The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-26 00:00:00

BILL.

Mr. Sergeant WRANOIIAM, for the promoters of this Bill, then
stated their case. The railway was intended to supply inland
communication to a densely.peopled district, which was now al-
most destitute of that accommodation. Since the great increase
of steam navigation on the river, and the establishment of the
railways passing throuffh Kent, there had been a great decline of
coach conveyance on the high road. So much so that in the iast few
years 70 coaches had been taken off the road between London sod
Gravesend, and great inconvenience was felt by the very crowded
population of the towns through which the propssed railway was
designed to pass. The measure was opposed by the South-Eastern
Company, who came forward with their project to supply the de-
ficiency only after the prospectus of the North Kent Company
was published, having for the ten years of their
existence neglected to do anything for that purpose.
However, this project was bsought out so hastily, that it remained
still only a project, as the Standing Orders Committee were una.
ble to sanction it. But the Committee of the Board of Trade—a
tribunal of which he would not speak olherwise than with deep re-
spect—reporting in favour of both lines, gave the preference
to the Seuth Eastern, on the ground that they possessed
already an available income, which was a security for the
proper execution of this additional plan. He did not know where
that available income was to be found; for he believed that just
before toe present Bill was offered to the House of Commons, the
South-Eastern Company gave a dividehd of ten shillings per share.
He could scarcely admit that this was an income upon an outlay
of three millions, so large and so available as to
form by itself a sufficient ground of preference over a company
which had the whole of its capital subscribed, and was entirely
free from debis, debentures, and other embarrassments. The
Learned Gdntlesnan then read at length the report of the Board of
Trade respecting the rival Companies, and assured the Com-
mittee that he should be able to prove that the Board was mistaken
in supposing the two plans were substantially the same.
There was a most important difference in the mode in which they
were to can y their roads across the Medway. The South Eastern
plan would interfere with the navigation of the river, aed would
greatly injure property, with which the plan of the North Kent,
carefully and successfully avoided to Interfere. The Learned Ser.
geant then went into a detailed comparison of the plans, and con-
cluded at four o'clock, by expressing his confidence, that upon
hearing the evidence, the Committee would decide in favour of the
Bill.

The Committee then adjourned to twelve o'ciock on Wednesday

Group KK.
The Committee on the Railway Bills comprised in Group KK,
met this morning at One o'clock, Sir C. Lemon in the Chair.
The Bills referred to the Committee were the Liverpool,
Omskirk, and Preston; the Liverpool and Bury (Bolton, Wigan,
Liverpool and Bury Extension) ; the Liverpool and Manchester,
and the Southport and Exeter Junction.

The usual preliminaries having been gone through, it was arranged
that the Liverpool and Bury (Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool and
Bury Extension Bill) should be taken first.

THE SUN, LONDON, M

Some little delay took place in consequence of the non-atten-
dance of one of the members of the Committee. The Hon. Mem-
ber was sent for, and, after waiting a few minutes, Sir C. Lciumi,
the Chairman, determined to proceed In his absence, and ac-
cordingly
Mr. Sergeant WIIANGITAM proceeded to open the case on the
part of the Liverpool, Bolton, and Bury project.

Group K.
LOWESTOFFE RAILWAY AND HARBOUR,

The Committee on the lines for accommodating this and the ad-
jacent district, assembled at the usual hour this morning, when the
consideration of the Lowestoffe Raiiway and Harbour was com-

meneed.
Mr. GIRDEN, on behalf of the promoters of this Bi

expressed his ignorance of the nature of the opposition, or even
the parties from whom that opposition emanated, he therefore
urged that the petitions and names of the petitioners should be
immediately stated.
The Committee having assented, the clerk mentioned
that petitions had been presented to Parliament by the
Commissioners of the Great Yarmouth Haven, for whom

Mr. James appeared as Counsel ; the Mayor, Alder.
men, and Town Council of Norwich, for whom Mr.
Bircham appeared ; a third from the merchants and traders; a
fourth from the inhabitants generally of Norwich ; and another
from a Mr. Clarke, a landholder near that town.
Mr. GIRDEN briefly stated the main features of the Bill, for
whose promotion he contended, urging particularly the great ad-
vantages accruing to the fishing trade and manufacturing districts
inland, by the formation of a line, connecting so important a fishing
town with the populous localities at present unconnected, as well as
the making Lowestoffe a harbour of refuge, proceeded to c.,1l his
witnesses.

