The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-25 00:00:00

GROUP XV.

BRIGHTON AND CHICHESTER. (BOGNOR
AND LITTLEHATVIPTON BRANCHES).
BOGNOR AND CHICHESTER.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

Mr. JOHNSON NEALE opposed the Brighton branch to Bognor on
behalf of Mr. Richard Clarke, landowner at Bognor, and called evi-
dence to show that the Brighton Company had been guilty of a breach
of faith and agreement. _ _ .

Mr. Rastrick, on his cross-examination by Mr. NEALE, said, that
Mr. Clarke had projected the:present Bognor branch previous to the
Brighten Company taking It up, and that, he (Mr. Rastrick) con-
sented to become engineer of the line, and had the surveys made
and paid for. He (Mr. Rastrick) thought afterwards it would be
more advisable that the Brighton Company should make the pro-
jected line, and made use accordingly of the surveys already tak en
to make up the sections and plans for the Brighton Company.
Several witnesses were called on the part of the Chichester direct
branch, to show that the great preponderance of public feeling in
Chichester and in Bognor was in favour of the Chichester and
Bognor line.
Mr. J. J. JOHNSON, previous to adjournment, submitted to the
Committee that the objection taken on the other side to the Chiches-
ter line, in the case of error in the levels laid down in the sections,
was a " standing order" point, and therefore that the Committee
was precluded by one of the standing orders from examining it. Tie
suggested that' an inquiry should be made whether this was not so
in the present case.
Mr. MEREWETU,ER contended that it was net a standing order
objection, and it came within the province of the present Committee,
under the 20th section of the Laud Clauses Act, limiting the cuttings
to 5 feet in the country and 2 feet in the towns.
The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock tomorrow.

GROUP XVI.
CHEETSEY AND EGNANE BRANCH.
The Committee (all the members of which were present) tnet at
twelve o'clock, when Mr. Wordsworth submitted a plan by which
the branch could be made without interfering with his property, and
it was agreed that it should be submitted to Mr. Locke's conside-
ration.
Mr. Briscoe, a magistrate and gentleman of property, gave evi-
dence similar to that of Colonel Challoner yesterday.
Mr. Edgill, who resides within half a lane of Egham, stated that a
great advantage would be afforded by this railway, and that Colonel
Cballoner had understated the number of persons whose attendance
was required at the petty sessions : it was 166 per annum en an ave-
rage, which information he had derived from the clerk. In conse-
quence of the obstruction of traffic, and the convenience enjoyed by
other places, the value of property had greatly deelined, and there
were at the present time 67 houses unoccupied in Egham. He
perfectly concurred in the opinion that a great advantage would be
derived from the cheaper conveyance of chalk to that district.
To Sir C. DOUGLAS—Mr. Edgill replied that the empty houses
were of the smaller size.

Mr. Whitton, a banker at Egham, confirmed Mr. Edgill's state-
ment respecting the disadvantage accruing to Egham from the want
of a railway.
A little conversation then ensued respecting the point on which
Mr. Evans rests, and Mr. Wordsworth, on his behalf, stated, that as
he had ulterior designs, in which he should probably show the
propriety and force of his client's case, he should
not cross-examine on the public merits of the case.
The Committee then decided that it was unnecessary to
call any further evidence on the traffic merits of the branch, but that
the engineer and the surveyor should be called. Prior, however, to
the examination of Mr. 'Locke, a conversation took place between
that gentleman and Mr. Evans's surveyor, but the result was a disa-
greement in opinion as to the avoidance of Mr. Evans's property, and
the plans were submitted to the Committee.
Mr. Locke was then called, and stated part of his evidenec re-
specting the course of the line, and its engineering character. There
were three roads crossed at a level, but he had preferred that mode
of traverse in a flat country, because he thought it better
than raising embankments or bridge approaches, which would
have the further disadvantage of interfering with the town of Chert-
sey. The estimated cost of the line, including the land, would be
100,0001.:; the annual expenses were estimated at 3,9971., and
the returns, 9,6301., leaving a rough profit of 5,6001., giving
an average of five or six per cent. With respect to Mr.
Evans's property, he was induced to refrain from going into
the opposition, because, in the first place, the line, as laid out,
interferred less than it would otherwise do with the property both
to the right and left ; and, secondly, because the Company were
pledged not to deviate towards Mr. Burnett's property, thirdly, it
would interfere with Lady Montford's property, and the deviation,
as proposed by the other side, would throw the railway into a village.
The distance from Mr. Evan's house was abont 140 yards.

To the CHAIRMAN—Mr. Locke replied, that the engineering, diffi-
culties occasioned by the alteration were immaterial, although the
change would be rather prejudicial than otherwise.
To Mr. WORDSWORTH —Mr. Locke stated that the change would
effect the curves, and render the line more inadvisable than it was
as now laid out. The line would certainly Interfere with the view
of the copse on St. Anne's Hill, which was an ornamental object, as
seen from Mr. Evans's house. The house also would be somewhat
Interfered with the bridge near the property. The reason for
taking the course they did was, that the deviation would oblige the
Company, not only to Infringe on their engagement with Mr. Bur-
nett, but also with Lady limitford's property, and the village he hail
spoken of, in which, if the line were carried that way, at least half
a dozen cottages would have to be pulled down, and other lands and
grounds, would be effected besides. By sharpening the curve, perhaps
the village might be avoided, but the change would be inconvenient.
The deviation proposed by Mr. Evans would carry the line
through the parsonage-house, and there appeared to be no means of
avoiding that difficulty.
Mr. Crawter was recalled, and stated, that he valued the land
for the line, the vane of which land was 24,333/. 3s. 10,1.,
including sectional damage. He knew a Mr. Evans's
house, which is a good, gentlemanly residence, but it fronted the
north, and looked away from the railway, which could only be seen
from some of the bedroom windows at the back of the house. He
also knew Lady Montford's house, which was not such a good one
as Mr. Evans's house but it looked, at the distance of about 100
yards, towards the railway. He was also acquainted with Mr. Ben-
net's property. His house was a good family mansion, surrounded
by 400 acres of ground ; and, by a stipulation with that gentleman,
it was agreed that the line should not be carried nearer to his house
than as now laid down. Mr. Evans's house stood at the corner of
two roads, on which there was a considerable traffic, and the
ground in front of the premises belonged to Lady Montford.
To Mr. Woanswoitut —The witness repeated his previous evidence,
and stated that he had purchased the parsonage house on behalf of
the Company ; but, at a previous meeting with Mr. Evans's agent,
he hadmerely suggested the deviation which had been shown by that
gentleman. A plan had certainly been sent to him by Mr. Hunt, but
he did not know what had become of it. _ .

To Mr. HOPE—The witness repeated his assertion that the railway
would nut interfere with the line of sight between Mr. James's house
and the copse on St. Anne's
To Lord POLLINCTON and Mr. BLEWITT— The witness replied that
the parsonage house was bought because a bridge was to
be erected, which would be close to the windows, and the
purchase had been made in order to avoid any difficulty
with the patron of the living. The land near Mr. Evans's house was
ornamental meadow, but he thought that the injury done to Mr. Ben-
nett's property would be greater than that suffered by Mr. Evans, as
the line went directly through the former gentleman's park.
This closed the case for the promoters, and Mr. Woanswowris
was about to open his case, when the chairman intimated that he
thought the feeling of the committee was to pass the preamble and
discuss Mr. Evans's claims on the clause. On this suggestion the
counsel would have acted, but a difficulty arose respecting the ar-
-angement, and Mr. Wordsworth was about to proceed against the
sreamble, when, after some conversation between the several
Narties concerned, a conference was held between them, the result
)f which was that Mr. Bennett, having conceded part of his claims,
the company were enabled to take such a line of deviation as would
neet Mr. Evans's views, and the preamble of the Bill was declared
Toyed.
The Ccmmittee went through the ,clauses, after an alteration had
aeon made, which was suggested by Mr. Wordsworth, and the
Chairman was directed to carry up the report.