The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-31 00:00:00

GROUP XX.

This Committee re-assemaeciiiiii morning. rremnt, :51r. Scrthcron,
Mr. Rose, Lord H. Hendrick, and Sir R, Pipot.
LONDON AND BRIGHTON (WANDSWORTH

BRANCH.)
Mr. WELLER opened the case for the promoters.
The Committee were occupied hearing evidence in favour. of the
line, which is between seven and eight miles long, and will coin.
mence at Croydo• , and terminate in junction with the South-Westeri
railway at Wandsworth. A West-end teradnus will theu be gives
to the London and Brighton railway.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

GROUP XXV.
Tlin RIVAL HARWICH LINES.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
The remainder of the day was occupied in settling and arrang;nl
the clause of the Bill.
The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XXIX.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
SOIITZ MIDLAND RAILWAY (MINTING.-

DON BRANCH).

After some discussion as to the order of precedence of the remain-
ing lines in this group, It was arranged that the above line should be
taken first.
Mr. MAcitLAY, in the absence of Mr. Austin, then opened the case
on behalf of the promoters. The proposed branch commences on the
Bedford line, a little south of Kettering, and terminates
by a junction with the Ely and Iluntingdon Railway, at
Huntingdon, crossing and forming a junction with the line
of the Northampton and Peterborough Railway. By this
latter branch the chain of railway between Birmingham
and Great Yarmouth will be complete. The length of the branch is
twenty-three miles seven furlongs, and it is estimated that at least
half a million of persons would be supplied with coal at half the cost
which that article at present costs them. The promoters have agreed
to subscribe 600,0001. towards its construction. The principal points
for the consideration of the Committee in deciding en the merits of
the competing lines for completing the railway communication from
Birmingham to the Eastern branch will be the amount of capital
required, the length of new Railways to be constructed, and
the extent of accommodation afforded. The country through which
the Rugby and Huntingdon Railway passes from the point where it
leaves the Northampton and Peterborough Railway, to Rugby is,
with the exception of the towns of Kettering and Market liar-
borough, most thinly populated ; and this line of country would be
fully accommodated by the Rugby and Stamford Railway, for which
a Bill was at present before a Committee, promoted by the London
and Birmingham Railway Company. The proposed line was well
supported by a large and powerful company who had subscribed the
amount required. The competing line would be longer, and involved a
greater expense. The Learne. Counsel submitted that. if these
grounds of supeAority be sustained they would be sufficient to en-
title the promoters of the South Midland scheme to the passing of
their Bill in preference to that of their competitors.
Mr. W. Coote, a merchant, residing at St. Ives for thirty years, was
then examined—He dealt in corn, coals, Re. The average number of
sheep brought to St. Ives weekly was 4,000, and of cattle 800. The
quant ty of corn brought to market WAS 100,000 quarters a year.
From 9 to 10,000 tons of coal were consumed there yearly, but a
larger quantity passed through it. It was very badly accommodated
in means of communication, so much so us to be almos excluded
from Birmingham. Leicester, and Manchester. The only convey-
ance was by canal, and the length of time occupied in conveyance by
canal to Manchester was three weeks. he price of coals to the
co: sumer at St. Ives was 205., a price extremely low, owing t time
mild winter. They get a quantity from Yorkshire, through Lynn,
but none from Leicestershire, from the want of means 01 c .iivey-
ance. Tho district about St. Ives was very fertile one.
Cross-examined—lt would be an object to get as quickly as pos-
sible from Birmingham to Huntingdon, but he fancied tnat he could
• get to Rugby very well by the South Midland projeot. He admitted
that the most direct line would be by the Rugby and Huntingdon line.
By, the ellAiltstAN—His general reasons for preferring the pro-
posed line :to the competing one, was the saving of 29 miles, the
saving of capital to the amount of li. 0,0001., and the less expente
which would be incurred by passengers. He saw no rea on of pre-
ference, as far as regards increased accommodation to the east.
Mr. John Edward Lacon, a banker, living in Yarmouth, a as next
exainined. The staple trade of Yarmouth was the fisheries. The
greater part of the salt fish weut to Hull, and the fresh fish to
London. This was owing to the want of acinmmodation to the
Midland counties. The price of fish at present was r.mised in Yar-
mouth, owing to the railway communication being opened to London.
Formerly a turbot could be got at Yarmouth for 45., now it was 165.,
and every other kind of fish was raised there in proportion.
James Fields stated that he lived at St. Ives. Ile was a master
waterman, and owned four gangs of lighters. He was acquainted
with the river trade, and took an account of all heavy goods which
stopped at and passed St. Des. The total tonnage for four wi eks,
the time he calculated the tonnage, was 9,100 tons ; the largest por-
tion of this tonnage was coals. There were nearly 7,000 tons of coals.
He took another account for iourteen days more recently. The
amount of tonnage then was 3,377 tons, 2,664 of which were coals.
Mr. James Morton examined—Was an ironmonger at Huntingdon.
He got his coal and coke at present from Newcastle, by Hull, to
Lynn. He would prefer to get coal from Nottinghamshire and South
Derbyshire, if it was as good. His iron came from Wales, and there
was delay, inconvenience, and expense, particularly in the winter
time, in obtaining it. A railway communication with the midland
counties would be of great advantage.
Mr. George Betts Pomfret, a maltster and brewer, living in Hunt-
ingdon, corroborated the evidence of the last witness as to the want
of railway communication.
Mr. James Baize, farmer and maltster at Kettering, examine.l—
feeling of the inhabitants of that town was entirely in favour of
the projected line.
The evidence of this witness was objected to, because the commu-
nication to that town was at present under consideration before
another Committee, to which the General South Midland was referred.
Mr. Barwell, an ironfounder, at Northampton, was then examined
—He had been three times mayor of that town. Frequent public
meetings were held in that town about railway communication
passing through it to the Eaetern Counties. In consequence of the
repentance now felt by Northampton in consequence of tile opposition
they gave to the London and Birmingham Railway, wlich made
that Company pass by the town at a d stance of four miles, it made
the town noW more desirous of a direct communication, principally to
,fie competing scheme was never brought before
th ec
Cross-examined—
xaanmd
lenaesfit_.
the town, and they had theretore never expressed an opinion upon it.
The Secretary of the South Midland Company having given the
formal proofs of the estimates, directors, &c., the further considera-
tion of the case was adjourned till to-merrow, when Mr. Stephenson
will be the first witness examined.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

