The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-21 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(YESTERDAY.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
GROUP IX.
TWO 1112.8SIZOlitr HARBOUR a

Twumcnrirs.

The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, Lord Won't}, is
the chair, when the evidence en behalf of this scheme was pro-
ceeded with.
Captain Washington, one of the Royal Tidal Conemmissioners,
Was called and examined—He had been engaged some time ago in
Making inTestigatims into the state of Glasgow harbour. Last year
a great number of witnesses of the fret respectability, merchants,
manufacturers, engineers, and magistrates were examined, and they
all bore out the fact of the great pressure of shipping and the want
cf accommodation. He considered that even the proposed docks at
Stob-cross would not give all the accommodation required. It was
most important that the general traffic and the minerals should be
separated as far as possible. The point selected by the General Ter-
minus Company was decidedly objectionable, as it was opposite to
the steam-boat quay, and if eight or nine tiers of colliers lay there,
as he expected should that scheme be carried out, the large Liver-
pool steamers would not be able to turn in the river. Looking
at the map, and calculating the almost certain increase of
trade down the river, and the extension of the quays,
he considered the Harbour Mineral scheme better than the other
two. He took no exception to the tidal basin except that it was
too small. Still it would do something towards relieving the pres-
sure el the shipping in the river. Independent of the idea of a rail-
wee this place had been pointed out some time ago as a good place
for a dock or tidal basin. It would also have another advantage ; the
vessels would not be liable to suffer from floods and high tides as
they were in the river. Others had confirmed the evidence he gave
in a similar question last year before a Select Committee, that it
was highly objectionable to lay down rails along such crowded quays
as those of Glasgow.
In the cross-examination to which the witneie was subjected, the
witness reiterated substantially all the points he maintained in his
examination in chief. He most emphatically dissented from any plait
to bring theraineral traffic up the quays to interfere with the general
trete.
Mr. Andrew Gray, comptroller of customs, Glasgow, gave evi-
lerice as to the crowded state of the harbour. Me had been in the
silica since 1842. To show the increase of the trade in the harbour,
he might state that the customs, in 1512, were 3,1201. ; in 1545,
369,0001. He objected to the rails running along the quays, and was
If opinion that the laying of these down would so increase the mi-
neral traffic as to block up the harbour. He considered the Harbour
H neral much better for the purposes of the mineral traffic than the
ether two lines.
In cross examination the witness admitted he had been a director
of the Grand Junction scheme, and attended some meetings, but that,
he intimated, was before the Harbour Mineral came on, and ere be
knew the merits of the two schemes.
Mr. M'Leod, ehipbroker, generally corroborated the evidence of
the previous witnesses as to the superiority of the Harbour Mineral
scheme over the other two, in separating the mineral from the general
traffic.
Mr. Williamson, mining engineer, examined—Said he knew the
coal fields of the w est of Scotland well—Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and
Renfrewshire. On the cast side of Glasgow there were eighty-three
iron furnaces. seventy-six of them in blast—fourteen new ones were
proposed. A great number of new coal works were also opening up.
West of Glasgow there were fifteen furnace', ten of them in blast—
twenty-nine new ones were proposed. He estimated the traffic in
minerals, on the Mineral Harhimr line, to be 400,000 tons yearly.
which would yield 5,0061. He calculated that 7501. would be realised
from coal and lime. He preferred the Harbour Mineral to the
other two.

Cross-examined by Mr. Hon, oa behalf of the General TerMilltid—
The new iron works in Ayrshire were opening up in districts, whielt
to some extent would be accommodated by the Ayrshire ports ;
!till, a considerable portion would come to Glasgow.
31r. Bald, civil engineer, was called and examined by Mr. MON-
TEITII—We had had extensive engineering practice in mines
and harbours, as well as in the making of railways; *He
had been employed in several mines in Ireland, and
recently by the French Government on the river Seine, at Havre. He
had also beer engineer for the River Trust from 1839 to 1843, six
years in all. His estimate of the present scheme was 101,2681., of
which the basin would cost 42,9851. The land in this estimate wee
set down at 55,0001., but it had since been contracted for at 19,5421. ;
so that this would make a considerable deduction. There were no
engineering difficulties. The severest gradient was 1 in 64, a descend-
ing one; and the other lin 312. There were but two. The curve.
were but slight, the heaviest was one of a radius of 1 furlong 2 chains.
He generally agreed with Cantata Washington as to the objection
to laying down rails along the quays. The tidal harbour he pro •
posed would accommodate, well packed together, about from 8,000
to 10,008 tons of shipping. The area is three and a third acres, with '
a ttontage of 16 000 feet. The basin will be quite sufficient for all
the mineral traffic at present in the harbour, and it could easily be
enlarged if required.
The cross-examination of the witnesses was then talen up, and
had not Bpi-shed when the Committee rose. The only point elicited
was, that at high water large shies could not ship coals in the basip,
but ships of from 150 to 200 tons could.
Mr. Sergeant BeLnasts suggested to the Chairman that he should
give notice to-night to move on Monday next, for leave to the Grand
Junction Harbour Bill to proceed in Committee. This arose from a
standing order of the House, which required that seven days' notice
shouid•be given before proceeding in Committee. The notice had
Lien given, but it was before tile second reading, and held to be in-
valid. A second notice, to make sure, bad been given since the
fm.,:vlid reading, but the seven days' notice would not terminate till
next Thursday, whereas, by obtaining leave to proceed, they could
eater en that Bill on Tuesday morning.
objection was offered to this course, and the Chairman said La
would give the required notice of motion.
The Committee then adjourned till Monday, at Twelve o'clock.
In thu coarse of the d.O , at the request of Mr. Talbot, the Chair-
man tad lie would apply to the Admiralty for the report of 31r.
'Walker ropecting the Harbour Mineral scheme, In order to place the
Committee in possession of the information it contained.