The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-07 00:00:00

GROUP XXIX.

This Committee re-assembled to-day in room 19. Present, Right
Hon. H. Labouchere (chairman), Sir Wm. Molesworth, Sir John
Duckworth, Mr. J. ♦. Smith, and Colonel Rawdon.
ILITG7SIr AND HUNTINGDON.

The evidence on the traffic anticipated by the line having closed
yesterday, the engineering evidence was proceeded with this morn-
ing by Mr. IVaarteN, counsel for promoters, calling on
Mr. Gibbs, one of the engineers of the line, who deposed as fol-
lows :—This railway commences at Rugby and terminates at Hun-
tingdon; its length is forty-eight miles four furlongs; its estimate of
cost 1,000,0001. The chief object of the Rugby and Huntingdon line
is to form the remaining link in the chain of communica-
tion between Norwich and Yarmouth, on the east coast,
and Rugby and Birmingham on the west ; connecting
Yarmouth and Norwich with Birmingham, and giving railway com-
munication with the midland, northern, and southern, as well as
western parts of the kingdom. Railways are already formed from
Yarmouth through Norwich to Ely, and a line is santioned by Parlia-
ment, and in course of formation, from Ely to Huntingdon ; from
Huntingdon, however, no line is continued to the west, and this
continuation the Rugby and Huntingdon will supply to Rugby, thus
completing a direct chain of lines from Birmingham to Norwich.
Huntingdon is at present the terminus, at which the three systems
of lines which spread thence over the central, northern, and
southern districts of the eastern counties concentrate. This line
would thus accommodate the whole of the counties of Suffolk, li
Norfolk, Cambridge, and part of Huntingdon. Huntingdon,
thus the focus of the eastern railways, is the eastern terminus
of the projected line. Rugby, the western terminus of the pro-
jected line, is also equally a focus of the western railways, the con-
fluence of these various lines at the eastern and western termini
of the Rugby and Huntingdon are conclusive of the necessity for
such a a connexion as it will form between the eastern and western
systems of railway accommodation to the kingdom. The population
of the eastern counties thus to be connected with the western lines
is 735,286, whilst the population of the districts accommodated
by the western system of railways before enumerated comprises a
large proportion of the whole kingdom. The eastern counties are
peculiarly an agricultural district, producing more than they con-
sume. The western district, are much of them manufacturing, con
Burning more food than they produce. The eastern will send its
agricultural produce to the west, and receive in return mi-
nerals and manufactures. The interchange of products
which is now made very circuitously would be made direct,
and the salt trade, both for home consumption and for export,
the fisheries at Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and the Norwich trade,
would be all greatly encouraged. The other competing lines would
not accommodate this traffic. On the ground, therefore, of its general
and local advantages, it was much preferable to the rival railways.
All the works were moderately light, and there were no great en-
gineering difficulties. There would be one tunnel 540 feet long. Did
not think the estimate for the works too high. The gradients were
of an average description. They had one gradient of 1 in 97,
but with the power of changing it five feet it would be changed
to lin 175. The steepest gradient might be taken as 1
in 100. The prevailing gradient was 1 In 131. The proposed flee
would pour the northern and eastern traffic into the London and Bir-
mingham Railway at a point where the greatest relief would be
afforded to the latter line ; and in this respect it was much superior
to the South Midland rival line. The traffic of that portion of the
London and Birmingham line to which he referred was very crowded.
That over-crowded condition of the line attracted his 'observation
and that of every one who travelled over it.
Cross-examined—He believed that the London and Birmingham
line was one where the least number of accidents occurred of any
railway in the kingdom.

Sub-Committee No. 1.
The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, in Room No. 7,
(Cloisters) ; present., Mr. Strutt, chairman ; Mr. Beckett, and Mr.
Brothertoe, and resumed the consideration of the
SOUTH DEVON (No. 2.)
The formal evidence having been completed, the standing orders
were declared to es complied with.
The Committee resumed the consideration of the
DIRECT NORTHERN,
of which we gave the particulars yesterday,
In the course of the reception of some formal evidence, which was
postponed from yesterday,
Mr. CoATJe (of the Orin of Parka, and Co.), on the part of a pe-
titioner, proposed to take that opportunity of entering into an alle-
gation, that the standing orders had not been complied with, in re-
spect to the amount of deposit paid into the Court of Chancery.
Mr. WEBSTER submitted that it was not competent to the other
side to enter upon that allegation at present, as it really did not
affect the formal evidence, but would be proper matter of considera-
tion when the Committee came to inquire into the adverse petitions.
The CHAIRMAN having consulted with the other lien. Members,
said that the question could not be entertained in this stage of
inquiry.

The
T forms.l evidence was then completed.
Mr. CoATES then proceeded with the allegations of a petition from
Mr. Parsons, a landowner within the line of deviation.
Upon an allegation to the effect that the name of a parish through
which a part of the line would pass was not named in the notices,
The Committee decided that the standing orders were not com-
plied with, bit they would report that the parish alluded to (Morban,
in Huntingdonshire) was named in the notices as to the main line,
although not on those relating to tile branches.
After some discussion on other items of the petition,
Mr. COATES withdrew the other allegations.
Mr. COATES begged permission to explain to the Committee how
it was that he could not proceed with the allegations respecting the
insufficiency of the deposits paid into the hands of the Accountant-
General, because in truth he had been unable to ascertain what
amount of deposit had been paid. He could not obtain the informa-
tion by any means in his power from the Court of Chancery.
• Mr. STRUTT said that Mr. Coates had no right under the circum-
stances to come before the Committee. But if he could show that
he had used all diligence and could not obtain the Information, the
Committee would assist him if they could. But this would be a mat-
ter of indulgence, or else for their own information, as he had no
locus standi.

Mr. COATES said that he had endeavoured to ascertain the amount,
but could find no means of arriving at the fact, as the Court of
Chancery would give no information except to parties interested.
Mr. WEBSTER said that it was a matter of course every day to
apply for and obtain such inforination. He then examined
Mr. Leash, salicitor, who stated that the certificate of the amount
of deposit paid in was entered upon the records of the Court, and
were accessible to any one. He had repeatedly, in the course of his
practice, obtained access to the record of such certificates, althowili
he had never had occasion to apply for the information in respect to
a railway.
The Committee then decided that Mr. Coates could not be heard
upon the question.
Mr. COATES withdrew all the other allegations of his petition, and
begged leave to withdraw also that which had been decided in his
favour, as he thought it hardly worth while to press an objection as
to the omission to rentimerate one parish in the plans of a line ex-
tending over 263 miles.
The Committee then decided that the standing orders were com-
plied wilh.
It was stated that the prometers had served about 10,000 notices,
and not one error had been proved in the service of any of them.

Sub-Committee, No. 2.

The Committe met to-day at twelve o'clock, in Room Aro. 6 ;
present Sir J. Tarde Buller (chairman), Mr. Walker, and Mr. Yorke.
They proceeded with the further consideration of the allegations
against the