The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-17 00:00:00

year. The question then tried was, which of two great lines
should be made to accommodate the south of Scotland
generally : now the point raised was totally different. They
had now to consider the propriety of constructing a line for
the purpose of local traffic. The scheme was not only
different, but the grounds on which it was put forward were
also altogether different. It was not a competing line with
the Caledonian.
Mr. Sergeant WIWZGIIIM replied, maintaining that the
scheme was substantially the same as that brought forward
last year. Whatever the Learned Gentleman on the other
side might say to the contrary, he insisted the Nithsdale
line was a competing line with the Caledonian Railway. It
was held by the Committee last year that the two lines were
competing schemes, and the Board of Trade held the same
view of the question. The circumstances which related to
the two lines then were precisely the same now, and he
submitted that the reasons and evidence then adduced were
necessary and admissible to clear up the case now.
.His
Learned Friend might attempt to gild the Bill, by saying
that they did not depend on general or through traffic, but
on local traffic only, but the Committee, he was persuaded,
would see that the issue was still substantially the same as
that of last year, and would, in order to have all the necessary
information before them on the question, take steps for the
production of the evidence sought to be obtained.
The room was then cleared for a decision.

On the admission of the parties -----
The CHAIRMAN intimated that the Committee would first
inquire whether the evidence was such as to warrant on local
grounds the construction of such line, and therefore they
would not at this stage of the proceedings call for the evi-
dence adduced last year.
Mr. W. Crawford, a landed proprietor, and a justice of the
peace, and a deputy-lieutenant of the county of Ayr, was first
called and examined—He lived about three miles from Kil-
marnock. Kilmarnock was an inland town, in the centre of
the county, containing about 22,000 inhabitants. It had
doubled its population the last thirty years. It was the
largest town in the county engaged in carpet manufacturing,
calico printing, shawl manufacturing, shoes, &c. A large
nursery and seed trade was carried on in the neighbourhood.
There was also large mineral fields in the neighbourhood,
belonging to the Duke of Portland and Mr. Finnie.
The former exported yearly about 100,000 tons of coal. The
manufacturing towns and villages of Stewarton, Galston,
Darvei, Newilns, and Kilmains, were all connected with Kil-
marnock. Troon, an important seaport, was connected with Kil •
marnock by a mineral line, which was now being adapted to
locomotives. He had prepared a table of the iron furnaces
in the county, which showed 34 furnaces in all. This in-
cluded those in blast, erecting, or proposed to be erected.
Each furnace would make about 100 tons a week. A line
of railway was at present in progress from Kilmarnock to
Cumnock, in connexion with the Is ithsdale line, which would
be in connexion with most of these iron furnaces.; A
line, with the consent of the landed proprietors, was to be
constructed from Ayr, by Auchinleck, to Muirkirk. The
line to the south proposed would be of immense benefit,
as there was a large traffic in that direction, which

could alone be efficiently accommodated by a direct line.
A large portion of the traffic the present line would take
went at present by the steamers from Ardrossan. The po-
pulation of Ayrshire was 200,000; and at a meeting of the
Commissioners" of Supply for the county, at which he was
present, a petition in favour of the line was unanimously
agreed to. The petitions in its favour from Ayrshire and
Dumfriesshire were 51 in number. He had taken shares in
the present line because he thought it would be of great
public benefit, but he held shares in no other line, and he had
taken them to qualify as a director.
Cross-examined by Mr. Cocmanaw—"He held 150 shares
in the present company. Twenty were only required as a
qualification for a director. There were none of the iron
turnaces on the proposed line from Cumnock and Dumfries.
Between Glasgow and Kilmarnock there were
the two furnaces, the Blair works, which were
on the line. Between Kilmarnock and Cumnock

