The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-26 00:00:00

GROUP XIII

The Committee met at the usual hour this morning. Sir William
Clay iu the chair.

CALEDONIAN EXTENSION.

Mr. Miller, the engineer. was called to prove that it would be
highly inexpedient to construct the proposed line. The whole of the
day, in fact, was taken up with evidence of this sort.

GROUP XVII.

MANCHESTEn A.ND SOUTIIII.MPTON..

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The Committee met at the usual hour. The lion. E. Yorke hi the
chair.
The cross-examination of Mr. Locke, the engineer of the South
Western, was continued—He was first examined with respect to
Lacey's and Bethel's line, to both of which he was consulting engi-
neer, and which were projected to traverse nearly the same route
as the Manchester and Southampton, but they were both thrown out
by the standing Orders' Committee. He had no recollection of
having signed the estimates of either of the lines. neither
had he surveyed them. lie had signed a hundred esti-
mates during the year, and could not recollect every
case. Engineers did not pledge themselves to lines which
they were simply called to survey. it was a professional
matter. Mr. Lacey was chairman of the South Western at
the time his line was brought out. He admitted the
Manchester and Southampton was four miles shorter than
Lacey'a line between I-comet:3'. and Marlborough. Bad surveyed
a line for the South Western from Basingstoke, Marlbough to
Swindon, the plans of which were deposited. ahe getting of eom-
Tlltillieation to north and south of this line was not a great object"
in its projection; the object, no doubt, was to conntet the district, of
which Basingstoke was the centre, with Swindon and Bristol on the
one hand and Cheltenham on the other. He had been over the country
between Swindon and Southampton, so that he was acquainted with
it. Would not recommend that the narrow gauge should be added
to broad gauge lines ; the principle might be adopted on short lines,
but it would be dangerous and inexpedient on long lines.

GROUP XXXIII.
The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, in Room No. 24,
(Grand Corridor). Present, Sir Robert Ferguson, (Chairman,) the
Marquis of Worcester, Viscount Newry, Mr. Smollett, and Mr.
Fellowes.
They resumed the hearing of the evidence in the case of the War-
wickshire and London Railways (three lines).

WORCESTa.".E. AND WEEDON.
HAMPTON AND BANBURY.
HAMPTON AND A.SHCHURCH.
According to the previous understanding the evidence against the
lines was taken, in favour of the competing railway, the
_ _

BIRVErNGIib.M AND OXFORD JUNCTION.
Mr. Brunel, engineer of the Great Western Railway, and also of this
line (which is in connexion with it), was first called, and examined
by Mr. Waimy —He st,ted that the lines comprehending the Bir-
mingham and Oxford Junction would amount to about 120 miles,
and the cost was estimated at about 1,400,000/. The length of three
lines of the Warwickshire and London railways would be about 160
miles. If both the competing series of lines were constructed, the
cost would be about 3,000,0001. By the construction of the Birming-
ham and Oxford Junction R ai lway, a ccommodation would be afforded
to every important place in the districts included in the
two rival projects now before this Committee. In fact, ther
he would
be no point, certainly no village of any note within that
which would be twelve maes distant from a railway. The increased
accommodation would be of very great advantage to the coal and
iron districts, and the Potteries. It would complete the connexion of
those places with the southern and western ports, as well as the
latter with the north and east. There were no engineering diffi-
culties. The gradients were much the same as those upon the Great
Western to Bristol. The latter railway had good levels, and admitted
of very high speeds. This gentleman then went in minute, detail
through a comparison of the rival projects, in every part of their
course, and at every point of their connexion, with existing or con-
templated lines. His statement was, of course, exceedingly luminous,
and seemed to be satisfactory as well as interesting to the Committee.
It was too much extended, and too detailed, to be fully reported.
He considered the accommodation which would be afforded by his
lines would be much superior to that 'which would be given by the
three proposed lines in connexion with the London and Birmingham,
under the general name of the Warwickshire and London Railway.
There was one of these, the Hampton and Banbury, for which he
could see no reason whatever to justify the expense: These lines
would greatly augment the traffic of the London and Birmingham,
which was avowedly so excessive already that the Company declared
they were not able to carry it in an efficient manner.
Mr. ALEXANDER who opposed the Birmingham and Oxford Junc-
tion, on the part of the Earl of Warwick, and thirty-nine other gen-
tlemen, cross-examined Mr. Brunel, as to the interference of the
proposed lines with some of the Noble Earl's property, and that of
the other petitioners.