The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-22 00:00:00

Room E

IMPORTANT DECISION.
A Select Committee on the Shropshire Union Railway and Canal,
(three Bills)—the North Wales, and the Shrewsbury and Hereford-
shire—having been appointed to meet to-day, and none of the Lords'
Committee-rooms being available for their use, Room 3.5 (New
Houses), hitherto a Commons' Committee-room, was appropriated by
them, under the name of " Room E." Although this is the next
Room to " D," yet it stands apart from the other Lords' Committee-
rooms, a partition having been made across the corridor, to separate
the Lords' from the Commons' Committee-rooms, and nut having
yet been removed.
Their Lordships were not in attendance until about half-past
twelve o'clock ; there were then present Lord Redesdale (chairman),
the Duke of Cambridge, the Earl Cadogan, and another Peer.
The CHAIRMAN announced that the Duke of Beaufort, who was
one of the members appointed on the Committee, being unable to
attend on account of illness, leave had been obtained to sit with-
out his Lordship, and, if the parties were willing, the business should
proceed.—This was agreed to.

- There were several petitions against each Bill, but no appearance
was made for any. It was explained by the several counsel that all
opposition had been removed, except in the case of the North Wales
Railway. There was one petition against this Bill. but it was ex-
pected that the opposition would be removed by negotiations which
were now pending.

ft was then agreed that the Committee should first take the case
of the
SHREWSBURY AND HEREFORDSHIRE.
Mr. Austin, Mr. Talbot, and Mr. Wells, appeared for the promdtthi.
Mr. AUSTIN opened the case shortly, and proceeded to call wit-
nesses for the line.

Mr. Ormsby Gore, M.P. for the North Division of Shropshire, and
Chairman of the Company, was the first witness called. His evi-
dence was of a general character.
Mr. CLIvE, M.P. for the South Division of Shropshire, gave
~_dinilar evidence.

Mr. HENRT Roams, C.E., gave the usual engineering evidence.
The length of the line was 50% miles; the cost was estimated at
796,904 i. There were no engineering difficulties, no heavy works,
no severe gradients, 110 curves, only two very small tunnels. The,
plans had been examined by Mr. Robert Stephenson. The witness
was questioned at great length by the Chairman, with respect to
the level crossings, of which there were twenty-two. .
Their. Lordships then declared the preamble of the Bill, proved, and
having inserted clauses to oblige the company to erect lodges at all
the level crossings, proceeded to the case of the

SHROPSHIRE 'UNION RAILWAY AND
CANAL (NEWTOWN TO CREWE, ORESTER
TO W'OLVERIIELAIPTON, AND SHREWS—
BURY TO STAPPORD).
The same counsel appeared for the promoters of these Bills as for
the last.
Mr. At-s Tis open,e(l,tlie case.

Mr. Skee, manager of the Ellesmere and Chester Canal, gave evi-
dence in favear of these Bills. It is proposed by the Chester and
Wolverhampton Bill to make a line upon the ground occupied 'by the
canal. The canal was at present in a declining state, and would be
no loss -whatever to the ptrblie. The line, 114 conjunction with the
lines proposed by the two other Bills and with other lines wbieh
would be joined pyij,,, would be a very great publiC
.benely.
Mr. Provii, civg engineer,_ gave the jusual
.engmeering evidence ,
with iesP:ecUto the iNCIItOwfi to Cfewe and the Chester and Wol-
verhampton. The trrain line from Newtown to Crewe was 59 miles,
7 fitrlongi, 6 chains. There were six branches, viz., one to Elles-
mere,'" .one to Wenn, one to IVhitchurch, two to the
Chester and Wolverhampton, and one to the proposed
North Staffordshire Railway (which had passed this
House). . The total length . of. these branehes was 9 miles,
2tiitletrlyounreue
gib,, making, together. with the' Main line, 69 miles, 1 furlong,
0 chains. The estimate' wit5'1,233;216Z., 'of which 120,210!. was for
or thelisontiremeryshire Canal. The 'worst- gradient
was I in" 200; buvthere- weica, gradient C. t- to 167 on the Wenn
branch.. The ,leagah• of •tha,Claester, P
aad.Walverham ton was. 47
miles, 7 chains, The estimate -w
was 617,7117 j, Thereereno branches.
The Cuansmasi asked
.tine witness Some 'questions with
reference to the mhankr of "eonitheneing *the works, in • 're-
ference to ' the • fritefference with the' 'traffic of 'the canal
during the' construction -of the line, but •. it being in-
timated that 3.lr.Skee was better able to answer those questions, he
was recalled. . His Lordship then observed, that by the powers of
the Act.the promoters took five years to construct the line, and
they Cored stop' up the line from the commencement of that five
years to' the end, which would t
to be so carried .be a great inconvenience
on,iconv thatenie whilence
the public. Now the works ought
.
they were going on in one part every other part
be
pdaorEttelould remain open.
He wished to know whether that would
Mr. Skee said that the matter had been arranged with the several
wspselltry, to,
and
along the line of the canal, and that they were all perfectly
satisfied. .
Mr. Baker gave the engineeringenvideennceewatitshhr%
the
Shrewsbury and Stafford line, whicheow es
proceeds by Wellington to Stone. where it joins the North Stafforo.
shire .10e.
The length was 40 miles, and the estimate 800,000/. The steepestgradient was 1 in 100. •
The Committee then declared the preambles of the several Bills
proved.
A clause was inserted to secure the proper construction of the
works, so as not to allew the canal to be stopped up during their
progress. Clauses
for the erection of lodges at level crossings (which are very
)rewmeareinalinsgoicilleurtseesd; the Committee
nuAmfte
er
ro uasd
jountithnigs line
the)
the
Bal.