The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-25 00:00:00

GROUP XLVII.

The Select Committee onthTs—groUp re-assembled to-day, at twelve
o'eloek. and proceeded to hear evidence in favour of the
SICREWSBITICT AND BENCEPORDBUZZ33,
the preamble of which Bill was ev, ntually declared to be proved.
The clauses was then gone Into, and the Committee adjourned at four
until twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XLVIII.
LLYNVI VALLEY.

The Committee on this Bill resumed their sittings at twelve o'clock
to-day, Mr. Aidham, chairman.
The opposition was proceeded with on behalf the eileting tram
line already noticed in this Journal upon the opening of the ease.
The Committe adjourued at four o'ekcii till twelve to-morrow.

onorr Lilt.

EIRITIItiTG2 Ara AND 811111C177811171nr, Atm
3313 tvl CIIIII.IVI, V7OI.VIDZHAMPTON, AND
D 171311.1 61r.
(Continued cram onr Afternoon Edition of raterday.)

Mr. EtICZARDs also cross-examined this witness on behalf of the
S ba
and Birmingham Company, when he admitted that he
w
ashareholder
sb'
In the Oxford, We tester, and Wolverhampton
r: wd7
line, and had been one of the witnesses called on
behalf of the Great Western company, on behalf of the
broad gauge, and three hundred shares Were allotted to him
for his services. Mr. Barker. Mr. Thorneycroft, And others, were
also similarly rewarded for their trouble. He was a director In this,
the Birmingham and Oxford, and South Staffordshire Companies,
and in feet every line which proposed to afford an independent
railway cotnmanication to the district in which his works were
situated Be was decidedly an ad; ovate of the broad gauge, but it was
not because this line would be constructed on the broad gauge that he
advocated It. The question of gauge had, in fact, been kept in abey-
ance by the promoters. He at one time admitted that he should
rejoice to sae the day when the broad gauge would be extended from
London to Liverpool, and he had no doubt that that would be
' the case. He was certainly an enemy of monopoly, and he would
disapprove of a Great Western monopoly being tarred out in the
district with which he was connected, but he had stated at the
meetings of ,this company that he saw no objection to their being
amalgamated with the Great Western enmpaiiy. That com-
pany had an interest in this scheme, and would also be the
lesseeS 'of the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton and
Oxford and Birmingham lines, which would have the
effect of putting the whole of the districts through which
they passed under the control of the Great Western Company. Ile
believed that even if those lines were forme', the Birmingham
Canal would continue to maintain its existence, and that the proposed
combination of th Shrewsbury and Itirminghaua Company with the
Canal Company would have a more prejudicial effect on those now
interested in the canal than the success of the Birmingham, Wolver-
hampton, and Dudley scheme. He did not think that the clause in
the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway Bill, placing that com-
pany under the control of the Board of Trade, would give
much protection to the public against .the attempts of adroit
men. The Shrewsbury and Birmingham scheme he believed to be
a complete piracy. The prospectus of the company of which he
was an advocate was published about the Ist of October. Its be.
lieved that the Shrewsbury and Birmingham scheme originated in
1844. Ile totally departed from the report of the Gauge Commis-
sioners as to the dinlcult:es of a break of gauge. Of course he would
rather have a continuity of gauge, but he did ri-,t think the disad-
vantage so great as had been represented by commercial men.
Mr. Sets, on the part of certain landowners along the line, wished
to cross-examine the witness, to show the injury which the line
would inflict on them, but _ _

Mr. ROBINSON doubted whether their petition had been properly
presented, in which case he had no locu3 slandi.
The petition was produced, and after being inspected it was agreed
that Mr. SELF'S might cross-examine the witness, who stated that he
did not believe that the promoters of this line proposed to have any
side lines. He could not say which of the two lines would most in-
tercept the passages between the iron works of Wolverhampton and
the canal.

