The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-28 00:00:00

rlitrb :bttion

SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(THIS_ DAY.)

GROUP XIV.
11017T8-EILBTZEN AND lIRANCHES.
The cross-examination of Mr. Fearon (continued from our After-
noon Edition)— The directors and all the officers of the Company
remained, although the name was changed. The company was, in
effect, the same company under a different name. The first tbnnal
advertisement of the South-Eastern Company came out in July,
1835. When they went before Parliament, the Brighten part of the
scheme was abandoned, and in 1836 the Bill was obtained. When
the shares of the South-Eastern rose to a premium two other pro,-
jects started up and opposed it. One of these was a line from the
Greenwich Railway to Gravesend, but it was thrown out. The ori-
ginal object of the company was to accommodate North Kent, aed,
under any reverses that they sustained the idea of that accommoda-
tion was never abandoned. Mr. Vlgnoles's plan first assumed a
distinct form in 1841. It was at first only to Chatham,
and then it was advanced to Ramsgate. It was Only in the present
year that the extension to Dover was prcraoaed. He did not con-
template any London terminus last yeaT.
By Mr. Sergeant WRANGRA3I—Capthin Pringle, who was the en-
gineer to the comi- any, in examination before the committee
in 1836, state 1 that he ohjebied to that part of the line running be-
tween Grave end and 7.faidstone, as the chalk cuttings between
those points were very Leavy. The principal landowning oppositi n
to the line was between Gravesend and Folkestone. There was also
a strong oppos.;:don between Gravesend and London. When they
made up the;; minds about the South-Eastern line, they considered
that the Gravesend line was out of the question.
The i2nAlltStaN here intimated that
them as a
the question of priority ought not to be considered
unques_
the Committee were of opinion
Matter of material importance. It was a point that should
r jects was of Intl-
fintittbly meet with due consideration, but it appearedpo to him that
the question of the respective merits of the town-o
which the Committee
Ilitely more importance, and was the point
had mare particularly to decide.
Witness in continuation—Cannot say whether M r. Vignoles had a
plan for a bridge over the Medway under the consideration of the
bridge wardens at the time that Mr. Stephenson proposed to cross
the river by a ferry-
that the idea of the bridge did not uri-
raend Mr. Cubitt had spoken of it eight
Klaate with Mr. Vignlo:lle capital of the company was 1,400,0001.
yeaTrsheat eoin 'ncriihtteeeeriagd
original
rourned until one o'clock to-morrow,

GROUP XVI.
AND ALTON BRANCH.

