The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-23 00:00:00

WEST CORNWALL.

➢fr. CORBURN made a short address to the Committee on behalf of
the opponents of this line, after which Mr. Ss= replied.
The room was then cleared, and the Committee having remained
some time in deliberation, the parties were re-admitted, when
The CHAIRMAN announced that the preamble of the WestCornwell
Railway was proved, and the Committee required certain alterations
to be made in the clauses with respect to '.several of the wharfs near
the line.

GROUP XIII.
This committee met to-day at one o'clock, Sir William Clay in
the CLair.

- 011.Z.1331:10.2k7Z-112.7 .I.32V3=II7St.ZOZT.
The case on behalf of this line was resumed.
Sir WALTER RIDDELL intimated that it was the intention of the
promoters of the Bill to adhere to the course mentioned by Mr.
Cockburn—namely, the stopping of the line at Muirkirk. This was
done under the impression that a line which was stated by the other
silos to be under construction from Ayr to Muirkirk would be bona
fide carried out. In such a case it would. be manifestly absurd for
two lines of railway to be constructed parallel through such a dis-
trict of country as that from Muirkirk to Ayr, and hence
the promoters of the Caledonian Extension thought it
advisable to give up that portion, and retain all the rest. Should
the line from Ayr to Muirkirk not to be made, then the Caledonian
Extension would come before Parliament in another year for that
portion
The examination of witnesses was then proceeded with.
Mr. Fergnsson, mining engineer, and lessee of the Lesmahagow
Collieries, gave evidence as to the extent and character of the Coal
fields along the route of the line. The Muirkirk field was six miles
long by one broad, and* the aggregate thickness of the coal seams,
was fort feet. The Glenbuck tool-field was an extension of the
Muirkirk field, only it was richer in gas coal. This c•al was 2s. a
ton at the pit bank, and 40,000 tons a year could be easily raised
if an outlet was given for the sale of them. The
present line would effect an opening to the east and west.
The Douglas coal-field on the route of the line was also a valuable
one. The area of the coal-field was about 30 square miles, of an ag-
gregate thickness of about 60 feet. Three feet of it was gas coal,
which had scarcely been wrought at all. Iron-stone was also abun-
dant, both clay and block-band; The block-band iron-stone alone
could supply 10 furnaces for 32 years,- and the clay-band iron-stone
could supply them at least ten times longer. The Lesmahagow
coalfield contained 40 square miles, and was, in the aggregate, 25
feet, of which 1 foot 9 inches was gas coal. The greater part of the
latter coal was sent by carts to Glasgow. The line would be of
great advantage to all these coal-fields. Black-band iron-stone was
also found in large quantities in the Lesmahagow field. He had no
doubt that, if the line were formed, it -would lead to the establishment
of iron works.
Mr. Williamson and Mr. Williams, mining engineers, corroborated
the evidence of the previous witnesses.'
Mr. Adam Black, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, examined—He was
Chairman of the Edinburgh and Leith Gas Company, and he was of
opinion the opening up of the Lesmahagow coal-fields would be of
great benefit to the company in supplying Cannel coal at a cheap
rate. The witness also deposei that Edinburgh, being the head seats
of law and education in Scotland, there :was a considerable traffic in
passengers between that metropolis and Ayr.
Mr. icott, factor to Lord Douglas, deposed that his Lordship
approved of the line on public grounds, and that the line would be of
the greatest possible advantage to the agriculture of the district.
The line passed for twenty miles through Lord Douglaa's property,
and would open up in the most airect manner the markets of Glasgow,
Edinburgh, and Ayr.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

GROUP XIV.
mmite chair.
teamet again this morning in room No. 29; Mr.
)roTthhis Committee
in the

DEAL AND DOVER.
It will be remembered that the landholders' opposition to this
case had closed when the Committee adjourned at the middle of last
week. The whole of this morning was occupied with Mr. Merre-
wether's reply to that opposition,
which he contended ought
not to prevail against a line of so much public importance as
one running between Dover and Deal.
The room was then cleared, and after a short consultation strangers
were re-admitted, when
The CHAIRMAN stated that the Committee had come to the deci-
sion that the preamble to this Bill was not proved. He accompanied
this announcement with the remark that some of the Committee,
indeed, he might My tha whole of them, were satisfied as to the
merits of this line, but that in the present state of the money-
market, and considering the number of these works Parliament had
already sanctioned, they did not feel justitled in passing this Bill.
SOUTII-7-11-STMILIT (GnMLNIWZCZI
TO
GIL.A.ItESVNI)).
This Pin was then re-committed. It will be remembered that the
Committee passed it at their former sitting, sanctioning a tunnel
under Greenwich Park An objection was taken to this in the
House, and the Bill was ordered •to be re-committed.
The Committee now, pro forma, agreed to the
Bill, striking out the clause sanctioning the tunnel, and inserting in
its stead a clause enabling the company to adopt their alternative line
round Blackheath. The cost of the line with this alteration was
estimated at 800,000/.
This closed the labours of the Committee.

GROUP XVII.
MANCHESTER AND SOUTHAMPTON.
This Committee re-assembled this day at one o'clock, the Hon. E.
Yorke in the chair.
Mr. W. Nicholas, who had rented the Luggershall toll-gate on the
high road between Cheltenham and Southampton for many years,
stated that the amount of toll had decreased at the rate of 10/. ,
a year; but it came out in the cross-examination that all persons
going to the important fairs of Weyhill and Appleshaw, could easily
avoid the gate, and no doubt did so. None of the sheep coming or
going to these fairs passed through this gate.
Mr. John Banning, toll-collector at the Collinborne-gate in the
same district, deposed that his receipts had very much diminished ;
but he admitted, in his cross-examination, that this amount did not
represent the local traffic, because this gate could also be avoided.
Mr. Samuel Robbins, residing at Pewsey, where he carried on the
business of a timber-merchant, said there was a good conveyance for
timber by the Kennett and Avon canal, and that, so far as that
neighbourhood was concerned, it would not use the railway for the
conveyance of timber.
By the CRAIRMAN—No railway was nearer than eighteen miles.
Cross-extunined by Mr. JAMES—Supported the project for convert-
ing the Kennett and Avon Canal into a railway. He made a pro-
posalur.
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Tins, with the exception of the engineering evidence, closed the
case on behalf of the South-Western.'
. .

Mr. Austin, to-morrow, will open the case on the part of the Great
Western.

The Committee then adjourned until to•morrow.

GROUP XVIII.

mxETEn, YEOVIL, AND Dane ESTER,
(LONDON, saxasnuaY, AND IrmoviL
JUNCTION).

This Committee met to-day; B. benison, chairman.
Several clauses and amendments were agreed to, and added to the
Bill as originally proposed, having for their object the protection of
the interests of the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway.
Mr. AUSTIN made an application to the Committee, on the part of
the Great Western Company, to reconsider the preamble of the
Exeter Great Western Company, and allow them to con-
struct the branches as proposed in their Bill from Ax-
minster: to Bridport and Wimpole to join the Bristol and Exeter.
The Learned Counsel contended that the Committee had power to do
so if they thought proper.
The CHAIRMAN stated that the trat question to be decided was
whether the Committee would entertain such a proposition.
The room was ordered to be cl eared, Upon the parties being
lolled IN
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