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

had made an estimate of that excavation, which was
sixpence the yard. The witness was here questioned very
closely with respect to his knowledge of the mathematical prin-
ciples on which the construction of railways depend, the answers to
which were very evasive and unsatisfactory, and excited considerable
merriment in the room. There were, continued the witness, to
the best of his knowledge, five miles of granite on the coast line
near to Joh nsborou gh, and the elevations were otherwise much greater
than on the inland line. He was employed to survey the inland line
by Mr. Pierce Mahony; that was in October last. Mr. Mahony is not
at present connected with it. He had been applied to by Mr.
Cumming, the solicitor, to come over, but beyond that he had
had no orders, except it were the Speaker's warrant, at whose in-
stance be bad come. He had been over last month at the Stand..
ing Order Committee, and he then had been over at the instance of
the people of Armagh. 'He had not been expressly appointed by
them. Mr. Cumming was the party who he understood acted for
them. He had not yet received any pay for coming over, but he
expected to be paid by the Ulster Canal Company. He under-
stood that a certain party was to receive a sum of money from
that quarter, and he (the witness) supposed would get some of it.
Mr. ALEXANDER requested witness to give the name of this party,
when Mr. Chambers interfered, and thought this course of cross-ex-
amination was very improper, as it would operate very prejudicially
if made a rule in Committee, and prevent parties taking an active
part as the originators and promoters of railway speculations.
After a short consultation, the CHAIRMAN asked if the gentle-
man referred to was connected with the Ulster Canal Company ?
Mr. Lindsay—l believe he is.
The CHAIRMAN said, then the Committee were clearly of opinion
that they ought to be put in possession of his name, in order to see
whether this opposition was a fair one, and whether the project
before them was a bona fide affair

Mr. ALEXANDER again put the question respecting the name of
the gentleman who was to find the money, when he answered that
tile name was Dargan. Witness himself had advanced no money be-
yond his expences, which had amounted to four or five hundred
pounds. He knew of no sources from whence he was to get back
this money but the Ulster Canal Company. He had never em-
ployed any solicitor in getting up this opposition. He never in.
structed Mr. Cumming, for Mr. Cumming generally instructed
him. He had not stated at a meeting at Cavan, that General Bur-
goyne had said that every opposition should be given to the coast line.
The report of his speech containing this he believed to be incor-
rect. He made a calculation of the extent of the cuttings in the
inland line, as surveyed by Sir John for the Railway Corn-
missioners, and found the amount to be between ten or eleven
millions of cubic yards. The gradients in that survey were esti-
mated at 1 in 308.

Mr. ALEXANDER here handed the Commissioners' report to the
witness, and asked him to read the calculations respecting gradients
and cuttings.

The witness then read the extract, from which it appeared
the amount of excavation would be 13,370,362 cubic yards.
In continuation, he said he had made his calculations from the
sections of Sir John M`Neill, not from the book. They were male
from plans and sections lodged in Armagh, and which he believed
were the same as those on which the calculations of the report were
based. It appeared that though they both started from the same
data, there were above two millions of cubic yards difference. A
person in Armagh had made the calculation for witness, as he
could not attend to it at the time. These calculations were made
upon the first line surveyed, which was rejected by the Commis-
sioners for a second line with steeper gradients, and which would
cost above 200,0001. more.

Mr. CHAMBERS, having briefly re-examined this witness, pro-
ceeded to address the Committee on behalf of the project. In an
able, elopent speech, he reviewed the report of the Irish Railway
Commissioners, which, be stated, was drawn up by the most scien-
tific and practical men, and went decidedly in favour of a system
of trunk lines, with branches radiating from them to the remote
parts of the country. The trunk lines were recommended to be
constructed first, and the others to be formed afterwards, as
circumstances might require. The Dublin and Armagh
was one of the trunk lines adverted to. He saw no
reason why the recommendation of the Commissioners in
1837 should now be departed from. True, the Board of Trade
had made a report in favour of the coast line, on account of the
altered commercial circumstances of the country, but those altered
circumstances he did not believe in. They were, in his opinion,
entirely imaginary. The circumstances of the country were the
same now as they were in 1837. He grounded his case on the
Commissioners' report, and on that account he hoped the Corn..
mittee would see the necessity of postponing the Belfast Junction
line to a future period. The respectable names which had pen.
tioned against it was proof sufficient, that if they did so, it would
not be long ere steps were taken to carry out the inland trunk line.
The Learned Gentleman then went at great length into the en-
gineering evidence and the question of traffic, which he contended
were both in favour of the inland line.

