The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-10 00:00:00

MANCHESTER AND SOUTHEIMPTON.

_.
The promoters continued to call evidence in support of
their line. The first witness called on was

Mr. Allday, a grazier and cattle-dealer, and occupying
farms in Warwickshire and Worcestershire, the first being
four miles, and the second eight miles from Birmingham,
which was the market town for both. Had from 50,000
td 60,000 sheep from the southern counties, particularly
from the vicinity of Andover in the course of a year, and
3,000 beasts, which are driven about fifty miles to the north-
ward, to Gloucester and Cheltenham, where they were put
upon the Gloucester and Birmingham Railway, and so con•
veyed to their destination. The driving injured sheep to the
extent of 4s. a head, and beasts Bs. The former lost one stone
in weight, the latter from one stone to one and a quarter.
This deterioration would be obviated in the event of there
being a direct line by Andover to the north.
Cross-examined by Mr. KEATING-The Manchester and
Southampton line would be of the greatest national impor-
tance. Last year seventy or eighty sheep died from drift. lie
should say, 500 sheep died last year from drift on
the road from the south to Cheltenham and Gloucester,
which would not have occurred if the Manchester
and Southampton line had been constructed. He purchased
sheep, south orSwindon, on the Great Western, but when
le bought them on more south he did not put them on the
line there, owing to the inconvenience of the break of gauge
at Gloucester. Not very long ago a bullock's head was cut
clean off' at Gloucester, on account of the confusion and
danger.—( Roars of laughter.) Of course the Company
paid for the beast very cheerfully, because they did not want
the inconvenience of their break of gauge exposed.—(don-
tinned laughter.) .
Mr. John King, bookseller at Andover, and toll-keeper at
the fairs held at Andover and Waybill, said, 200,000 to
240,000 sheep and lambs, 1,000 horses, and a great quantity
of hops were sold there, and that dealers and buyers came
from places forty, sixty, and seventy miles distant. The line
would be of the utmost importance.
_oßy Mr. Ilora—Any line, provided it passed through An-
a ver to other important towns, would be of the utmost ad-
vantage.
Mr. Henry Thompson, timber and coal merchant,
at An-
dover, considered that the line would reduce the cost of the
transit of coals one-half, and timber in proportion, besides.
increasing the trade.
By Mr. liaxnxivro-s—ne h
r.7,1d one share in the Andover
• Canal. He understood the promoters of the Manchester and
Southampton line had entered into an agreement to pin an
the the
proprietors of the canal 10,0001. and 20,0001. more
event of the Bill passing into a law.
By the CMAlRMAN—Considered that the public would he
benefited and not injured by the conversion of the Andover
Canal into the railway, and if it mere made he would not
require so much capital in his business.
Mr. Malliuson, engaged i in the wool tr a.
markets
d at
in the
was
e saidcoon-
try. u_ . .
.Cirencester was one of the largest wool
try. The line would be most advantageous in conveying
wool from his district to the manufacturing districts of the
north.
Mr. T. M. Sturge, corn-merchant at Gloucester, detailed
the advantages which the line would Confer on the districts
which it was proposed to traverse, the saving it would effect
to himself and to all in the habit of sending goods from the
south to the north, or vice versa. The water communication
was open to great objections on account of the delay. He
imported corn at Gloucester, some of which he sent as far-
south as Marlborough and Southampton, and he considered
that he should receive foreign corn from Southampton. :Con-
sidered that the corn trade would not be diverted to South-
ampton' in fact he considered that both places would be
greatly benefited.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock to-
morrow.

GROUP XVIII.
EXETER GREAT WESTERN.

This Committee met at th© usual hour, Mr. B. Denison,
chairman.

Mr. Hawsden, of Bridport, was the first witness exa-
mined. His evidence went to show the feeling of theinha-
bitants of Bridport in favour of a line from that place to
Exeter.

Mr. Stevens, Mr. Good, Mr. Shepherd, Mr. Newbury, Mr.
Harris, of Sidmouth, Mr. Clayer, and Mr. Rist, gave evi-
dence in favour of the line.
The Committee intimated that they had heard sufficient
evidence of this nature, and requested the parties to com-
mence with their engineering evidence next.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock on
Thursday.

GROUP XXIV.
NOR'VXXCE AND BUNT.

The Committee re-assembled at twelve o'clock, Mr. Gran-
'file Vernon in the chair.

The proceedings were opened by a conversation between the
Counsel and the Committee as to the best course of proceed-
ing, in order to come at a right conclusion; after which Mr.
Austin explained the route which was ..proposed for
the Thetford, Navvmarket, and Cambridge line, so that this
line would be coincident with the Ipswich and Bury lino
*cut the former place ea far as rtLby Down, where it would