The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-08 00:00:00

rbirb 11Zittion

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(THIS DAY.)

Group E.
NORTHUMBERLAND ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.
The examination of Mr. D. B. Gibbons (continued from our
Afternoon Edition)—The machinery had succeeded both in speed
and power. He bad res.on to know, from being the engineer on a
partly locomotive and partly atmospheric line, that with respect to
facility of getting into motion, speed, and regularity, the latter is
preferable to the former system.
He was cross-examined by Mr. HILDYARD, but did not state
anything of material difference from the other witnesses.
Mr. Wilkinson, Chairman of the Great North of England
Railway, stated that an Act of Parliament had been obtained to
execute a line from Darlington to Newcastle, but that it had been
abandoned, in consequence of the difficulties that arose in the
money market. He thought that such a line would be valuable to
the public, and that if the Northumberland Atmospheric Railway
Company obtained an Act to enable them to construct it, the
Great North of England Railway would act harmoniously with
them in the execution and working of that line. There were no
coal-pit railways joining the Great North of England line. It was
his opinion that such coal railways were a great public incon.
venience on a thorough traffic trunk line.
Mr. Thomas Oliver, architect and land surveyor, of Newcastle,
and Mr. Born, a manufacturer of steam-engines, were then exa-
mined, and corroborated the evidence already given in favour of
the atmospheric principle.
After some conversation between the Committee and the Counsel
with respect to the inconvenience, if any, that might arise from their
not sitting during the Whitsuntide vacation, the Committee rose.

Group DD.

THE CALEDONIAN, AND GLASGOW, DUMFRIES, AND

CARLISLE RAILWAYS
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)

Mr. HOPE next called Mr. Croall, the large mail contractor, and
examined him generally as to the coach traffic along the proposed
Caledonian line. He considered there would not be sufficient
traffic from north to south to support two direct or competing rail.
ways. He should give the preference to the Caledonian line, as it
was shorter, and generally speaking was more advantageous than
any other that could be laid out.
Mr. Piper corroborated the evidence of the last witness in every
particular.
Mr. HOPS then called Mr. Stewart, of Hillside, near Lockerby.
He said he had the manageraent of very extensive estates in the
counties of Dumfries and Lanark, the annual revenue from
which averaged from 35,0001. to 50,0001. The construction
of the proposed railway would be of immense advantage to the
agricultural districts through which it passed, as it would facilitate
the introduction of artificial manure. Lime, for instance, would
be brought much quicker and at greatly reduced peces. The
benefit to be derived from the Caledonian line would extend to
nearly the whole of Dumfriesshire: In this district there was
upwards of 150,000 acres of arable land, and the diminution in
the expense of lime to the farmer for its cultivation would
be at least one-third—that is, lime, that at present costs 153. per
ton, in the event of the railway being made, would be purchased
for 10s. Grass land was very advantageously benefited by the
application of thick coats of lime, and the value of land generally
would be increased. There were two places from whence the lime
used in agricultural purposes was principary derived. One source
was froM a place seventeen miles to the north of Carlisle, and
a second source was from Kilwarden, in Lanarkshire, both of which
places were very conveniently situated for the transmission of their
produce by the Caledonian line. Arable land in the districts of
Dumfriesshire will let for fro.n 15s. to 255. per imperial acre, but
the better kind, with an alluvial soil, will realise 30s. the acre.
Potatoes of a very fine quaiity were produced in Dumfriesshire
and Lanarkshire, as the soil in these parts was particularly well
adapted to their cultivation. The principal markets for
potatoes were chiefly confined to internal districts, but
large quantities were annually exported to Liverpool and the
west of England, best the sale in these parts was very uncertain
and irregular. Potatoes were frequently given to pigs for want of
a profitable market. The price of these articles of produce
averages from 20s. to 225. per ton on the spot where they are
grown, but at Edinburgh the usual price is from 40s. to 455, per
ton, owing to the expense of conveyance. If taken by
railway their cost would be diminished nearly one-half.
Dumfriesshire supplied a district consisting of 800,000 inhabitants
with potatoes, and averaging the supply to each individual at five
cwt., a total consumption of 200,000 tons annually would be the
result.

Mr. Smith, factor, gave evidence generally corroborative of what
had been stated by the last witness. The average value of the
agricultural lands of the whole of Lancashire he estimated at
239,0001., and he had not made this calculation for the purposes
of the present inquiry, but for the income-tax. Coals could be
sent at at much less expense by railway than by any of the ex-
isting means of conveyance.
The CHAIRMAN interrupted the examination of this witness, and
stated that the Committee considered they had heard quite suffi-
cient evidence of a general nature as to the eligibility of the pro-
posed line, and were anxious now to come to the traffic tables.
After considerable discussion amongst the Committee, and
squabbling between counsel, the examination of Mr. Smith was
resumed, but nothing further of importance was elicited.
Mr. Davidson, farmer, nd-Lothian, gave evidence as to the in.
troduction of agricultural produce into Lothian. He thought
there was at least 0,000 or 3,000 tons annually brought in from
Lanarkshire, and the amount would be trebled if a railway were
made. Large quantities of oats, corn, beans, and other produce,
amounting to a total of nearly 17,000 quarters, were brought ori-
ginally from Edinburgh to Lanark, and thence conveyed by carts to
Mid-Lothian. The consumption of all these articles would be greatly
increased if more facility for conveyance was afforded. The
remaining portion of this witness's evidence, was merely a re-
petition of what had previously fallen from the other witnesses,

The Committee adjourned at half-past four till twelve to. morrow.

Sub• Committee No. I.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
SUNDERLAND, DURHAM, AND AUCKLAND UNION

RAILWAY.

The Committee were occupied up to four o'clock in disposing of
allegations nomplaining of inaccuracies in the books of reference
and discrepancies on the plans.
A great many were sustained, but the character of the informa-
lities is of s tt Ming nature.
Mr. Parrr said he would to-morrow submit to the Committee a
large number of allegations upon the datum level of the hoe. lie
would not press anything which he was not fully able to bear out
by evidence.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock to morrow.