The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-11 00:00:00

RAILWAY BILLS.

Yesterday before the referees in Court A Mr.
Hankey presided. The adjourned bills of the Hud-
dersfield and Halifax and Lancashire and Yorkshire,
which were taken together on the previous day,
were continued. Mr. Venables appeared for the
first bill, and Mr. V. Harcourt for the second, and
after several additional witnesses had been heard
the bills were to be reported.
In Court B Col. Stewart presided. The adjourned
bill of the East London (South London Extension)
was opposed by Mr. Somerset for the London,
Chatham, and Dover Company ; Mr. Johnson, for
the London and Brighton Company; and Mr. Bid-
der appeared for the bill. After many additional
witnesses had given evidence the bill was to be re-
ported. The Great Northern and Great Eastern
Companies Arrangements Bill (Spalding to Lin-
coln) was unopposed. The Great Northern (Ad-
ditional Powers) Bill was opposed by Mr. Pope on
behalf of the,, Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Company. Mr. Davison appeared in support of the
bill, and after evidence had been taken the further
consideration of it was adjourned.
In the committee presided over by the Chairman
of Ways and Means the following bills were passed :
The Sunningdale and Cambridge-town the London
and South Western (Poole and Bournemouth Junc-
tions), the Buckley (additional powers), the Bridg-
water and Taunton Canal, and the Bristol and
I Exeter.

In Group 9, Admiral Dnncombe in the chair, the
Hoylake Bill was heard, but no decision was to be
given until after an opposing bill was heard. For
the -Wrexham, Mold, and Connahs Quay, and Hoy-
lake, Mr. Denison, Q.C., Mr. Johnson. Q.C., and
Mr. Salisbury appeared in support ; Mr. Mere-
wether, Q.C., Mr. Burlee, Q.C., and Mr. Saunders
appeared in opposition for the Great Western and
London and North-Western Companies ; and Mr.
Lloyd appeared for the corporation of Chester.
The Wrexham, Mold, and Connahs Quay (Exten-
sion), being unopposed, was referred to the general
committee ; and the following were adjourned :
Buckley (Docks, &c.) ; Wrexham, Mold, and Con-
nahs Quay (additional powers) ; Chester and West
Cheshire Junction ; and Manchester and Stockport.

Before Mr. Frere on standing orders the Talacre
Pier and Harbour (Railway) Bill was postponed
until Friday ; the Metropolitan and St. John's-wood
(Capital) Bill, standing orders were complied with.
The East Strathmore (opposed) Bill did not comply
with the standing orders and the same with the
Bristol and North Somerset (Southern extension)
(opposed) and the Great Eastern (Additional
Powers) Bill on the petition for additional provi-
sion. The Devon and Somerset (capital) complied
with the standing orders, and the Morayshire also
complied with the standing orders.

Naval and Military Intelligence,

The Barracouta, 6, paddlewheel sloop, 1,053
tons, 300-horse power, Commander W. B. Urmston,
left Sheerness harbour yesterday morning for the
official trial of her engines at the measured mile off
Maplin Sands. The vessel was in charge of Lieut.
Golding, of the Sheerness Steam Reserve ; Mr. W.
W. Williamson, Inspector of Machinery Afloat, and
Mr. G. Blaxland, Chief engineer of Sheerness Dock-
yard, were also present. The engines were in charge
of the chief engineer of the ship, Mr. James Mang-
nail. The vessel, with all her stores on board, and
fully rigged and ready for sea, made six runs on the
measured mile, giving an average result of 9.209
knots per hour. Two runs were also made at half-
boiler power, giving an average of 7.707 knots.
The draught of water forward was 12ft. 10in ; aft,
15ft. Bin. The load on the safety-valve was 201 b.,
and the pressure of steam 201 b. The force of wind
was 2, and the direction S.W. The engines worked
most satisfactorily. There were no hot bearings ;
the boilers generated a good supply of steam, with-
out priming, and the engines and boilers were cer-
tified as being in every respect ready for a length-
ened tour at sea. At the conclusion of the trial the
Barracouta returned to Sheerness harbour, which
she will shortly leave for the West India station.
The repairs of the iron paddlewheel steam vessel
Oberon, 3, Lieut.-Commander E. 11. Verney, at
Devonport, will be completed about the 25th inst.

The screw steam storeship Fox, 2, Staff-Com-
mander Henry A. Moriarty, left Plymouth on Sun-
day for Woolwich.
An American sloop of war, bound to Spithead,
passed up Channel, off Plymouth, on Sunday.
The screw steam corvette Jason, 17, was re-
moved on Monday morning from the dock in Key-
ham steam-yard, and went outside the Plymouth
breakwater to test her machinery.
The steam frigate Severn, 35, Capt. Montresor,
from India, and the_serew steam gunvessel Surprise,