The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-24 00:00:00

GRAVESEND AND ROCHESTER CANAL

AND RAILWAY PURCHASE.

This is merely a Bill to allow the Soath-Eastern Company to pur-
chase this property, and there being no opposition, the Bill was
allowed proved in its integral state.
Mr. AUSTIN having stated that he did not anticipate so early a con-
clusion of the ,truggle for the London and Gravesend line, and that
he was not ready with the next Bill, their Lordships adjourned till
to-morrow.

Room E.

EXHTER. YEOVIL, AND DORCHESTER.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
Mr. Locke, cross-examined by Mr. Burr—lt is proposed to form
a communication with Yeovil by means of a branch from the main
line.
Cr

„..-examined by Mr. Sergeant RINGLage —The length of the
junction line at Exeter was about three-quarters of:a mile ; it curved
slightly from the main line, it then went in a straight direction
through the tunnels, and again made a small curve in approaching
the station of the Bristol and Exeter Railway, the dtance
nun was
from the
station ur ins company at maetei, wuica me jis an
proposed to leave the main line, was about 30 chains.
Re-examined by Mr. HOPE—The junction of the two lines at Exe-
ter formed no part of the integral scheme. It was merely a line
added for the convenience of the passengers at the stations. He did
sot think there would be any difficulty in communicating from the
Exeter and Yeovil line, with the Crewkerne branch in such a manner
as to afford the means of exchanging traffic. There was no impor-
tant difference between the two lines as between Exeter and Yeovil,
it anything the superiority was in favour of the line he had laid out ;
there was a less amount of tunnelling, and the steepest gradients
compared together were as 1 in 87 to 1 in 91 in favour of the line
before: the Committee. The London and South-Western Railway
Company were largely interested in the Southampton and Dorchester
line. The construction of the proposed line would not, there-
fore, be supposed to interfere with the interests of that line,
It was net to be supposed that the line from Sherborne to Yeovil on
the broad gauge would be constructed, as it was not likely that per-
sons going from Sherborne to London would go westward to Yeovil,
when they could at once proceed direct, via Salisbury to London. The
objection, therefore, which might be raised to two lines running
parallel with each other would be totally removed. With refer•
ence to the deviation line to the north of Sherborne, ho thought
It would be less expensive to tunnel through the whole of the pro-
perty of Lord Digby than to make the deviation line as suggested.
The working expense of the line would be about 45 per cent.
Mr. Vignoles, C.E., examined by Mr. Horn—Had been through
the districts through which this line proposed to pass, and thought
the line had been laid out in the best possible manner, taking into
consideration the nature of the country. Ile thought it desirable to
have a through communication between Exeter and Lond,,n on the
narrow gauge, and under the management of an independent com-
pany.
Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT—Was decidedly in favour of the
broad gauge as a means of communication, viewed
.as an abstract
question. He thought the junction at Exeter between the two lines
would be useful, as it would prevent the city of Exeter being over-
crowded with the traffic of the two lines.
Re-examined by Mr. Hoes—He thought that what the narrow
gauge could do the broad gauge could do better, at an increased cost,
of course. The inconvenience of break of gauge must continue to
exist so long as there were different gauges in the country. In his
opinion, It was desirable that the break of gauge should take place at
populous towns, such as Exeter, which as a point in the western
traffic would afford the best place for a break of gauge. At present
the Interests of the Great Western Company were Identified with the
broad gauge—in fact the Great Western line formed the key to the
broad gauge.
Mr. Tite, architect, was then examined by Mr. HOPE—He had
been over the whole of the line of the proposed railway, and had su-
perintended the valuation of the land. The estimates he had pre-
pared were for the districts between
Basingstoke and Salisbury ..... £61,000
Salisbury and Yeovil . • 131,000
Yeovil and Exeter . . .

Making a total of • • • • . • 287,000
He had specially examined the property of the Earl of Digby, and
be did not think that the Interests of the town of Sherborne should
be sacrificed by making a line to the south for the purpose of avoid-
ing interference with his property. In no part of the property of the
Noble Lord could the proposed railway be seen. There was a con-
siderable quantity of fine-grained stone of the lower oolite in the
neighbourhood of Tilsbury, which would be most extensively used
in London if there was the means of communication. The Londoe
University was built of that stone.
Cross-examined by Mr. Burr—The line from Salisbury to Bishop-
Stoke went through the property of Sir C. Bathurst in precisely the
same manner as the present railway was proposed to be made through
the property of Lord Digby.
Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT—The church lately built at Tile-
bury was not built of stone from that neighbourhood ; it was of too
hard a nature for the purposes required, and it would be very diffi-
cult to produce the elaborate carvings required for that church.
Mr. J. Robinson, assistant to Mr. Locke, handed in a table of the
distances, and also a list of assents, and dissents, and neuters, upon
which he was examined at considerable length by Mr. Talbot.
Lord Morley was then examined by Mr. HOPE—He considered the
proposed lines of importance not only to the city of Exeter and the
metropolis, but also for the districts westward of Exeter, including
the counties of Devon and Cornwall, which might be advantageously
supplied by an extension of the lines before the Committee through
the centre of Cornwall.
Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT—Did not know that a resolution
had lately been coEno to by the Town Conned of r2.7411ML4121 iu faTvui
of the Exeter Great Western Railway.
Re-examined by Mr. Hoez—Was aware that there was consider-
able feeling in Cornwall in favour of a second line.
Mr. Sidney Herbert, the late Secretary-at-War, examined by Mr.
Hops—Considered that the proposed line was much needed both for
the purpose of giving accommodation to the districts west of Salis-
bury, at present destitute of railway accommodation, but also as af-
fording the means of forming an uninterrupted narrow gauge com-
munication with the different ports on the sea coast, which were im-
portant as defences of the country, such as Sheerness, Dover, Has-
tings, Portsmouth, and Southampton ; and it was also of considerable
Importance that the proposed line should be continued to the ports of
Falmouth and Plymouth.
Cross-examined by Mr. Luxor—lt was a matter of indifference
to him which lice was constructed, whether on the broad or the
narrow gauge, provided it would afford a continuous and unbroken
line of communication between the different ports.
The examination of this witness concluded the case on behalf of
the promoters.
Mr. licrr then proceeded to address the Committee on behalf of
Lord Digby, whose property was intersected by the proposed railway.
The CIIAMIAN interrupted the Learned Gentleman by stating
that it was the opinion of the Committee that protection should be
given to Lord Digley, and the Committee would certainly refuse to
sanction the passing of is, much of the line as proposed to pass
through the property of Lora Digby.
Mr. Goanoie then made an application to the Committee, desiring
them to fix the two points between which the line should not be
made.
The CHAIRMAN said that he could not do that until he had had an
opportunity of consulting the other members of the Committee.
Mr. BUTT then said he also represented the case of Mr. Bridge,
but as the evidence which he had to offer on that subject was not
quite prepared, In consequence of this unexpected decision of the
Committee, he hoped the Committe would adjourn till Monday
■ext to afford time for obtaining the necessary evidence.
The Committee adjourned accordingly till eleven o'clock on Mon-
day.