, and the room was ultimately cleared
After some time, and on the re-admission of parties,
The CHAIRMAN declared that the Committee had decided that
air. James could only cross-examine on the principal object of the
preamble.

Mr. Arthur was next called, and stated that he had been a coal-
owner for twenty-two years, and finally confirmed the evidence of
the previous witness.
Mr. Starling Benson far the last twelve years had been interested
in copper works and collieries. The Tredgoller works are six miles
from Swansea, under the Drummer mountain, where there is a very
large supply of steam-packet coal, for which it is adapted
by giving great heat, burning quickly, and with little
smoke. It is generally included by Government in their contracts
for their own packets, but it has been in a great measure shut out
from the market by the want of means for Its transit. In conse-
quence of tide want, the copper works, where there are upwards of
20,i30e tons consumed yearly, are an additional expense not
aOO.OOO/;,_a-_year. It is usual to ship this coal for general sale in
~.v,
ott, 22 tone, but the breakage was such, from the continual
istarge,
~,,r,:uo.l,a,,:ftela:, only 17 tone could be delivered. The difference
RIO. by ra,,
„ullerndent or breakage, would be considerable, being
pens
ea
roefaht
ie.:t.
ehnati:ratt;?sasalt:dtehy.z.bf
placek c
paiiitin.a.
wsltoef2toohkela.rtaa
ywe
year. Swansea.
•er e
Tmha:leexi t.
to
111,,:li:ndgl.hti The whole consumption of This
minigthhte,
naoNieid at 300,000 ton.s. The witness
tchospi:letre-set•ionrskas
as
sn
formation of This rZe
win which a desire had been ca-
d stated that there had
oa4.theapell callarieftircurnstanees in
pressed for the
been an arrangemenautspbetthotewniere;
erka:t
edgoller works, alid
a"
coal-owners
to
caxirryucah
which the property in that part of the
country Is p
lei'VeidienneleB3wB
' to shOw that there was not so much a dealt* retcl. the ebieet
town or public as for
merely personal and private advantage.
On cross-examination by Mr. GROVES, the witness stated that
there was an agreement for amalgamation with the Welsh Midland.
There are 1,000 or 1,200 feet of wharfage front on the river, of
I fitly feet will be sufficient for th which two hundred an, . •
no provision for coal wharfage',
geneial trade, but there is
trade in the arrangement of placing
facilities for the
although there are
the line of railway twelve feet above the wharf, so as to enable the
by transferred to the wharf,emptying the wag-
goods to be at once
gone, or by running them down a steep inclined plane to the waters'
edge. With regard to the railway, about three miles of rail are laid,
are done, and
down, most of the earthwork and much of the masonry
the fences, where there is nothing to grow, are termed.
Mr. Jones, the engineer, was employed with
Mr. VignoleS In the
1893, with Sir
survey- of the Manchester and Liverpool Railway, •in -
John Rennie, on Southwark and London-bridges, and other great
works. lie had surveyed the Neath Valley line for Mr. Brunel. Ills
attention had been called first to this project in 1830, and
had surveyed a line in Swansea Vale at the request
of several traders, and had taken the line which was nearly
Identical with the present route, and which he conceived was the
best In the valley. The line was at that time abandoned, be-
cause the Canal Company reduced their tolls. In 1640 the country
was again surveyed by Mr. Bush, which was nearly the same
as this, but it was impeded by the progress of the
new cut of the canal and the erection of warehouses.
In 1844 the canal works were finished, and the Tredgoller line was
immediately begun, and is new In process of formation. The steepest
gradient on the first ten miles is one is 173. On the upper part the
steepest gradient would be one in 58, but this was not so objectionable,
as the heavy traffic will be almost entirely down the line. The
rails and materials for a single line are Provided for the first
seven miles and partly laid. In the opinion of the witness this is
decidedly the best line which the valley could afford. The cost of
the part already formed will be under 5,0001. a mile, and that also
Rol be We price of the upper part 61 tAo estensl94. 149 Gatimata