Sub-Committee, No. 1.
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, EDINBURGH, AND GlasGow
J UNCTION.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
After going through several allegations, which were disallowed,
and the standing orders declared complied with, the decision, we un-
derstood to be, was, that the Bill should go up to the Committee of
Standing Orders on two errors pro, ed yesterday.
OXFORD, COVENTRY, AND BURTON-UPON-TRENT.
The obJ, ct of this Bill is chiefly to connect Burton-upon-Trent
with the Birmingham Railway lines. The length is about 8% miles ;
the estinia,ed cost, 260,0001. The engineer, Mr. Radford` the
agents, Messrs. Dorrington ; the solicit IT, Messrs. Woodcock, wist,
and Co. ; and Messrs. Troughton and Co., of Coventry.
A petition from Mr. Jervis against the Bill was presented by Mr.
•Pcrkes, complaining of inaccuracies in. plans and sections. Most of
timse were unimpoi taut, but two or three were sustained, and so far
the standing orders wore not complied with.
GLASGOW AND DUNDEE JUNCTION.
The formal evidence having been brought In, the Committee ad-
Journed it our 'clock.

'gib-Committee No. 2.
GREAT EASTERN AND WESTERN.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
Other allegations having ben sustained, the Committee decided
that the standing orders were not complied with.
OX ORD, WORCESTER, AND WOLVERHAMPTON.
This isill was not opposed, and the standing orders were complied
with.
IPSWICH AND BURY ST. EDMUNDS (ELY EXTENSION).
The parties to this Bill not being prepared with their witnesses
when called on, the case was postponed till to-morrow at twelve
o'clock.
THE NORTH .AND BOVTII CONNECTING LINE.

This isiiiw;;;;Tposiiolcsa for the same reason, as Were some
other Rills.
LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM (ST. ALBANS AND LUTON

BRANCH).

This was a Bill, upon petition, for additional provisions.
The Committee, having been informed by their clerk . aft, 2
diligent search, the petition could not be found in the ofac° o"ue
for the
Clerk of the House, and that, therefore, it would be noceasarY
Chairman to apply to the House upon the suidecti the case was
adjourned, to give Sir J. T. Buller the opportunity of doing so.

Sub-Committees. 1(0. 3.
WEST co"ANALL.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
g
The Committee were occuPted the greater part el the day, in the
consideration of two allegations which were not sustained ; after
which, in consequence of the absence of witnesses, the case was
postpoo ned.
FOLK M
RAILWAY EXTENSIONS (YARMOUTH
EXTENSION.)
TheN object of this Bis to extend the existing line to the coast.
The length of the line is 7% thriongs. The estimated cost 40,0001,
The formal evidence having been given, and a petition presented
against the Bill, the Committee adjourned.
The object of the line is to connate Penzance, Truro, and Fal-
mouth. The length of the line is 45 mites, including the branches—
the estimated eost 500,0001. The engineer, Mr. C K. Brunel so*
Bettors, Messrs. Edwards and Mason. London; and Gryils and Hill,
of Helstone ; the Parliamentary agents, Messrs. Burke and Company.
Petitions against the sill were presented, complaining chiefly of
defective notice. But several allegations to this effect were declared
sustained.

