The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-29 00:00:00

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by which the goods carried lost a rebate of Si. pet \Wit. On thesi
groundt Le called upon the Committee to reject the preanible of flf
Bill, and 14 doing so to state his unbought conviction, far-he-attend:a ---
there without fee or reward, that if the preamble illrgiutSster,
would destroy Southampton as a port.
Mr. J. C. Knell, who had resided in Redbridge for the last thirty
sears, examined by Mr. Davis—The trade of Redlirktt-e within tits
two years hal uiucl dccra s, i. he depth of water at &A-
nil ixe was front ten to twilve feet during spring tides, and from tivs
to six feet at "neap" tides. At Eling the tides were about
the same depth. • The proprietor of the quays at these two
places could make any charge he thought proper for
unloading a vessel. It often happened that the_colliers could not
approach the quays, and that they were obliged to unload them in
the river by the means of barges.
Cross-examined by Mr. HATIIERTON—If the railway were con-
structed,
the sea-borne trade
..wtth Redbridge would, no doubt, in-
crease to a small extent.
Re-examined by Mr. Davis— 'he proprietors of the quays were
not compelled to accommodate merchants. Goods sent by the
Southampton and Dorchester line to the present station contiguous
to the docks, would avoid the dues now charged at the Southampton
•
quays.
•
By the Committee=-Redbridge was not a place in which a large
trade could be centered, it was merely a kind of depot for the supply
of Inland places. Although. the Manchester and Southampton Rail- way might injure Redbridge and Eling, it combined great public al-
vantages.
John Cooksey, a grocer at Southampton, deposed that a great per-
tion of the business had been transferred from the quays to the docks,
and that the dues received at the pier had materially decreased. The
town thus suffered great injury. No desire had been evinced on the
part of the Great Western to reduce their fares until the Manchester
and Southampton was projected.. Since the present railway was
made, he considered that the trade of the town had decreased. This,
however, he attritintsd to the inefficient communication at present
afforded: -
In his cross-examination he stated that the advantage afforded to
those sending goods to the docks to be conveyed by the South
Western, was not to promote the export trade, but to give a stimulus
to the docks.

Mr. Davis applied to have all the time and charge bills of the
South Western from 1843 produced, in order to prove the statement
with respect to the differences of the charge to Winchtleld for pas-
sengers and goods.
The solicitor to the Company stated that he would produce all the
bills, if possible. He had felt some difficulty that morning in making
up even an incomplete set.
This closed the case of the Corporation, with the exception of thew,
bills.

The Committee then adjourned till one o'clock to-morrow.

GEOUP XVIII.

EXETER, YEO VIM, AND D ORCZESTZIit. AND
LONDON, SALISBURY, AND YEOVIL.

Mr. TALBOT, Q. C., opened the case on behalf of the Great West-
ern Company this morning. lie stated that he laboured under con-
siderable disadvantages in consequence of his not having the same
opportunity of reply which his learned ftiend would possess. The n
eu prin-
cipal points upon which the Learned Counsel dwelt were, that competi-
Ilion would not be afforded by the continuation of the proposedline, that
they would effect a junction with the Bristol and Exeter line, and thul
aTetearleint I 1 mbyoniojipsoLlyeatronedthemniseelnvdes3oirf.tchocewkebsurnt of
wouldEngland.not sufficiently accommodate the ports of Plymouth and Falmouth, ht
Consequence of their presantconnexions with Southampton. By the
scheme proposed by the Great
Would be afforded, and Western Company this accommodation
By the construction of the thoseoppoporstisnrestored to their former prosperity.
damage the interests of the Southalliitioe they would also seriously
chairman of their company having htinunelfand Dorchester line, the
stated that the county
would not support two lilies of railway. Contrasted with the other
line, the scheme for which he appeared Would a
population, and afford a means of communication
withinmodtete a greater
northern
parts of England, and would also open up a communi i cat on with the
large coal-fields of Radstock, and effect thereby a saving of as much
I as 56. a ton to the consumers in the district through which the line
passed. The total estimate of their line uas 1,800,0001. There was
little or no opposition on the part of the landowners. The Learned
Counsel concluded a very lengthen& speech by stating that upon
a full and mature consideration he was satisfied that the Com-
mittee would sanction the measure for which be appeared, and that
this' c, ritest would be satisfactory to the Committee, and coma-
quently satisfactory to the public.
J. Foster, merchant, of Plytnonth, was the first witness called,
who gave evidence in favour of the scheme of the Great Western
Company. ___

The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP XX.

The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, Mr. Sotherne in the
chair.

LONDON, HOUNSLOW, AND WESTERN

The case for the Bill having closed on Tuesday, the whole of the
sitting to-day was occupied in hearing evidence on the part of the
petitioning proprietors against the Bill.

Mr. AUSTIN opened the case on their behalf, after which Mr.
Fitch, and ether market-gardeners along the course of the line were
examinad to prove that the line, while it would injure their property,
would be of no advantage to them in point of public accommodation.
The Committee then adjourned at four o'clock till Monday week.