The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-23 00:00:00

CALEDONIAN (DUNDYVAN BRANCH).

Smith, of Deanston, land surveyor and valuator, was then
called by Mr. Forsyth, and examined as to the accuracy of the esti-
mates for the purchase of the land to be required by this company.
In cross-examination by Mr. ANDREWS the witness adhered to his
opinion that his valuation was adequate, " especially as he had no
university to value."—(A laugh.)
Other evidence in favour of this competing line was adduced, and
the Committee adjourned at four o'clock to Monday—the decision as
to the preamble of the previous Bill being postponed until after the
evidence on the competing lines ; and the statement of the counsel
for this Bill being also deferred until after the evidence in its support.

GROUP XIII,

NORTH BRITISH (CARLISLE EXTENSION).

(Continued from our Afternoon f.diti`n of yesterday.)
Mr. Robert Cowen re-examined—The 20,000 tons of Canobie coal
he meant was the quantity that would be consumed in Carlisle and
south ofit.
To the CHAIRMAN—The length of the canal was 1114 miles. The
present rates down the canal was ts. a ton, and 3d. a ton for tack-
ing, being Is. 3d. each ton. • He had learned that there was an in-
tention to reduce it to 6d. The present price of coals in Carlisle was
for the best Is. 2d. ; second, 3s. Bd. ; and third quality for steam
purposes, 4s.
Mr. Marshall, traffic-taker, examined—He had had considerable
experience in taking traffic. He took the traffic for the North Bri-
tish line. The observations on the present line were taken by men
placed at various points along the route in the months of
January and August. He took the passengers from the way-bills.
The traffic of this route had much decreased of late, on account of the
greater facilities afforded by the Newcastle route from the opening of
the railways south. In making his estimate of passengers, he had
added 150 per cent. for increase, which he considered a moderate cal-
culation. In addition to the passengers through Hawick, he had
taken 1,500 passengers, who went yearly by the Newcastle route for
the south that would go by the present line, if it was opened. The
whole number of passengers that went that way was 10,030, and of
that amount he thought 1,500 a moderate number that would go this
way if they had railway accommodation. The parties by gigs and
private vehicles were taken by observation, and to that also he had
added 130 per cent. The same principle of voting traffic
was observed in estimating goods. He had taken credit in the
tables for a large amount of fish that would pass along this line from
Dunbar to Liverpool and Manchester. He had calculated 1,500
tons of fresh meat that would go by this railway. His coal esti-
mate he made out from the estimate of the witnesses examined yes-
terday. The cattle -nd sheep traffic was made from the information
of Mr. Nelson and Mr. Maxwell. The total income was sat down
at 60,5661.

Cross-examined —He took January and August for the passenger
traffic, August was not a fair month, but it was compensated by
January. The traffic in August was taken about the middle of the
month. His information of the passengers that went by Newcastle
he got from guards and coachmen and inquiries made at Edinburgh. Of
all the passengers that went by the Edinburgh and Newcastle coaches
he took 1,500 that would go by this line; as he learned that

a great proportion of those also went south of Newcastle, went to the
midland counties of England. Hs had but estimited 100 per cent.
of increase on the Hawick line last year, hut he had seen reason this
year to consider 150 a fair calculation. The men who were placed

