The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-16 00:00:00

BRANCH).

The Committee met this clay at eleven o'clock.
Mr. Sergeant WRANGHAM appeared for the promoters, and in a
Speech of great length and ability laid the points of the case before
the Committee.
After the Learned Sergeant concluded evidence was called.
Mr. Beckett Denison, Mr. Laseelles, and several merchant were
called, who spoke to the great necessity of the Wakefield branch of
the London and York line.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
NEWCASTLE AND EDINBITROIL__ AND
DIRECT GLASGOW STINCTIwx_.
The Committee met to-day at eleven o'clock. when the cross-eta-
Minatien of Mr. Green was resumed. Mr.
ed as to tt e estimates,
John Miller,,Mr.Tayior.
.
Mr. Bell, and other witnesses were examined
price of land, &e.
wa
s examined as to the traffic on
Mr. Marshall, of Leith,
the route of the proposed line, which appears to be rapidly
In-
creasing, as was also the trade of the manufacturing district
around Galashiels and lia.wick. The gross income from the
various sources of traffic he estimated at 28,362/. He described
the direction in which the traffic to and from the manufac-
turing district was now carried. That it was carried partly by Berwick
and partly by Leith, the two Principal seaports through
which goods were forwarded to and from England. That a circle
with a radius of seven or eight miles embraced the whole of the
manufacturing, towns, such as Galashiels, Selkirk, Melrose, and
Hawiek, with other towns, such as Jedburgh and .Roxburgh, and
that from the centre of the same district the distance to Newcastle
would be about forty miles shorter by the route of the present line
than by way of Kelso and Berwick. The witness then entered into
details of the population, showing that the rate of increase was
actually greater at Galashiels and Hawick than in the
manufacturing towns of Leeds, Manchester, and Glasgow.
That while the population of the first-mentioned
towns had increased 35 and 40 per cent. since 1831, the in-
crease at Leeds, Manchester, and Glasgow, was respectively
23, 30, and 35 per cent. He next proved from the value
of the manufactured goods, and from the amounts col-
lected at the toll-bars, that the traffic was doubling itself
about every five or six years. The value of the goods manufactured
in Hawick had increased from 140,0001. in 1839 to 270,0001. in 1845.
He considered the extension of the line to Jedburgh an object of
the greatest importance to Ilawick, Galashiels, and other ma-
nufacturing towns, as the trade with England was ra-
pidly and steadily increasing. In his cross-examination
witness entered into additional details, shon ing that the
rate of increase in the passenger traffic was in almost
every instance much greater than 150 per cent. ; that in districts in
Scotland similar to the one that the proposed line would intersect,
the rate of increase was so high as 400 or 500 per cent. The cross-

examination of this witness was continued on some other points,
but nothing was elicited to affect the evidence which he had pre-
viously given.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve to-morrow, 'when Mr.
Stephenson, civil engineer, will be examined.

GROUP H.
CORNWALL.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
IMPORTANT DECISION.

--
Mr. Aurrui replied at considerable length. At the conclusion of
his speech the room was cleared. Upon the parties being
called. the Chairman stated that the Committee had
decided that the preamble of the Cornwall Railway was proved,
with the exception of the Doullboys branch. They gave no opinion
as to the central line. The question of central accommodation will
sa left open for a future period.

The Committee then adjourned at six o'clock till twelve to-
=flow.

GROUP VIII.
AYRSHIRE AND GALLOWAY.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

Mr. Blythe, civil engineer, was examined, for the purpose of show-
ing that the estimates would not be sufficient to construct the works,
and that the line, from the nature of the country, would be difficult of
construction.
Mr. Anderson, accountant, who had on a previous occasion taken
the traffic along the route of the line from Dalmellington to Castle
Douglas, deposed that he calculated the probable amount from pas-
sengers, goods, sheep, and cattle, at 7,4131. This was allowing 150 per
cent. for increase. The promoters of the Bill set it down at 14,0001.
Mr. Miller, C.E., corroborated the evidence of Mr. Blythe as to the
Insufficiency of the estimates and the nature of the country. It was
a route for a railway such as he would never have advised.
Mr. Sergeant BELLASL3 then summed up the case for the oppo-
sition.

The Committee adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock, when
counsel for the Bill will reply.

GROUP XIV.
DOVER AND DEAL.
(Coatinued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
The Committee adjourned shortly before four o'clock, till to-
morrow.

GROUP XVII.

MANCHESTER AND SOUTHAMPTON AND
SOUTH-WESTERN (ROMSET AND RED-
MILIDGE BRANCH).

The Committee met this morning at half-past twelve o'clock ; the
Bon. Mr. E. Yorke in the chair.
The promoters commenced their engineering evidence, by calling

Mr. Bidder, who was examined by Mr. JAMES—IIe said he was
one of the engineers to the line conjointly with Mr. Robert Stephen-
son, and that the project originated with some gentlemen of influence
In Manchester and Southampton, and with others connected with
the Midland Railway, all of whom were desirous of obtaining a direct
and uninterrupted communication from north to south. He had
his attention first called to the line in June or July last,
before any prospequa was issued to the public. The line com-
menced by a junction with the Bristol and Birmingham line at
Swindon, in Gloucestershire, near Cheltenham, and would run in a
nearly direct line to Southampton ; so that there would be about 88
miles of now railway. The terminus at Southampton was projected
near the quays, and would have an independent terminus, which he
considered advisable ; but the two stations were intended to be con-
nected by tramroads, to be worked by horses instead of locomotives.
An independent terminus was necessary to meet the wants and wishes
of the inhabitants, as also was a railway connexion with the existing
pier. A railway which did not accomplish this object would, in his
opinion, be defective. There was no difficulty in carrying the line
of rails along the quay, as at Yarmouth and Liverpool—the quays of
the docks at the last-named town possessed several tram-
roads similar to those proposed to be constructed in con-
nexion with the terminus of the Manchester and South-
ampton. The connexion of the terminus of this line with the South-
Western in any ether way than that proposed would leave destroyed
the integral character of the project. That was one of the objections
to making the South-Western their terminus also. Leaving Southamp-
ton the line ran for two miles parallel with the Southampton and
Dorchester Railway, which they might use for a portion of the Man-
chester and Southampton. The Greenwich line, for instance, and
the Croydon line, accommodated the London and Dover, and
the London and Brighton, by the laying down of additional
lines; so that if an arrangement were come to with the
South oVestern they might run along the Southampton and Dor-
chester to Redbridge, a distance of three miles. From Redbridge
they had adopted the course of the Andover canal as nearas possible,
and would run almost on the surface of the ground. At Romsey the
line would cross under the Bisbopstoke and Salisbury
line. From Romsey persons coining from the north might take the
Bishopstoke line and proceed to Portsmouth. Taking the canal to
Andover avoided to a great extent interference with residential pro-
perty. The conversion of canals into railways was found a great
advantage. Ira the course of the line to Marlborough from Andover,
20 miles, the property of the Marquis of A 3 lesbury, was intersected
altogether for L 3 miles. That nobleman was the largest land-
4awner whose property they passed through. Ills Lordship had
assented to the line, arid his eldest son, Lord Bruce, was one of the
intraaging committee. At Swindon it would pass under the Great
Western Railway on a level by a bridge, the span of which would be
25 feet high and 14 wide. A " girder" would be placed two feet
under the Great Western line, and the bridge scooped out.
Bridges similarly constructed were to be found on the Newcastle
and Darlington, and the Northern and Eastern at Rye-house
The line then pursued its route by Cricklade up to Ciren.
cester, then up the valley of the Churn to Cotti
hills, which were tile-tunnelled, that point being in fact the great
eagineering feature of the line, as the works would he of a heavy
character, with a gradient which would have to be worked by assist-
ant power. The tunnel would be three miles and a-half in length.
The line then joined the Gloucester and Birmingham at the 44th mile,
by which access on the ono hand was obtained to Birmingham, and
on the other, by the Worcester and Wolverhampton to Wolverhamp-
ton, and by the Manchester and Birntingliam to Lichfield, which
line he believed had passed a Committee of the House of Commons.
In fact they obtained a direct northern communication by lines,
whose interests wore identical with those of the Manc!:ester and
Southampton. From Wolverhampton they went along the
Grand Jnnctisn up to Manchester. The Oxford, Wor-
cester, and Wolverhampton was, he understood, to be laid
lewd on the narrow, instead of the broad gauge. The exist-
ing break of gauge was a serious inconvenience. The distance saved
between Cheltenham and Swindon, as compared with the
esis'ing mode of communication, was 17 indes. The entire distance
from Manchester to Southampton was 212 miles, and would save
milks, as compared with the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolver-
hampton route to Manchester, and as compared with the
Rugby route, 19 miles; lint he understood the Great Western
were ;a be compelled to lay down the narrow gauge front
Oafonf to Rugby, instead of the broad gauge, as originally in-
tended. ,The estimated expense of the eighty-eight miles of
,cw rallwa; was 1,506,808/., Including a surplus of 75,1191. for con-
IMaeneles„ The estimate was taken at the rate of 17,0001. a mile.
Meru would .1* two tunnels, which he estimated at SOL a yard.
eeTanateare"ertionalla ttljun were under der 50,000 yards a mile. The cost for
would be
conveyed
the average. amount. Coals he ex-
pectedor 16s. a ton.: Looking t4t
Southampton and sold there at 15s.
rence
to it.
amonitog the line, therefore, with refe-
and
tusimication from north to south,
at its cost of construction,
birieis:nt means of communication,
he was of opinion that it would
jectors. emtuterative line to Its pro-
The witness waresamined at ma". _
on behalf of the G Western suway. The !Wan*
with the Great Western at Swindon, would form the shortest ' connexion
from London to Cheltenham.. Persons going to Cheltenham hlXtteol
• twice at Swindon and at Gloneestei
change their earrlaves
Aso examined by Mr. HATaraToti with respect.
The witness was al9-
tO the proposed station at Southampton.
The committee adjourned until twelve o'clock on Wednesday, •

GROUP XVIII.
TrirATrie GREAT V7ESTERN.
Mr. Sergeant Kixonit&KE addressed the Committee for Mr.
Frampton. a petitioner against the Bill.
Several witnesses were caned to trove the extent of damage done
to the property.
The Committee adjourned till 12 o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XX.
LONDON AND WrNDSOR.

T (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Witnesses were also examined as to the probable effects of the
proximity e f the line of railway to the powder mills at Hounslow.
The genera!' _result of the evidence was, that there was not much
ground for awrehension.
The Comtaitt.ce adjourned at four o'clock.