The consideration of this branch eras resumed to-day by the Corn.
Sir Charles Douglas in the chair, with Lord
m t eof Group
Poilthengton, Mr. Lockhart, and Mr. Blewitt present, when Mr.
AUSTIN called
Mr. Dream who testified to the advantage of having a station at
Alton, stating thea it would bring the inhabitants seventeen miles
nearer than 1V the way of Winchester. He believed that the carrying
the line to Alresford would be difficult, and was not likely to be effected.
The bie'ik of the people were decidedly in favour of the Alton Branch.
1.!'o 31r. Lemmas; the witness said, that the turnpike-read was
ete good as any in England, but it was bad for engineering difficul-
ties, there being a considerable rise to the sununit of Windmill 11111,
six miles one way, and tour the other.
Mr. Home stated that the traffic was much Meter at Wigfiela
than at Farnborough, and the formation of thl3 'drench would bring
a great trade from Alton, which is the be ' tplace te,e witness
nly Ole
knows for its size, and certai
siderable. population lsation was very con-
Mr. Crowley, called by Mr- Ausgix, confirmed his previous evi-
dence with respect to the advantages this line was likely
to Produce. It would reduce the carriage of coals from 12s. 9d. to
3s. 9d. per ton, and would increase the number of private hthabi•
tants, ea Alton was sitee,ted in the most beautiful part of Hants, but
and the heavy chef of
Parties were prevent
,t
'A from settling there by the dearness of
building materials. Sand cost, for instance,2Os.
a waggon load;, ft might, with this line, be brought for Os. There
Would be a enoften per cent. in lime, seven per cent. in
paving-
stone, an n., five per cent. in timber from London. In the journeys
t° Lowleoti, too, each passenger would save nearly one half the ex-
Penee ; and the population were so badly off for conveyance that
T:aany people were obliged to keep their own gigs and other carriages.
The advantage was shown also in the circumstance of there being
upwards of 3,000 waggons loaded with agricultural produce, which en-
tered Alton yearly, and if this line were made, the Alton breweries
night be enlarged indefinitely, and would be able to compete with
those in London. The prep.:wed Direct Portsmouth branch to Go-
dalming would carry the leleab.taets several miles round to the me-
tropolis, and then there would be great delay in the formation of that
line, even if the Bill for it were obtained, while by this line they
would obtain the accommodation in two years.
To Lord PULLINGTON—Mr. AUSTIN replied that there were se-
verral places of no more importance than Alton which had terminal
branches, and instanced the Steyning, Horsham, end Bognor branches
of the Brighton line as examples. The traffic on the line had
been increased fivefold since the opening of the Guildford branch.
Railway accommodation would be afforded to Godalming, but it
'would be at great cost, that of making a line 19 miles long through
what appears to be quite an impracticable country.
Mr. Locke, the engineer, stated that the primary object of this
line was to accommodate Alton, and was projected at the request of
the inhabitant.• of that town. The line to Farnham was a subsequent
thought, and occasioned by the difficulties of the bountry not being
at all contemplated in the first instance. He had tried the country to the
South of the Hogsbaek, but found it impracticable. There was no corn
parison between the country teem Farnham to Alton, and that from
the latter place to GO:riming, the latter district being exceedingly
hilly and difficult. Report had been made in August of last year,
end in January Uf t is, in which the directors of the South Western
Company had stated their intention of pursuing the project. Ile
took a sureey of the ground through Alresford to Winchester. and
had t -ken sections of a line, he having originally designed a line
to Se.iisbury, but that had afterwards been Itered. This Anon line
Weeild be of great advantage to Alresford, but it would be difficult
for railway purposes, as there would be a long gradient, and one
in sixty and a tunnel would be required. The prolongation to Win:-
Chester would be of no advantage whatever, and if made must be
for local purposes solely. lie was acquainted with the Direct
Portsmouth line, and eertainly conceived that it would not be an
alternative line, and that it would not give the same accommodation
to the country, and the gradients being altogether different. lie
believed that a railway could not be made at all between Alton and
Liphook, the country being so hilly that within three or four miles
out of Petersfield there was a difference of not less than four hun-
dred feet in the level. This branch took the natural valley of the
COUntry, and was a natural branch of the South-Western line, and
was likely to contribute to its prosperity.
The Ciiarames wished to be certain as to the continuation to Win-
chester, and he referred to the evidence previously given of the Indis-
position of the inhabitant;, to which 3lr. Locke replied that he could not
say anything about the opposition but certainly from the engineering
character of the country, he never should recommend the directors
