The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-03 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 3, 1846.

GROUP LIII.

BIRMINGHAM, WOLVERHAMPTON, AND
STOUR VALLEY (BIRMINGHAM, WOL-
VERHAMPTON, AND DUDLEY LINES).
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

A long discussion ensued between the engineers of the two
companies; 'out eventually an arrangement satisfactory to
both parties was entered into, and the station clause, together
with the remaining clauses, were agreed to, as well as the
report.
The Hon. CIIAIR3IAN intimated that, if the Shrewsbury
and Birmingham parties were not prepared with their case,
the Committee would most probably adjourn for a week.
SOUTH ST arronnsuntz JUNCTION (BILS-
TON AND PRESTPIELD BRANCH).

The promoters of this Bill announced that they did not
intend proceeding with it.
The Bill was accordingly withdrawn.
SOUTH STAPPORDSBIRE JUNCTION (IVIL.
MENBAI.I. AND 111.0X.8.5.1.L BRANCH).

This Bill was also withdrawn.
DERBYSHIRE, STsPPORDSHIRE, AND

WORCESTER JUNCTION.

This Bill being called on,
Mr. ALEXANDER, Q.C., objected to the Committee pro-
ceeding to entertain the Bill, inasmuch as it had been twice
called upon, and the parties were not prepared to go on with
it. In fact, he doubted whether any appearance had ever
been entered for the parties. He appeared for the
Birminghom Canal Company, in opposition to the scheme,
because it proposed to pass his clients' property about five or
six times in the most objectionable manner. His clients had
regularly attended before the Committee until the case
had been called on by the Committee, and as the promoters
were not prepared to proceed, they took it for granted that
he scheme had become defunct. That was the general im-
pression, and it was only in consequence of the solicitor of
the Bill waiting upon his clients the previous day, and stating
that the Bill was intended to be proceeded with, that they
were now in attendance to oppose it.
On reference to the minutes of the Committee Clerk, it

was ascertained that an appearance had been regularly
entered for the Bill, and it was accordingly suffered to be
proceeded with.
The Hon. Mr. TALBOT, Q.C. (with whom was Mr. Mat-.
thews), proceeded to state the case on behalf of the promoters.
He stated that the Bill was in effect unopposed, because,
although his Learned Friend, Mr. Alexander, was instructed

to appe—ar on behalf of the Birmingham Canal Company to
appear against the preamble, when they came to look into the
petition of his clients, the Committee would find that his
grievances were very inconsiderable and easy of adjustment.
The line would commence at Rudgely, upon the Trent Valley
line, and would pass through the mineral district in that neigh-
bourhood. which was a most important one. It then passed
through Cannock, and so down to a place called Rushall, on the
line of the South Staffordshire Railway, and afterwards formed
a junction with the Grand Junction Company, and thence
it proceeded to Birmingham and Wolverhampton. The length
of the line, he believed, was between 14 and 15 miles. The
whole estimate would amount to 260,0001. There would be
two unimportant tunnels. The object of it was to introduce

linto the country already mentioned a railway which would
give them a communication with the important district of
Bilston, Wednesbury, &c. Having descanted upon the oppo-
sition offered to the line by the proprietors of the Birmingham
Canal, who he stated were the only opponents of the line, the
Learned Counsel proceeded to call, iu support of his case,
Mr. George Remington, who stated that he and Sir john
Rennie were the joint engineers of the line, and having de-
scribed the route of the line, and the character of the coun-
try, re 3;
tengineering , as far
as regarded
ththee
cterauffinter.yheensualidd that this e
hiscwasltlhee
worst gradient on the line would be 1 in 90, and the ruling
gradient lin 230. It would be a double line, and he had no
doubt that the traffic of the county would justify the con-
struction of a double line. He then gave a detail of the
estimates, and afterwards described the mode in which the
promoters proposed to cross the Birmingham Canal Company.
Cross-examined by Mr. ALExnarnmt—There wai not a
single building along the line between Brewaston and Kent.
He had never laid Gown a line along so thinly a populated
district as this would pass through; but he expected great
passenger-traffic between Wednesbury, &c , and the Pot-
teries. He did not know that there was great connexion
between the people of the Potteries and Wednesbury, &c.,
and yet the passenger-traffic between the two places was
relied on as one of the principal sources of profit. Lord
llatherton had some coal-pits along the proposed line.
The Hon. Mr. TALBOT submitted that his Learned Friend
was not entitled to cross-examine the witness as to the
general merits of the line.