This closed the case for the Dublin and Annagh.
The CHAIRMAN intimated that in the morning the Committee
would state whether the Newry and Enniskillen shou:d be then
proceeded with.

The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock to-marrow.

Group N.
CORNWALL RAILWAY.

On the assembling of the Committee,

Captain bloorsom was called, and examined by Sergeant Km-
LAKE, on the part of the promoters of the Bill. He
said he was the engineer of the projected railway,
and had turned his attention fur some years to the
construction of a railway through Cornwall. His attention
was first called to the subject in 1840, when he was engaged in
surveying the country for the purpose of constructing a railway
called the South Devon, which was passed last year. After
carefully inspecting the country, he had laid down plans for the
proposed line from Plymouth to Falmouth. Looking to the wan
of the population through which it was proposed to carry it, he
had no hesitation in saying that it was the best one
The railway would commence by a junction with the South Devon
at New Passage, Stoke Damarel, inthe county of Devon, by which
a continuous connexion with that line would be effected.
The gauge would be the same on both that and the
new line. The line would commence at Falmouth,
close to the Green Bank Hotel, The terminus there was
for passengers, and was conveniently situated for that
purpose, as also of those engaged in the floating docks. Penryn
Creek, where it was proposed to have a station, would be crossed
by timber arches, which would present no obstacle to the
navigation. At Carnal Stream they would have a ♦iaduct
for the purpose of carrying the line across it. At Truro
the creek was crossed by similar means. They proposed
to construct a branch from the main line at Loatwithiel,
to Bodmin. The line from the north coast to Bodmin would
form a junction with this branch. The Hamoaze would be
crossed on the ferry boats at present in use, but various altera-
tions and improvements would be rendered necessary. The witness
then described the course of the line to Plymouth. With respect
to the gradient, looking to the nature of the country, and to the
nature of the traffic expected, they were good. If they had erred
in any respect it was in making them too easy. The country undu.
lated. The following was the estimate for the construction of the
railway, which would be a double locomotive line '—
For fencing
...
Earth works 152,683
Masonry of all kinds, inclirding bridges, walls, viaducts,
culverts, and level crossings, timber, &c. 131,057
Tunnelling
Permanent way (for the formation of the railway,
rail fastenings, rail bearings, and rail beddings) 234,486
Stations
49,799
Land required for the purposes of the railway
For the construction of the Bodmin branch, including
' • "

engineering and land
New passage to Eldad, to join the South Devon ter-

minus ,
Land required ,

41,328

22,329
7,529

For contingencies which are expected to arise in the
course:of the works, and for expenses attendant thereon 137,676
Locomotive expenses, including engines, tenders, shops,
_ _

aad tools attached thereto.

120,000

Total ... £995,000
The total length of the line was 69 miles, with branches. The
ruling gradient was I in 60 ; one in 40 was the worst they had.
There was lin29 in the Bodmtn branch. He had also estimated
the cost of laying down the line for atmospheric traction.
Mr. Rows then proceeded to cross-examine the witness with
respect to the gradients, for the purpose of showing that the sec-
tions were inaccurate.

Sergeant KIN6LAKE objected to the course the Learned Counsel
was pursuing, and held that the subject was not for the decision of
that Committee, but tor the decision of the Standing Orders Corn-

mittee.

Mr. Rowe held that he was entitled to show, by the cross.ex-
amination of the witness, that the decision of the Board of Trade
had been obtained by misrepresentation and false colouring. By
these means they had rejected the Central and Great Western
Junction as impracticable, and had reported in favour of the line
before the Committee as being the only practicable one, whereas it
was obtained, as he had said, by false sections and fraudulent mis-
representations.