Cross-examined—The side lines might be provided for by a claase,
or some arrangement. Although Darlaston would not be accommo-
dated by this line, Great-bridge, which was .3f much greater impor-
tance, and which was left entirely unaccommodated by the Shrews-
bury and Birmingham, would be passed through by this I ne.
Mr. George Frederick Muntz, M.P. for Birmingham, was next
called, and stated that he was extensively engaged in manufactures
there. The people of that district differed m.-eh upon railway com-
munication with the other parts of the country. He had considered
the relative merits of the different lines before the Committee, and he
thought that this lino would give the best accommodation.
lie had originally been a supporter of the other line, but
finding that the promoters would not tOrm go inde-
pendent company, he had come over to this, which would be
an independent company. He considered that Snow-hill was the
better situation of the two proposed for stations at Birmingham,
but both were good sites. The majority of people and goods enter-
ing Birmingham from Wolverhampton entered and stopped in the
neighbourhood of Snow-hill. He was of the same opinions the pre-.
ceding witness as to the prejudicial effects of the control which the
London and Birmingham Company would have over the Shrewsbury
and Birmingham. The construction of this line would- have the
effect of reducing the price of coal in Birmingham, and particularly
SO, because it was an independent line. The directors of this line
were gentlemen largely interested in the district over which It would
pass. Mr. Spooner as well as himself had bcen induced by the ur-
gent representations of their constituents, to become converts to this
scheme.

Cross-examined by Mr. RICCARDS—II • had been a supporter of
the Shrewsbury and Birmingham line, because it was the first in the
market, but after the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley
came out, he saw that it was decidedly a better line. It v ould
not be under the control of any canal or railway company, and it
would best serve the interests of his constituents. No public dem in-
stration had been made in favour of this line by the people
of Birmingham, but he had been applied to by several
of his constituents personally to support it. The Snow-hill
station was decidedly the better one. Ile knew instances
in which competition had not served the interests of the public, and
he was therefore no, always in favour of competition. He did not
think that low tolls wag the most important point to he considered
in these matters ; economy, combined with time, was the most im-
wtant. If these things could be obtained by arrangements between
two companies he should be content, but he did not think that the
London and Birmingham had properly served the public, and he
should therefore look suspiciously upon any union with them.
Re-examined by Mr. Rosistsorr From what he had seen, he
believed that nothing but competition would compel the London and
Birmingham Railway Company to act rightly towards the public.
To Mr. it. CLAYTON—I am merely looking upon this line as a
means of giving accommodation to the people between Wolver-
hampton and Birmingham. and not as a line calculated to- give a
direct communication with London.-
Mr. John Barker, ironmaster, Staffordshire, stated that he manu-
factured about 25,000 tons of iron, and used 150,000 tons of coal.
Be and his partners employed between 1,100 and 1,300 men, as well
as his neighbours. His works were in the township of Wolver-
hampton, and would be much better accommodated by this than its
rival lines. This would be a competing line, and therefore very
beneficial to the public. Clauses in Acts of Parliament did not. in
his-opinion, protect the public against abuses on the parts of railway
proprietors.
The witness was cross-examined at some length by the Learned
Counsel for the Shrewsbury and Birmingham scheme, but nothing
very material was elicited, further than the admission that this
company had made no provision against its amalgamation with
other companies.
At four o'clock the Committee adjourned until twelve to-morrow.

GRour LVIII.

BRISTOL AND BIRMINGHAM AND MID-
LAND AMALGAMATION.

The Committee proceeded with the clauses of this Bill at some
length. Their consideration occupied the greater portion of the d.iy.

GROUP LIX.

The chairman (Mr. E. Buller) and the other members of this
Committee re-assembled to-day at twelve o'clock, in Room 22.

zromapooz. AND BIT 4:2' AND IIiCAZTCBT.43
TEN. &ND LEZDS 31LAMINI.ELlr'S
TILELICION.
The formal preliminary proceedings in the UM were gone through.
Mr. Hoes applied, on behalf of certain shareholders In this under-
taking, to be heard against the preamble of the Bill, which led to a
long discussion, and terminated in the Committee deciding against
the petitioners.

