The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-18 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
(YESTERDAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
DTPAICT LONDON AND PORTSMOUTH.
ainnrsoromm, CHICHESTER, PORTSMOUTH,
AND FAREHAM.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Other witnesses were then called, and gave similar evidence.
The "Bishop of Oxford was called and examined by Mr. MERE-
trzTgEN. on the part of the promoters of the Guildford and Chichester.
The Right Rev. Prelate gave evidence Isimilar in effect to that of the
puke of Richmond, in favour of this line, and against the Direct
London and Portsmouth.
On the conclusion of his Lordship's evidence, it being past
lour o'clock, the Committee rose and adjourned till to-morrow at
eleven o'clock.

LONDON AND YORE.
warn DoaregurrEß, waz.zrxELn, AND
LEEDS.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
After Mr. ALEXANDER concluded his address, evidence was called
to prove the injury which the landowners would sustain by the con-
artlction of the line.

Mr. Sergeant WRANGKAM then replied, after which the room was
cleared.

After tome deliberation the parties were called in, and informed
by the CHAIRMAN that the Committee would defer their decision
till they had heard the ca,e for the Swinton and Lincoln line.
Mr. AUSTIN then addressed the Committee on behalf of the pro-
Moters of the Swinton and Lincoln line, atter which the Committee
adjourned till eleven o'clock to-morrow.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP 11.

• WEST CORNWALL.
Mr.- Hancock and Mr. Harvey were examined this morning in
this case.
In consequence of the absence of Mr. Brunel, the remainder of the
CASS was allowed to stand over till to-morrow.
The remaining clauses of the Bill were passed through the Corn.
=Mee.
The Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow.

GROUP XIII.
CAXACDONIAN ZXTENSION.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. Bell Teller, cross-examined for landowners—The principal
portion of the Sanquhar coal-field was within a mile of the harbour
of Ayr. The Blackhouse field was still nearer to Ayr. About seven-
eighths of the coal shipped at Ayr was supplied by Mr. Gordon, who
worked all the fields in the immediate neighbourhood.
Cross-examined by Mr. ANDaEws, for the Kilmarnock and Ayr
Railway—The Caledonian Corlr:a.iy had promised the harbour
trustees the loan of 10,00‘,7. for the' improvement of the harbour, pro-
vided they gave- *!sir support to the Bill before the Committee.
Be WasilGi aware that there was a much greater quantity of
fr.j.no and salt brought down to Ayr from Glasgow than imported
direct into Ayr from Liverpool. •
Mr. James Patton, builder and timber-merchant, resident in Ayr,
examined by Mr. BATLE —Between 7,000 and 8,000 tons
of American timber were annually imported into Ayr. A
treat proportion of that quantity was sent into this country In the
direction of the proposed railway for building purposes. There had
been a considerable demand lately for wood in the neighbourhood
.of Muirkirk on account of the erection of iron works in
that locality. A great quantity of friez stone was annually
exported from Ayr, which was brought from a quarry about a
mile from the town. The supply was not, however, equal to the
demand, on account of the want of railway communication to the
eastward. Guano In great quantities was loported into Ayr
every year, most of which was sent into the interior of the
Country. The present line of railway along the coast to
Glasgow did not accommodate the interior of the county of Ayr. He
Considered the construction of the present scheme would be of the
greatest benefit to that district of country.
The witness was cross-examined at great length by Sir Tnovas
PHILLIPS, to show that the quantity of timber sent from Ayr along the
line of the proposed railway was very inconsiderable, but nothing of
importance was elicited.
Mr. Thomas Gemmel, editor of the ..4yr Adrertiser, was next ex-
amined—The revenue of the Ayr harbour had been increasing gra-
dually for the last three years. Last year it had amounted to
1,7001. The number of vessels which came into this harbour during
1845 was 1,146. The entire smount of Custom-hoase duties was
4001. per annum. The general feeling among the inhabitants of Ayr
WM decidedly in-favour of the proposed railway.
Cross-examined-11e believed there was only one meeting of the
Town Council In favour of the Caledonian Extension, and the general
feeling was in favour of the line. The dues he had given of the
Asrbour of Ayr for the three years were the gross receipts. The
authorities and the public of Ayr were decidedly in favour of the
present line.

