The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-06 00:00:00

GROUP VII.

This Committee met to-day in Room No. .4, Mr. Palmer in the
chair.

manvnunGu ATM NORTHERN (DUNPERIVI.
LINE "MANCH).

The examination of witnesses on behalf of this undertaking was
resumed this day. The object of the promoters in this Bill is to make
a railway from their line at Thornton to Dunfermline.'

Mr. drainger, the engineer to the company, gave evidence respect-
ing the engineering portion of the undertaking; the gradients were
favourable, the steepest being one in eighty-nye for about three-
quarters of a mile, and there was no engineering difficulties on the
line. The estimated cost of construction was 189,7501.
A considerable time was spent in inquiring into objections raised
by opponents to the Bill against the deed of the company.
The Committee overruled the objections.

Mr. Blyth was then called to prove that the proposed line of rail-
way would interfere with property more than was absolutely neces-
sary, and that it would thereby cause a greater expenditure of the
funds of the company than if the line had been more judiciously laid
out. By a slight alteration of the line the gradients would be more
favourable, and an expense of 17,0001. saved to the company.
24r. C. Jopp WAS under:examination when the Committee rose.

GROUP VIII.

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

EDINBURGH AND LEITH ATMOSPHERIC.
Mr. Samuda, the engineer, was examined at some length this
morning. He said the sections and gradients on the line were ex-
ceedingly good, and the country between the two termini was well
adapted to an atmospheric line. The cost of making the proposed
line, running trains every hour,would be 1,6001. per annum, or 2,0001.
per annum, running trains every ten minutes.

Mr. Miller, an engineer, corroborated the testimony of Mr. Blyth,
the engineer of the line, given yesterday. The gradients and in-
clines were perfectly safe in his opinion, The line could be made
from Mr. Blyth's estimate.

Mr. Dugdale, the proprietor of the Edinburgh and Leith omnibuses ;
Mr. Da,vid Cawse, a coach proprietor, and Mr. James Waldie, were
called to prove the necessity of the proposed line. Their evidence
was of a general character.
The Committee adjourned shortly after four o'clock till to-morrow.

GROUP I.X.
TICE GLASGOW DISTRICT.

This Committee sat this day in Room No. I, Lord Worsley in the
chair.

CALEDONIAN (GLASGOW TIIESSINT).
This Bill was opposed by several petitioners, among others by the
Lord Provost, magistrates, and Council of Glasgow, by the Com-
missioners of Police, by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, and by
several private individuals.
Mr. Austin, Sergeant Wrangham, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Hope, and Mr.
Forsyth, appeared for the promoters. Agents, Messrs. Graham and
Weems.
The CHAIRMAN intimated that as several of the Hon. Members
constituting the Committee had business on in the House to-morrow,
they had decided on adjourning at their rising till Thursday morning.
Mr. Graham proved the compliance of the company with the rail-
way resolution introduced by Mr. T. Duncombe, and passed by the
House, a few days ago. No question was raised upon the part of any
of the opposing petitions.

Mr. /;ORSYTllcalled Mr.Errington, Civil lr e lac, been
ang
extensively engaged in the constructik
veral wvi ,u
the Caledonian line. This
connexion with other lines. The cis-Alita7e—TLYZllfrbrittiultift
the Calcdonlin at a place called Motherwell, continued by tb.t inn
to Raherglen, there took the Politic and Govan, and thus
reached the present terminus on the level of the streets,
on the south side of the river.' The total length of the Caledo-
nian, which received the sanction of Parllamentlast year, and which
was now in process of construction, was 140 miles. The Caledonian
Railway was now connected with the railways he had mentioned,
and the termini at Glasgow bad been allowed to lie over till the pre-
sent year, until the most proper termini at Glasgow could be fixed on.
Ito conceived that it was a matter of first-rate importance that they
shohld havela sufficient connexion with the Paisley and Greenock
Railways, which did not at present exist. The proposed terminus
Was ite best that could be selected, because it was within
,4,00 of 500, yards of all the important public buildings
th* city. The line to the river Clyde was almost
straight, and they proposed to cross the river •by a bridge,
similar in construction to the present Glasgow-bridge. They crossed
the river about a quarter of a mile higher than the Glasgow-bridge,
en a bridge of seven arches. At that portion of the river they inter-
fered with no navigation of apy importance. They required no
house property of any valuable character on the south side of the
river, and on the north they at once came upon the site selected for
their station. That site was admitted by almost every person to be
the best that could be selected, inasmuch as he had already stated it
was within a convenient distance of the public offices and the im-
portant lines out of Glasgow. They proposed to connect also with the
Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston, which was now in course of construc-
tion. The steepest gradient en the main line was 1 in 213, the steepest
gradient on the branches was I in 80, and that arose from the diffi-
culty of crossing the Glasgow, Paisley, and Ardrossan Canal. They
crossed the canal at an elevation of eleven feet. They joined the
Glasgow anaCreenock Railway at that gradient at least within two
chains. They were forced into this gradient by the decision of the
Committee before4whom they appeared last year. Ile would have
preferrel the crossing of this canal on the level. The total length re-
quired to be constructed was two miles, two furlongs, and the esti-
mated expense was 350,0001., which Included everything, work, build-
.tngs, 'land, &c. The usual ten per cent. was allowed on the works.
And there remained a surplus of 11831. The Company :of Brassey
liliKenzie and Stevenson had already contracted for the works.
The annual cost of working was estimated at about 1,0001. a mile.
Mr. ANnagws, Q. C., who appeared fer the Edinburgh and
Glasgow, the Glasgow and Ayr, and the magistrates and police com-
missioners of Gorbals, cross-examined the witness at considerable
length, but without eliciting anything to contradict the evidence in
chief. The principal point endeavoured to be shown was, that the
promoters might go under the canal instead of over it, thus obviating
the objectionable gradient of I in 80.
Re--dxamined by Mr. Hope—The line was, he believed, supported
by the principal inhabitants of Glasgow.
' $y Mr. SPOONER—It would be possible to extend the line in a
paigllel direction with the Junction Railway, which would in some
deaf te obviate the disadvantages of the gradient of 1 in 80.
Mr. Locke, C.E., corroborated the evidence given by the previous
witness.
_ _

Mr. SPOONER wished to know if the Admiralty would give their
consent to the crossing of the Clyde by the bridge proposed, because
if they intended to interpose their vet, the labours of the Committee
Would be thrown away.
Mr. Uovz said that they had had no answer from the Board of
Admiralty with respect to this subject.
The Cusinsfes said that in that case it might be better for the
Committee to commmdeate directly with the Board of Admiralty.
Mr. ilovs assented to this arranffam.,*
Mr. Locke was then
the disadvantages of
1 in 80,

ea-examined by Mr. BANNATTNE, to show
proposed mode of Junction at a gradient of

Mr. James Smith, of Deanston, examined by 1 out, and that the terminus
et opinion that the line was admirably Mr. Hors—He
best position for all commercial was In the very
Mr. SiPOONIat suggested that they had had sufficient
that point. sufficient evidence on
MY. Smith's evidence continued—He had with the assistance
/architect valued the land and property on the line at an
at 150,0371., and
Allowing for contingencies, 16.5,0401. IBs. 4d.
Mr. Edmiston thought that the estimate given by
last witness
was a very liberal one. He did not think that the inhabitants of
Gorbals would be much injured by the crossing of their streets.
Mr. Herbertson concurred in opinion with the last two witnesses.
Mr. E. Ridston, merchant, councillor, and member of the River
Trust, considered this scheme of the Caledonian Company a most
valuable one.
air. William Hector, Provost ofrollockshaws, considered it an ob-
ject to the place he represented and the district generally, that they
should get into the centre of Glasgow in the way pro Posed.
The CHAIRMAN informed the promoters and the opposing parties,
that he had had an answer from the Board of Admiralty, stating
that the bridge over the Clyde had been referred to Captainethune,
and the decision of the Board would be communicated at the earliest
convenience to the members of the Committee.
The Committee then adjourned till Thursday, at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XI.
-,ltrie Committee assembled at the usual hour this morning. Mr.
iley, chairman.

AptDECIE AND DATHGATE JUNCTION.
Tue object of this proposed railway is to form a direct communi-
Cation between the towns of Airdrie, in the county of Lanark, and
of Bathgate, in lie county of Linlithgow ; and also to connect there-
with, by a bralich, railway, the villages of Blackburn and Whitburn,
in the latter county. It is likewise intended to join the proposed
Glasgow, Airdrie, and Monkland Junction Railway at Airdrie, and
the proposed Coatbridge line leading to Glasgow by the Garnkirk
Railway, and also the proposed Edinburgh and Bathgate; thus
affording direct railway communication with both Edinburgh and
Glasgow. The length of this line is 19 miles ; the estimated expense
of the construction of the same was 240,0001.
Several witnesses were called in order to prove the preamble of the
Bill, which was unopposed.
The Committee therefore passed the preamble, and went through
the clauses, which were all agreed to.
ZDZSrinTßall AND DATITGATZ.
Mr. 31•NEn. opened the case on behalf of the promoters of this
scheme. Ile said it was intended
to commence at a point on the
Edinburgh and Murk", line,
to have and
to terminate at the town of Bath-
gate. It was also proposed several branches connecting It
with the 'various towns and villages
walong the line, and which would
benefit that part of the eountry by opening
with which thgaltiPd the extensive fields of COal,
it me, and other minerals, district abounds. The Bill
ehoinlidiaa of the district,
rsbitant
The entire length
h ad the support of every proprietor andar
.
W hb farmed nearly the whole of its shareholders.
0 the main line would be eleven miles, and the aggregate
The es-
,te length of
the branches and connecting lines would bo fourteen
scheme,
Umated expense in the construction of this railway was .2'
The Committee, after hearing witnesses in support of this
passed the preamble of the Bill, and will go through its clauses on a
/Muse day.
The Committee, at Its aiing, adjounieSi Until twelve 9'Cleek en
72*n4a7 next.