Edward Leathes examined by Mr. GIRDEN—Is a resident of Nor-
manstown, within a mile of Lowestoft. Has attended a pubic
meeting held four months since in that town, at which the expres-
sion of opinion was unanimous in favour of the line. Considers
the construction of the proposed railway would confer the most
distinguished advantages on the neighbourhood, particularly as a
means of conveying cattle and agricultural produce to the markets,
which has now to be conveyed by water.
Cross-examined by Mr. JAMES, on behalf of the Commis.
sioners of the Great Yarmouth Haven—The popula-
tion of Lowestoft is about 4.500. The line will
not go through valuable lar.d, although the price is be-
tween 401. to 501. per acre; there is no town of importance on
the line between Lowestoft and Needham, the point of junction
with the Yarmouth and Norwich Railway, but an immense body of
produce would fall on the line from the surrounding country.
George Parker Bidder examined by Mr. GtRDEN—Is a civil
engineer, and the plans and sections of the proposed Lowestoft
railway have been submitted to his inspection. The length of the
line will be eleven miles and thirty chains, without tunnels
and wilh favonrable gradients. The general charac.
ter of the line is practically a level, and the
curves are perfectly easy. It will have the first-class station at
Needham, crossing the River Wensham a few miles from that
town, and the Waveney near the Oulton Broad, by bridges of
forty-four and thirty feet opening, and terminating at the harbour
of Lowestoffe. For effecting this object 80,000/. has
been named is the necessary capital, besides 40,000/.
for the improvement of tl.e harbour of Lowestoffe,
including the construction of a breakwater and other important
works. The Admiralty had been made acquainted with
the improvements they devised for the harbour, and
had sent down an engineer to inspect and report on
it, and the result was most favour able to the pro)ect.
He had also had a Interview with Captain Beaufort, the hydro-
grapher to the Board of Admiralty, who had since communicated
the entire approval of the erection of the bridge.
Crofs-examined by Mr. Brac►tsM, on the part of the conserva-
tors of the river Marsham—Gave Mr. Brunel, the engineer,
whom the Admiralty deputed to inspect the harbour, every in-
formation respecting the nature of the bridges. The river is 130
feet wide. The working expenses of the line will be 2,7504 He
calculates that 6,000 passengers will travel on the line to Norwich,
1,650 to London, 6,276 to and from Yarmouth, and 26,000 to
and from Beceles. 200,000 passengers annually go on the line;
and the receipts for these, together with the payment on goods,
amounted to 15,000/., being an average of Is. sd. per passenger.
Mr. JAMES here stated that as his clients only opposed the Bill
on the fear that the navigation of the river would be impeded, he
would withdraw all further objection until any clause affecting
those interests should be under discussion.

Mr. (3 titoEN,acting on this announcement, urged tie immediate
passing of the preamble.

The Committee, tEmever, decided on suspending their adjudi.
cation, until negotiations which are to be offered this evening steal,
have been concluded.

Some documentary evidence was put in on the part of the pro-
moters of the Bill, and the Committee adjourned.

Group X.
LONDON AND YORK LINE.

The Committee assembled to-day shortly after twelve o'clock.

NDA YEVENING, MAY 26, 1845.

--
within five miles of the line for which he appeared (the Leeds and
Thirsk) had not been accurately computed—in fact, 19,000 of the
population within this district had been omitted in the returns fur-
nished by the witness.

Mr. ROBINSON said such was not the case—what the witness hatl
taken from one line he gave to another, and examined the witness
in confirmation of this statement.
_ _

Mr. John Leather examined—Owned a colliery near Leeds.
The Ripon and Harrogate line would pass near the mouth of
his colliery—within forty yards of it. Coals were now sold at
this colliery for four shillings and sixpence a ton, and would be
sold in Knaresborough for six shillings, in case the Ripon and
Harrogate line were completed. The Leeds r:nd Thirsk line would
not carry any of the Yorkshire coal, as now projected.
Cross-examined—Had an interest in the Ripon and Harrogate
line being carried out. His coals were as good as Middleton or
Rothwell Haig coal.

.
Reexamined—Had been concerned in railway contracts. Had
looked over the plans of arches on the Lecds and Thirsk line, and
thought they could not be performed at the price proposed, nor
at less than 21. 7s. 3d. per cubic yard.