to make it the branch. He felt that he had in some way implicated
the directors, by having survey ed the whole of the country, on a
lunch wider basis than was absolutely necessary. lie had done this
from a desire to thoroughly know the country, and feared that he
had thereby created a prejudice against them ; but there was no in-
tention, whatever, to go to Winchester.
Sir C. Dotreeea wished to be satisfied on this pint. Mr. Acsrxx wished to get Mr. Horne, the Choairman of the Com-
pany, but was unable to get him, so stated that he was authorized
to assure the Committee that there was no such intention, and sug-
gested that that assurance should be placed on the record of the
report of the Committee.
To Mr. LOCKHART—There was no seperate estimate of the
ostj of the line to Farnham, but he believed the land there
was, if anything, cheaper than that further south.
Mr. AUSTIN here put in a statement of the traffic respectively of
Farnham and Alton, by which it appeared that the member of
passengers for the former place was 87,000 annually, and the produce
in money 6,0001. ; of goods there were 21,000 tons, producing nearly
1,8001. From the latter the passengers were 94,000, the money
paid by them 1,7001.; goods, 39,000 tons, and the produce in money
5,0001.
The room was Cleared at this point, and on the re-admission of
strangers,
Sir CHARLES Doueees intimated that the Committee had as yet
come to no decision; bat that they were prepated to pass the pream-
ble on leaving out the words, " and Alton in the county of South-
ampton."
Mr. Una., Q.C., said that they were prepared to submit evidence
as to the traffic between Alton and Farnham.
lir. Horne was then called, who stated that he had been engaged
with the South-Western Company eight years, had been in the
traffic department five years, and daring the last two or three
years had been specially engaged in supplying the directors
with information on that subject Ile produced the estimates of
traffic, in which it appeared that the coach passengers paid h,5321.,
and that money obtained from private vehicles 9,2631. Os. 9d.
There were 4,368 passengers between Winchester and the Farn-
borough station, the coach making one journey each day, and carry-
ing, on an average, six passengers, whieh, at lid. per mile each,
would give 60.5/. 3s. between Farnham and Guildford, half-yearly.
Vhere was a coach, between London and Alresford, going up one day
and down another, the produce of which was 3021. 1 is. 6d half-
yearly. The addition there was a coach between Alresford and the
Farnborough station, which produced 6051. as. haleyearly. This
doubled gave the income of the branch on the usual rate of
estimate. and made 3,0251. 15s. between Alton and Farnham for
'
coach passengers alone. This, he coneeived, a very low estimate.
To Mr. LOCKHART the witness replied that the b Mlle by private
vehicles was taken by actual observations, taken from October 20th
to november 2d, and in one or two stations begun on October 27th
and continued till November 9th. Tile observations were made close
to the toll bar.
To Mr. Hite—The witness stated the mode in which the
betweentraflic
was taken, which was in the usual manner. The passengers
Alton and Farmham in private vehicles were on the average 84,472
in the year, one-half of which only he tool:
of nine and a half
t for the railway. These
would produce, at lid. per mile,
Miles, 2,85 1. 9s. Between thewit-lele a distance
ton and Wachfield station
there were 13,910 passengers the 'half of whom would pay
Id for travelling nineteen miles 9631. I le. •, making a total, including
the coach traffic of 8,7551. 1.55. Id. For parcels and mails there
Would be about 400/. He assumed the number of
40,000, and giving half to Alton, the revenue would parbecelatos wu°tuiBd be
001.
The mercantile traffic was taken in the same way as that of private
vehicles, viz., observation, and without any of the increase usually
allowed for railway, giving to each horse only 15 cwt., though the
common weight was a ton, there was a tonnage of 12,688 of mer-
chandise. Alton and its neighbourhood takes 10,000 tons, the revenue
from carrying which there
would be 1,1871. 10s. Of lime, slate, and
other similar articles, there were between 5,000 and 6,000 tons, rove.
nue about 6001. Live stock, &c 300/. 16s. Bd. For carriages and
horses, 16.01., making a total "14,9151. 15s. 10d., that for the
whole of the branch beieg 24,0231. Its, I Id. leaving for the portion
between Farnham and Guildford 9;307/. 16s. I Id. The observations
had been carefully made, and the estimates were low ; the traffic on
the Guildford station had become five fold of what had beets antici-
pated by its promoters.
To the Clietaman— The witness replied that the Alton portion
would give considerably more than 41. 16s. per cent. dividend on the
Outlay. the difference being occasioned by the Inhabitants of the
Alton dialect being traders, while those of the Farnham were agrl-
turista. If the line were made only to Farnham the per centage
would be lees than now stated.
Sir C. Docalleie here intimated that the Court need not pursue the
matteretrautiestertbeYthe c'hand the resin was cleared. On the readra Leiden of
Committee then adl declared the preamble to be proved, and the

The Select Committee
,aT;oltineittjedr to consider icier the merits of
lz:asserohlen at the comprised within thie
room
moaning, in Committee-
GEV7vrA.A.T.TERAND
AzTilb4 Lord Harry Vane in the hour this
were upon the
Atrivrozq
otra.
The CHAIRMAN said. none of the gentlemen
Standing Orders' Committee, before whom thlswßillow,ecee-e, were in
town, and he could not therefore ascertain from an
they had considered the question relating to the 4itatill. them whether
Com-
mittee, therefore, wished the Learned Counsel on both sid-ehetostate
the particular points they raised, and then they would take the
opinion of the Speaker upon them.
Mr. OMAN, on behalf of the opponents of the Bill, said that the
Canal Company had power by their first Act to raise 420,000 e
shares, and 150,0001. by way of mortgage. or by shares; but by a sub-
sequent Act, the power to raise the latter sum was limited to
11)(1,0001. Now, only part of the works authorised by the first Act
had been constructed, and for that purpose the parties had raised the
100,0001. by mortgage, and 71,0001. by shares. They had only power
now, then, to raise 349,0001., if they had power to do that, and there-
fore the parties were not in a position to show that they had funds
in hand sufficient to construct the proposed works.
Mr. Vegees, on the other side, admitted all the facts stated by his
Learned Friend, but directed the attention of the Committee to the
circumstance that the second Act did not repeal the power in
the first, to raise the 150,0001. by shares, but only limited their
power to raise by mortgage 100,009/. That power, he admitted,
hail already been exercised, but under the first Act they had still
power to raise amongst themselves, in addition to the 349,100/., the
sum of 50,000/., and these two amounts would mere than cover the
estimate for the proposed works.
Mr. OSBURN contended that the power to raise the 150,000 t in the
flist Act was optional with the canal proprietors ; they
were either to raise the money amongst themselves, or
to raise it by motegege, but tney could rot raise it in
both ways ; they had already elected, under the second Act,
which limited the sum to 100,000/., to raise it by mortgage, and
they could not now raise a penhy more.
The Committee consulted the Speaker on the point, but neither the
Committee nor the Speaker being able to decide upon it, the Com-
mittee determined upon submitting the case for the deci-ion of the
Attorney and Solicitor-General. The Committee, therefore, ad-
journed cit te-morie • 'and in the meantime the points were to be
put into then' l•
Gentlemen.Pe of 3 special case fur the opinion of these Learned

This conncite
re- GROUP XXVII.
lemon in the ehair.a'elubled to-Jay at the usual hour, Sir Charles
ATORTu sTalrewalk,,,--
The en,gin erlng. evidenee 0-- ----wla all EE LINES).
the arose-examination of n u,se lines was proceeded with, and
1 • Wordsworth, with the view
Mr. G. P. Bidder was resumed by
of showing the results statemdiait,,tioiteacic,osterie:toi our report yesterday, as
also the injury which the
fain by the construction of the lines. rn3n named Woods would
ted to the Committee th
x ,_, :s: _
iff the ctro3sr-rexamination,
, at aproposal
~,--o:Jrati tie made to counsel for Mr. Wood, that the Promoters
,Cla <",--..; quite willing leave leave to any member of the committee
resr
or
were
0. : . ' partyappointe by them, the amount of compensation, it' anryt°,,,i'llinerl
et 1.:. ~ . .they-it4oug pay for the injury, if ally, that gentleman would sustain
a., , • .%; / 1 paging along his factory.
72, Wend said that such a proposal was an insult, as it trn.
- qaestion whether there would be an inquiry or not,

'as so apparent as to place the, matter beyond doubt.
tnination of this witness occupied the greater part of

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Mllngend
was
fa&
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