City.of—Worcestcr—the same day, at the eit of Worcester.
Staffordshire—Thursday, July 23, at 'Stafford.
Shropshire—WPduesday, July 29, at Shrewsbury.
HerefordOlire—Saturday, August 1, at Hereford.
Monmouthshire—Wednesday, August 5, at Monmouth.
Gloucvstershire—Saturday, August 8, at Gloucester.
City of Gloucester—the Fame day. at the city of Gloucester.
HOME CI IICUIT.

The Right Hon. Sir James Parke, one of the Barons of the
Court of Exchequer and Mr. Justice Coltman.
Hertfordshire—..Thursday, July 9, at Hertford.
Essex—Monday, July 13, at Chelmsford.
Kent—Monday, July 20, at Maidstone.
Sussex—Monday, fitly 27. at Lewes.
Surrey—Thursday, July 30, at Guildford.
NORFOLK CIRCUIT.
Mr. Baron Alderson and Mr. Justice Williams.
Buckinghamshire—Friday. July 10, at Buckingham.
Bedfordshire--Tuesday, July 14, at Bedford.
Huntingdonshire—Friday, July 17, at Huntingdon.
Ca.nbridgeshire— Saturday. July 18, at the County Courts.
Norfolk—Wednesday, July 22, at the Castle of Norwich.
City of Norwich—the same day, at the Guildhall of the said

eity.
Suffolk—Tuesday, July 28, at Ipswich.
MI b LAND CIRCUIT.
Mr. Justice Patteson and Mr. Justice Coleridge.
Northamptonshire—Monday, July 13, at Northampton.
Rutlandahire—Friday, July 17, at Oakham.
Lincolnshire—Saturday, July 18, at the Castle of Lincoln.
City of Lincoln—the same day, at the city of Lincoln.
Nottinghamshire—Wednesday, July 22, at Nottingham.
Town of Nottingham—the same day, at the town of Not-
tingham.
Derbyshire—Monday, July 27, at Derby.
Leicestershire—Thursday, July 30, at the Castle of Leicester.
Borough of Leicester—the same day, at the borough of
Leicester.
Warwickshire, Coventry Division—Monday, August 3, at
the city of Coventry.
Warvrick+hire, Warwick Division—Tuesday, August 4, at
Warwick.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.
Mr. Justice Wightman and Mr. Justice Cresqwell.
rorkshire—Thursday, July 9, at the Castle of York.
City of York—the same day, at the Guildhall of the city of
tork.
Durham—Thursday, July 23, at the Castle of Durham.
Northumberland—Wednesday, July 29, at Newcastle-upon••
Tyne.
Town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne—the same day, at the Guild.
hail of the said town.
Cumberland—Tuesday, August 4, at Carlisle.
Westmoreland—Saturday, August 8, at Appleby.
Lancashire, Northern Division—Tuesday, August 11, at
Lancaster
Lancashire, Southern Division—Saturday, August 15, at
LiverpooL

WESTERN CIRCUIT.
Mr. Justice Erie and Mr. Baron Platt.
Southampton—Saturday, July 11, at the Castle of Winchester.
Dorset—Friday, July 17, at Dorchester.
Wilts—Tuesday, July 21, at D ,vizes.
Devon—Saturday, July 25, at the Castle of Exeter.
City and County of the City of Exeter—the same day, at
the Guildhall of the said city.
Cornwall—Saturday, August 1, at Bodmin.
Somerset—Thursday, August 6, at the city of Wells.
County of the City of Bristol—Thursday, August 13, at the
Guildhall of the said city.

LIVERPOOL AND BURY, AND MANCRES-
TF,I: AND LEEDS A3IALGAMATION; AND MAN-
CHESTER AND BOLTON, AND BURY CANAL
NAVIGATION AND RAILW ‘Y; AND MANCHES-
TER AND LEEDS AMALGAMATION.