The lion. CHAIRMAN' said that Mr. Alexander was, of
course, entitled to continue his cross-examination as long as
his clients had petitioned against the preamble.
Re examination resumed--The length of the large tunnel
would be 711, and he did not know whether it would have to
pass through free stone; he had not bored the land through
which that or the other tunnel (264 yards long) would have
to pass. lie did not knew whether there was a good traffic

on the canal. The witness having undergone a lengthy
cross-examination as to the estimates,
This witness was re-examined by the Hon. Mr. TAtro.r.
and said that the Cannock Chase, on which Mr. Aloxamier
had dwelt at so much length and with so much drollery. was
by no means more unpopulated than Chat Moss, over which
the Liverpool and Manchester Railway passed. The line he
had no doubt would be a source of great profit to the share-
holders, and an advantage to the public.
The Committee adjourned until twelve o'clock to-morrow

The CHAIRMAN, in answer to another gentleman, said, he
did not expect that any call would be made on the share-
holders for some time to come.

The motion was then put and carried unanimously.
The lion. 11. 13aow:TE moved a vote of thanks to the
Chairman and directors.

Mr. CRAM seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.

The CliautmAN having acknowledged the honour they
had done him and his colleagues, the meeting broke up.

SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE JUNC-

TION RAILWAY.

A meeting of the shareholders of this Company took place
yesterday, at 38, Parliament-street, for the purpose of having
an agreement entered into by the directors with the Trent
Valley, Midland, and Grand Junction Company submitted
to their approbation. The meeting was very thinly at-
tended, and at half-past eleven o'clock the chair was taken
by Mr. Foster.
Mr. WAGSTAFF read the agreement, which stated, that
under the arrangement as now completed, the shareholders
in the Trent Valley, Midlands, and Grand Junction Company
will have an interest to the extent of four-ninths of the
actual capital of the united company, the remaining five-
ninths being taken by the proprietors of the South Stafford-
shire Junction Railway. The arrangements as to the
line are, in substance, that the Trent Valley, _Mid-
lands line shall be adopfed from its commencement
at the proposed junction with the Birmingham and
Derby branch of the Midland Railway, and shall
pass through Lichfield, to or near Walsall, from which point
the line of the South Staffordshire Company will be adopted
to Dudley. The South Staffordshire Junction Company are
to make their two communications with the Grand Junction
Railway, called the Darlaston and Birmingham Branches,
and the Trent Valley Midlands and Grand Junction Railway
Company, their branch communicating with the Trent
Valley Railway. The line, as now proposed, will consist of
about thirty miles of railway, through a rich and
most important district of country. It will form
a direct communication from Dudley, Walsall. and
Lichfield, and the south-west of England, to the
extensive Midland districts of the east to which
numerous lines made or in progress extend. With Wolver-
hampton the communication will be effected by means of
the Portobello branch of the Grand Junction Railway. In
accordance with the agreement, and with the requirements
of the consolidated scheme, the capital of this company has
been reduced to 420,0001., and the amount of the shares has
inconsequence been reduced to 121. per share. The shares of
the South Staffordshire Junction Company have been reduced
in the same proportion..
A resolution having been unanimously agreed to ap-
proving of the agreement, the meeting separated.

TRENT VALLE Y, MIDLANDS, AND
GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY. - SPECIAL
MEETING.

A special meeting of the holders of scrip and bankers' re-
ceipts for scrip in this Company took place, at No. 19, Great
George-street, Westminster. at two o'clock yesterday, for the
purpose of having a Bill submitted to their consideration, a
copy of the proposed Bill to authorise the construction of
the railway.
Colonel Anson took the chair at two o'cloek.
The SECRETARY having read the advertisement convening
the meeting,
The CHAIRMAN briefly adverted to the advantageous posi-
tion which the company had assumed by their agreement
with the South Staffordshire Junction Railway, which we
have already laid before our readers.
The Bills having been read, resolutions adopting them
were moved and seconded, and declared to be carried una-
nimously.
The number of shares assenting, as represented at the
meeting, were 17,175, without one dissent, and the number
required to authorise the further prosecution of the Bill was
6,900.

The meeting then separated, having passed a vote of
thanks to the Chairman.

DR. REID AND THE NEW
HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.
The following are the answers of Mr. Philip Hard-
wicke, Mr. George Stephenson, and Professor Graham,
to questions submitted to them by the Chief Commis-
sioner of Woods in regard to the warming and ventila-
tion of the New Houses of Parliament.
1. To call upon Dr. Reid to lay before them the
details of his system of warming and ventilation, as
intended to be applied to the New Houses of Parliament?
—ln consequence of the instruction numbered 1., we
called upon Dr. Reid to lay before us the details of his
system of warming and ventilation, as intended to be
applied to the New Houses of Parliament. He has laid
before us his general principles of warming and ventila-
tion, the details only to a limited extent, but sufficient
to enable us to form an opinion on the subject.
2. To consider and report how far it is practicable,
and if practicable, whether it would be advisable that
such system should be extended to the whole building,
including all subordinate offices ani private residences
contained therein ; or whether application of the
system should be restricted to such portion as com-
prises the two Houses of Parliament, their corridors,
libraries, kitchens, and: refreshment-rooms, or to a
still more limited portion ?—Agreeably to the
instruction numbered 11., we have considered Dr.
Reid's system as he has explained it to us. It con-
sists of one general scheme for the warming and venti-
lation of the whole of this extensive building, bring-
ing in the atmospheric air from a considerable altitude
by the Victoria and clock towers at the two extremities
of the building, carrying off all vitiated and impure air
by one set of channels, both conveyed to a central tower
proposed to be of greater elevation than the towers
already mentioned. Although the scheme may be prac-
ticable, we are of opinion that it is too much compli-
cated in it 3 details and ultimate management to render
such a system advisable to be applied to the whole build-
ing, including all subordinate offices and private resi-
dences contained therein, and that the application of
the system considerably modified should be restricted to
such portions as comprise the two Houses of Parlia-
ment, their corridors, libraries, kitchen, and refreshment
rooms.

3. To consider and to report whether there would be
advantage in applying the system, as far as its applica-
tion shall be deemed advisable, to different divisions of
the building separately and independent of each other ?
—ln reference to the third instruction, we are of opinion
that there would be advantage in applying the system
modified to two divisions of the building—viz., to each
House of Parliament, with the various rooms and corri-
dors belonging to it, and separately and independently of
each other. We are further of opinion that it would be
unnecessary to apply the system to the Committee-
rooms, as we consider they are capable of being warmed
and ventilated in a more simple manner. That what-
ever warming and ventilation may be required to the
Speaker's residence and the other private residences
should be effected separately and independently of any
other parts of the building, and from each other.
4. To ascertain and report how far Dr. Reid's system
of warming and ventilation is compatible or can be made
compatible with rendering the buildings or the portions
thereof to which it is applied fire proof ?—We have not
been able to consider the fourth question so much in de-
tail as could be desired to enable us to express a decided
opinion upon it ; but we have a strong impression that
the system of warming and ventilation, as proposed by
Dr. Reid (if carried out in conformity with his plan)
cannot be made compatible with rendering many por-
tions of the building fire-proof.
5. And, according to the opinions which may be
formed on the points above-mentioned, to ascertain
and to report how far such plans and information in
regard to the building have been supplied to Dr. Reid
as are sufficient to enable him to furnish to the archi-
tect corresponding plans and information, in regard to
ventilation, or, if further information should be con-
sidered requisite for either party, to what extent and in
what manner it should be furnished?—With respect to
the fifth point it appears to us that Dr. Reid has had
access to or been furnished with a great many plans and
sections of the building, and has received sufficient
assistance to enable him to apply his plans for warming
and ventilation to the building in progress,
PHILIP HARDWICKE.
G14:0. STEPHENSON.
THOMAS GRAHAM.
10, South Audley-street, 25th June.