Sub-Committee, No. 4.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
FURNESS RAILWAY EXTENSIONS.
One of the allegations against this Bill, was :that the height and
span of the arches over the rivers Clake and Levin, were not marked
on the sections.
It appeared that the line was represented on the sections to be an
embankment at the points where it crossed the rivers in question.
Ou the part of the promoters of the Bill, it was represented that it
was not intended to cross these rivers by means of arches, as the line
would cross on a solid embankment, as represented in the sections,
and it was contended that this was not a navigable river in the meaning
of the standing order, being, in fact, only an estuary, and only navi-
gable at high water. Considerable amusement was created by the
agent for the line asoerting that it was intended to cross these rivers
on a solid embankment; and that if the Committee on the merits of
the Bill (by whom he said this point could only be considered) should
I be of opinion that some provision should be made to prevent the
country from being flooded by the stopping of the water, they could
introduce such a clause as they might think necessary.
The CHAIRMAN said that the standing order required that the
height and span should be marked at every crossiag over a river, and
it Wai no answer to the objection that they were not marked, to say
that there was no arch proposed. If it could be shown that this was
a navigabl, river, then the allegation would be proved.
Evidence was then given on the part of the petitioners to show that
these were both navigable rivers ; and on the other side to show that
they were mere estuaries, navigable only at high water.
Mr. PRITT, on the part of the petitioners. said that he was aware
of no reason why the standing order should be limited to those rivers
which were navigable at low as well as at high water.
The Committee cleared the room to consmt, and on our re-admis-
sion,
The CHAIRMAN stated that the Committee had not conks to any
decision, and as it was now four o'clock they must adjourn. The
decision must stand over.
The Committee then rose, and adjourned till to-morrow at twelve
o'clock.

Sub-Committee, No. 5.
The Committee met at two o'clock. Present, Mr. Home Drum
mond (chairman), Mr. Forbes Mackenzie, and Mr. J. Egerton.
BRISTOL AND BIRMINGHAM (BRA.NCIi TO BATLI.)

The Committee proceeded to consider the objections on petitions
in opposition to the line. It was alleged that plans had not been
deposited with the parish clerk of. Swainswick as required by the
standing orders.
The agents for the company stated that they had abandoned that
part of the line.
The COMMITTEE said that they nevertheless took powers in their
Bill to construct, and they mist. report a non-compliance in this
case with the standing orders...
BIRMINGHAM AND BRISTOL (ASHCHURCH TEWKESBURY,

AND MALYERN BRANCH).
Agents, Messrs. Ellicombe ; Engineer, Mr. Stephenson. Estimated
expense, 180,0001., the contract deed being executed for 135,030/.
(three-fourths of the cost), And the deposit made 13,500/.
The formal proofs in compliance with the standing orders were
put in.
Sir. Gaue took an objection that a small plot of land on the
bank of ;he railway, in the comity of Gloucester, was not laid down
on the large scale in the county plan. .
Another field in the parish of Hanley Castle, in the same county,
was not numbered in the book of reference.
Both objections were sustained by the CommitteP.
. .

The case was adjourned till twelve o'clock tomorrow.

Stth-Committee No. 6.
CALEDONIAN RAILWAY EXTENSION.
(Continued front our Afternoon Edition.)
Mr. Locx appeared as agent for Mr. Alexander, a petitioner
against the Bill, whose petition contained the alleg .tion, an.ongst
others, that the plans described two distinct lines of railway, while
the Bill took powers to make one only, and did not state which of
the two. Mr. Lock stated that two sets of plans, for two distinct
lines of railway, had been deposited at the Private Rill-office, under
the same title ; and called Mr. Alexander to prove that he had been
served with two notices.
Mr. GRAHAM admitted that two sets of plans had been deposited,
but said that one was for the main line and the ether for a branch,
which latter had been abandoned.
The Committee disallowed the alegatlon, and declared the stand-
ing orders complied with in respect of this point..
A number of allegations were withdrawn by Mr. Lock and several
fell to the ground.
After hearing evidence for and against all the allegations in this
petition, and also in another (that of several owners and occupiers
of land, &c.), the Committee decided that in respect of tw) roads,
the inclination of which was not correctly marked, the standing
orders were not complied with. In other respects they were com-
plied with.
CALEDONIAN RAILWAY (GLASGOW,. GARNKIRK, AND

COATBUIDGE BRANCH).
The object of this Bill is to construct two branches from the Glas-
gow, Garnkirk, anti Coatbridge Railway to the town of Airdrie, and
the Caledonian Railway. The length of each branch is about two
miles, anti the cost is estimated at 110,0001. Engineers, Messrs.
Locke and Emington; Parliamentary agents, Messrs. Graham
and Co. t.-r- -
There Nowa but one petition againgt this Bill, and that was said to
contain but one allegation, but as the Speaker was announced at
prryers, immediately after the formal proofs had been completed,
the case for the petitioner could not be heard to-day.
At four o'clock the Committee adjourned to to-morrow, at twelve
o'clock, when the petition against this Bill will be taken.

STANDING ORDERS' COMMITTEES.
HOUSE OF LORDS.
Their Lordships met this morning at twelve o'cleck ; present, the
Earl of Sheftesbury (in the chair), the Earl of Fortescue, Lords
llawarden, Courtown, and Redesdale.
CORNWALL AND DEVON CENTRAL RAILWAY.
Their Lordships entered into the hearing of this case, which occu-
pied the entire day, so strongly was it opposed. Their Lordships ad-
journed the farther hearing of the case.
Their Lordships rose at five o'clock.

COURSE OF EXCHJ
Amsterdam C.F. 12 9%
I)itte, at sight • • .... 12 6
Rotterdam 2U. 12 10
Antwerp
ltamburgh .... • • M.B. 13 15%
A1t0na.......
Paris, 3 days' sight .. 25 80
Ditto, 3 months
Marseilles ••.. • • • ..... 26 5
80urdeaux............ 26 10
Frankfort on Maine.. 122%
Petersburgh, 3 U 5.... ..
Berlin
Vienna, effec. fio. ••• • . 10 10%
Trieste, ditto.... • • .... 10 10%
Madrid ••.. • • ........ 36
Cadiz .. : ..
Bilbao.
Barcelona •. • • ........

GE.-( THIS DAY.)
Gibra1tar...............—
Leghorn .............. 30 75
Genoa ....... •... 26 16

Venice........
Naples ...... • .
Palermo, per 0z........ 11914
Lisbon . 52N
Oporto
Rio Janeiro •• ........ 24

Bahia

Buenos Ayres _ ...........

New York, 21 days' sight

Philadelphia .. :. • • .. • •

PRICES OF BULLION. PER OZ.
Foreign Gold in bars.. .f.. 3 17 9
Portugal Gold Coin 3 17 5
New Doubloons ...... 0 0 0
New Dollars • • .... • . 0 4 9%
I Ailver in bars ...... •• 0 4 114

"TIE LONDON GAZETTE,
(THIS EVENING.)

WHITEHALL, MARCH 30.
The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be
passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain • and Ireland, appointing the Right
Honourable Charles John Viscount Canning, the Right
Honourable James Andrew Earl of Dalhousie, the Right
Honourable the LOrd Mayor ofthe City of London, the Right
lion. John Charles Berries, and Sir John Mark Frederic
Smith, Lieut.-Colonel of the Royal Corps of Engineers, to be
her Majesty's Commissioners for investigating and reporting
upon the various railway projects, of which the termini are
proposed to be establishedwithin or in the immediate vicinity
of the metropolis.
DOWNING-STREET, MARCH 28.
The Queen has beep pleased to appoint Theophilus Shep-
stcne, .Ek.q. to be Diplomatic Agent to the Native Tribes re-
siding within the district of Natal, in South Africa.
Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint John Mac-
lean, Esq., Captain in the Army, to be Diplomatic Agent to
the TSlambie, Congo, and Fingo Tribes, on the eastern fron-
tier of the settlement of Good Hope.
FOREIGN-OFFICE, 1t..-CARCH 27.
- - .

- The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. J. Frederic
Peat, itA Consul in the Bahama Islands for the Free Hanseatic
city of Bremen.
WAR-OFFICE, MARCH 31. _ _

3d Light Dragoons—Lieut. S. Fisher to be Captain, with-
eut purchase, vice Brevet Major Berries, killed in action,
Dec. 19, 1845.
To be Lieutenants, without purchase—Cornet H. W.
White, vice Fisher; Cornet J. D. White, vice Newton. killed
in action, Dec. 19; Cornet J. Rathwell, vice Codd, killed in
action, Dec. 22.
To be Cornets, without Purchase—Cornet E.J. Thackwell,
from the 16th Light Dragoon. vice H. W. White, promoted,
March 31, 1846; Sergeant-Major G. Kountze, vice J. D.
White, April 1, 1846; 11. P. Sale, Gent., vice Rathwell,
April 2, 1846 ; T. H. Stisted, Gent., vice Worley, killed in
action, April 3, 1846; G. T. Gough, Gent., vice Ellis, killed
in action, April 4, 1846.
16th Light Dragoons.
To be Cornets, without purchase—F. L Dashwood, Gent.,
vice Bruce, killed in action, March 31 ; W. S. Lockhart,
Gent.. vice Thackwell, appointed to the 3d Light Dragoons,
April 1.
4th Regiment of Foot—Ensign A. V. D. Harris, to be
Lieutenant, without purchase. vice Morris, de:easeil, Nov. 18.