The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-22 00:00:00

from Goole. If this line were laid done tho facilities which it
would afford would enable him to compete better with the " Sir
Roberts."—(Laughter.)
Mr. John Patty, butcher and cattle dealer, gave similar evidence
as the last witness to the advantages which would result by this
railway in affording greater facilities for conveying cattle.
Mr. James Hymer, miller, near Snake, deposed to the great disad.
vantages which those in his line of business were at present labouring
under for want of increased accommodation for conveyance.
Mr. John Norwood, corn-factor, gave similar evidence.
Ralph Creyke, Esq., lived near Goole. Was proprietor of two
thousand acres of land. This line of railway would, he consi-
dered, tend very much to open up the resources of the country,
and was in his opinion the most eligible line that could be
laid down for that purpose. It received the most unanimous
support from the inhabitants of the district, and a petition was
adopted by the inhabitants of Goole in its favour without a dis-
sentient voice. He had no doubt but every department of trade
would be benefited by it.
Mr. W. Wells, agent to Lord Beverley—Occupied 450 acres of
land, and had no doubt but the proposed line would ma-
terially benefit his interests by the increased facilities
which it would give for the conveyance of agricultural produce.
He also thought the public would greatly benefit by the in-
creased stimulus it would give to trade.

Mr. U. Wedall gave similar evidence, and it being now four
o'clock the Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow. •

Group 11.

This Committee, consisting of Lord Barrington (Chairman), Mr.
Leader, Mr. Christie, Mr. Bannerman, and Mr. Botfield, re-asscm-
bled at one o'clock to-day.
LANCASTER AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.

The Committee proceeded to pass the clauses.
A clause to give compensation to the Lancaster Canal Com-
pany was proposed, but rejected by the Committee.
Alter passing several clauses, the Committee adjourned to
to morrow week.

