The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-24 00:00:00

:tiAILWAY COM mrivrEEs.

(YESTERDAY.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
THE BELFAST AND COUNTY Dint.7l4%.
Their Lordships having formed themselves into a Com-
mitte on merits, proceeded to hear the case of the Belfast and
County Down Railway, which was unopposed.
The Bill having gone through the customary forms, was
declared by their Lordships to have passed, and will be re-
ported to the House and set down for a third reading.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP I.X.
GLASGOW BARBOUR raINEIZA74
TZRIVIZZI US.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
To the CITAIIMAN.—The width of the basin at the mouth
is 40 feet. It could be made 55 feet with the present esti-
mate, and he thought it would be wise to make an alteration
in that respect.
This closed the case for the Harbour Mineral scheme.
blr. Gray, the deputy-chairman of the Clyde River Trust,
was here called, and shortly examined by the Chairman re-
specting the dues to be charged in the Mineral Harbour
Basin. The Mineral Harbour dues were to be charged on
:goods, except that the charge on coal was to be Id. per ton
qin each bottom, instead of 2d. With this exception, the
hiu-bonr dues were chargeable independent of the scale of
char-es given in schedule Aof the Harbour Mineral Bill.
Mr HILL, on the part of the Grand Junction Harbour
scheme, said it would be a great convenience to him if his
opening statement was put off till to-morrow morning.
The Committee, after some deliberation, assented, and the
'promoters of some of the other schemes in the group not
being ready to go on, the Committee adjourned till to-mor-
TOW at a quarter to twelve.

GROUP XII.
GLASGOW, PAIESSEMT, 1t11.7.V111.12.N0C1E, 1111 D
ATM (NO. 2—ZIVIT:ZN2I nu—Nelms.)
(Continued from Our Afternoon Diition of yesterday.)
The allegation having been concluded,
The agent to the Bill said there were some statements in
the end of the petition, about " errors and fraudulent con-
trivances," which had made a great noise in the country, but
which had not been proved.
The Committee said they had nothing to do with sucb
statements, as they had not been entered into.

HAINCTILTON AND STELATILILVEN LINE.
This line was opposed by John Tenant and others.
The agent to the Bill said they had given notice in this
case of their intention to lease and to sell to another linP. The
line would not pass through any county but Lanarkshire.
The length of the line is 91 miles ; the estimated cost
117,000/., or at an average of 13,000/. per mile.
The first allegation of the petitioner was that the sections
and plan did not show any datum horizontal line.
The agent to the Bill admitted the allegation to some
extent, but explained the error by reasoa of an accident
baying occurred to the engineer; Lut it was afterwards
corrected.

Standing orders not complied with.
Several other errors of this class were alleged, some o 1
which were admitted by the agent.
The standing orders were declared not to have been com-
plied with, and the Committee then adjourned.

GROUP XIV.
THE ITonTn KENT LINE.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

In the course of these crosi-examinations, Mr. Vignoles
stated that the cost of the line between Southwark and the
point of junction with the Croydon lis.ilway would be about
292,904/., and the cost of land and stations for the
same portion of the line would be perhaps 300,000/. This
part of the line would be partly on a viaduct, partly on
embankments, and partly on retaining walls. The estimate
was not sufficient to make a viaduct the whole length, but
it was sufficient for the purposes of the railway, laid out in
the mariner lie had just stated.
The CH AMMAN—WiII yaur estimate enable you to provide
for openings under the viaducts and embankments ? Mr.
Vignoles—Certainly it will. There will be several openings.
The Cumnaux—Besides those for existing roads? Mr.
Vignoles—Yes.
The CHAIRMAN—How much of this part of the line goes
over fields and gardens? Mr. Vignoles—About a mile and
a half.

The CHAIRMAN—DO yon contemplate that this will at
some time be built upon? Mr, Viguoles—Yes, I do; and I
have provided for openings accordingly.
Mr. CALVSWr—Are there no sewers on this part of the
line? Mr. Vignoled—Not many; and the consequence is,
the land is marshy and a nuisance. The other day a child
fell into one of the ditches, and was smothered before assist-
ance could arrive. Had there been a sewer, there would
have been no ditch. _ _

Mr. CabvEßT—When was your estimate made ? Mr.
Vignoles—About three months ago.
11Ir. CAlLvEfer—Have"you made no allowance since far the
increase in the price of labour and materials which has taken
place since that time ? Mr. Vignoles—No, lam not aware
that the price of labour and materials has increased; at all
events, I have not found it so where I have works in different
parts of the country.
The witness was then re-examined by Mr. Sergeant
Wttaxonam, on behalf of the promoters of the North Kent
line. The witness stated positively that the Kent hada
priority of claim to the North Kent district, for in
1836 he assisted in bringing a line before Parliament
passing through North Kent, and running from
London to Dover. That line, which was identical with the
present one from London to Chatham, was opposed by the
South-Eastern Company, and thrown out by Parliament. In
1843 he proposed a line to Sittingbourne, and at this time
there was only one other line in the field, but that one did
not go further then Gravesend. With respect to that part of
the line between Southwark and New-cross, the station
at London-bridge was quite inadequate for the traffic
likely to come upon the North Kent line, while
it must be evident to every one that his own
station. in Union. street, was amply sufficient for the North
Kent traffic, and so situated that it would give better access
to the west, and as good access to the east of the metropolis,
as the station at London-bridge. The bridge crossing the
Medway had been approved of by the Admiralty. His' line
of last year went much nearer to the Powder Mills of
Favershaaa than the present one, but he did not
alter the direction of the - line, because he
thought passing so near to the powder-mills would be dan-
gerous, but because he wished to remove the prejudices of
the people in the neighbourhood.
Mr. J. O'ComeELL—Nove, Mr. Vignolee, I wish to ask you
a question ; but for fear you should not be competent to
speak to this point, I will mention the matter first. It re-
lates to third-class fares.

