The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-13 00:00:00

GROUP LIII.

This Committee re-assembled to-day at twelve o'clock ; the Hon.
E. Lascelles (in the chair), the Earls of Arundel and Surrey, Captain
Dalrymple, Mr. R. Clayton, and Mr. Hildyard.
suamvsnunar AND BIRMINGHAM.

The first witness examined this morning in favour of this Bill was,
Mr. John Walton, irommaster, of Priors Lee and Donnington Wood,
in the parish of Shelia!, who proved that the construction of this
railway would confer great benefits on the people of that district,
and would enable the manufacturers to send their products to
South Staffordshire at half the present cost. A more conve-
nient communication with that district could not be devised.
Mr. Bankes, surveyor, Mr. Thomas Waltvr, ironmonger, Wolver-
hampton, and Mr. Benjamin Mickley, of the firm of Crowley, Hickley,
and Company, Wolverhampton, were also called to show the desir-
' ableness of the project. The difference between the cost of carriage
per canal and per railroad, from Birmingham to London,
would be 10s. per ton, according to the evidence of the
last-named witness ; he also preferred the proposed sta-
tions of this Company to those of the rival Companies. lie
preferred the higher level. Queen-street, into whieh this line would
enter in Wolverhampton, was the principal street of that town, and
in the immediate neighbourhood of the market-place. The station
of the Shrewsbury and Staffordshire Company would be about half a
mile from Wolverhampton, and the street in which it would be (Old
31.11-street) was exceedingly narrow, and the approach to the station
very steep and dangerous. The haulage of goods from the station to
the town would also form an important item In the expense of their
transit.

Cross-examined by Mr. F. Ronixsom—The proposed access to the
station of the South Staffordshire Company was the same as that of
the Gra. Hd Junction Company. lle did not know whether power
had been obtained to widen that access. He was not aware that
1,600 of the people of Wolverhampton had petitioned Parliament in
favour of the South Staffo.rdshire Company, and a like number
against the scheme under consideration.
. Underhill, of Wolverhampton, gave similar evidence to the
preceding witnesses.

- Mr. It-rowning believed that no better scheme than the present
could be devised for the accommodation of the district through which
it was proposed to pass.
The witness was briefly cross-examined as to high and low level
stations, by Mr. WiraTra.v, Q.C., who appeared on behalf of the
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley.
Mr. Philip Williams, an extensive ironmaster and coal proprietor
in the county of Stafford, said that that district suffered mush frm not
having the accommodation which this line would afford. This line
was a loop line, which he considered its principal advantage, as the
goods would not interfere with the passenger traffic. The town of
Darlaston, containing a population of 8,244, would be accom-
modated by this line whilst it would not be touched by its
rivals• This line would accommodate every town in
the district, which could not be effected by the present
canal or the other proposed railways. He was of opinion, that com-
petition, in most instances, ended in monopoly, and that the greatest
safeguard to the public, in respect of the means of travelling and
transmit:ing their goods, was a compulsory system of moderate toll+,
and not competition. The tolls proposed by this Company were very
moderate—much more moderate, in fact, than the tolls of its rivals.
The evidence cif Mr. Sparrow, irorunaster, Wolverhampton, was
to the same effect.
In answer to Mr. CORBETT,

The Hon. CHAIRMAN said, that after the case for the promoters of
this Bill had been concluded, they would proceed to hear the peti-
tiolers against it.

The Committee adjourned at four o'clock, until twelve o'clock on
Monday next.

GROUP L I I".

ZEICESTER AND IMMINGHAM, WITH A

131tANCEZ.

The Committee re-assembled this morning at the usual hour, ant
proceeded with the examination of witnesses is support of the line.
Mr. Muntz, M.P., was examined, and stated that he was clearly of
opinion that an independent line of railway was necessary for the
accommodation of the traffic and passengers between Birmingham,
Leicester, and Nuneaton. The London and Birmingham and Mid-
land Companies ware not equal to supply the requisite railway ac-
commodation, in consequence of the irregularity and insufficiency of
their trains. He was in favour of the proposed line then before the
Committee, as, in his opinion, it would be sufficient to meet all the
wants of the district through which it traversed.
At the close of Mr Muntz's evidence, Mr. Vignoles, the engineer-
in-shier, who had been previously examined, was recalled, and cross-
examinedthe line, as al.) 'Wows t
eestimates,
as to the engineering merits of the line, the sufficiency of
th stimrues, and th
deputy thak,an f
te general capabilities of the line. Mr. Shaw,
evidence of Mr. VI Company, was also examined In support of
„4noie,
ner, who corroborated the engineering
examined, mid
With
evaiidence
Pare and Mr. Atkinson were then
brought to a close, their vidence the ease of the promoters was
The Committee then adjourned.

e "'
lina
MThe Select Committee ap"poitin°ttredi.to eons.
compris in this group re-assembled at th usual hour thismorning; consider merits or
the
r. ElVared t ln the chair.
EAST AND WEST INDIA nocxs Jun)
BIRMINGHAM Zusrarzozr,
line.
Mr. TALBOT opened the case for the promoters of this
It was eight miles long; but, although so short, It was a line
of the greatest public importance. It was promoted by th.
London and Birmingham Company, for effecting a com-
munication between their Camden-town station and the
East and West India Docks. It
passed through Holloway, Hack.
junco with
ney, itornerton, skirted the Victoria-park, formed a
and runti auto tits:
the Eastern Counties and the Blackwall RtulwaYs,
dock-basin at ItlackwalL The want of this communication was
very mull felt by the tratte of the country, and the rates of cartage
between the Thames and the London and Binning ham Railway, was
from ss. 6d. to 7s. per ton, which would be considerably reduced by
the proposed line. The capital of the Company
which 350,000/. WAS subscribed by the Railway and Dock Companies,
and the remainder by private individuals. was §00,0031., of
Mr. Cook, of the firm of Trueman and Cook, colonial brokers;
Captain Huish, the general manager of the Grand .Inaction Railway;
Mr, Poole, general goods manager of the same railway; Mr. Alder-
man Copeland, M.P., and 3lr. Horne, of the firm of Chaplin and
Horne, bore testimony to the importance which it would prove to the
trade of the country to have an uninterrupted railway communi-
cation between Liverpool, Manchester, and the 3lidland district,
and the docks and port of London.
Mr. Martin, the engineer of the East and West India Dock Com-
pany, who laid out the line under Mr. Stephenson, detailed the pro-
gress the line took front the docks to Camden-town, and the nature
of the works. The line presented no engineering difficulties. Ills
estimate for the w orks was 349,7791. The line N7ould! cross the Lon-
don and York line. _ _

The Commliieeadjourneil shortly after four o'clock..

GROUP T.Vlr.

TZIE Lawn= AND ninran calArei GRAND
31.1WCTION, AND TYILITeTCHESTER. AND DM-
-7.OTINGZIAIVI RAIX.WAY AMALGAIVIA:X XON

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. Hon said he expected that the cempanies, when amalga
mated, would be able to reduce their tolls.
The question was eventually adjourned until Monday,
for the pur-
pose of enabling the proprietors to show ahe impossibility of carrying
into effect the arrangement proposed by the Board of Trade.