The CHAIRMAN said they had no power to inquire into the com-
pliance or non-compliance with the standing orders without the
permission of the House.
Mr. ROWE said he was satisfied with their decision, if the Com-
mittee would take the report of the Board of Trade at its real
value.

The Learned Counsel then examined the witness at great
length, with respect to the gradients and the working of the line.
His general evidence went to show that in portions of the line the
gradients would be steep, whilst in other parts they would be mo-
derate, and that at some places they would remain level. At
length the room was cleared, to consider whether the following
question should be put to Captain Moorsom:—" Could a line be
constructed with advantage to the public, and with a saving of four
miles, without passing through the property of Lord Vivian and
Mr. Thomns ?"

On the admission of strangers,
The CHAIRMAN said the Committee had come to the decision that
:Mr. Rowe might put the question.
Captain Moorsom replied—Certainly not, with advantage to the
public. A line could be carried with a saving of four miles, but,
practically speaking, it could not be constructed. It would not
answer the object for which the present line was proposed.
A line from Plymouth by Liskeard, Bodmin, and Truro,
to Falmouth was all " moonshine," and impracticable, and
would not offer the required railway accommodation to the inhabi-
tants. It would be longer too than the proposed line. The engi_
neertng difficulties would be on a par, and would be as expensive as
those on that line. He had had the consent of the Admiralty to
cross Penrhyn Creek, but the negotiations were then going on--it
had not, however, he believed, been reduced to writing. He had
been informed that a memorial had been presented from that town
against their crossing that arm of the sea, but he had not seen it.
The witness was under examination at the adjournment of the
Committee.

Group V.
THE MANCHESTER, SHEFFIELD, AND MIDLAND
JUNCTION RAILWAY.
Ibis Committee, consisting of the O'Conor Don Chairman),
Sir D. Norreys, f.tir John R. Reid, Mr. Davies, and Mr. Hope
Johnstone, met this morning, in No. 9 room, when Mr. WEBSTER
proceeded to call witnesses in favour of the line.
Samuel Barlow, the collector of poor-rates in Sheffield, was
called to prove that certain mines in the neighbourhood of that
town had not continued working.
Mr. JOBNSTOISE, for the opponents, admitted that the particular
mines alluded to had not been worked for three years.
William Marryat, malster, Attercliff, near Sheffield, spoke to
the benefits which the intended line would confer on the two
towns at the termini, and on the intermediate places. He added
that no inconvenionce would be felt by the markets in the town
of Sheffield, the property of the Duke of Norfolk.
Mr. Bagshaw, magistrate of the West Riding of Yorkshire, as
also of Derby, and Chairman of the West Riding sessions, was
called to prove that the line would greatly benefit the persons
living on the line, and that it met with their approbation gene-
ralalthou ly,
gh He
his had
own presided at a public meeting in its favour, and
pecuniary interests would require him to op-
pose the line, yet on public grounds he supported it.
Thomas Vickers, fanner, at Dronficid, approved of the viaduct,
which would cross the markets of Sheffield, as the arches would
protect not only the person, but the stock of the market from the
inclemency of the weather.

John Green proved
.the size of the market-places in Sheffield,
and that the viaduct passing over them would, in a very trifling
degree, diminish the space now occupied. No danger would accrueg
to the buildings contiguous, for experience had proved, in the
populous town of Manchester, that trains might run along the
most important streets without causing any accident. A Parlia-
mentary Committee had also, the other day, sanctioned the forma-
tion of a viaduct through a considerable portion of the town of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Mr. Gisborne, said that the extension coalfields on the
line from Sheffield to Chesterfield would be opened up by the pro-
jected railway.
Mr. Hulam, Mr. Webster, and Mr. Bradley, corroborated the
traffic evidence previously produced.
Mr. Charles Cope gave in tables of estimation, showing that the
gross revenue per annum would be 33,4554 122, 4d., and deduct..