The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-07 00:00:00

Group Q.

Tho Committee appointed to take into consideration the merits
of the different lines of railway comprised in this group met again
to-day at twelve o'clock. The Committee was composed of
Mr. Sotherton, Chairman, Lord Duncan, Sir T. Colebrooke, Mr.
B. Escott, and Mr. P. Pusey. The projects comprised in this
group are the Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester Railway, the
Cheshire and Shropshire Railway, the Chester and Holyhead
Railway (Mold Branch), Bangor and North Wales Railway,
Bangor and Carnarvon Railway, and the North Wales Mineral
Railway.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY (MOLD
BRANCH).
The first point taken into consideration to day was an applica-
tion made yesterday by Mr. Robinson, on behalf of the promoters,
for an order from the Committee to compel the production of certain
books belonging to the Birkenhead and Chester Company, to which
application an objection hid been made on behalf of that Company
by Mr. Calvert, on the ground that the Committee had no power
to entertain a motion of that kind, it Leing solely within the pro.
vince of a court of equity to make such an order.
The room was cleared for the consideration of this point, and on
our readmission

The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee had no objection to
hear evidence in the ordinary way, but they were not at present
prepared to apply to the House to compel the production of such
books and evidence as had been referred to.

The preamble of this line cf railway having been proved yester.
day, the several clauses came now to be examined.

On Clause 8 being read over,

Mr. Randall, engineer, was examined by Mr. ROBINSON at great
length, to prove the safety and practicability with which a bridge
could be constructed over the Menai Straits, at the place stated.
He had no doubt whatever that this was practicable. He also be-
lieved that the mode proposed to be adopted for carry-
ing the railway trains over—that of a circular tube of
nine kundred feet long, stretching from shore to shore, and
supported In the centre by a pier erected on the Britannia Rock—
was also practicable, and from the mode of its construction would
in no way interfere with the navigation of the Straits.
Mr. Stephenson was next examined, and gave similar
evidence to the last witness. This was the gentleman
who suggested the idea of the iron suspension tunnel, through
which to convey the railway trains, in preference to the ordinary
road way over a suspension-bridge. And he explained at
great length and minuteness the practicability and efficiency
with which his plan could be carried out. He considered that a
stone bridge might be more free from vibration, and perhaps more
durable ; but he had some doubts as to the praticability of con-
structing a stone bridge over the Menai Straits, and even if It were
practicable, he considered that the Admiralty would not allow its
construction, from its likelihood to impede the navigation of the
Straits.
To a question from Mr. Escorr as to whether the
principle of the bridge at Yarmouth, which had lately
by its breaking down caused such a loss of life, was
the same as that erected over the Menai Straits, he replied that
the principle was the same, but there was only one chain ex-
tending ever the Bure, at Yarmouth, from which the bridge was
suspended, and that in consequence of the increased
traffic which had lately taken place over it, and which
had never been contemplated by its constructors, it had lately be-
come quite ricketty and insufficient. He thought it quite prac-
ticable to alter and improve the present Menai-bridge, so as to
afford a safe transit for railway carriages, and this was the mode at
first proposed ; but the Government last year would not allow
this, and it was in consequence proposed that the present plan
should be substituted.
General Pasley was next examined, and believed that Mr.
Stephenson's plan was practicable and sound in principle, and saw
no reason for dispensing with the suspension chains, after the con-
struction of the iron tubes. He thought, however, that the tubes
would of themselves be sufficiently strong to support railway
carriages with safety.
Sir John Rennie thought the site (a mile below the present Menai
Bridge), was an eligible one, but not having considered Mr. Ste.
phenson's plan, he did not feel himself in a position to pronounce an

opinion upon it.
The room W:l9 then cleared, and, after a short consultation, we
found, on our re-admission, that the Committee had agreed to the
clause.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY (No. 2.)
Mr. AusTIN went at great length into the relations which ex-
isted between the promoters of this line and the directors of the
Birkenhead and Chester Company, and read the correspond.
ence which had taken place between them in the year 1844,
from which it appeared that an agreement had been
entered into by the Birkenhead Company to connect
themselves with the promoters of this line shortly after it had
been first proposed, but finding afterwards that they had made a
bad bargain, they sought to rescind the agreement, and to throw
every obstruction in their power against the present undertaking.
The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock tomorrow.

