The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-18 00:00:00

Room D.

GLASGOW, DUMMIES, AND CARLISLE.
A Committee on the merits of this Bill, consisting of the
following Peers, met to-day in Room D in the New Houses of
Parliament ; Earl St. Germans, chairman, Viscount Canning,
Lord Orford, the Earl of Charleville, and Lord Ducie.
The Noble CHAIRMAN, before the proceedings commenced,
expressed a hope that, looking to the long preliminary pro-
ceedings on the Bill before the House of Commons, the coun-
sel on both sides would exercise their best discretion in ab-
staining from the introduction of irrelevant matter. He
threw out the suggestion in the expectation that the Learned
Gentlemen would take the hint in good part, and act upon it.
The Learned Counsel present expressed themselves obliged
to the Noble Chairman for his hint, and promised to keep
the suggestion in view in their examinations.
Counsel for the promoters of the Bill, Mr. Andrews, Mr.
Austin, and Mr. Talbot ; for the opponents (the Caledonian
Railway Company), Mr. Sergeant Wrangbam, Mr. Cock-
burn, and Mr. Sergeant Hope.
Mr. Sergeant Murphy appeared for a petitioning landed
proprietor.
Mr. ANDREWS opened the case on behalf of the promoters.
He said the object of the present Bill was to form a line of
railway from a point near to Cumnock, in the county of
Ayr, through the yally of the Nith, to a point south on
the Caledonian Railway, near to the crossing of the river
Sark; the great object being to connect the populous and
important county of Ayr with the north of England, and at
the same time to accommodate the inhabitants of the county
of Dumfries generally. Besides the main line, there were two
branches proposed to be formed, the one called the Crawick
branch, from Sanquhar to a point on the Caledonian Rail-
way;- and another to the south, on a point near to the cros-
sing of the river Sark, to a place called Canobie. The main
line was sixty-four miles long ; the Crawick branch
was sixteen miles ; and the Canobie branch seven
miles. There were no engineering difficulties, and the
estimates were amply sufficient for the works pro-

. _
posed. The Hon. Gentleman here followed the route of the
line, explaining the character of the country proposed to be
accommodated, and the necessity there was for railway ac-
commodation. Ho explained that the district in Ayrshire
which required the line of railway was an important manu-
facturing and mineral one, of which Kilmarnock was the
centre, and that the inhabitants were generally in favour of it.
Dumfriesshire, on the other end of the line, was an important
and highly improving agricultural district, the population
of which was also strongly in favour of the line. The great
oa
fd advantage apgreo expectedducts o f t
hbey
s. an object which could
only be accomplished
present. In fact, there was no other means of supplying
abiyimeansisic of a railway like the
trparties was a mutual exchange
two districts,
this large .tract 'of country. but by such a line of railway.
opponent of the line was the Caledonian
The principal
Company, who complained that it would damage their
interests by taking away their traffic. Now he would beg
leave to call the sttention of the Committee to the fact that
the Nithsdale line was heard a few weeks ago in contrast
with an extension scheme of the Caledonian Company for
fourteen days before the Committee of the House of Com-
mons, and the result was, the rejection of the branches of the
Caledonian, and the affirmation of the preamble of the pre-
Sent Bill. It was then satisfactorily shown that this line
was imperatively require& and that the Caledonian line
would rot suffer from competition in the manner its promo-
ters feared. But not only did that Committee decide
in favour of this Bill, but the subject was subsequently
debated in the House itself, and the Bill was affirmed by a
large majority. In fact the fears of the Caledonian Company
were altogether exaggerated, as they would still command
all the north of. Scotland traffic Uy
the Scottish Central,
through Stirling, as well as the Glasgow and Edinburgh
traffic. The only other opponent of the Bill was a landowner,
which he had not the least doubt was only covertly appear.
ing for the Caledonian Company, and the disposal of the op-
position of the one would also settle that of the other.
The Learned Gentleman having asserted that the scheme
was altogether different from the one adjudicated on last
year in competition with the Caledonian, and that it was now
solely promoted as a local line, and having gone into several
particulars of the line for which he appeared, traffic, engi..
neering, peculiaritieF, concluded by proceeding to call
his witnesses on behalf of the Bill.
Mr. Sergeant Wita2lollA3l, before the evidence was gone
into, begged leave to make an application to the Committee.
The Learned Gentleman who had spoken had made reference
to what took place last year, and as it was evident reference
in the course of the inquiry would have to be made to what
then took place, he would beg leave to ask the Noble Chair-
man to move the House to refer the evidence taken before
the Committee of last year to the present Committee.
Mr. ANDREWS objected to the application on the ground
that the issue now to be tried was different to that tried last
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 oonoider the PrefrlotY of coutrackihg 6 Liao for