Cross-examinad by Sir T. PHILLIPS, for the Glasgow and Ayr Corn-
puny—The view in which the Town Council had considered the pre-
sent line was the advantage of it for the through traffic from Ayr and
“lasgow.

Mi. Adam Hunter, merchant, of Ayr, deposed that he carried on a
large business as a general merchant. lie had purchased a consi-
derable amount of wool along the route of the present line, and if it
Wire formed it would be a great accommodation for that kind of
goods. Wool from Muirkirk cost about His, a too carriage. Corn
Was often brought to Ayr from Edinburgh and Leith. the latter
being the principal Scotch port for Baltic grain. Were
the line forined there would be great advantage to
the traffic, as. since the Edinburgh and Glasgow Company had
bought up the canal, freights by that route had risen a great deal.
Corn was now, he believed, 16s. a ton carriage. lie Imported grain
from Ireland, a considerable portion or which went up to Catrine and
the neighbourhood. There was no doubt that a great number of pas-
Wagers went from Ayr to Edinburgh.
The witness was cross•examined with the object of showing that
be was but superficially informed as to the details of the traffic he
referred to, when

The Conimittee adjourned fill to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XIV.

LIVZEPOOL, ORIVESKIRK, AND PRESTON,

- - -
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. Cornelius Nicholson, Mayor of Kendall, and a director of
1] e Lancaster and Carlisle Railway—This line was one
which would give such material accommodation to the
country, especially by its branch to Blackburn, that its
Importance could not be sufficiently estimated. [lad often
travelled over the North Union line, and was of opinion that the
accommodation afforded by it was by no means sufficient for the
rapidly increasing traffic, even at Preston. There was not sufficient
room on the rails for all the trains which arrived, so that an engine,
which lied jest arrived, had to run into the adjacent tunnel, and
remain there a quarter of an hour, and sometimes twenty minutes,
WWI another train had passed. lie had heard that last year there
were not less than 60,000 passengers from Liverpool to Scotland. He
believed that that number of passengers would, when the lines were
opened would take advantage of the railway. The inhabitants were
very much in favour of its formation,
Other evidence of a similar nature was then adduced.

The Committee adjourned until twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XVII

The Committee resumed its sittings this morning, at twelve o'clock
the Hon. E. Yorke In the chair.
MANCHESTER AND SOTITHAMPTON.

Mr. Bidder was cross-examined at great length by the opposing
Counsel, with respect to the stations, level crossings, landowners,
3sc. In the course of his examination it was elicited, that the posi-
tions of the ordinary stations had not been decided upon, but that
list class stations had been erected at Romsey, Andover,
Marlborough, Cirencester, and Swindon, the cost of which
Would vary from 2,000/. to 12,0001. He confidently anticipated that
the expense of constructing the stations would he defrayed in the
course of time by the rent which would he derived from farmers
using the granaries which would be constructed in connexion with
them. He could not say whether arrangements had been entered
Into to the amount of 100,0001. to neutralize the opposition of land•
wrners ; it was not within his province to answer such a question ;
Toot, speaking for himself, he might say that landowners would re-
ceive fair compensatb n for any property which might be required
for the purposes of the line. The expense of erecting another station
at Southampton was perfectly justified by the wants of the inha-
bitants. He considered that the line would be of advantage
to Mr. Moburn, Mr. Bovill, and Mr. Marriott, landowners,
near whose property the line will pass at Southampton ; but if they
were injured they would be amply compensated by the Company.
The junction with the South-Western at Romsey, in order to obtain
access to Portsmouth, would be effected (as the existing line is 17
feet higher than the Manchester and Southampton at that point) by
two sidings rising about 1 in 50—one a half and the other a quarter
era mile in length, and the cost probably 3,000/. To have avoided
the land of Mr. Genler and Mr. Everett would have entailed upon
the promoters the necessity of leaving Andover out of their route, and
the selection of a line more expensive, less convenient by being longer,
and in addition, with objectionable gradients.
Re-examined by Mr. JAMES —Mr. Maherley, a solicitor, at South-
ampton, who opposed the line because it would pass his house on an
embankment. Formerly supported a line which was intended to pa
In a similar manner. The tramways along the pier, at Southampton,
would not inconvenience persons using the pier, either for the pur-
poses of business or pleasure, pes ides a satisfactory arranzement had
both made with the trustees. The wishes of the landowners would
De met as much as possible within the limits of deviation.
In reply to questions from the Committee, the witness said if the
works were commenced at once that he would undertake to complete
it in two years and a half—frout Southampton to Andover could be
Completed in a year.

