The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-27 00:00:00

GROUP IX,

Thh Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, Mr. Sotheron in the
chair.

LONDON, HOUNSLOW, AND WESTERN.
The further consideration of the case on behalf of this Bill was re-
sumed.

Captain Moorsom was again re-called and cross-examined at some
length with regard to the destruction to private property, which the
construction of the line would involve.

Evidence having been called as to the value of the property that
would be required for the purposes of the line, the case of the pro-
moters was closed. _

The Committee adjoined till Thursday at twelve o'clock, when
the case for the opponents will be g•ne into.

GROUP XXII.

This Committee met this morning at the usual hour. Sir George
Grey in the chair.
IPSWICH, NORWICH, AND YARMOUTH.
Evidence on tragic resumed.
Mr. Capon, a farmerat Dennington, corrobated the evidence ahead.),
given as to the tramc anticipated on this line.

- This witness was subjected to a long cross-examination by the
opposing counsel, but nothing material was elicited.
Mr. 0. Colman, Sheriff of Norwich, gave evidence as to the advan-
tages whi..ll the line would confer by increasing the facilities of
transit for corn.

Mr. Wilde, Coroner of Norwich, and Mr. Prior, a maltster, gave
evidence as to the great want of railway communication at present,
.nd the neces,ity for constructing the proposed line for the accom-
modation of the wants of the district.
GROUP XXII.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)

Mr. A. Edwards, a general merchant at Woodbridge, detailed the
quality of exports and imports at Woodbridge, which he considered
would be greatly increased if the proposed line were constructed.
Mr. W. Ruston, of Mark-lane, pointed oat the increase which
might be anticipated in the coasting trade by the proposed line.
Mr. Thomas Crisp, farmer, near Orford, and others, reiterated the
above evidence, and the Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to.
morrow.

GROUP XXVI.
SOUTH ESSEX.

The Committee, Mr. M. O'Connell in the chair, assembled at
twelve o'clock, but the room was cleared for the discussion of some
point as to their private regulation, and on the re-admission of
strangers,

Mr. Cccitsuas addressed the Committee on behalf of the South
Essex Company, and went through the several points afforded by the
evidence which hid been adduced, resting chiefly on the principal
object, which the company had stated, of affording rail-
way accommodation to the whole county of Essex. In
the course of his observations the Learned Counsel contrasted the
respective advantages of the line which he advocated, and those of
the North Gravesend line. The branch to Tilbury had this only
advantage to recommend it—it is a branch of a main line, which can
be worked at a small and comparatively insignificant expense ; and
thus it might be made to pay, and, taken in a subsidiary point of
view, it might be worth the while of the company to work it. After
alluding to the case of the town of Barking, where the North Graves-
end Railway crossed the place on the level, the Learned :ounsel
entered upon the , general merits of the line of the South
Essex Company, including the carriage of mature, flour, an(
No objection had been made to the carriage of
cattle and sheep, and the only subject then for consi-
deration was the conveyance of coals. In looking at the
general merits of the line, the first consideration was the existence
of the river Crouch, which, nearly at the mouth of the Thames, had
a naturally formed harbour, accessible in all states of the tide, and
yet perfectly secure in every state of the weather. This harbour
must become the receptacle for a great portion of that trade
which now impeded the river Thames, and blocked up the port of
London. The consumption of London is at the present time 3,000,000
thus, and may possibly rise to the extent of 5,000,000. The com-
pany took credit for the landing and carriage of 250.000 tons. This
would afford so small a relief to the river, that it was not unreason-
able to suppose that a much larger quantity would be carried by the
railway than that which is at present estimated. This, in
addition• to the fact of the ability to reach Gravesend with
equal facility to that which was offered by the opposing line—
taking all the circumstances into consideration, the South Essex
line was the one the most worthy of consideration, and the only one
which ought to be granted.

• Mr..Taitas replied on behalf of the North Gravesend Company,
when,

The CHAtamAri inquired whether this was the subject of sub-
scription contract ; to which the Counsel replied, that it was
a project emanating from certain parties connected with the Eastern
Counties Company, although not the project of that Company itself.
But this much he might say, that haying got their North Woolwieh
line, and their Thames Junction line, the Eastern Counties Com-
pany felt that being an established company they could afford
greater accommodation to the public in an access to Gravesend.
The grand difficulty of the opposing line was, that they had no ter-
minus whatever worthy of the slightest notice. If at Stepney, there
were the docks to compete with ; if at the blinories, they were in the
midst of a neighbourhood which clearly was too well occupied
already ; if in Fenchurch-street, the depot was clearly quite snap
plieable for coal, on which so much reliance was to be placed, and he
would venture ro say that it wasequally unfitted for corn. Through-
out the whole case it was evident that the only saving upon
coals was ninepence, and as the North Gravesend Com-
pany contended only threepence. That colliers he insisted,
would revcr be discharged in any amount at Crouch, and
he believed that the granting of this line would amount to a
Parliamentary tax of d. on all the coal brought by means of this
railway. Re would venture to assert that, even if this line were
made, the greatest quantity of coal would be sent into the interior
of the country from the depot of the Blackwell RAlway,
and it was in evidence that the residents of Rocheford are now
getting their coals as low as 20s. a ton. The case of the corn trade
was equally plain. Then, as regards the passenger traffic of 374,0001.,
although the whole population of the county was Only 340,005, so
that it would be necessary to have every individual in the county,
men, women and children, to create this traffic, and even then it
would be short of the amount. The line, in fact, did not pass through
any place with more than 2,000 inhabitants; so that, through one
means or other, a great part of the income would he done away with,
and he did not beileve that any Committee would sanctioa the
carrying out of a line which was to extend the deficiencies of the
Blackwall Railway—in fact, the only argument that could be used
for widening the Blackwall Railway under the assumption of bring-
ing a large traffic upon it from extraneous sources. Now,
the North Gravesend Company had the right to take
the population round their terminus just as muck as the
North Kent Company had the right to carry thee
who went from Southwark and other places, on the south side of the
water. The South Roiex scheme was one not ripe for Parliament ;
tha the assertions had not been made out, and that there was no
definite terminus. With respect to the other line, it is one projected
by an established company, whose experience enabled them better than
her parties to judge et the probabiliti es of success. The North Graves-
end line wou I 1 cost only about 250,000/., and its only opponent among the
landholders was a gentleman of the name of Thompson, but except-
ing him there was no opposition whatever on the part of the local
residents, and the Learned Counsel trusted that the Committee
would give equal and fair chance of competition to both companies.
The room was thent learad.

On Me re admission of the parties, the CHAIRMAN stated that the
Committee, after much patient investigation, had come to the con-
clusion that thd preamble had not been proved in either of the cases.

GROUP XXVIII.
The Committee re-assembled to-day at twelve o'clock, In Room 33
of the \ew Houses of Parliament. There were present Lord Dal-
meny (chairman) and the other members.

LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM (ST. ALBANS
AND LUTON BRANCH).
The evidence in support of this Bill was resumed.
Mr. John Walton examined—Lived at Flamstead, on the
line. Their two nearest market towns were Litton and Hemel
Hemstead. The want of a railway communication with St. Albans
was sensibly felt.

This witness was ems-examined at great length, tut nothing ma•
terial was elicited.

Mr. William Elliot examined—Lived at Dunstable. There was
considerable traffic in straw plait manufacture from Dunstable to
London. By the railway proposed they would have accommoda-
tion two ways, while by the London and York line only one would
Le afforded.

Cross-examined by Mr. WELLS, on the part of the petitioners
against the Bill—Redbourne had suffered very severely by the
withdrawal o: the traffic from that plate. He would be as well
satisfied with a line that should be three miles longer to London,
for be considered it would be equally beneficial to Dunstable.
After hearing some further evidence,
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till Thursday.

GROUP XXXI.
SOUTH WALES.—(NO. II.)
The Committee assembled this morning at th• usual hour, when,
The CHAIRMAN inquired what proposition the supporters of the
Bill had to make to the Committee, a portion of their preamble
having been struck out.

Mr. AUSTIN, for the promoters, said, that they proposed to carry
the line from Chepstow to Bumspill, on the river Severn, and to a
point of junction with the Forest of Dean Railway. This railway
would fill up the lacuna caused by striking out part of the preamble,
and enable the trunk line of the South Wales Company to be
carried on without break or interruption. Again, if the preamble
were so altered as to allow a junction of the South Wales Railway
with the Monmouth and Hereford, a entinued communication might
be obtained with the city of Gloucester.
The clauses of the Bill were then proceeded with and arranged.

Several new clauses, having respect to the junction of the-South
Wales Railway with existing lines, and for the regulation of the tolls
were introduced into the Bill, and the Committee adjourned.

GROUP XXXII.

The Committee met this morning at twelve, Mr. J. E. Denison In
the chair.

BUCK.INGRAMBRIRE (TR.TNG TO
BANBURY).

d the clauses were partly read and agreed t terday, an
The preamble of the Bill for this project was declared4l7
beudtytehe-e
matter was re-opened by
Mr. COCKBURN, who appeared for the Great Western, and Stated
mainly influenced the Coaimitee to pass the d mth:lyt,whthaet
forming of a junction with the Oxfordit
d at:adtßouf
l'isifyilliclinilleen---tinca'oul not be
thitrw.effected,os TroazitEgaNtit; thereN
said btehi
an
tg iat
w quitedifference
an
nf
easy
15
yfe feet
matter
etrh et
to
levelsfon
form
ofa
Amnon between the two railways by a siding on the slope of the
proposed line, and join the Oxford and Rugby line is ithin the line of
deviation.
Mr. cocirstran said he perfectly understood the question now. Tho
promoters intended to make a line which was not laid down in the
sections deposited, and therefore it could not be done.
The CHAIRMAN said the question had arisen at the winding up of
the Bill yesterday, and after the opposing parties had left the room
the Committee thought that the opponents of the Bill bad neglected
the most important point ; but having done so; they had now no
locus stancli before the Committee, and the Committee must investi-
gate the question for themselves.
11r. Stephenson and Mr. Carter stated that it was not necessary to
lay down sidings on the plans deposited, or to apply to Parliament
for powers to make these sidings, as they did not ask for power to
compel the Great Western to allow the junction. The same means
statedlast
nohiutgehghiaintLt,taattiwnnh
deo,
had been used in forming a junction between the London and Bir-
mingham and the Grand Junction, and no application had been made
to Parliament for powers.
a s Committee,TsathrseeT,w.ulori,:tlyidi.
t,..,Torstthe:apoft:xeltrirf;crtodtenodas
have
bddayevretiathtunei
gov
painthy,
llai said
nu z thatwhich thhaedi r
been decision
raised, of
ayes-
terdayndproceeded to read the rest of the clauses.
sftafindmwititsehdedinttoo
hteheheßardill
ohnadthe
esonl (el
thisartohoiriurste,nhvedee.mr had
been
morning, erved
i t
owfs,.sppovestruopniotpoert,iiienasßlinllucwh,h,ans
re-
turned for answer that they would not read them.
for
them. lie
the Blilell
they
ample ep oftimitY was furnished for securing their own interests,
ThehaCclunAegutrecAtNedtht
and now, after considerable delay had been caused, they made 'ap l
P
cation ...hen the case was about being wound up.
Committee refused to hear counsel upon the clauses, but or-
The
dered them to be given in.
Two of the clauses were admitted into the Bill and this closed the
case.

oxpoaD, WORCESTER, AND wolivEß.
HAMPTON.

Mr. Cockburn, Q.C., Mr. Talbot, Q.C., and Mr. Whitmore appeared
for the promoters of the line, which is opposed by Mr. Sc'lfe and 1
Spooner, on the part of the line
and landowners in the dlr.
trict opposing, and by the solicitor to the London and Blrminghals-
Railway. ni
Mr. TALBerr opened briefly the merits of the branches Proposed
from the main line, which had been sanctioned by Parliament last
Year. The objects of the Bill, he said. were fourfold--to form a
branch to Witney, which was four miles from the trunk
line ; and the branch to Strafford on Bing another to join
the Stoke branch of last year, a southward
communication to near the town of Droitwich ; ant
to take powers to purchase the Stratford-on-Avon Canal and the
Stourbridge Extension Canal. The branch to the town of Witney
would cozier &Mt DiAlttlt OA On AZI A populAtio4 of 6,0008
_ _