The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-27 00:00:00

half to one was 33,000 yards. He adhered io ,the leisurely-
made calculation, and his estimate of price was founded
upon it. Very little malleable iron was made in Scotland.;
Mr. Wilson was the principal maker of it, and his tender for
rails for the Caledonian was higher than they could 'be sup-
plied for in England. Mr. Wilson was a large holder in the
Caledonian line. On account of the heavy, en-
gines now used, some companies were using /ails as
heavy as 80 to 90 lbs. per yard. -The estimate of
the portion of the Nithsdale scheme, from Gretna to Dum-
fries, was 10,000/. a mile, or 240,0001. The Caledonian branch
proposed in the Commons, from Dumfries to Gretna, was
almost an identical line, and he made the cost of that
388,761/. He considered this latter a moderate estimate.
With regard to the error he 'bad made respecting the 89,000
yards of cutting at the twentieth mile, he thought it better to
wake the explanation to the CoMmittee this morning than
alter the whole of the figures in the calculation, and so deface
the table. The result in regard to money, however, was
litile different, beiog 153/. more than the estimate made on
the first or erroneous data.

Mr. Foster, civil and mining engineer, examined—He had
had considerable experience in making railways. He had
been engaged in constructing the London and Birmingham
line. He was now the acting engineer on the western por-
tion of the Chester and Holyhead line. From his experience
of making railways, the mode of letting the works named by
Mr. Collister was the best one. Competition was not
found a good mode. On the Chester and Holyhead line they
had let the works (No. 9) to a responsible man, who agreed
to complete the works, with all extras, at the price named in
the schedule. The work by this means, he believed. would
be done cheaper than almost any line in the kingdom. He had
examined the plans and sections of the Nithsdale Company, and
had gone over the country. The quantity of cutting, he con •
sidered, had been under-estimated 300,000 yards ; and, taking
similar prices as those named by Mr. Miller, there would be
here a deficiency of 35,0001. The tunnel at Drumlanrig, he
calculated, would cost 15,0001. more than the company's
estimate. The estimate of masonry, he considered, propor-
tionably small. He was sure it would be double the sum.
He had never known a line with so little masonry, or so few
occupation bridges. He had also gone over Mr. Collister's
estimates. With the exception ofthe cuttings, which he thought
estimated rather high, he generally agreed with that witness.
Cross-examined—He had not been able to go over the
Whole line. In examining the tunnel near Thornhill. he had
been prevented going over the ground of the agent of the
Duke of Buccleuch. He went along the highway from
Gretna to Dumfries, and thence to Sanquhar. He was in a
carriage, and got out perhaps about three times. He was not
able to get over the exact route of the line, on account of the
opposition he received. With respect to the expense of any
tunnel, he could not say what it would cost without a know-
ledge of the strata. The works he named were on the
Chester and Holyhead line. The contract he spoke of
was about eight miles in length. The extras he spoke of
included extra bridges, and making good any defects arising
from defective foundations and too thin walls. Competition
was the usual way of letting large contracts, and the other
works on the Chester and Holyhead were let in that way.
He considered there should have been about four times as
many occupation bridges, and he should think they would
cost 500/. each. He bad executed no works in Scotland, but
he had in Wales. He was quite satisfied that the masonry
could not be' one for less than 2,0001. per mile. It was twice
the amount on the Chester and Holyhead line.
Re-examined—He.,. felt firmly persuaded the masonry
could never be done for 1,000/. a mile. Though he did not
leave his carriage often in the journey through the country,
he saw sufficient to estimate, along with the sections, what
the masonry would be. He had previously been through
Scotland several times before.

Mr. Wood, civil engineer of the Newcastle and Carlisle
Railway, gave 'evidence to the same effect as the previous
witness. He had a good knowledge of the district which
the line traversed, and he was satisfied it could not be made
for the sum named by the company. He generally corrobo-
rated Mr. Collister's estimate.

Cross-examined—He had gone over the estimates of Mr.
Collister in detail, in doing which be took the quantities and
character of the works from Mr. Collister. He had executed
about 100 miles of railway of the Newcastle and Carlisle and
branches in that district. He was direcior of that line of
railway as well as engineer.
Mr.-Davidson, civil engineer, followed to the same effect.
He bad had experience of the works on the Grand Junction
line, and had been acting-engineer of the Greenock line, on
which there had been large cuttings. He thought Mr. Mil-
ler's estimate too low, and Mr. Collister's fair and accurate.
He agreed with what had been said respecting the advan-
tage of the works being let to large contractors. He stated
this from what had taken place in the construction of the
Greenock line.

Cross-examined—He had recently been engaged in con-
tracts, and had not laid down any'railways in the present
year. He had contracted to keep the works in repair on the
Glasgow and Greenock line, and was now engaged in making
a pier in Roseneath. The repairs of the permanent way on
the Greenock line last year was 1501. a mile; the year before
it was 2001. He was aware that the half-yearly statement of
the Ayrshire line represented the repair of the permanent
way to cost 801. a mile, but the statement did not afford the
means of testing the accuracy of these items.

A pause here took place from the Committee waiting for
Mr. Bidder, civil engineer, to be examined, during which,
Mr. CocKnuEN wished to know whether the Committee
had yet decided upon going into the question of compe-
tition ?