(there were six furnaces, and 'there were the Muirkirk,
and other iron furnaces, on the private line from Muirkirk
to Ayr. The iron made went to Glasgow, and none went to
the south. It might be wanted hereafter for foundries at
Dumfries, and elsewhere. Were the iron now exported, it
would go to Troon and Ardrossan, and would continue to go
there. There was coal along with the iron-stone, but there
was at present no more coal than was required to make the
iron. These mineral fields had abundant railway accommo-
dation at present, and towards the south they did not much
require it. He thought coal would go south from the neigh-
bourhood of Cumnock, if the line was made. Thought the
iron furnaces at present consumed all the coal. He thought
the coal-fields would be worked to a greater extent,
.o as to furnish an extra supply. He had not,
however, practical knowledge on the subject. It
was mainly speculative. If the iron making increased
with the working of the coal fields, then there would not be
much probability of coals going south. From: Cumnock the
mineral field extended to Sanquhar, with the exception of a
little break.

To Mr. Sergeant MUIPITY—There was but one coach
hrough to Dumfries, a two-horse coach; It had the through
traffic from Glasgow to Carlisle. The coach ran from Kil-
marnock, in connexion with the railway, and obtained a
good deal of support from that town.
Mr. Hugh Craig, merchant, of Kilmarnock, examined
by Mr. ANDREWS, deposed as to the character of the trade
of that town. Ile had made himself acquainted with the
details of the town. He was the largest mercer and
haberdasher of the town, out of forty in the trade.
Their goods came mainly from England ; in weight about
300 tons, and in value about 100,0001. If the line was made
these goods would come by it, but at present they were
carried by water. At present they were liable to be damaged,
besides delay. Speed was a great object, which the railway
would realise. A large trade in tanning was at present
carried on, the most of the bsrk for which came from Dum-
fries. There is also a large trade in boots and shoes ; the
most of these went to Liverpool, in weight about 100 tons.
Of fancy linings, leather, &c., about 100 tons were exported
from England. The largest ryegrass seed trade in the world
was carried on here, of which two-thirds went to England.
The weight would be about 1,300 tons, of the value of from
25,000!. to 30,000/. If the line was formed the seed wouldpass
by it. A considerable traffic in fruit and other seeds also took
place. A large amount of agricultural produce would come from
Dumfriesshire into Ayrshire were the line formed. At pre-
sent the land carriage was very heavy. There was a large
trade in ironmongery carried on in Kilmarnock, the most of
which same from the south, in weight about 700 tons and in
value 60,0001.
Cross-examined—He had heard the information he had
given that day repeatedly stated by parties in the district.
He was quite certain it was correct, as far as he had any
means of acquiring information. The 300 tons of soft goods
he mentioned as coming from the south came principally by
Glasgow. There were houses in that town that supplied the
inferior towns of Scotland with English goods. The connexion
with Glasgow and England was by means of large steamers
daily to Liverpool, and from thence to London by railway.
He did not think goods could be obtained from London that
way in forty-eight hours. He found it about five or six
days at present. Kilmarnock was the centre of a district of
100,000 inhabitants, the most of which purchased their woollen
goods in Kilmarnock. He was certain the wholesale and
retail sale of English goods was in value 100,0001. He had
no doubt they would come by the railway if one was made.
some might come by Glasgow, but he had no conception of
the amount. Though Glasgow was nearer than London, if
a line was formed they would it their interest to go to Lon-
don, though the expense would be greater. Under the cir-
cumstances that would be no object. With regard to the
leather trade, the heavier portions of it went by the sail-
ing vessels. Despatch, therefore, was not a great object
in this article. He did not think goods from England
to Kilmarnock would be taken cheaper by steam to
Ardrossan than by railway. He could not state the
rate per ton by the steamers. Of the ironmongery goods he
had named, about the half came by sailing vessels. He sup-
ported the line from a sense of public duty. He only held
ten shares in the line. There was a large East and West
India trade at Glasgow, Port Glasgow, and Greenock, but he
did not think Kilmarnock would get its supplies of fine sugar
from those places. With the railway, they would be sup-
plied from London.
To Mr. Sergeant Muernee.—Near all the ryegrass-seeds
exported weal by sea. About 600 men were engaged in
Kilmarnock in the shoe-trade, A great number of shoes
were consumed in the district. Perhaps 100 ton more. A
pair of shoes would be about a pound in weight ; and a man
might make about a pair a day.
Mr. Muerny.—l have made the calculation, and, accord-
ing to it, I find that 600 men could only, at the weight of a
pound a pair, make in a year 83 tons. How do you make
that agree with your calculation ? Witness—A great
number of women and children are engaged in the trade.
Mr. Menriiv—When did you ever know of women mak-
ing shoes ?—(Laughter.) Witness—They assist in making
shoes. I can only say that lam certain the weight exported
is 100 tons. Regarding the consumption in the district I
cannot say what it would be. Witness (in continuation)
said ho knew the fares the steamer were less than they
were by the railway; still he believed a large proportion of
the traffic would go by the railway, on account of the quick-
ness. He calculated the railway fare, at 2d. per mile, to be
335. 6d.; by steamboat it was 1/. Glasgow was the great
centre of the trade of Scotland. The course of trade from
Kilmarnock, especially in the shawl and printing trade,
was by way of Glasgow. The Foods mainly went to the
Glasgow wholesale warehouses. The greater proportion of
the drysalttries used at Kilmarnock came by way of Glasgow.
Re-examined—lf the charge by the Netherdale line to
Liverpool was made at the rate of the Glasgow and Ayr
line, 1 d. a mile, the fare would be but 255. That would
be as cheap as going by steamer from Glasgow, as 4s. would
be required to take a person there. They wanted to do
business direct with London, and not through middlemen at
Glasgow. With regard to the shoe trade, he did not know
but a man might
in
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was 100 tons.

