The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-28 00:00:00

AND MIDLAND JUNC-

TION RAILWAY.

The Committee, consisting of the O'Conor: Don, chairman,
Sir John Rao Reid, Sir Denham Norreys, Mr. Hope Johnstone,
and Mr. Davies, sat at twelve o'clock in Room No. 9, and pro.
ceeded to hear further evidence on the part of the promoters of the
above railway.
Mr. BAINES, Q.C., called

Mr. Appleby, of Sheffield, who spoke to the great
advantages which would result to that town from the opening
up of the coal district between Chesterfield and Sheffield,
including the Dronfield and Unston coal and coke, which was par-
ticularly esteemed by iron-founders for its valuable qualities in
the conversion of iron to steel. The railway would also com-
municate with the markets of Lancashire and Cheshire.

Mr. Blake, also of Sheffield, was examined by Mr. Ser-
geant WRANGII4I6, and he quite coincided in the opinion given by
the previous wittness, as to the advantages which would be given to
the towns of Chesterfield and Sheffield, and the district between
these places.

Mr. linowles, of Brampton Manor, was an earthenware manufac-
turer, and spoke to the quantity exported to Manchester, and the
districts to the south, which would be greatly increased by the line
being opened.

Mr. Birkett and Mr. Wright gave similar evidenye.
(LEFT SITTING.)

Group X.
LONDON AND NORWICH DIRECT LINE.

The Committee on this line resumed its sitting this morning at
the usual hour, when

Mr. ALEXANDER, Q. C., on behalf of the promoters of the Bill,
stated that the total length of the line he advocated would be 45
miles 10 chains, offering no engineering difficulties what-
ever; no turnpike-road would be crossed upon a level ;
either bridges would be thrown over the roads, or the
roads raised above the railway. No tunnelling would be required,
and the worst gradient was 1 in 100, and that but for two miles.
The cost of the entire line, including all contingencies, was estimated
at 760,0001., while the traffic tables presented a prospect of
fair remunerative returns. With respect to the accommodation
proffered by the competing lines by a connexion with the metro-
polis, the distance from London to Norwich by the Eastern Ex-
tension would be 113 miles 1 furlong ; by the Norwich Junction
118 miles 1 furlong ; and by the London and Norwich
Direct 110 miles 5 furlongs. The last-mentioned thus
affording a very material saving in time and distance. At Wick.
enbrook a favourable point presented itself for forming a junction
with Newmarket, reaching the latter town at the eastern side, so
that the Heath would not. be interfered with ; so impressed were
the Jockey Club wan the advantages that would be afforded by
such a project being completed, that they had actually
presented a petition in favour of the independent line, solely on
those grounds. By the returns presented by the Board of Trade,
the population on the London and Norwich direct line was 31,800,
and on the Eastern extension only 21,000 ; the population within
three miles of the former 56,262 ; and within the same distance of
the Ipswich and Norwich 47,600 ; and between Thetford and Nor-
wich 20,294. On these and other concurrent superior advantages,
he therefore sought the favourable interposition of the Committee,
and urged the passing of the preamble of the Direct Norwich Bill.
Charles Beard, examined by Mr. G lILDEN—Is an ironmonger at
Bury, and well acquainted with that town. Has inquired into the
condition of the trades in the district, and found that 600 tons of
bar and pig iron, coming principally from Lynn, at a cost of 10s.
per ton, are brought to Bury annually, and 500 or 600
tons of hardware, at a cost of 15s. per ton. The groceries
imported annually into that town from London, a distance of 72
miles, at a cost of from 301. to 495. per ton, amounted to 2,000
tons annually. Linen and woollen also corning from London is above
300 tons. The only accommodation, besides the expensive and ob-

jectionable land route, is a circuitous water navigation from Lynn ;
anticipates a reduction in the carriage of goods of 35 per cent. by
the establishment of a direct railway communication. has attended
meetings at Bury in favour of the Direct Norwich Line. Six..
sevenths of the Parliamentary electors and seven eighths of the in-
habitants of the town prefer this to any other project.
Cross 'examined by Mr. llAwm NSON—In anticipating a reduction
of 35 per cent. by the establishment of a direct railway communi.
cation, he presumed hardwares and general groceries would be car-
ried then at the rate of 4d. per ton per mile, nails and sugar, how-
ever, at 7 ,14-d. par ton per mile. The line from Lynn to Cambridge
and from Cambridge to Bury, would not afford a good means of
transit for the Yorkshire and North coal.
(LETT iIITTING.)