Group N.
WEST CORNWALL.

The Committee met at twelve o'clock in room No. 1; the Righi
Hon. T. B. Macaulay, Chairman.

Evidence on the part of the promoters of the line was adduced
before the Committee.
Mr. Pierce and other witnesses were called, who stated, that the
town of Penzance was a place of considerable trade, and that the
greatest benefit would be conferred by the line from Penzance to
Truro on the inhabitants of the mining diitricts.

After hearing evidence of this character, the Committee
adjourned.

Group E.
NORTHUMBERLAND ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY,
The Committee resumed the consideration of this line, in oppo.
sition to the Newcastle and Berwick locomotive projected line.
The Committee were occupied in the early part of the day in
inspecting a model of the intended atmospheric line of railway,
which was made by Mr. Samuda, and was explanatory of his evi-
dence, which was proceeded with. The power, he stated, of the
engines proposed for use was filly horse power, two engines
being at each station. The diameter of the pipe would be fifteen
inches throughout, the pipes may be supplied by
a p,pe at one or two rises on the line. Changes of the weather
would not affect the atmospheric as it did the locomotive railways.
A great advantage possessed by the former over the latter was,
that the Company were enabled to run more frequent trains at the
same time, which was peculiar to the atmospheric plan. An uni.
form velocity would be kept up for all the trains, which would be
a great advantage to the third-class trains. The witness
then corroborated what Sergeant Wrangham stated yester-
day In his address to the Committee. The expense of keeping
stationary engines in repair would be much less than with loco-
motion. Witness was prepared to abide by the evidence given on
a former occasion by him before a Parliamentary Committee.
Tables, prepared by Mr. Samuda, and slightly modified by Mr.
Brunel were then produced, containing an estimate of the cost of
trains per day.
On cross. examination by Mr. HILDVARD, Mr. Samuda stated
that he was a patentee, and would have a right to
500/. per mile. He had not had much experience in
the cemstruction and working of locomotive engines.
The drainage to the road would be but very slightly dependent on
the velocity at which the line would be worked. The number of
trains intended to be worked would be in the first instance about
14 each day. The number might afterwards be increased in con-
sequence of an increased demand from the system of traction and
the lowness of the fares. He calculated that the weight of the
trains would be forty tons. The coat of the engines would be
about 3,500/. each pair, exclusive of the buildings, which would
cost between 500/. and 600/. each. One and a half tons of coal
would be required for each pair of engines per day.
The working of the engines would be equivalent to that on the
Dalkey line. The vacuum to be used at starting would be twenty
inches, which would be maintained throughout. He believed
that there would be but one level crossing, but should there be
more it would not affect the practicability of the line. Coal.
trains, &c., on the proposed line would be carried at the same rate
as those
for passengers, which he considered to be of great public
advantage.
Re examined by Mr. ALEXANDER—When he calculated the cost
of the permanent way he did not include the 'OO/. per mile.
Mr. Brunel was next examined by Mr. °ALEXNDER—. He ge-
nerally corroborated the evidenceilvienn by the last witness in stating
that he believed that the proposed waswhich
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to an equivalent variation of the locomotive power.
trains on the locomotive line was not so excessive as that
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of the trains or, the atmospheric line, and it would require
vast expense to increase the number on the former. Adding
a train to the usual number would make no very
material difference on an atmospheric line. The speed
of the Northumberland line would be forty miles an
hour; on the other line thirty miles would be the speed. The
inducements and cost would lead to the forty miles on the one
arld thirty *AI on the other. The interest on the atmoopkezie