Mr. 1..5m0 described the advantages that would result from the
proposed amalgamation.
goine general evidence in support of the Bill was then adduced,
after whii-h the Committee adjourned.

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very indirerent as to what znw happers in 14exiro, ►
though he highly dis.r.swer,v.-Inf the conduct tot' his Go-
vernment towards the 'Unit-xi lAtates.

The brig Juven Gregorik tram Campeachy, arrived
at Havannah, the 19th May, with dates to the 224 in-
clusive. An extra Congress wa.; held at Merida the
22.1 of April—the first and principal object of this Con-
, ress, was to be the organisation of the Penin3ula of
Yucatan as art independent state.
The Captain-General ot Cuba, Don Leopold O'Don-
nell, has received from the Queen the titles of Count of
Dwane, and Vi,count of Altaga.
It was believed at Havannah that there would be no
privateers fitted out to depredate on the commerce of
thi4 country.

The export of sugar from Cuayama, up to the 20th
May, was as follows : —to United States 6,906 hhds. ;
Europe, 2,249 do. ; British provinces, 950.
Giptain Burt, of the brig Adeline, from Cienfuegos,
informs us tnat the planters .say that in consequence of
so much wet weather, a great deal of their cane will be
destroyed.
IMPORTANT MOVEMENT.—A member or the United
States Senate has written a letter to the Aid of the
Governor of Missouri, in which he makes the following
important statement concerning an intended military ex-
pedition to Santa Fe:—

WASHINGTON, May 14, 1846.
The morning papers will let you see that the state of
war was declared to exist yeSterda3, between the Uni ed
States and Mexico. Our first. care in this sud len
change in our relations widi that country .as to
try and take care of our Santa Fe trade. For this
purpose, it will be pr.iposed to the pep e of New
Mexic Chihuahua, and the other internal provinces,
that they remain (0(4 and continue trading with us
as usual, upon which condition they shall be prim ct d
in all their rights and be tre ted as friends. To
give effect to this proposition and to ue -,ke sure at all
events, ► f protection to the persons and p• operty of
our traders (besides the pro.larnation of the Pre.idetit
to shit ► ff.ct). Colonel Kearney will start itnrned etely
with 300 Dragoen,, to be t*iillowed, as quick as pus
sible, by 1.000 M.ainted Volunteers from Miaseurt, and
with authority to engage the services, if n.wessary,
of all the Americans in tat part of the world. This
mil Lary movement will be to make sure of the main
of ject, to wit : peace and tr-mde, to be secured p-ace•
ably if possible, forcibly if n-cessary. For unless they
accept these conditions, the country will have to be
taken possession of as a conquest. Tiiis, however,
we hope will not be neeessary, as it wilt be so obviously
to the int, rest of the inhabitants of that part of
(too far from the Central Government to have any effect
in general hostilities), to enjoy the benefit of peace and
trade, with the full protection of all their rights of per-
son, property, and religion.
This letter is sail to be from a source entitled to the
most implict cm:fidence.
The Republican says, tllat a bearer of dispatches to
the Governor and Col. Kearney ha i arrived fruit Wash-
ington Books are opened at St. Louts for a corp. of
1,000 volunteers for this service. Several thousand, it. is
said, could easily be raised. Volunteers are pouring in
From every portion of the State.
FROM THE WEST.—At Independence Mo., on the
16th of M my. according to a correspondent of the St.
Louis Republican, there were about 200 Mexican
trailers on their way from Santa Fe and Chihualnet,
to the East to purchase goods. They had with them
abont 350 000 dollars in specie ; they had to make
forced tparches•pitrt of the way. being•greatly pr3ssed
by Indian robbers. About 40 waggons had left Inde
pendence, for Santa Fe, during the week. The trade
with that place seems to b.• but slightly interrupted, as
the inhabitants of the Northern Mexican departments
are said to be strongly in favour of its unbroken continu-
ance. _ ,

