The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-18 00:00:00

GROUP XLI.

MANCHESTER, BOLTON, 41.17 D
(CANAL NAVIGATION AND RAILS(' ILT).
The Committee to which this line Ls reftrred met to-day at twelve
o'clock, in room No. 16.

The day was occupied in examining witnesses, who proved the
material advantages which the carrying out of this scheme would
afford to the surrounding country. The property it had to cut
through was said to be of a most inferior description. Every step
had been taken to accommodate the public by all the means
in the power of the Company, and at the wharf near Blackfi jars.
At Manchester, the railway had been carried on on pillars, in order
that the loading and unloading of vessels might not be inter-
fered with.

The Committee adjourned at four o'clock, until twelve o'clock
to-morrow.

GROUP XLVII.
SWANSEA. VALE.

----
The Committee on this group met at twelve o'clock to-day, Mr.
Evans in the chair, when
Mr. Morgan, a coal-owner, wase ey
ceealhlvedtaonsche of theowlite coal affected
natureofthe
country, and the way in which the
its , s
.transit9,du.
ta irespectively
can a l
bthye veaalhuaelofathhae article, and
rail. The
tThheeexpptienhsceipoafl
pohnetlei'Ll of then was
ton, while
statementttohetheport it
d thatt thepa
y conveytell at c
tehoef
from
);'tn In
. his opinion a
railway was absolutely necessary.
on the railway it would pay only
about to cress examine the witness, on the part of
Mr. JAMES was
the landowners, when it was objected to by
Mr. WIIATELEY, who conceived that he had no right to pursue
that course.
On this a long argument arose, and the room was ultimately cleared
After sonic time, and on the re-admission of parties,
The CIIAIRMIN declared that the Committee had decided that
Mr. James could only cross-examine on the principal object of the
preamble.
Mr. Arthur was next called, and stated that he had been a coal-
owner for twenty-two years, and finally confirmed the evidence of
le. acimooaddou.fnraot
the previous witness.
Mr. Starling Benson for the last twelve years had been interested
in copper works and collieries. The Tredgoller works are six miles
from Swansea, under the Drummer mountain, where there is a very
large supply of steam-packet coal, for which it is adapted
by giving great heat, burning quickly, and with little
smoke. It is generally included by Government in their contracts
for their own packets, but it has been in a great measure shut out
from the market by the want of means for its transit. In conse-
quence of this want, the copper works, where there are upwards of
20,000 tons consumed yearly, are an additional expense r.of
300,000/. a-year. It is usual to ship this coal for general sale in
barges of 22 tons, but the breakage was such, from the continual
change of carriege, only 17 tons cult be delivered. The difference
of cost by rail, independent of breakage, would be considerable, being
8 •ict. by rail and la. 714 d. by canal. It the railway were made it
would obviate the necessity of keeping a stock at Swansea. The ex-
pense of his wharfage at that place is now 2001. a year. This might,
to a great extent, be saved. The whole consumption of coal in the
cop er-works in Wales is estimated at 300,000 tons. The witness
then testified cc to the length ef time in which a desire had been ex-
pressed for the formation of this railway, and stated that there had
been an arrangement between the several land ands coal-owners to
carry a line in 1838 up to Tredgoller works.
Much evidence was then given as to the peculiar circumstances in
which the property in that part of the country is placed, the object
being to show that there was not so much a desire for public as for
merely personal and private advantage.
On cross-examination by Mr. Gactees, the witness stated that
there was an agreement for amalgamation with the Welsh Midland.
There are 1,000 or 1,200 feet of wharfage front on the river, of
which two hundred and fifty feet will be sufficient for the
general trade, but there is no provision for coal wharfage,
although there are facilities for the trade in the arrangement of placing
the line of railway twelve feet above the wharf, so as to enable the
goods to be at once transferred to the wharf, by emptying the wag-
gons, or by running them down a steep inclined plane to the waters'
edge. With regard to the railway, about three miles of rail are laid
down, most of the earthwork and much of the masonry are done, and
the fences, where there is nothing to grow, are formed.
Mr. Jones, the engineer, was employed with Mr. Vignoles in the
surrey of the Manchester and Liverpool Railway, in 1825, with Sir
John Rennie, on Southwark and London-bridges, and other great
works. Ile had surveyed the Neath Valley line for Mr. Brunel. Ilis
attention had been called first to this project in 1830, and
had surveyed a line in Swansea Vale at the request
of several traders, and had taken the litre which was nearly
identical with the present route, and which he conceived was the
best in the valley. The line was at that time abandoned, be-
cause the Canal Company reduced their tolls. In 1840 the country
was again surveyed by Mr. Bush, which was nearly the same
as this, bat it was Impeded by the progress of the
new cut of the canal and the erection of warehouses.
In 1844 the canal works were finished, and the Tredgoller line was
Immediately begun, and is new in process of formation. The steepest
gradient on the first, ten miles is one hi 175. On the upper part the
steepest gradient would be one in 58, but this was not so objectionable,
as the heavy traffic will be almost entirely down the line. The
rails and materials for a single line are provided for the first
seven miles and partly laid. In the opinion of the witness this is
decidedly the best line which the valley could afford. The cost of
the part already formed will be under 5,0001. a mile, and that also
will be the price of the upper part of the extension. The estimate
for the whole is 100,0001. The line is to be on the narrow gauge,
which is better suited than the broad gauge for traffic between col-
lieries and Iron-works.
On cross-examination by Mr. JAMES, the witness stated, that
when he was engaged to supply the line on the east side, Mr. Bynol
was also engaged to survey on the west side for some considerable
distance. The estimate does not include the cost of any stage,
jetty, or other shipping place.
To Mr. JAMES, the witness replied, that as the steepest gradients
would be in the upper part of the line, where the trade will be the
least, so on the canal the locks are most numerous in that district,
and consequently offer tittle impediment to the navigation 'of the
lower portion of its course

Thee was considerable cross-examination respecting the way in
which the line would affect the land of a gentleman of the name
of Benson, at Swansea, part of which is to be enclosed for wharfage
for the country.
To one of the Committee, Mr. Jones stated that the line, with its
branches, will be nineteen miles, the whole of which he had per-
sonally surveyed. The curve would be on a radius of half a mile.
Mr. Glascody, secretary to the Mineral Railway Company, con-
firmed the evidence of the previous witness as to the cost of con.
strutting the line, and the Committee then adjourned till twelve to-
morrow.