The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-30 00:00:00

"Re Caledonian.

"Dear Sirs,—We can assure you that there is not, and never
has been any feeling of hostility towards the Caledonian Company
on the part of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company, and
the advances which have been more than once made by the Dum-
fries Railway Company, towards an arrangement with the Cale.
donian Company, must havesatisfied you of their desire to meet you
in an amicable spirit. What we understand to be the basis of nego-
tiation pointed out by the Committee yesterday, was, that if the Del_
vine Pass was upon further inquiry found practicable, the Caledonian
line should join the Dumfries line (the Bill for which would pass
entire) near Thornhill, and that the Caledonian should be carried
from thence as a route to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the north, only
varied so far as to run into the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway at
Croy and Ratho. If this is your understanding of the Com.
mittee's views, our clients, the Dumfries Company, are quite
unwilling to arrange that between Thornhill and Carlisle
their line shall be made available for the use of your
clients on such terms as (if we cannot ourselves agree) shall be
fixed by a neutral engineer, appointed by the Board of Trade. Our
clients, the Edinburgh and Glasgow Company, are also quite willing
to leave to a neutral engineer, appointed by the Board of Trade, to
fix such rates and dues for the use of their line between Croy and
the Scottish Central Railway, and between Ratho and Edinburgh, as
shall be fair and reasonable on your south and north traffic, and as shall
protect them against undue competition in their existing traffic. To
prevent, however, the possibility of misunderstanding, we think it
right to mention that the Dumfries Railway Company did not con-
ceive it to be the intention of the Committee to preclude the future
consideration of that portion of their scheme which consists of a line
from Hawick to Carlisle, and which they are bound to promote to
the utmost of their power. They still feel convinced that it is the
best route between Carlisle and Edinburgh, and one which ought,
for the sake of Scotland, to be executed.—We are, &c.
(Signed) " BANNATYNES AND KIRKWOOD."

Mr. COCILBUILN said that the meaning of this latter communication
was, that the Dumfries Company intended to take all they wanted,
and leave the Caledonian line just what they pleased, and it was
unreasonable to suppose that he could consent to any such proposi.
tion without materially injuring the cause of his clients.

After some further discussion, the CHAIRMAN explained that, as
regarded the observations which the Committee had offered on a
former occasion, it was the intention of the Committee
to intimate that in case the Delvine Pass was found
to be practicable, they would willingly cooperate in
bringing about an arrangement between the different parties. As
the question at present stood the principal object would be to dis-
cover the practicability of the plan. He would take the opportunity
of saying that the plan as respected the Edinburgh terminus ap-
peared to the Coommittee to be susceptible of a considerablesimpli-
ecation.

Mr. COCKBURN entirely concurred with what the Chairman had
said with regard to the subject of an arrangement, but, as there
was no evidence on the subject of the Delvine Pass before the
Committee, it would be useless for counsel to enter into any ar.
gument on the subject. It was impossible at present to decide de-
finitely whether the Delvine Pass was practicable or not, or whether
the inconvenience of the detour of ten miles, which would be ne-
cessary, in case the branch were made, would be compensated for
by corresponding advantages. The best course now to be followed
would be for the Caledonian Company to proceed wills evidence in
disproval of the testimony tendered by the Dumfries Company.
This course having been agreed to, Mr. Maxwell, who appeared to
oppose for landowners against the Clydesdale Junction line, re-
quested to be informed if it was the intention of the Committee
when the rebutting evidence of the Caledonian Company had
been brought to a couclusion, to proceed with the consideration of
the case of the Clydesdale Junction Railway, as all the witnesses
were now in town, and any further delay would entail a great ex.
pense on the Company.
Counsel having conferred together for some time without
coming to any satisfactory conclusion, the difference was ulti.
mately adjusted by
The CHAIRMAN saying that it was the intention of the Committee
to proceed with the Clydesdale Junction Railway to-morrow morn-
ing, and that they also intended to meet on Saturday as early as
eleven o'clock, in order that they might have a long, hard day at
it.—(Laughter.)
The rebutting evidence, on behalf of the Caledonian Railway,
was then proceeded with. _ _

Mr. HOPE called Mr. Robson, of Dumfries, who said that the
MUM ale line was situate in a valley, and that It would not in his
opinion command any traffic except what was introduced from tha
valley. The Caledonian line connected the three valleys of the
Nith, the Annan, and the Esk, and would have all the
traffic which those valleys commanded. The difference in
point of distance between the competing lines with regard to