The correspondence referred to adds the foll.*wing i
formation :

" The Oregon emigran•s have gone on in advance f
the Californians, to their great eeeampment on the
Kanzas river, about one hundred miles west of this.
The California emigrants held a tneeting twenzy five
miles west of this place. on Indian Creek, and elected
their officers— .!01. Wm. Russell, .if Callaway was elected
their Captain. They have 141 fiJoing men. 71 women
and 109 children, and 128 wagg.ins. Ex-governor
Boggs, and Rev. James Dunleavy, of this county, are
among them, with their families. There are many Ken-
tuckians with them

" We had an alarming fire in our town n•, the night of
the 13th. It broke out in the large bia .k.fmith shop and
waggon factory of John W. Modie. who was engaged in
making waggons expre•sly for the Mexican traders.
The flames soon caught the wagg fn-making shop of
Nicholas Eleltzer. The loss is estimaled at 7 000 dollars.
Slodie had coatra'ts for turnishing wagons to the
traders amounting to at least 10,000 dollars."

AN INDIAN WAR—The New Orleanc Delta stat s
that a Mr. Gardner, from the town of Sabine, in Texas,
brought intelligence, received by express from the nor-
thern frontier, that the Cherokee lodians have risen in
hostilities azai st Tixas.• Orders had come for mum-
mies of mou tted men to minie them, and it is said that
tleir movements have caused great excitement along the
frontier.

The Delta adds, by way of explanation, that these
Indians
ianLsnd Company,omeyear
payingsa o
fur it 0
bughtthei3,o
their lands
riots.
dsfr.im a New
York It
the far northern part of T.-xas, arid the government of
that country was always oppii.ed to their settling there,
so t'tt a full and unreserved friendship was never esta-
blished between the parties. On the breaking oust of
hostilities at the Rio Grande, the Cherokees offered their
services to Governor Render-on : not having full c inti
dente in their feilcy, he reused to accept th it s'rvicec ;
and now it is believed that they take advantage •f the
existing state of thing;—whether the Mexicans have in-
trigued and tampered with them is not known—to as
Fume towards the people of Texas a hostile attitude.
A flare-up between the
,Frehch. man-of-war :reamer
Tonnerre and the schoonerCarherine, of New York.

On the morning of sailing, 19 h of May, from St.
Jago. and within gun-shot of the Moro Castle, the Ca-
therine was near the French war-steam r Tonnerr-,
from St. Domingo, bound in. She passed at first con-
siderably out of hailing distance, and not muchaearer
than she was to five or six other vessels which had come
out in company. After she had run in about a mile and
received a pilot, being close to the Moro, she was ob-
served to back round and manoeuvre some time. and at
intervals fired two guns.
She stood for the sea, came near, and h. 'fled her in the
following words You d—d rascal hoist your fl ig."
The answer was, that orders given in such insulting
language woufd not be obeyed. Other abusive phrases
followed, and threats reputedly made, that he would
fire into him unless it was imm,diatrly done. Her boat,
with a lieutenant on board, was twice sent on hoard with
a message, that unless the schooner set her flag, all the
force the steamer commanded would be used to make
her do it—that her corn nander had the power to sink
the schooner. An answer in writing, as follows, was
sent : _ _ _

"To the Commander of the Steamer.—Sir : At the
first salutation you called me a damned rascal and until
you apologise for such insulting language I will nut
hoist my flag. - " Yours te:peetfully,
"A. sco r r, Master of the schooner
Catherine, of New York.

" Off the Moro, May 19, 1846."
About one hour was thus pissed. during which time
the steamer was laid across the schooner's bow, and got
foul doing h-rself sum . damage—her commander in-
sisting on an unconditional obedience to his orders. the
captain and crew of the schooner pholding the captain
in his decision. The wind was very light trom the east-
ward ; the schooner was kept on her course, goiig one
or two knots, when after mutual explanations, the ob-
noxious words were recalled and an apology given, then
separated.