The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-23 00:00:00

SUGAR DUTIES.

Mr. PARKER brought in the Sugar Duties Contin-
uance Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be
read a second time to-morrow.

SABBATH TRADING.
Mr. HINDLEY then rose to ask leave to introdcce a Bill
to amend the law with respect to Sunday trading, when
An HON.. MEMBER remarked that there were not forty
Members present.
On the House being counted there were not twenty Mem-
bers, and the Speaker adjourned the House till to-morrow.

RAILWAY C MMITT EES.

(YESTERDAY)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
Room A.

CORNWALL.
(Continue./ from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

This witness was cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant KINGLAyE, and
stated, with respect to the passenger traffic between St. Austell and
Truro, which is carried on by vans, that these vans were used chiefly
by persons of " a low class." On being asked by the Learned Ser-
geant as to whether he had ever used this mode of conveyance, ho
replied, " that he had never travelled this way himself, though he
believed barristers had."—(Considerable laughter.)
After hearing some further evidence in detail, Mr. Avery, mer-
chant, of Boscastle, was examined by Mr. Rows, and stated that he
did not believe that there was 40,0001. worth of property sent into
Cornwall during any one year. There was a traffic carried on be,-
tween Bristol and Hull, but it was very inconsiderable. In his opi-
nion there was not sufficient traffic to support a line from Plymouth
to Falmouth.

Some further evidence was then given, after which the Committees
adjourned.

Room B.

LEICESTER AND 237-DPORD.

Tkis Committee met to-day at eleven o'clock.
Some more evidence having been given In opposition tot the link ,
to the effect that there was not sufficient traffic to support the railway ,
Mr. lIIDLTARD addressed the Committee on the part of the oppo -
nents to the Bill, contending that the present ought to have bow
the undertaking of the Midland Company, and not of an independen t
company, b, filch would alone render It a pruflteble speculation. lie
also contended that the circumstance of Northampton not being pro-
vided with accommodation by the proposed line was of itself suf-
ficient to disentitle the Bill to the favourable consideration of the
Committee.

Sergeant WEANGHAM replied, and the Csmmittee decided that Bac
preamble of the Bill was not proved.

Room C.

lII.ACIEW'ALL RAILWAY (WIDENING).
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

After some conversation between Mr. Forsyth and Mr. Freshfielti,
his client, the former stated that their only object was
to obtain equal accommodation and equal space, and obtaining
these they were quite ready to come to an accommodation. They
proposed to the Blackwall Company not to take their warehouses
without conveying certain property not in their possession, but which
they might possibly get either by private negotiation or a Bill neat

To this Mr. Adams objected, and the parties retired to negotiate,
it having been agreed with their Lordships that they should
appear again in a quarter of an hour, but three quarters elapsed be-
forere-entering the room, and then another quarter elapsed before
any statement was made, after which

Mr. NVHATELEY stated that an arrangement had been entered into,
by which only a portion of the property of the Dock Company would
be taken, and the only question was about the introduction of a clause.
On Lord ILernEaros's intimation that he conceived that an
agreement was quite suflicien—the was a party to several himself—
that was definitely decided upon.
Mr. Tite, who is a director of the Globe Insurance Office, having
spoken on that point,
The preamble was then allowed to be proved, the clauses were
gone through, and the report was ordered to be brought up.

Room E.

EXETER, YEOVIL, AND DORCHESTER.
LONDON, SALISBURY, AND YEOVIL.

The Committee appointed to inquire into the merits of these lines
met this morning for the first time. The members of the Committee
were Lord Beaumont (chairman), Lords Dartmouth, Raufurley, Car-
rington, and Delawarr.
The preliminary proceedings having been arranged,
Mr. COCKBUEN proceeded to open the case on behalf of the pro-
moters.
An objection was taken, at an early stage of the proceedings, by
Mr. Talbot, against the course proposed to be adopted by the pro-
moters of taking the three Bills together. The Committee, however,
overruled the objection, intimating, at the same time, that the
Interests of the parties opposing the Bill would not be prejudiced iu
thelminds of the Committee by the adoption of such a course.
The Learned COUNSEL then proceeded at considerable length
to point out to the Committee the course of the proposed
lines, and commencing at Exeter. He said that the station at that
town was the most convenient for the interests of the town which
could possibly be made. Leaving Exeter, the line proceeded to
Honiton, and thence proceeded through Axminster to Yeovil. The
total length of the line between Exeter and Yeovil was 47 miles 49
chains, and the estimate for that portion would be about one million.
The attention of the Committee was next directed to the de-
cision of the Committee of the House of Commons, upon the merits
of the line, upon the case of the property of Lord Digby, Sir W.
Oglander, and others. The total saving of distance between
London and Exeter would be between 24 and 25 miles. The scheme
originally' comprised three different junctions, but they were now
fused into one, and the South-Western Company had guaranteed a
dividend of four-and-a-half per cent. upon the whole capital sub-
scribed. which was raised principally by local subscrip-
tions. The great objects of the scheme were not so much
for the purpose of affording accommodation to the northern
traffic as for giving the means of a direct and speedy
connexion between the metropolis and Exeter, and also to the
counties of Devon and Cornwall ; this object would have been frus-
trated, if the line proposed by the Exeter Great Western Company
bad been sanctioned. The effect of sanctioning that measure would
be to destroy the through communication, because the district between
Exeter and Yeovil would be laid down upon the broad gauge system.
The Committee of the House of Commons, taking this matter into
their consideration, had considered it necessary to introduce into the
/1111 a clause making it imperative on the company, should
the Board of Trade think flt, to lay down upon
their narrow gauge line additional rails to snit the broad gauge ; by
such means the interests of the Great Western Company would be
protected, and the line between Exeter and London would be pre-
served in its integrity. It was necessary for the interests of the
country through which the line passed, and with a vie'.v of effecting
a more speedy communication between the metropolis and Exeter,
that the line should be in the hands of an independent company,
and not in the hands of those whose interests it would
he to carry the traffic along their more circuitous line.
If the present line were sanctioned by their Lordships, and left in
the hands of an independent company, the salutary effect of im-
posing a check upon monopoly would be felt by all the parties in-
terested in railway accommodation In the districts through which
the line passed. The present line being on the narrow gauge,
it would afford the means of continuous communication between
the ports of Dover, Sheerness, Southampton, and all the country on
the east part of England, with Exeter and the western counties of En-
gland. With reference to London, they would have three distinct sta-
tions, they would have a station, which was at present in existence at
Nine Elms, for the convenience of that portion of the metropolis; there
would be another station at the York-road, Lambeth, which had re-
eeived the sanction of the Legislature, and would shortly be com-
pleted ; and there would also be another station at London-bridge,
should the Legislature sanction that extension. The Royal Com-
mission had reported favourably of that extension, and a Committee
of the House of Commons was now sitting on the merits of the Bill,
and he had no doubt whatever but the scheme would receive the
sanction of the Legislature. With reference to the opposition on the
part of landowners, there was none of any nature sufficient to justify
the rejection of the measure ; and he did not think that his Learned
Friend who represented the interests of the Great Western Company
could have any Lxus standi before the Committee. In conclusion, he
called upon the Committee to sanction the present line. He would
proceed to call evidence which their Lordships would see would fully
corroborate the statements he had made.
Mr. Salter, brewer, of Exeter, was then called, and examined by
Mr. MtazwETHER, who stated that he consumed large quantities of
malt ; he purchased his barley principally at Salisbury, and if the
present line was constructed I: would afford him great facilities for
obtaining it from those places.
After some further evidence, the Committee adjourned till eleven
o'clock to-morrow.