The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-17 00:00:00

GROUP XXXVIIf.

LEEDS, DEWSZURY, AND MANCHESTER.
The Committee met at the usual hour, Mr. Acland in the chair.
A number of witnesses were examined this morning with reference
to the general merits of the proposed line.
One of the witnesses stated, in the district through which the line
would pass there were coal mines capable of producing one thousand
millions of tons. It was but fair to suppose that a large quantity of
this would pass along the proposed line.

GROUP XXXIX.
OLDHAM DISTRICT.
The Committee met at the usual hour, Mr. Divett in the chair.
The cue of one of the petitioners against the Bill was gone into,
and completed this day.
Mr. Cozam then opened the case for several landowners and the
commissioners of several townships of Oldham against the Bill.

GROUP XI.I.

MANCHESTER, BOLTON, AND BURY
(CANAL NAVIGATION AND RAILWAY).
The Committee to which this line is referred 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 ths 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 Bifida', iars.
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 twelyeo'clock to-day, Mr.
Evans in the chair, when

Mr. ➢forgan, a coal-owner, was called to show the nature of the
country, and the way in which the conveyance of the coal affected
the value of the article, and the expense of its transit respectively
by canal and by rail. The principal point put in was
the statement that the conveyance of coal from the lead of the canal
to the port it had to pay tolls to the amount of 2s. 9d. a ton, while
on the railway it would pay only Is. 10d. a ton. In his opinion a
railway was absolutely necessary.
Mr. JAMES was about to cress examine the witness, on the part of
the landowners, when It was objected to by
Mr. WLIATELET, who conceived that he had no right to pursue
th, enn,aa

On this a long argument arose, and the room was ultimately cleared
After some time, and on the re-admission of parties,
The CHAIRMAN 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 evidehce of
the previous witness.
Mr. Starling Benson for the last twelve years had been interested
In copper works and collieries. The Tredgoller works are six nines
from Swansea, under the Drummer mountain, where there is a very
large supply of steam-packet coal, tbr 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 not
300,0001. 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 carriage, only 17 tons could bo delivered. The difference
of cost by rail, independent of breakage, would be considerable, being
814 d. by rail and ls. 7hicl. by canal. If 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
copper-works in Wales is estimated at 300,000 tons. The witness
then testified as to the length of 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 and 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 fur
merely personal and private advantage.
On cross-examination by Mr. GaOVES, 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
surt-ey 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 Beath Valley line for Mr. Brunel. Ills
attention hail 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 line 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
las this, but 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 in the first ten miles is one in 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 tbr 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 5,000/. a mile, and that also
will be the price of the tipper part of the extension. The estimate
ii,r the whole is 100,000/. 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. JAMF.S, 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 oilier shipping place.

To Mr. TAMES, 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 little impediment to the navigation of the
lower portion of its course.
There was considerable cross-examination respecting the way in
which the line would affect the land of [a rgentlemani of the name
of Benson, at Swansea, part of which is to be inclosed 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, secreiary to the Mineral Railway Company, con-
firmed the evidence of the previous witness as to the cost of con-
structing the line, and the Committee then adjouned till twelve to-
morrow.

GROUP LIM
(Grand Ce'rridor); Mr. Lascelles in the chair.
The Committee met to-clay at twelve o'clock, la itOom No. 26
They resumed the consideration of the
Mr. Robert Stephenson was examined by
Sn7a.xVzslxtiltlr AND BIRMINGHAM.
the engineering msrits Mr. Hon, In &tall, Mr. Tatao'r cross-examined Mr. Stephenson on behalf of the
South Staffordshire line, at which the Committee adjourned, at
four, to twelve o'clock to-morrow as to
----

Vtlie usual hour, Dr. Bowring
This Committee met thistlmituu-17--ingLaxt
in the chair.
GiZEILT LEINSTEE AND 111/171q5•r,,.
_XILZZNNY TO OLOrriviZ," ago.
The CllAßitmeN asked what had been done to carry—h),:
arrangement which had been come Ito yesterday re;,'"freet the
agreement for compensation ? Pecti the
Mr, Picht.Eatiqo, on the part of Sir E. Kearney, one or the ob
posing landowners, stated that an agreent had been drawn ,11,-
and handed to the promoters for their siegnmature.
Mr. CLEMENTS—Yes, but the document has been only handed to
us two minutes ago, and it required some tune to consider a solemn
instrument like that.
It was then agreed that the Committee should then adjourn till
two o'clock, to allow time for that purpose,
_ .

On the re-assembling of the Committee,
Mr. PICKERING said that he had received the agreement with cer-
tain amendments and alterations. After a short consultation the
agreement, with a few alterations, was then agreed upon by both
parties.
The CHAIRMAN then announced that the preamble of the Great
LeinstQr and Munster (No. 2—Kilkenny to Clonmel) Bill was proved.
The clauses of the Bill were then passed, and the Bill ordered to be
reported.
The Committee then broke up.

STANDING ORDERS' COMMITTEE.
HOUSE OF LORDS.
Their Lordships met this morning at one o'clock, Lord Shaftesbury
in the chair. Present the Marquis of Winchester and Lord Hawarden.
There were eight Bills on the list, all railway kill's.
MIDLAND (LEICESTER AND SWANNINGTON ALTERA-
TION AND BRANCHES).
MIDLAND (NOTTINGHAM AND MANSFIELD BRANCH).
In both these cases the standing orders bad been complied with.
KILMARNOCK AND TROON.
This case stood over till to-morrow.
Their Lordships then reavlved themselvo !sty A Select Cvilulgitee