The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-29 00:00:00

Mr. S
genera

,eant MURPHY intimated that, in consideration of that de-
!le would retire, as he did not think he could better state the
L case for the oppositionthan had been done by Mr. Cockburn.

- Mr, Neroacws then proceeded to address the ConiMittee in reply.
lie mat he would be as brief as possible to the question before the
Committee, in doing which he would not go into all the points raised
by Mr. Cockburn, many of which were extrinsic to the case. At the
beginning they were threatened with great opposition to the case
submitted by the promoters—that the district required railway ac-
commodation ; accordingly they (the Nithsdale elorepany) brought
evidence of the most unexceptionable character:teem the various points
along the route of the line, to show that rall'eaty accommodation was
imperatively required. An overwhelming weight of tVidence on this
head had been adduced, such as not clay to convince their Lordships
that a line of railway was required, but also to bring the opponents
of Via line into a similar train of mind, as shown by the
recent ground they had taken. The -position of the opposition had
beeci altered, and now the preraeters were assailed upon new
groarele. The Committee was ;tow told that they (the Caledonian)
were willine to concede the line from Cumnock to Dumfries, but
that, in order to protect 'them, they ought to concede the portion of
the Nithsdale saheme t,etween Dumfries and Gretna. At one time
this Committee were, told that the Dumfries and Canobie (Caledonian
branches) were beater than the southern portion of the southern
scheme ; at itwether time they were told that the portion of the Ni ths-
dale scheme 'between Annan and Gretna, with the Canobie branch,
Was IweesarAry to the Caledonian. In fact, his Learned Friend did not
seem to lonow a hat he wanted. "He talked a great deal of these
branehee being necessary to protect the Caledonia:l traffic, but he
(Mr. aoulrees) submitted that such was not the fact. The branches
woute not afford more protection than the Caledonian now pos-
sesaeul. wnlie granting this would materially afffict the intagrity
and utility of the Nithsdale scheme. The legitimate traffic
of the Caledonian line was with the north of Scotland, including
the Edinburgh and Glasgow traffic, and that he submitted
could not be affected by the Nithsdale line. The
Caledonian line would be able to ran mile for mile with any
other line in the kingdom, and that, considering the shortness of that
In comparison with the Nithsdaie acteme, would be a sufficient pro-
tection of the Glasgow traffic. Tbei Northern, or the Edinburgh traf-
fic, it was not asserted would be, affected by the Nitlisdale line, It was
said that girl tig the Caledonian the portion of this scheme from Gretna
to Annatt would not materially affect the Nithela'e scheme. To
that he would reply, that such a ...course would cripple
the resources of tte company, and taking away one of
the best portions of their scheme, by interfering with the
number of trains, they would run, by throwing two manage-
ments into tau; management of the through traffic in-
stead of one, and by abstracting a considerable amount of traffic
which legitlinately belonged to the Nithsciale scheme. They talked
of proteeilon to their interests, but the real object they had had from
the beginning e as to deprive the whole valley of the Nith of local
aocomniodation, and to force the Ayrshire traffic round by Glasgow,
so as to pass them along to the south by the Caledonian line. Thatch-
;Yet they hail been defeated in, and now they sought to interpose
and to take a portion of the line for which he appeared, so as to
pos-ass the key of the country, and to throw difficulties in the way
of the Kilmarnock and Ayrshire traffic passing up the Nithstiale
line to the south. There was no doubt that if the Nithsdale was
stopped at Aimee, that the laithsdale line would not he able to run
so many trains through for Kilmarnock, and thus many parties who
would pass sooth along the Nithsdale, would, rather than wait five
or six hours, be induced to go round by Glasgow and the Caledonian
line. This was co doubt their real intention. With regard
Vette Canobie branch, en which so much had been said, he would
only observe that the Caledonian line had the Wilsontown coal-tied
on its route, and in order to benefit the public it was necessary, he
submitted, that the two fields should be placed in the hands of diffe-
rent companies. 'Were they both placed In the liana of the Caledo-
nian, the intereet of that company Week! be to resirain the accom-
moutettea of thn Canobie coal-neat, and to force tne other coals,
Valet. would use four Unica the length of line compared
with the other. The "tilthsilale Company had no such interest,
as the Caneble and Sanquhar Mal-fields were equi-distant
from f annfriea. Again, the landed proprietors, who were the best
judges of the local accommodation required, were in favour of the
Nl:h.:dale titmice, and not fir the other. The ground taken by the
Cale lonian Company, in the letter of Mr. Hope Johnotone, was en-
tirety new, had never been submitted in any previous stage of the
contest, and the object of it plainly was to throw obstructions in
the way of the efficient working of the Nithsdale scheme. The
I.earnea Gentleman next addressed hinr,elf to the branches of the
Caledonian line, contending that no evidence or reasons whatever
avet been given that they would give hotter accommodation to the
dietriet mouth of Dumfries thau the Nithaiale scheme. Respecting
the Crawiek branch, it haul been urged that It was not required for
the traffic that would pass along it, and that it would occasion a
greater diatance to Edinburgh and Glasgow than by the Dalma.
gadder branch of the Caledotiiim line. To that he would answer,
that the Craw ice branch would accommodate the lead mines in that
neighbourhood, and supply them with coals from Sanquhar, which
Vey so much required; and that as the Nithalale Company
vrould,• in order to accommodate the Edinburgh traffic,
la ealiged to run trains along this branch, those pas-
aengera that wished to go to Glasgow would have the opportunity
of going along it to the Caledonian at the seine time as the Edinburgh
lrittl c, Instunul of beieg obliged to go forward to Kilmarnock, as had
been asserted. Tke Learned Gentleman having reviewed the various
beads of his geeieral argument, impressing on the minds of the Com-
mittee that all the land Owners and inhabitants on the route were
strongly hi favour of the Mil, and that the Ayrshire Company had
Sala& ae. anmegernent to work the line, on the faith of its passing en-
tire, eoncintlea by calling on the Committee to pass the entire pre-
ettel of the MI,

