The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-26 00:00:00

GROUP XXVI 11.

This Committee assembled to-day at one o'clock; present, Lord
Datlncny (chairman), and the other members.
The following Bills are comprised in this group, via.:—
London and Birmingham (Newport Pagnall Branch).
Hertford and Hatfield.
London and Birmingham (St. Alban's and Luton Branch).
London and York (St. Alban's, Luton, and Dunstable Branch).
liertbern and Southern Connecting.
. St. Alban's, Hatfield, and Hertford Jnnction.
LOT:MON AND lIIIMIVIT.ZIGIitILIVL (ST. AZ—
BAN'S AND 1.77TF1N nr...5.NC11.)
• After some opposition from Mr. Wells, on the pareof the London
and York competing line, the Committee agreed to proceed with the

Mr.
TALBOT, on the part of the promoters, said he would detain
the Committee with but very few observations. The object of this
line was to make a communication between the London and Bir-
mingham ltailway and several important towns, which were at pre-
sent destitute of any efficient communication of this nature. The
line from Oxford to Cambridge, which had been recently sanctioned
in Committee, embraced Luton, and that would render unneces-
sary a branch to that town ; but they proposed to make such,
should the Oxford mad Cambridge not be carried out. The length
of the line with branches, was 261,2 miles, and tile estimated cost of
the works 409,000/. From St. Alban's to Dunstable there was
a, trade in straw plait carried on as well as a trade in whit-
ing. He believed that he would be able to show that the
opposition on the part of tile London and York, and of the
Inhabitants of St. Alban's, who complained ache crossing neat* the
town; was not sufficiently just to entitle them to have this Bill re-
jec;ed. He had no doubt, too, that it would clearly appear that
there was no residential injury inflicted which could not be compen-
sated by maney, or wh!ch was of any great extent. The Learned
emnsel concluded by calling evidence.
Mr. Hawkins, of Redbourne, was examined, and stated that this
railway would be extremely advantageous to Redbourne and the
vicinity. Coals w. re at present brought to that district by canals.
The Coinmitte, after bearing souse further evidence, adjourned at
f our o'clock.

GROUP XXX.
.11t21111,1114;D .A.7:4113 EiI.STERN COUNTIZS
11,174 M (CLOY: XinXIOGE TO WEZDON).
The Committee on this group assembled at twelve o'clock, when,
after a short consideration, it was decided that the preamble was
proved. The clauses were to be taken at three o'clock.
The Committee resumed at three o'clock, when the clauses, with
a few unimportant amendments, were passed, and the report or-
dered to be carried up to the House.
The Committee then adjoarned.

GitOCIP XXxI.
SOITICIX NVAL=.

' The Committee met this morning at the usual hour, Mr. Round
I n the chair.
then proceeded to reply on behalf of the promoters of
ArsTIN
the Bill. He said during the whole of the evidence that had been
adduced, and throughout the addresses of his Learned Friends, they
eAct
3, cthomey-
MI lost sight of the real object of the line sought to be constructed.
The Board of Trade reported favourabtl
g
re'encing at Gloucester and term tn in ona
tth;'lshgu entireardp.roj
stated that the " necessity of the railwaya was too evident to require
comment," and went on to say that the important district
Which it proposed to traverse would
be removed from
comparative isolation, inasmuch as the railway would
atl'ord direct communication with the metropolis of England and
the whole of the English counties. And the
Committee to whom
the hilt was referred virtually passed it in its original form, includ-
trig the passage of the Severn by a bridge; hut as It was subsequently
found that, the Admiralty objected to the crossing of the Serern by
means of a bridge, and as they had the power to negative
that portion of the Bin, by refusing their consent to it, the Committee
amended the preamble they had passed, by erasing the portion relating
to the passage of the Severn, but assenting to the other portion of the
linemaniely from Chepstow to Pembroke and Fistignard. They at the
same time intimated that the promoters might apply in the next see-
sipn of Parliament for the powers they had been thus compelled to '
refuse. The point, therefore, to be decided was a narrow one. A
gap had been left in their line, which they proposed to till up by
efossing the elevern by a tunnel, and completing their line to Chep-
stow. The line of the South Wales Company would, to all intents and
purposes, to just s perfect as it was before. 7he present opposition
was worse than a case of competition. It was the case of the
deg ift the manger. The opp;,nents would not allow the South
Wales Company to improve the Forest of Dean Railway,
because they said it would tend eventually to injure
the traffic ; •neitf.er would they themselves improve it, because they
corimileeed the outlay of exp nse would not repay them. It had been
a:e.,*reed that by the Old Geo. 111., the Crown was threlosed irom in-
trolering v:;11 the rights or the Forest of Dean Itailway. It had not
b!en (Wed that the Dean • orest Company had an Inchoate right to
Indproce: their railway ; but it was contended that an independent
eotnr any conld have no rient to lnterf,re. The I.earned Gentlemen
the reviewed the opposition that had been °tiered to the eon-
stractlen of the line, with a view to show the weakness of the alle-
teition4 of the opponents, and concluded a long and eloquent address
by eolllng on the Committee to pass the preamble.
Too room was then cleared. On our re-admiselon the Committee
state:?, that their opinion was against the trearnble of the Bill as it
stood ; and the Committee were further of opinion, that the preamble
of that part of the line from Chepstow to Gloucester had not been
pro-re 1. The Committee were not inclined to allow the connexion of
the Great Western with Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean Railway.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow.