The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-07 00:00:00

GROUP VIII.

The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Bills
comprised in this group re-assembled at the usual hour this morning,
Mr. B. Hawes in the chair.

EDINBURGH AND LEITH ATMOSPHERIC.
The case for the promoters of this Bill was brought to a close
to-day.
The remainhr of the day was occupied with tho landholders'
opposition to the line, and the merits of the competing scheme is to
be gone into to-morrow.

The Committee adjourned shortly after four o'clock.

GROUP XIII.

The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock ; Sir William Clay in
the chair.

GLASGOW, Duivirmams, AND CARLISLE.
Evidence in support of this line of railway was this morning
resumed.

Mr. Christie, mining engineer, was examined, at some length, as
to the iniaing resources of the district through which the line passed,
which he represented to be considerable. The largest field, however
was that in the direction from Old Cumnock to Muirkirk.
The Duke of Buccleuch gave general evidence as to the district
requiring a line of railway accommodation through the valley of the
Nith. He supported the line now, because the line had been altered
not to interfere with his property at Driunlanrig.
Sir David Hunter Blair, Mr. Mackie, and Mr. Lenny, the con-
veners of the counties of Ayrshire, Dumfrieshire, and Kirkcudbright,
corroborated the evidence of the previous witnesses.
Mr. Wright was examined respecting the coal-fields of Sanquhar ;
and Mr. Reeves, late surveyor of the post-office of the south and
west of Scotland, as to the amount of business done by the post-office
in this district, when the engineering evidence was proceeded with.
Mr. Blythe, civil engineer, said he had prepared the plans and
sections of this line. The witness then gave the distances from
Kilmarnock to Carlisle, Aunan, and Dumfries respectively, to show
that in point of distance the advantage was in favour of the
present scheme. The gradients were generally favourable, and there
were no great engineering difficulties. There is a tunnel of 1,500
yards in length in the neighbourhood of Drumlanrig Castle. The
whole length of the scheme, including branches, was 90 miles GI
chains. The estimate of expense was 1,200,0001.
Cross-examined—lie believed that Dumfries, as far as Edinburgh
was concerned, would be as well accommodated by the Caledonian
scheme as the present; and also the country north-west of Sanquhar
towards Ayrshire and the Caledonian Extension , so that the ques-
tion of superior accommodation from the present scheme was mainly
confined to the district between Dumfries and Sanquhar. The ne-
cessity of it, therefore, would much depend on the character and ex-
tent of this traffic.

Mr. Horn, who valued the land required for the railway, deposed
as to the estimate being 92,4341.
Mr. Laurie concurred in this valuation.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XIV.
This Committee met at the usual hour ; present—Mr. Protheroe
(Chairman), Mr. John O'Connell, Lord Emlyn, and Mr. Grogan.
Mr. Sergeant Wastionast, on the part of the North Kent, replied
to Mr. Austin, and proceeded to answer his objectiens. The Learned
Counsel had not finished when the Committee adjourned, at four
o'clock.

GROUP XVIII.

The Committee met at the usual hour, Mr. B. Denison, chairman.

SOMERSETSIIIRE MIDLAND.

Before communing the business of the Committee, the CIIAIIIII,AN
anneuneed that he had had a communication with the Speaker, who
had informed him that it was not competent for counsel to cross-
examine upon the statement of the petitioners, until a petition shall
have been presented to the House, stating that in the opinion of the
petitioners, the statement made to the Committee, in accordance
with Mr. Duncombe's resolutions was erroneous, and praying that
counsel might be allowed to cross-examine the witnesses on the
points raerred to in the petition. The House would then,
if it thought proper, grant the prayer of the petitioner, and allow
the cross-examination to be made. It appeared, therefore, that we
were wrong in allowing Mr. Sergeant Kinglake to cross-examine
witness on the statement yesterday. It was merely an act of in•
dulgence granted by the Committee, at the request of Mr. Kinglake.
The Committee are not, however, at liberty to allow any cross-exa-
mination by Counsel upon those statements until a petition shall
have been presented to the House, containing allegations that the
statements made to the Committee are erroneous.

The room was then cleared, in order that the Committee might
consult as to the best course to be adopted under those circum-
stances. A large amount of evidence had been obtained during yes-
terday's proceedings, and it now appears that this was contrary to
the resolutions of the House.

The Committee having remained for a long period in deliberation,
called in the parties.
cre'rtteryethaatihaemcaolvmtphaennyp,
wiatitisievreefrearlenqcueetsotiothnes tno.3jers..lffacrrierts.,intlideirSece:
tors which appeared in the deed, and who had not paid the whole
amount:of the subscription on their shares.
Mr. R. Yoaaz asked the Secretary if he could undertake to say
positively that every gentleman whose name appeared on their printed
list:had paid tip the amount of his shares.
The Secretary—I think so.
Mr. R. Yomiaa —But can you not give positive
The Secretary—There are one or two cases inanswer? which I have aot
seen the bankers' receipts ; but I believe the amount has since been
paid.

General EveNs—Then, in point of fact. these parties had not paid
their money on the shares when the Bill was presented ?
Mr. R. Yin/Ex—How long would it be after the money is paid to
the banker before you, as secretary to the company, would be aware
of it?

The Secretary—Sometimes it was as much as two or three month..
. ,thenenesretprioetvaamAxri—mN:d:wi,,oasanssewcreert.ary to the company, can you under-
takdeMedertioß.
say that that is a regular mode ef doing business?
afT hre.
M.
Secretary—feysa iil , —Are we to understand that the public signed the
ber, and the directors in the months of December and
al Evaprs—Can you. account for the circumstance of the
deposits having
the public paid theirs in SepTemthhee
J anGuar ?
directors in these months, while
the counsel for thr?promoters, stated in explanation
shareseilonlininleadet,d i order t lorleacdto
mak Laken did
been
paid
ballottedetto the public, and only 6,083 had
lobnfeetnh edti
shares that
kien r: , Nun
Morgan, 0
o nnv
as many of these unpaid
n was then examined at some
stated
g the deed and receiving the
at a discount when they took thaveemin.g
been completed,
the line,
junction called,
o:vihheos
thencethe Bristol
length:respecting the date of his Sim'
n through
scrip.
rmed a junctio
ThIS portion of the inquiry having
0
Mr. 11111, the engineer to the Company, was
the line commenced at a i t r that
to Frame,
atll ilwbhriideghep,
aanrtdit proceededformed
Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway. The total lengtlivaital the
GarastExonbeuteryr
the
line was 31 miles, 7 furlongs. The steepest gradient was one of two
e
miles In length of 1 in 56 ; there were gradients of considerable
length of 1 in 82% and 1 in 60. The line was on a level
at the point Of junction with the Wilts, Somerset, and
Weymouth. lie did not think' a more favourable line
could be obtained, considering the nature of the country.
No more injury had been done to private property than was :abso-
lutely unavoidable. The line would be a single line, and it was pro-
posed to be a broad gauge. The total estimated cost was 360,0001.
Of this sum, 41,0001. would be required for the purchase of land. The
strata through which the cuttings would have to be made were for
the most part of mountain limestone, which would be available for
the purposes of masonry along the line.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow-.

GROUP XIX.

BR ID GEWATT.R. AND TAUNTON CANAL,

--
RAILWAY, AND HARBOUR:
The Committee met this morning at twelve o'clock; Lord Harry
Vane in the chair.
Mr. Hale, the engineer to the line was re called and examined by
the oPPosiog cousin& and the members of the Committee, With