The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-31 00:00:00

THE EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN

RAILWAY.

The Committee mt‘t again this morning at twelve o'clock, in
roon No. 7, Lord Ashley in the chair.' The evidence for the pre.
amble of the Bill was resumed.

iMr. James Wright examined by Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS
IS manager to the Duke of Buccleuch's collieries. Had
examined the mineral fields of Fife, and went over the line of
railway then under consideration. It passes through extensive
coal districts in Fifeshire. The annual exportation of coals into
Perth is 33,000 tons, and out or this quanti'y 23,000 come into
England. By the construction of this railway 'lie cost of carriage
from the Fife coal.pits into Perth will be reduced about 7s. per ton.
The yearly income derived by this traffic along the line would be
7,9061. 3s. The income from the line would be 2,3451. 10s. ed.
(LEFT SITTING ;

GROUP L.

GUILDFORD, CHICHESTER, AND PORTS-

MOUTH RAILWAY.

The Committee assembled at twelve o'clock, Mr. E. B. Denison
in the chair, and resumed the inquiry on this railway, when Mr.
Sergeant TeLeouao, who appeared for the committee of the in.
habitants, called;

Mr. T. L. Atkins, a banker, at Portsmouth, who stated that he
had moved the first resolution at the meeting on the 7th of May,
of which much has been said. About 1,000 was the attendance at
that meeting, and the resolutions had been carried almost unani-
mously, and a great feeling had been manifested against the South
Western Compauy and in favour of the Atmospheric line. This
feeling partly arose from the detention at Bishopstoke
after the Southampton train had been detached. An
impression has arisen that if the South • Western
secured the monopoly, Southampton would get the
greater part of the traffic. In the bills published by the Louth.
Western Company, they announced that the packets for Lyming-
ton, Yarmouth, Plymouth, and Havre started from South-
ampton, although the packets also ouched at Portsmouth, of
which no mention whatever was made. In his opinion the
terminus at London.bridge would be more convenient than
that at Nine Elms or at Vauxhall. The terminus
at Portsmouth of the atmospheric line was also better than the
other. All parties were united at Portsmouth in favour of the
atmospheric line, and there was certainly a great jealousy cf the
port of Southampton.
To the cross-examination of Mr. GURNEY, Mr. Atkins stated
that there had been considerable excitement at the meeting, and
great difficulty had been experienced by the speakers on the side
of the Guildford line in getting is hearing. He had not
heard that there were books at the stations for the entrance of com-
plaints, and he had kot thought of writing to the Directors. The
Havre packets only stopped at the mouth of the harbour, and did
not come up to the pier, and apparently it was to the interest of the
South-Western Company to carry the passengers to Portsmouth
rather than to Southampton, in consequence of the greater fares.
He testified that a great body of the passengers to the Isle of Wight
went to and from the west-end of London.

(1.1117 SITTING.)

GROUP N.
CORNWALL RAILWAY.

The cross-examination of Captain Moorsom was resumed at the
sitting of the Committee—

The cost of the Bodmin branch, four miles in length, and which
would be a double locomotive line, would be 41,3261., and was
made up of the following items:—Fencing, 1,4731. ; earthwork,
8,8331.; masonry, including bridges of all kinds, 5,9851.; perma.
nent way, 14,41'2/.; stations, 3,6391. ; contingencies, 3,4341.;
land, 3,5801. He then detailed the cubic feet of the various via-
ducts and cofferdams on the whole line, the positions of the level
crossings, &c. The length of the boat at the Hamoame was 58 feet;
the space occupied by carriages was about 13 feet in breadth. The
boat was divided into two roads, and the engine by which it was
worked was in the middle. If it was necesssary to convey six
carriages across, three would be placed on one s.de and
three on the other; if three, two on one side and one
on the other. The carriages would be drawn from the
boat by ropes. Several roads were crossed on a level.
The passenger trains might be worked at thirty miles an hour, but
the average speed would be from twenty to twenty.five miles an
hour. Each train without the engine and tender would weigh
about twenty tons. There would be five passenger trains up and
five down daily, with three trains for the conveyance of goods, but
the number would depend upon working arrangements. The
working expenses would be 3s. 4d. a mile. Ile could not say
whether the Board of Ordnance hail or had not given their consent
to the line crossing the Glassee at I)evonport.
By Mr. MERREWETHER, on behalf of the promoters of the Bill—
Sharper curves than those of the proposed line were worked at
great speed, and without inconvenience on other lines—on the
Manchester and Leeds, for instance. The majority of the roads
crossed on a level were not of an important character.