l'•:rties were then ordered to wUlalraw.
After thq 7,h:,ence of abutit an Lou. and a quarter, When the par-
ties 'were eAltd in,
The CliA then 941 the ConunitOo had come to the following
TeAoation : "fh,tt Committee were of opinion that the
inuking r.f from the Glasgow, Peislej, Kilmarnock,
Aml lyt• Railway, near Cumnock, to the C deloniaa Railway,
near to the crossing of the river sack, with branches,
'ould be of greet public advantago, and that the Glasgow, num-
friers. xl Csrlisto Co:npany stuatid be enabled to make the same
~►ittt its hrrotches, excepting that which is described as a ;)rancli
front the saint railway, near Springfield, to a proposed railway be-
tween Iluwick anal Carlisle, ti..ar the Canoble. branch. They are of
opinion that Lb.!. oranch, not is necessary to the establishment of
railway cotruminication between the districts traversed by the main
Dm and the south, the future construction of it May more properly
be left open to the Caledonian Company, whose main line, according
to the present plea, is crossed by it."
The CoMniir.ce then adjourned the comideratlon of the clauses till
to-rilurroW, at twelve o'clock.

'EXETER, TZ017116, AND 11102.CUESTMIt.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. Tatu' then proposed lo call the Earl of Devon.
The CHAIRMAN, however, gave it as his opinion that there was no
necessity whatever for calling the Noble Earl, as he 'supposed it
would be only a matter.of opinion upon which he would speak. The
Come/Alec all° stated by the Chairman, that Ulm was no necessity
fior into the engineering evidence ; they were perfectly ac-
quainted with the wh,:le line, the various gradients and curves, an.l
tunnels, and there was nothing new to be spoken to by Mr. Brunel.
Saunders. the secretary to the Great Western Company, was
then cane!, who stated that the Great Western Company would be
preparel next year to come again before Parliament with their
schemes, and they would also be willing to allow the narrow gauge
lines to be laid down on their broad gauge lines between Yeovil and
Exeter, which could be done with considerable less difficulty and
•expense than laying down the broad gauge upon a narrow gauge
Lee.

Crose-exarolned by Mr. Ilorz —There would be no difficulty at•
teadiug the layktg down of the broad g.a.age on the narrow line, pro-
vi led the wor were of sunletent width.