The CHAIRMAN said they wished the other evidence first
to be gone into. In case that broke down, it would render
the latter unnecessary.
Mr. Bidder having arrived, was next examined—He said,
assuming the quantities of work given by Mr. Collister to be
correct, be thought his estimate fair and reasonable. He
had not been over the line, but he had gone carefully over
the plans and sections, and he thought the line proposed
could not cost less than 16,000/. a mile. The witness here
went over a number of items in the estimates which, judg-
ing from the plans and sections, he considered to be much
under-estimated,
_ _ _

The effect of the answers was a corroboration of the evi-
dence of the previous witnesses.
Cross-examined—He had not gone minutely into the
details, and therefore he could not speak accurately of the
occupation bridges. In a general estimate they could ap-
proximate pretty nearly to the cost of a line without going
actually into details. Parliament required details to test the
accuracy of the general principle. Ile was not aware that the
North British cost but 13,000. a mile, or that Mr. Robert Ste-
phenson, on examining Mr. Miller's estimates of that line,
stated they were very ample.
The Committee then adjourned till Monday at eleven
o'clock.

Room F.

XIXRDICINGNAIM AND OZPORD JUNCTION.
IMPORTANT DECISION.
_ _

The Committee met at eleven o'clock ; present, the Earl of
Ripon (chairman), the Earl of IVynford, the Earl of Sondes,
the Earl of Montford, and the Earl of Eldon.

At the commencement of the proceedings, two witnesses
were called. and gave general evidence in favour of the
Warwickshire bran...hes.

Mr. HOPE addressed the Committee at some length on be-
half of the Warwickshire branches.
Mr. TALBOT having replied, the room was cleared.
On our re-admission,
The Cumin' delared that, in the opinion of the Com-
mittee, the preamble of the Birmingham and Oxford Junc-
tion Bill was proved.
The Committee then adjourned at half-past four o'clock.

Rc•m H.
BIRMINGHAM AND GLOUCB3TER

BRANCHES. (HALESOWEN BRANCH.)

DECISION.

The Committee met this morning at eleven o'clock, Lord
Strafford in the chair.

Mr. HILDYAILD opened the case on the part of the pro-
moters. The object of the Bill was simply to construct a
branch from the Birmingham and Gloucester Rail-
way, at King's-Norton, in the county of Worcester,
to Halesowen, which is situated in the midst of an important
mineral district in the same county. The length would be
51/ miles, and its cost 130,000/.

"Mr. Best, a gentleman connected with the district, gave
evidence to show that great advantage would result from the
construction of the branch, by giving an easy and speedy
means of transit for coals to broitwich and other places on
the line and contiguous to it.
Mr. M'Connell, superintendent of the locomotive depart-
ment of the Birmingham and Gloucester line, said he resided
at Bromsgrove, where the locomotive station of the line was
situated, and that he used a great quantity of coal there,
and that the Halesowen coal would be much in request
at that and other places south of Bromsgrove,
if the branch were made, as it would cheapen
their cost. It would bring a great deal of
new traffic on the main line, and would place Cheltenham,
which consumed a quantity of coals, within forty miles of
this great mineral district.

MI. Matthews, land agent to Lord Middleton, through
whose property the line would run for three miles and a half,
stated that his Lordship assented to the line, and that it would
be advantageous.
Mr. Humphrey, the proprietor of a Halesowen colliery,
gave evidence in favour of the line.
Mr. Evans, proprietor of salt-works at Droitwitcb, said
I the consumption of coal in the salt-works there exceeded
2,000 tons a week, a great portion of which came from
Halesowen and that district, but which would be used in
geater quantities if the line were made. Much interruption
was frequently caused to the works on account of the delay in
getting coals at the present moment. The cost of coals would be
materially reduced, which would have the effect of increasing
the trade, by cheapening the cost of manufacture.
Mr. Sturge, an extensive corn merchant at Gloucester,
considered that the salt traffic would be considerable.
Mr. Berkeley, an engineer, had laid down the line under
the direction of Mr. Robert Stephenson. Its length was five
miles and a half, its cost 130,0001.1 and the steepest gradient
1 in 64 for one mile and five-eighths. It had a tunnel of
960 yards in length, which would cost 39,0001. There were
gradients of 1 in 64 on main lines, which had a great amount
of traffic, and, therefore, could not be fairly objected to in a
branch, as it could be worked without inconvenience. Unless
the line had this gradient, the cost of its construction would
be quite disproportionate to the revenue which the Company
expected to derive from its construction. There would be
some passenger traffic.
This closed the case on the part of the promoters.
Sir T. Pumnius addressed the Committee against the
branch, on behalf of the petitioners, and contended that the
Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton intersected a more
important part of the mineral district than the portion more
contiguous to Halesowen, and therefore did away with the
necessity for any additional line, and called on the Commit-
tee to reject the preamble of the Bill.
The Committee having passed the preamble of the Bill,
the clauses, with some additions respecting the property of
certain petitioners, were agreed to; and the Chairman hav-
ing stated that he should report their favourable decision to
the House, the Committee separated.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP LXVII.

This Committee re-assembled at the customary hour this
morning in Room 22 (Grand Corridor), Lord Lincoln in the

SOUTH-EASTERN (FROM HUNGERMOHD-
BRIDGE TO GREENWICH).

which he said appeared to involve
Mr. Cubitt, engineer, was heard
cinonosipdpeorsaibtiloendtioffitchueltliiense,
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hithe, and Bedf..rd Roads, was also called, for the purpose of
showing the great injury to those roads by the line which it
errm
was proposed should cross them. The thoroughfares were
most important, and the trustees were decidedly opposed to
the Bill.
This having closed the evidence on the part of the op-
ponents,
Mr. AUSTIN, Q C. (who appeared for the Croydon Railway
Company), said be hoped he had shown the Committee that
the Bill ought not to pass during the present session. He
submitted that the whole of the subject of extensions and
junctions of the Metropolitan Railway ought to have been
referred to the decision of a Committee of the House
of Commons. A question of such considerable importance
as allowing this Company to make a viaduct
Of four miles length, by which fifty metropolitan streets, and