To the Crialltstaw—He could not Bay what he paid at
present for carriage per ton, the goods went through many
hands, and were often charged by bulk. He had goods from
Manchester occasionally, and as near as he could say, the
cost might be
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tm Manchestere. through the Fleetwood steamers,
a calico printer, of Kilmarnock, exa-
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Mr. Thomas Neill,
testablishmentifnr 0
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hmoiunseed—inHeLohnadcloamlarAge
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were in
nine
works Kilmar-
nock
that employed 360 hands ; and in 1846 there were eight works
employing 880 hands, and with hands depending ou these
about 2,000 in all. In getting the fabrics printed to market,
dispatch was everything. The value of the goods printed
every year was about 400,0001., of which two-thirds went to
England. The raw unprinted cloth came from Lancashire,
in weight about 1,300 tons, and about 1,100 tons of finished
goods returned. A great deal of drysaltery stuffs came from
England. The railway would be of great advantage to the
trade of the town, and the inhabitants were generally in its
favour.
Cross-examined—He worked mostly to order, through
orders derived from Manchester and London, by the Glasgow
houses. No orders came to him direct from London or Man-
chester. It was the wholesale dealers in Glasgow who pur-
chased from the printers. He had opened a house, for the
last four years, for the accommodation of the wholesale
trade. Nearly all the drysaltery came from Glasgow.
To Mr. Sergeant MURPIIK—Great complaint was at pre.
sent made of Fleetwood route, as the goods often lay two or
three days at Liverpool. He thought if the line was formed
dealers, who wanted his particular kind of goods, would be
content with buying at Kilmarnock, without going to Glas-
gow. He could not say that all the heavy goods would go
by railway ; many might still go by steam and sailing
vessels. Al the goods at present went to Glasgow, and
should the traders still continue to go there the goods, if a
railway were preferred, might go south by the Caledonian
Railway ; still he saw no necessity of the goods going to
Glasgow at all, but they might besent direct to England from
Kilmarnock.

To the Chairman—There was railway accommodation from
Kilmarnock to Ardrossan, about fifteen miles in length.
Re-examined—They had tried the Fleetwood route, but
goods were alway declined ; they preferred the Leith route
as more curtain,