Group L.
GUILDFORD, CHICHESTER, AND PORTSMOUTH
RAILWAY.
The Committee on this group resumed the inquiry this morning
on the Guildford and Portsmouth Railway. Mr. E. B. Dennison
in the chair. After some evidence respecting the traffic to Fare_
ham and Havant, which was precisely of the character of that
given yesterday, some suspicion was thrown by the counsel for the
promo:ers of the line on the several names to the petitions.
Lord Arthur Lennox, one of the Members for Chichester,
was called, and to the queries of Mr. Gurney, stated that
as he took a great interest in the lines projected for
connecting Chichester with London, he gave a decided preference
to the Guildford extension line. He positively asserted that there
was not the name of one single elector or burgess attached to the
petition which had been presented from Chichester against the
line of the South-Western Company. The population of Cliches.
ter was upwards of 9,000, and in his opinion it ought to be con-
sidered next to Portsmouth.
To the cross.examination of Mr. RAWLINSON, his Lordship
stated that the population on the proposed line was far superior
to that on the atmospheric line. The gentlemen's seats were cer.
tainly more numerous. There was Lord Egmont's house, Good-
wood, the Midhurst property, and several others immediately
adjoining the proposed railway.
To the cross-examination of Mr. WADDINGTON, Lord Arthur
stated that he had approved of the Brighton Extension line; and
To the reexamination of Mr. GURNEY, he stated that he had a
belief that several of the noblemen and gentlemen who had signed
the memorial to the Board of Trade were in favour of the Guild-
ford Extension line.
The CHAIRMAN here interrupted the Counsel by saying that,
unless evidence of a similar kind were adduced, I.e could not put
much weight on the Noble Lord's testimony on this point.
Some difficulty occurred as to the date of the memorial, and the
change of opinion which might have occurred since it was signed.
Mr. Waddington ultimately read the letter of the Duke of Rich.
mond, in which his Grace intimated that the memorial was expres-
sive of the feeling of the greater number of the landowners against
the proposed line.
Mr. Edward Casher, a wine-merchant for the last 42 years at
Portsmouth, and who was the mayor of the borough, stated that,
in his opinion, the Guildford line was decidedly the best for
the town.
To the cross.examination of Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD, Mr.
Cz.sher stated that he had convened the meeting at Portsmouth in
consequence of a requisition presented to him for that purpose.
The meeting was numerous, and highly respectable, and there was
a large majority in favour of the atmospheric line. The feeling
of the town was opposed to the South-Western Company, and if
the atmospheric line were as cheap, more expeditious, and more
safe, it would be the better one for Portsmouth. The inhabitants
had formerly preferred the line by Horsham, and when the South-
Western Company had at that time profferred a terminus at Forts-
mouth, it was refused.
On further cross-examination, Mr. Casher stated that he did
not think that there was either jealousy or rivalry between
Southampton and Portsmouth. The trade, it was true, had been
partly diverted to Southampton before the making of the Gosport
branch, but much of it had come back. He did not think that the
circumstance of both lines being in the hands of one company,
would lead, on their part, to any deviations of the traffic, nor was he
aware that several of the Directors of the South-Western Company
were proprietors of the Southampton Docks.
To the cross-examination of Mr. Itawianison, Mr. Casher re-
plied that he did not think theproposed terminus of the atmospheric
line would be more convenient than that proposod for the Chichester
and Guldford line. There was certainly an excellent access to the
best and most improving part of the town by the terminus of the
atmospheric line, while the ajproach to the terminus of the other
line was by a sufferance road, which was the property of the Crown,
and might be stopped if the Government desired. He was of opinion
that a rich Company would be more likely to provide good accom.
modation for the public than a poor one.
On being re-examined, Mr. Casher stated that the first project
was for a line from Fareham, by Chichester to Portsmouth. The
second project was the Brighton Extension line, and the third was
the present line from Guildford. The proposed terminus of the
atmospheric line would be more convenient for Portsea and Land-
port, and that of the other for Portsmouth and Soutbsca. The
population of the Portsmouth district of the town was about ten
thousand, and of Portsea double that number. One of the great
objects in forming a railway was to make a navy communication
with Chichester, Midhurst, and the rich country on that route,
and that this Guildford line effected.
Mr. James Warner, a proprietor and occupier of land near the
Gosport branch of the South-Western Railway, stated that he knew
the traffic to Chichester from Salisbury and all parts in the west.
He occupied about 1,200 acres, and was largely engaged in the
breeding and feeding of sheep ; and he believed that if the railway
were extruded westward to Chichester, and beyond, it would
materially increase the facilities of bringing cattle from the west
to be fattened, and then returned to the butcher In the west. He
had experienced great inconvenience in sending cattle over the
floating bridge at Gosport. He was engaged in the timber
trade, and testified that there was a great deal of wood
on the line of the projected railway, especially at Single-
ton. There were often great falls of wood there, but the
inhabitants experienced such diffic ilty in getting the timber down
to the water side that they could dispose of none but that of the
very finest quality, and he thought the carriage by the projected
lino would be reduced by a third. The quantity of timber ins
Singleton Forest was very great, and it had been suffered to
accumulate in consequence of the difficulty of getting it
away'. Botley was a place of considerable trade from
its standing on an arm of the Southampton-road, and
the inhabitants of that place bought very largely
in corn at Chichester market. One of his neighbours bought, dur-
ing the year 1844, 1,273 quarters of wheat, and up to the present
time during this year 890 half quarters, making in less than 18
months a total of 2,163 half quarters. This corn had been trans-
ported by coasting vessels, at the rate of 7s. Bd. a load of five
quarters. By the proposed railway it would be conveyed at 6s. a
load, thus saving Is. Ed. a load, besides avoiding the risk and
delay, as it would be brought safely in about four hours. The
butchers of Southampton were all in the habit of attending Cliches.
ter market, and occasionally Petersfield market. He knew the float-
ing bridge over the Itchin, and he believed that considerable in-
jury to the cattle was done by their being driven together in their
progress to and upon the bridge ; but he saw no difficulty in carry-
ing cattle over by the bridge ins vans, He had himself sent great
numbers of cattle by railway to London, and had never had any
injured.
Mr. M'Cheane, an Irish provision merchant at Portsea, stated that
there was a great importation of provisions from Waterford, Lime-
rick, and Cork. The Limerick provisions were always landed
at Portsmouth, because the vessels from the former place were
too large to get up to Chichester. He had a considerable trade with
Chichester, Petworth, Guildford, and all that part of the country;
and he thought that the business would be much increased if there
was a railway communication with the north. Provisions were
sent as far as Salisbury from both Portsmouth and Southampton.
With Petersfield he had no intercourse whatever. There was a
great trade in provisions throughout the whole of that country,
and he thought that Guildford Railway would answer all t,,e
requirements of the neighbourhood, while the other decidedly
would not meet the necessity of the case.
Mr. Henry Clarke, a merchant at Fareham, confirmed the testi-
mony of the previous witnesses respecting the traffic. The only
additional point in his evidence was that the carriage to Botley
would be considerably less than had been stated by Mr. Warner.
'Fire price of the carriage would be only 4s. 4d., instead of 6s. a
load for cern. The price was 2d. a ton per mile and the distance
was 23 miles. The saving consequently would be 3s. 4d. instead
of only Is. Bd. a load.
Mr. henry Snooke, a merchant and miller at Bedampton, which
is a mile to the west of Havant, on the line to Fareham, said that
he was in the habit of attending most of the markets around, and
he conceived that the Guildford and Chichester line would certainly
affind the best accommodation to the district.

