The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-28 00:00:00

GROUP XVII.

MANCHESTER AND SOUTHAMPTON—
ROMSZT AND REDBMCDGA ]BRANCH
(SOUTH-WESTERN).
The Committee met this morning at the usual hour; the Hon. Mr.
E. Yorke in the chair.
Mr. Itawuinson applied to the Committee to give their decision on
the merits, if merits it had, of the Romsey and Redbridge Branch, in
order that he and those for whom he applied might be liberated from
any further attendance on the Committee. They would recollect
that he submitted in his address on Tuesday that the line was not
required by the wants of the locality, inasmuch as it would be ac-
commodated by the Manchester and Southampton Railway, which
not only ran along its route, but to the north, intersecting important
districts and running through large manufacturing towns.
Mr. HATHERTON opposed the application, on the ground that the
Committee were not in a condition to do so, as Mr. Saunders in his
address on Tuesday charged the line with abuses, which he stated
he should support by evidence. He should carry out his promise, in
order thht the Committee might have evidence to confirm his state-
ments, or be disabused of them if they were untrue.
Mr. SAUNDERS said it was not his intention to produce evidence,
as he considered that the Acts of Parliament which he quoted
showed clearly enough the injury which the line would do to the
town and port of Southampton.
After a short discussion,
The CHAIRMAN reiterated the decision to which the Committee
arrived on uesday as to the course which they should pursue with
respect to the two lines. They had not altered their opinion, that
they should hear the cases for and against both lines beforethey came
to a decision on either. They should then decide them on their "pub-
lic advantages."
Mr. Davis then proceeded to address the Committee against the
Romsey and Redbridge branch, on behalf of the Town Council of
Southampton. He commenced by saying that he was a member of
toe corporation of Southampton, and that he had been deputed by
that body to oppose this project, as the Manchester and
Southampton would supersede it, and open up, in ad-
dition, a direct communication with the north of England.
The Corporation of the town were not wanting in respect to the
Committee in deputing him to appear on their behalf instead of
counsel, who might have discharged the task mere ably, but cer-
tainly not more honestly or conscientiously. The explanation of this
was to be found in the fact that five of the Corporation were directors
of the South Western, and counsel could only be employed when the
Corporation was unanimous in incurring such an expense. Of course,
they would not consent to employ counsel to oppose a project ema-
nating from a body of which they were members ; in fact, they stated
if the other members of the Corporation did employ counsel, that it was
not unlikely that a bill inChancery might be ffied against them. He was
prepared to show, that irrespectively of the Manchester and South-
ampton, or any other line, this branch was not required for any
purposes of general utility, and that, even supposing some partial
advantages might be derived by the public from it, it was nOt expe-
dient that its construction should be entrusted to the promoters of
the Bill. But the Manchester and Southampton was a great I:glit-
tery as well as a great commercial line, would supersede the brancN
open up direct communication Is ith the north, and was approved of
by the town and corporation of Southampton. A great deal had
been said about the importance of Redbridge and Ming as ports,
but during the prevalence of the ordinary tides the water there at
high water was only from two to six feet, and during spring tides
from eleven to twelve feet—at Redbridge from six to eight and from
eleven to twelve feet.