• Group XIII.
D r
GLASGOW, ntral"14:8: AN•
...tealgaSSLE.
(Continued from our Afternoo
-Etc% bf yesterday.)
At this stage of the proceedings eant lirltANoueut applied
that the chairman should apply to cht House fir the evi fence taken
last year before the Select Cqr-ulnittee on the Caledonian and Glas-
gow, Dumfries and Carlisle, competing schemes. The Committee
then decided that the evidence only warranted the line of railway,
and decided in favour of the Caledonian, to, the present scheme was
substantially the same as that, and the evidence then taken might be
of use to refer to in the progress of the present inquiry.
Sir T. PHILLIPS briefly replied, contending that the line was not
substantially the same, but DM stood on its own merits, when
The Castastax said he vrbuld take a note of the application, and
consider it, should the point be strongly urged on the attention of
the Committee.

Mr. Hugh Craig, merchant, of Kilmarnock, was next called, and
said that he had been In business about twenty years. The trade of
Kilmarnock was very extensive, and especially with England. The
surrounding country was also very rich in minerals, and it was also
an excellent agricultural district. The witness here gave some de-
tails about the leather and other trades of the town, to show the
extensive trading character of the town.
Cross-examined —He was both a wholesale and a retail
dealer. The information which was not connected with his
own business, he had derived from other
parties.
the English market went at present either by Leith,
goods went in sailing vessels, but
GGlao:osw, for
o r
Ardrossan. The heavier class of
eyreearselyntb was y steam-
vessels. aboutam-
those that were likely to be damaged by
vessels. The quantity of cutlerythey received yearly
700 tons, of which 200 tons was lead that came from Liverpool.
There was also about 50 tons of tin plate brought from the same
place. The drapery and haberdashery might be about 300 tons by
way of Liverpool. About one-third of the grass seeds were directly
consigned to England; they were very bulky in proportion to weight.
Mr. r.Wlisono' carpet manufacturer, of Kilmarnock, was examined
in relation to
the trade of Kilmarnock, and the alleged benefits the
line would confer on the traffic between that town and England.
Mr. Brown, hotel keeper, of Kilmarnock, was shortly examined as
to the passenger traffic between Kilmarnock and Carlisle. which he
represented to be increasing. There was but one coach through to
Dumfries and Carlisle, with two fYom Kilmarnock to Cumnock.
There was also a considerable posting trade.
In cross-examination he admitted that a considerable number of
the passengers by this coach came from Glasgow, m anyo fwhom
would go by the Caledonian line when it was opened. Perhaps about
one-half of the passengers were booked at Glasgow.
Dr. Reid, of Kilmarnock, Mr. W. M. Alexander, of Ballochmyle,
Colonel Hamilton, and the Marquis of Bute, were severally examined
in corroboration of the evidence of the previous witnesses, as to the
advantages it was expected the line would confer on the north-east of
Ayrshire.

Mr. Osborne, merchant, of Sanquhar, was shortly examined as to
the advantages the line would confer on that town and neighbour-
hood.

The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XI V.
NORTH RENT DISTRICT (SOUTH-
EASTERN XINE).

The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock. Present, Mr.
Protheroe, chairman, Lerd Emlyn, Mr. J. O'Connell, and Mr. Grogan.

Mr. Aurrirq resumed his address, and informed the Committee
that as he had yesterday contrasted the various Important portions
of the two lines, he would then proceed to compare them
as wholes. He should direct his attention more parti-
cularly to the engineering facts of the railways. The
Learned Counsel then proceeded to enumerate and compare all
the main engineering features of the two lines—as these features ap-
peared a few days since in minute detail in the re-examination of
Mr. Vignoles, a repetition is unnecessary. The Learned Counsel, in
the course of his address, proved that the unity of management onithe
South-Eastern would give it an Immeasurable superiority over the
North Kentlline.
The Committee adjourned at five o'clock.