Mr. Hitkin, who farmed about 1,000 acres about half way be-
tween Midhuret and Chichester, was next called into the box, but
his evidence, which contained no fact, was by no means favourable
to the promoters of the scheme, in consequence, as it afterwards
appeared of the line passing through his farm, and that circum-
stance be conceived was a disadvantage more than equivalent to any
benefit he was likely to derive from the railway.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

Group R.
DUBLIN AND DROGHEDA RAILWAY.

The Committee met to-day at the usual hour, Mr. Gibson Craig
in the chair, and after agreeing to the remaining clauses of the
Dublin and Drogheda Bill, instructed the Chairman to report it to
the House.
DUBLIN AND BELFAST JUNCTION RAILWAY.
The evidence in favour of this line was then resumed.
Dr. Bennett was examined respecting the traffic of Kells and
its neighbourhood, which in agricultural produce he represented
to be very great. The inhabitants were generally in favour of
this line.

No material point was elicited in the cross-examination of this
witness, beyond an answer to a question, which excited considerable
merriment in the Committee—that the parish priest of Kells, the
Rev. Mr. M'Avoy, had spoken publicly in favour of the line from
Enniskillen to Dublin, through Kells, on the ground that lie
would be enabled to go up and see how the proceedings of Parlia-
maid were going on when the union was repealed.
Mr. Russell, of Dundalk, examined—Ho was a distiller. The
trade of Dundalk was considerable with America, the Baltic, Eng-
land, and Scotland. There was a great trade in agriculural pro-
duce between the interior of the country and Dundalk.
Mr. Shillington, of Portadown, said the district through which
the line was proposed to be taken was a very populous one. There
was a very large Weekly market at Tenderagee, near to which the
railway approached. Banbridge was also on the line, and was
an important seat of the linen trade, so also was
Guildford, at which there was a large linen tnanufac.
tory that did business to the amount of 80,000/. Jn a
circle of about seven miles around Portadown, the annual value
of the linen-trade, he thought, might be about 1,000,0004 The
quantity of grain annually sold in Portadown was 10,000 tons,
wheat principally. Of pork there was sold 1,040
tons ; of butter, eggs, and beef there was sold 500 tons. The
value of cattle and pigs sold was 60,0001. The quantity of yarn
brought into Portadown and its neighbourhood to be wove was
about 2,500 tons. There were about forty or fifty corn and flax
mills around Portadown, principally along the line of railway,
There were about eleven or twelve stages running from the town to
the adjoining towns.

Mr. BELLEW, M.P. for the county of Louth, said that the railway
would be of the greatest benefit to the district, by connecting the
interior with England and Scotland. He thought the coast line
far superior to the interior lines proposed.

Mr. Gorten, who resided between Dundalk and Newry, deposed
that twelve public conveyances passed his door daily, and a vast
number of posting and private carriages. It was generally believed
that the railway would be of the greatest benefit to the district.
Sir John M'Nielle, engineer of the line, was examined. The
line went through the busiest and most important district in the
north of Ireland, opening up the whole interior to the different
ports that were in regular communication with England and Scotland
The remainder of the evidence, till the rising of the Committee.
was as to the general advantages of the line, which he stated at some

ti.~.,y w ~ . ..
_ ~: