The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-26 00:00:00

GROUP XVIII

LONDON, NEvintllor, AND BATH bIRECT.
The cross-examination of the engineer to this line was resumed
this day. The difterence in favour of the London, Newbury, and
Bath, over the proposed Wilts and Somerset line, would be about two
miles.' The line went through a district more favourable for the
constrtiction of a railway, than the district, selected by Mr. Brunel,
for the line in connection with the Great Western. The proposed line
would afford considerable acommodation for the carriage of coals.

GROUP XYJCIII.

BIRMINGHAM AND OXFORD JUNCTION.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)

Mr. Wilson, a landowner, and other witnesses, were examined also
In favour of this line against the Warwickthire and London lines.
Mr. !Hughes, the engineer, was about to be examined by Mr.
Wakeling, as to whether the plans deposited by the promoters of the
Warwickshire and London lines, were correct as to the levels, in ac •
cordance with the standing orders, when
Mr. ACSTIN took objection 10 this course of examination, on the
ground that it was not competent to this Committee to go into the
question, which must be taken as having been disposed of by the
Standing Orders Committee.
After some discussion the room was cleared, and the Committee
deliberated on the question for about a quarter of an hour. On our
re-admission,
The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee did not wish to decide
the question without consulting the Standing Orders' Committee.
They would, therefore, adjourn until to-morrow, when they would
announce their decision.
Adjourned accordingly at a quarter to four o'clock, until eleven to-
morrow.

GROUP XXXVIII.
HUDDERSFIELD AND MANCHESTER
(BRADFORD BRANCH).

The Committee assembled this morning at the usual hour.
Mr. Gee, the engineer to the line, was examined on behalf of the
promoters of this line. Ills examination and cross-examination oc-
cupied nearly the whole of the day.
The Committee then adjourned.

GROUP XXXIX.
The Committee met this morning at the usual hour, Mr. Diva
in the chair.
MANCHESTER, itunnzatsrzELD, AND

_ _
OLDIIAIII.
Mr. MnaatvALL, on the part of the Rochdale Canal Company,
opposed the traversing of the property cf the above Canal Company
by the Manchester, Huddersfield, and Oldham Railway Company;
which he stated might be obviated by their making the station at
Arcoat-street.
Mr. DIVETT said, that without clearing the room, the Committee
were unanimous in their opinion that the Rochdale Canal Company
application could not be entertained.
The remaining clauses of the Bill with a few verbal amendments
were then agreed to, and the Committee adjourned.

GROUP XLII

BLACKBURN, CHORLEY, AND LIVEIZPOOL
Mr. BAINES (in continuation from our Aftenioon Edition) said—
Their line was 18 miles, 3 Ihrlongs, and 9 chains in length, and it was
proposed to effect a junction with a line in course of erection at a
place called Edenbridge, and after proceeding some distance further
they would go south by the cotton mills and other works to Chorley.
They then connected themselves, after crossing the Bolton and Preston
Railway, with the North Union Railway, and thus connected them-
selves with the Liverpool and Bury Railway, the promoters of which
have petitioned in their favour. There was another short branch to
the Bolton and Preston Railway. The gradients of the line through
this country, which was one of the most difficult in an engineering
point, were undoubtedly the best that the country admitted,
and he was able to state that there were no tunnels nor any
objectionable curve on their line. As regarded the places on
the line, he would not detain them by any unnecessary observa-
tion. With regard to Blackburn, as the Committee had already
heard sufficient of its importance to be able to estimate it correctly,
he would merely direct their attention to the map. With respect to
Chorley, there were upwards of between 3,009 and 4,000 hands em-
ployed there in the mills and maniffactorles, between 400 and 500
herse•power used, and between 4,000 and 5,000 tons annually manu-
factured. There was also in the district between Blackburn and
Chorley a population of 10,000, and 100 tons of cotton were
consumed there. With respect to the coal-fields which he
had already mentioned, they would find, by the calculations that
would be submitted to therm, that on each side for eight miles of
their line there was an immense quantity of coal consumed. At
present there was no good communication to this important place.
With respect to the communication between Liverpool and Chorley,
the question was one of great importance. If a person were to go
from Chorley to Liverpool, he would have to proceed from Chorley
along the Bolton and Preston line; he would then have to walk
about a mile to the North Union Railway station, where he would
have to wait for a train coming up from Preston, and he must then
go along the Liverpool an uses Railway. It was impossible
to conceive a more tortuoroute. And he must here mention one
important circumstance, namely, that with respect to Blackburn and
Chorley, there was only a turnpike-road, which in winter was almost
Impassable, and was at all times au extremely difficult road, now
the only alternative afforded the people of that district on three sides
of a quadrilateral figure to avoid passing this road. At present it
was twenty-three miles from Cherley to Liverpool, while by their
line it would be redUced to ten miles. With respect to Wigan, they
were obliged to go from Chorley to Eux.ton, and then traverse south-
east, Lena'e they could _arrl.re at. Wigan- Sty the accommodation
they would afford the distance would be reduced to one-half. Ile
would just mention one circumstance in connexion with Blackburn,
namely, as regarded the consumption of coal there, which was, for
manufactories 112,900 tons annually, for gas 6,000 tons annually,
and for house purposes 50,000 tons annually, making altogether
considerably more than 170,000 tens. This was partly sup-
plied from Wigan. If the present line were granted, there
would be a large reduction in ,the price of this article,
and a saving of some hundreds of pounds would be
effected for the inhabitants of this district. These observations
would apply equally to the district from Blackburn to Clitheroc.
There was another point as regarded the last-mentioned place which
deserved attention, viz., that for the purposes of manufactures, not
only coal, but lime was necessary, and Clitheroe possessed the best
lime in all Lancashire, both for agricultural and manufacturing pur-
poses. Now, by the proposed line this would be rendered available
to the districts which hitherto had not derived a benefit from the
richly-gifted portion of the country from the want of an efficient mode
of communication. The effect of this railway would be, by effecting a
considerable diminution in the cost of the article, to put it in the power
of the poorer manufacturer and agriculturist to avail himself of the
same, which, at present, he was unable to do. Before con-
cluding, in justice to his clients, he must call the atten-
tion of the Committee to' the important connexion winch
this line would afford to the district through which it would pass,
and Manchester and Staffordshire. The line had been surveyed with
the greatest care, and the provisional committee consisted of gen-
tlemen and merchants of the, highest respectability on the line;
there was no residential injury, and the petition against them, pro-
ceeding as it did from the chairman of the Blackburn and Preston,
whose motives would ho apparent, passing, as he stated, through a
most important district, meeting a most urgent and extensive re-
quirement, he trusted that the Committee would deem its merits
such as to entitle it to their honourable consideration.
The Learned Counsel then called evidence as to traffic and engi-
neering, in corroboration of his statement.
The Committee decided that the preamble of the Bill was not
proved, and then adjourned.