io make the observations were instructed to put clown every person
on horseback and every vehicle that was travelling more than three
miles; and out of this information he made his tables, striking off
from the data furnished a proportion, so that the table furnished
would Include only those that were travelling six miles and upwards.
He considered that 9,1371. would be raised this way. Pie did not
consider that an over-estimate. He had never heard of parties
being purposely sent by companies along the roads in gigs, in order
that they might be included in the traffic calculations.—(Laughter.)
If the route from Dunbar, through the North British to Newcastle,
and from thence in a direct manner to Manchester, was shorter, then
the 4,000 tons of fish he had estimated to be carried by this line was
erroneous, as a great portion of it would go by the east line. The
fish that would go to Liverpool and Manchester, would in all proba-
bility, take that route. With respect to the coal traffic, he had taken
the present consumption at Hawick, and trebled it, making 24,000
tons In all. He had estimated a ton and a half to each person. When
he spoke of Hawlck in this estimate, he meant the town and parish
of Hawick and the district surrounding it. The population
of the town and parish of Hawick in 1841, was 6,573.
Mr. RICKARDS asked how he could make up the balance of 16,000
of a population which was implied in the supposition of a ton and
half being consumed by each person in the Hawick district ?
Witness then went through a series of parishes in and beyond the
neighbourhood of Hawick which when cast up made a population
of 13,419. He admitted, therefore, that 24,000 tons showed an over
estimate of 4,000. This was at the same time on the supposition
that the coal delivered at the Hawick station would go as far north
as Jedbnrgh and St. Boswell's, and that the Dalkeith coal would be
shut out of this district, also that the Canobie coal would retain its
present price. His calculation given last year of coal
and lime being brought out of the Lothians must now
be struck out as far as these tables were concerned, as they were
calculated to be supplied from Canobie and Langholm.
Mr. Patrick Maxwell, of Canobie, was briefly examined in corro-
boration of the evidence of the previous witness.
Mr. Blythe, civil engineer, examined by Mr. Sergeant RELLASIS—
He laid down the line under the direction of Mr. Miller. The line
joined with the Edinburgh Railway at Hawick, and passed by Moss
Paul, Langholm, and the east side of Langton, on to Carlisle. The
last mile of this line was nearly identical with the deviation line of
the Caledonian Company now before Parliament, for entering into a
central station to be constructed in Carlisle. There would be no diffi-
culty in both companies using the same line here with a
double set of rails. The steepest gradient on the line
was 1 in 75, between Netherby and Langton. The
length was 214 miles. The smallest radius on the main line was
three furlongs. There was a tunnel of 300 yards in length, near to
Moss Paul. The ascending gradient from Hawick to Moss Paul was
one in 100, and the descending one towards Carlisle, one in 90.
There were four short viaducts, 850 yards in length altogether. The
main line was 42% miles in length, and there were two short
branches of 1% miles each. This would form the shortest route
from Hawick to London and Lancashire, connecting the lines at pre-
sent authorised to be made. From Hayrick by Carlisle the distance
to London would be 343 miles; and by Kelso and Berwick, 407
miles. The whole distance from Edinburgh by Hawick to Carlisle
was 96 miles, by the Caledonian about 100 miles. His whole esti-
mate of the line, including land, was 660,0001. The working expenses
were estimated at 37 per cent.
Cross-ermined by Mr. Hepx—He thought the present line would
be worked in connexion with the Edinburgh and Hawick line. Last
year his estimate was 40 per cent. for working expenses. He had
not calculated the distance front Hawick to London on the supposi-
tion of the London and York being granted. If that were made then
the distance by Berwick and that line world be 375 miles, and if
the Direct Northern passed, nine miles shorter. They proposed to
run into the station of the Lancaster and ;Carlisle Company at Car-
lisle,. to which the latter objected. This line crossed several
~„ ughfares. It crossed Crown-street on a level. Borough-
street was proposed to be lowered three feet, and to be
crossed by an arch of twelve feet. There were several
crossings on the level. They might have had a gradient of one in a
100 at Netherby had they chosen to expend money for it. Witness
bad had a scheme t
ec
Graham obi ted to h. It would have had better ° pass along the other bank of the Esk, but Sir J.
Present line. A. deviation had gradients than the
made to meet the objections
of the Duke of Ruceleueh. Thn'e been
voit was crossed 13 times.
Mr. Horn here submitted a
ipaper, with a series of questions on {
the estimates of works,
rw. Hope's) huicoh, the witness would return written ,
much shortened.
answers to them,
emus-examination would be very

Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS objected to this course as unusual, and
thought it would interfere much more with the time of the Com-
mittee than if the questions were now put to the witness in regular
order.
After some conversation on the point, it was arranged that Mr.
estions then seriatim to the witniss.
Hope should put his a
"u
Mr. Blythe was then questioned at length on the amount of exca-
vation, the nature of the strata, the embankments, bridges, mason-
work, permanent way, &c., going in detail over the whole works
along the line.
The cross-examination was proceeding, when
The CHAIRMAN said, as it was e
Terence to the case of the Caledonianvidenthatt that the
ttahefoqllUoesw,tiohnse
though;
it it would be as well that a written abstract was drawn up and put in
by the witness.
This was assented to and the cross-examination was dropped.
CALEDONIAN EXTENSIOI7.
Mr. COCKBURN, in reference to an observation that dropped
from the Chairman at the close of yesterday's sitting, as
to whether the promoters intended to proceed with the Cale-
donian Extension, said it was evident that the obserratiOn of
the Chairman proceeded, no doubt, from the supposition that
the main claim of that line was negatived by the decision in favour
of the Dumfries scheme. Now he wished to call the attention of
the Committee to the fact that the southern connexion with Ayr-
shire was really subordinate to the real claims which the Caledonian
Extension preferred for the favourable consideration of the Commit-
tee. The main feature in the case was the formation of a connexion
between Edinburgh and Ayrshire. Besides, it would have the effect
of opening up to Glasgow the richest coal and mineral district in
Scotland, that of Lesmahagow. It was, therefore, their intention to
proceed with the Bill, which he begged to observe wits independent
of the Caledonian Company.
The CHAIRMAN said the Learned Gentleman was correct as to the
impression of his meaning. He certainly thought the question of
southern connexion was in a great measure settled by the decision in
favour of the Dumfries line. Still, as the case was such as the
Learned Gentleman represented, the Committee would cheerfully go
the whole case for the Caledonian Extension, and he begged of
the promoters to dismiss from their minds all supposition of the
Committee being In the least degree prejudiced against the scheme.
The Committee then adjourned till Mo ,day at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XIV.
The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Bills
comprised in this group re-assembled at the usual hour this morning,
Mr. Protheroe in the chair.
TEE MID ZENT 41.712%COSPREEXC.,
The case for the promoters of the atr