Mr. Vignoles—Oh, yes, I can speak to that point. Our
Parliamentary low fares will be three farthings per mile, and
I propose for the short traffic, such as to Woolwich, the
same description, or perhaps a better description of accom-
modation will be given to third-class passengers than is
found on the Dublin and Kingstown Railway.
Mr. O'CONNELL—NO doubt the accommodation on the
Dublin and Kingstown Railway is very good ; but great com-
plaints are made of some lines that they keep their third-
class passengers a long time on the road.
Mr. Vignoles—lt is my wish and intention that third-class
carriages should be attached to every first-class train. In
my opinion companies will always find this to be the best
principle.
Mr. O'COYNELL—With regard to Sunday travelling, how
do you propose to run the trams?
Mr. Vig,noles—l propose, that except during divine ser-
vice, trains shall run for the short traffic as often as possible,
and I think it is much less a desecration of the Sabbath to
give the working man an opportunity of breathing the fresh
country air, than leaving him to drink in public-houses, and
en'ail the air of a smoky atmosphere.
Mr. Tite, the architect, proved that the estimated cost of
the land on the line was 894,815/. to which lie added
100,000/. fur building stations. This estimate included
everything. _

In the esurse of cross-examination, lie said his estimate
was bas 2d upon the calculation that the minimum width of
the line between London and New Cross was 60 teet, and
the maximum between 80 and 90 feet.

The Committee adjourned at Four o'clock till Twelve
o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XV.

. _
The Committee met, at twelve o'clock, in the Bail Court;
present, ➢lr. O'Connell, chairman, Mr. Mackinnon, Captain
Hatton, Sir R. Price.
23RIGH 1 011,1 AND CIEICEMSTE2 (DOSNOR
AND LIT TIM 21111 UPTON E 2,A.NCZES).

Counsel, Mr. Austin and Mr. Meresvetlier ; agents, Burke
and Co.

CHICHESTER AND BOGNOR.

Counsel, Mr. Johnstone and Mr. Clarke; agents, Deans,
Dunlop, and Co.
Mr. Rowia opposed the Brighton branches, on the part of
the Duke of Richmond and other landowners, and the Com-
missioners of the Felpham Level.
Mr. Jolla's-m/4-E complained that the line he appeared for
had been considered as an opposing line to the Brighton
branch, and that if so considered, he had been unfairly
treated, inasmuch as the Bill having been read a second time
oil Thursday last, the standing orders of the House had not
been complied with, giving them seven clear days' notice.
His objections were overruled.
Mr. Ausvn said the Bill on which ho appeared was for two
hi-amities. The one, to Littlehampton' started from the Leo-
minster station, on the Brighton and Chichester line, would
be 114 miles long, and would cost 10,0001. The other
branch left the same line at Woodgate, for the town of Bognor,
a bathieg-place well known, and lying eight miles west of
Lit tleb anapton, and seven miles south-east of Chichester The
length would be 3i miles from Woodgate to the sea, con-
structed at a cost of 35,000/. There would be no engineering
difficulties on the line, and it would be of great importance,
as connecting, through 'the Brighten line, Bognor and
Brighton and Lewes. The opposing line from Bognor to
Chichester was in the present state of things an
absurd project. Mr. Austin said it was six miles long,
leading to no town except Chichester, and that with the
existing communication, the distance by that line to Bri eliton
and to Lewes, and to London, would be eight miles greater
than by the other, and besides that disadvantage, the cost of
constructing it would he 80,0001.
The opposition to the Brighton line was unimportant ;
the Duke of Richmond was the owner of only one field
and the opposition of the Commissioners of the Felphani
Level was met by a clause which he (Mr. Austin) was pre-
pared to introduce into the Bill, binding themselves t„) clear
all embankments and dikes on the level.
Mr. MErtEwrrma proceeded to prove these things by
witnesses.
Mr. Rastrick, the:engimer, being called,gave evidence that
the sections of the Bognor and Chichester line showed erro-
neous levels, in consequence of which that line would be 16
feet below the other rails, where it was proposed to join them
at Chichester, and that they had been tested by survey, and
found incorrect.
Mr. JOHNSTONE begged, on the
.part of the Bognor and
Chichester line, to have the examination postponed till
Wednesday, that he and his friends might have the oppor-
tunity of considering the point of error which had been un-
expectedly raised, and especially that the engineer might
survey the ground.
The Committee having decided on going on with the case
to-morrow, adjourned.

GROUP XVI.
Et 21.1V1P TON 117-ELNCIT.

The Committee on Group No. 16 met at twelve o'clock to-
day. The objects of its inquiries are the several railways
protected to complete the communication between the
metropolis and the southern coast between Beachy Head
avid Portland. It is but a duty to the public and
the other gentlemen who act as the official clerks
of the House of Commons to observe, that the first instance
of incivility, and a want of that obliging disposition which
forms one of the greatest amenities onife, and which is cer-
tainly one of the greatest expeditors of business, was expe-
rienCed by us to-day in the deportment of the person who
officiates ns the clerk of this Committee. The public have a
right to know the whole of the proceedings in the several Com-
mittees, and the duty of a reporter is sufficiently arduous and
the responsibility sufficiently important, without being sub•