The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-30 00:00:00

GROUP X IX.

The Committee assembled this day at the usual hour. present—
Lord Harry Vane (Chairman), the Earl of March, Hon. Francill
Scott, Mr. D. Morris, and Mr. Philip Bennett.
-The further consideration of the proposed line of the
*EXETER. AND EXMOUTH
was proceeded with.

Mr. Rowe opened the business by observing that he should not
proceed at present with the examination of witnesses as to the at-
mospheric principle, but should call
Mr. Thomas Whittiker, a civil engineer, residing at Exeter. . Hsd
laid out this line, in conjunction with Mr. Locke. Considers this
line the moat convenient, as it affords greater accommodation to the
public. His opinion was, that the estimates of the several engineers
of the opposing scheme were insufficient to carry it out. He went
into a very elaborate discussion of the eligibility of the line he ad-
vocated.

Group XX,

The Committee on this group:assembled this morning, in Roan
No. 14. Present, Mr. Sotheron, chairman, Mr. Ross, Sir R. Piga.
Lord H. Bentincic, and Mr. Tancred.
The Bills referred to thic Committee were—The Staines and
Richmond—the Windsor, Slough, and Staines—the London, Houns-
low, and Western, and Richmond New Branch—the London and
Windsor—the London and Brighton (Wandsworth Branch), Waal
and South-Western.

On the sitting of the Committee some discussion arose as to the
order of taking the Bills. The Windsor lines were all competint,
and some of these were not read a second time, others had not passed
the standing orders.
The room was cleared for the Committee to decide the order of
proceeding. This system of clearing the rooms is a most ridiculous,
and at the same time most inconvenient and objectionable one. In
the case before us the time occupied in clearing the room and Mint
it again was ten minutes, and the decision upon the point raised was
come to in two minutes. In consequence of the motion of so maul
feet leaving the room at the same time, a cloud of dust was raised--
typical it may be—of some of the decisions come to in some of the
rooms, but certainly not pleasant to encounter and inhale. During the
two minutes' deliberation of the Committee, the counsel on both sides
were allowed to remain in the room, so that in fact the public were not
excluded during the awful period of the deliberation of the Commit-
tee. Surely some mode, by which the crowding, inconvenience, and
delay which are attendant upon clearing these Committee-rooms
during trifling discussions, might be adopted, without the decisions
which are come to being at all deteriorated .n value, or the dignity
of the members and the Committee in any way reduced.
The Committee decided that they would postpone the considera-
tion of the lines running to Windsor until after Easter. They would,.
to-morrow take the London and Urighton, Wandsworth Branch, and
the Mitcham and South-Western.
The Committee then adjourned.

GROUP XXI.
oxromp AND LONDON.

The Committee re-assembled this morning at the usual hour, Mr.
Finch in the chair.

ABANDONMENT OF THE BRANCHES TO THE GREAT

WESTERN.

Mr. HILDYARD said it would be in the recollection of the Corn'
mittee that on Friday they desired the promoters of the Bill final
to determine to-day, what really would be the plan of railway which
they wished to submit for the consideration of the Committee. They
would also recollect that he told them, in opening the case, that the
reasons which actuated the promoters in proposing the Southall and
Oxford branches to the Great Western was, because they were 10
ignorance of the decision at which the Gauge Commissioners wall'
arrive, and because they wished to be in a condition to adopt either
of the gauges in favour of which those Commissioners might
report. They would further recollect that he told Mr'
Talbot, when he pressed him to reply to his questions respecting thee°
branches that he would do so if he would inform him what would be
the effect of the report of the Commissioners. Mr. Talbot, of course'
declined doing so, but as the Committee intimated that they wished
to have the matter settled, he had, with the assistance of his Learned
Friend, arrived at the conclusion that it would be perfectly safe to
rely on that report, and also that all lines to be made would be ND'
structed on the narrow instead of the broad gauge, and therefore be
should conduct the case on the assumption that those branch 1101
were not to be made, but he should reserve to himself to shoW by
the evidence •of the engineer that the terminus st Oxford W,,.11'
proposed, in order that they might form a junction with
the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway, if it
were constructed on the narrow gauge, and also that
he might be permitted to give some evidence as to the expense of
carting minerals from the existing and proposed stations at Oxfbr'
to: their own. The Committee would keep in mind that it we°
possible the promoters of the line might apply in the next session,
and before the line was completed, for permission to form a junction
with the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway, at OX'
ford. He should, therefore, proceed on the assumption that these
branches formed no portion of their plan of railway.
The Committee expressed their satisfaction at this decision, ae4
that portion of the preamble was erased.
The promoters then proceeded to give further evidence in 00014
of their line.