The CHAIRMAN suggested that for the future the cross-exami-
nation of the witnesses should be so arranged that one Counsel should
eroes-exatnin: the witnesses with respect to the engineering, and
the other with respect to the landowners.

The opposing Counsel intimated that the suggestion, although sur-
rounded with difficulties, would meet with their earnest attent'o•i.
Some discussion then ensued respect to theCommliteevisiting
Southampton, in order to iffst,:;ct the pier, and the relative positions
of the two stations.

Mr. limr, intimat!;l that the Sontil-Western would be happy to
put a special
The CuA nat the servica of the Committee.
raJte.si said it was not the Intention of the whole of the
Committee, to visit Southampton. He was going to Southampton by
the Dine o'clock train on Saturday morning, and should be happy to
meet the parties at Southampton in order to inspect the pier. re
should also be glad, if possible, to see the property of Mr. Everett,
at Appleshaw.

Mi.Hawkshaw, C.E., examined by Mr. GURNEY—Had surveyed
the line, and he considered it was judiciously laid out, and would
meet the concurrence of the dist-icts it would traverse. He was
also satisfied with the sufficiency of the estimates, and of the de-
sirability of the station at Southampton. The tramways on the pier
Would not be objectionable. The course of the Andover canal was
adTantageous, inasmuch as it would not interfere with pri-
vate property. and was the most direct course that
could be adopt:d. The line to Andover could be com-
!!!eted ht twelve months. The line could be carried underneath
‘a• 9,reat Western at Swindon without interfering with the free
..,..2114C:f the line. The heaviest works on the line were at the
'-'"enaleriw tenettr. zbichwere to be tunnelled ; but they presented no
Waring the ea, it,Ti:nd the gradients were extremely good, con-
The Althea* wet, , the country.
Mr. Hatherton. In replyezmined by Mr. Hill, Mr. Keating, and
et„rnented from
wqrstions from the last-named counsel,
he stated that the line, it
minus. and obliged to use the making its proposed ter-
; but it the south-We.stern, would
an advisable scheme yet be
made, the line would suffer from ivz„.",..ProPosed station were not
"eying communication with
the pier.
The Committee then adjourned until one o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XX.
RICHMOND (KEW BR..a.wrcu).
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
The evidence in favour of the line havln: been concluded, the de.
Wilton on the preamble was postponed.
LONDON, HOUNSLOW, AND WESTERN.
In respect to the petition against the returns relating to this Bill,
the decision on the preamble of which stands deterred, the Commit-
tee, after a long argument, decided that the petition could not be
beard.
The Committee then adjourned to Saturday, with the understand-
-Ig, that if Mr. Cockburn. Q.C. (for the Kew branch). cannot attend
en that day, there will be a further adjournment till Monday.

GROUP XXXI.
ILMICINGEALWZ AND BRISTOL (ASH"
CEITAC2f, TENGMESBI7RIr, and MALVERN).
The Committee to which the above railway is referred met to-day
it twelve o'clock.

The day was occupied principally in hearing the evidence adduced
On the part of the promoters of the Bill, in order to show the
amount of passenger and goods traffic upon the route of the
proposed line between Malvern, Worcester, Tew!cesbury, Chel-
tenham, and Gloucester. It was proved that the amount of
traffic between those points would be amply sutilelent to support a
railway, such as the one proposed. The feeling along the line was
much In favour of Its formation, as it would aflbrd an infinitely bet-
ter means of communication than the Severn, which was an uncer-
tain river, as it was subject to great floods and low ebbs, whirl' some-
times stopped the passage of the river for weeks together. Goods
conveyed by water had also the disadvantage of being much subject
to pilfering, by which considerable loss was sustained.
The Committee adiounied at four o'clock.

GROUP XXXIII.

LONDON AND V7ARAVICHSHIRE (THREE

331tANCIIES
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
The traffic evidence having been conclude.), it was arranged that
the engineering evidence should he taken to-morrow, and the Corn-
zatttke adjourned at tour o'clock.