Cross-examined by Mr. llittoraer2.l7to trains performed the dis-
tance as follows:

Express trans. from London to Exeter, in 4h. 30m.
First class - 5 30
Third class - - 14 15
The express trains did not accommodate the third class passengers,
only the first and second classes. The express trains upon the
South-Western Railway carried third-class passengers by every train.
The examination of this witness concluded the case on behalf of
the opposition.
Mr. COCKBURN, Q.C., then replied on behalf of the promoters, with
his usual ability and perspicuity. He contended that there was no
question at ail of the necessity for the construction of this line, from
the itry fact that a considerable portion of the scheme was con-
tended for by the opponents to the Bill, the Great Western Company.
Abundant evidence had been adduced before the Committee, and which
could have been Increased to an enormous amount of the wishes of the
inhabitants from all portions of the line in favour of this scheme.
The only difficulty upon any portion of the line was the property of
Lord Digby. The clause Inserted for the protection of that Noble-
man would place them under the necessity of applying to Parlia-
ment, in another session, for power to make the line in a direction
not affecting the property of Lord Digby, should it not he possible
- to obtain the consent of the Noble Lord to the passing of the line in
its present direction. But neither that clause nor the loss of the
• branch to Bridport would be considered as a sufficient reason to pre-
vent the passing of the Bill, because all the parties who had been '
called on behalf of Lord Digby had admitted that it was
practicable to construct that portion of the line so as not to affect the
property of the Noble Lord. Mr. Locke had conceded the fact, and
his only reason for not taking that line was the increase of expense
they had hoped to have avoided, and thought that they might have
male some arrangements respecting the passing through the pro-
perty of that nobleman. They had hitherto been unsuccessful, but
n-Aa not without hope that an arrangement would be yet entered
Into bctsreen the parties. There was no ground whatever for re-
,e,,,"„ the Bill, or for postponing the consideration of it till the next
se,,,h,on. Ira 'would take the liberty of introducing a clause
in the Bill Pr the Till and
tothaTtPlientrodi"uteactiiietntheonfasethoet
property of Lord Digby,
Lord Harborough% property.
the Midland Railvvity with sremfeirarenet:
The question then to be consl:lteLecisc.vras, who N%aB to have the line
betsveen.Exeter had 1 the statien of the promoters
of the Bill gave on pe?. sittistnchon .o the inhabitante of Exeter.
proposed to hivo. tes,consfmodation to Topsham and
The present lune
.wry hughbv by the people of Exeter,
Sidineeth, Plum' '" the. e..,-nstruction of this and advanta; vrould nfinrced by line
far the 71123113 of central cornnunmeatien with tha districts westward
of githter. Th.:. Learned Ceansel concluded a ststech of nearly two
hours it lang'h. by c.aiihhhuhen tho Corninittee to tenet on the line,s
brought hethre them.
The room, was.then ordered to be cleared.

rpon the parties tieing re-admitted,
The-cn AtILMAIi said the Committee have come to the resolution to
report that the preamlde of the Basingstoke and Salisbury Extension
31,liway is proved with reference to the other two Bills, the London,
gatilbary, and yeovil Junction, and the Exeter, -Yeovil, and Dor-
chester Railways: The Committee intend to report that •they
gro of -of inimi that a direct line to Exeter, to London by Salis-
bury, is dusiragic, but they 0.0 not consider it expedient to pass thole
Bias t•s tlr.ir pre_Ecit fthape,
V; tOtally nn:txpectcd. by all parties, for-from-the
• • •-t Joh Ir,d been thrown out from time to time by the
••
•• /1 Subjec tof L..-Ird thgby's prOperty at Sherborne, the

re le 1 rnoqreasonably to eonclnde that a clatpe giving
kyle ii:vmAtbAl W lito property of Qat:. uoidcauzi would Llo ier•

witted to be inserted in the Bill, and that the lines would be
altowed to be made, except as between Mt points to be
det,,,nulned on by the Committee hi the neighbourhood of
risherborno Park. And the opponents to the Bill were equally sur-
prised by the rejOction of the Bill after the intimations which had
been theoVen out by the Committee, that the most cursory glance at
the map would be sufficient to convince any person of common sense
bf the necessity of those lines as proposed by the promoters or the
Bills. The question of a competing line between London and Exeter
will be, therefore, by this decision thrown over to the next session,
when there is no doubt that the scheme will be again brought under
the consideration of the Legislature.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

Room 11.