SECONDARIES.-(THIS DAY.)

(Before Mr. Secondary POTTER.)
BEGIII7. V. RAWLINGS.

This was an action brought to recover the balance of are attor.
ney's Bill. The defendant is a broker in Bethnal-green.
Mr. BEGBLE stated the case. In 1839 he was sent for to the
office of Messrs. Smith, of Furnival's Inn, and introduced to the
defendant, and requested to defend an action brought against him
by a Mr. Babbington, Messrs. Smith's business being principally
confined to Chancery suits. The action was settled, and
defendant paid 2/. to him on account of costs, and frequently,
both before and after the commencement of the present
action, promised to pay. The action was commenced in
1843, and judgment obtained against the defendant, which, how-
ever, was set aside, on an affidvit that there was a bona fide defence.
Defendant, however, was to pay costs, and he (Mr. Begbie)
accepted 4/. on account, the then attorney for defendant
urging him not to proceed with the action, as de.
fendant was very poor. The proceedings were then stopped, but
a short time since, after the passing of the Act for the:abolition of
imprisonmect for debts under 20/., the defendant's attorney
called, and said that if the 41. was returned the proceedings
should drop—if not, they would force him to go on with the
action. This course had been adopted, and plaintiff therefore
came before the jury contrary to his own desire, and whichever
way the verdict went he must be the loser, as defendant had no
property which could be taken in execution.
The defence was that the retainer of plaintiff was by Mr. Smith,
and that it was a common practice for one attorney to employ
another as his agent, and also that plaintiff had consented to take
costs out of pocket, and which amounted only to 13s. 6d.
The jury then gave a verdict for the plaintiff for the balance as
taxed by the Master.

DR. WM. SNELL.
(F.ox A CORRESPONDENT.)

Dr. Wm. Snell, the Professor of Law in Berne, who was
summarily dismissed from his chair, on account of his supposed
participation in urging, counselling, or abetting the Free Corps in
their expedition against Lucerne, for the purpose of opposing
vi et armis, the introduction of the Jesuits, is one of the most in-
tellectual, consistent, and energetic political leaders, of the Liberal
party on the Continent. As far as twenty-five years ago, when he was
engaged as barrister in Nassau, he was persecuted for having dared
to publish an address on behalf of the citizens of his
country against some arbitrary proceedings of the
Minister of the reigning Duke. He was obliged to leave
his country, and to accept a professorship in the Russian Univer-
sity of Dorpat. But not long was he there established with his
family, when, by a special command of the Emperor, he was dis-
missed from his chair, and obliged to return to Germany.
He crossed that land under a disguised name, and went to
Coire, the capital of the Swiss canton of the Grison. There he
met Dr. Charles Follnius and Dr. de I'rats, and formed with
them the plan to establish a German society of Liberals, the
Mannerbund. After having established this society, and
organised other societies depending on them, which embrace, in
different groups, the military, the students, and the working
people, Professor Snell, in conjunction with Follnius and Dr. de
Prats, effected a junction between the Committee of Paris and the
Carbonari of Italy. Betrayed by a false friend, the well-known De
Witte, a Danish adventurer, the three gentlemen were obliged to
quit Coire. William Snell and Follnius were elected professors
at Bale, whilst De Prats was obliged to fly to England. A year
aft, r, however, De Witte, having given more positive information
against Follnius, this gentleman was also obliged to leave Switzer-
land, which he quitted for the United States, where he met with
friendly reception, and was elected Professor of Philosophy at
Boston.

In the meanwhile, the republic of Bale had become the scene of
civil discord ; the rural districts, dissatisfied with the oligarchical
despotism of the town, declared to demand a government of their
own. William Snell could not help to side with the Liberal party;
hence he was obliged to give up his situation to accept one of a similar
nature in Berne. How a man of such talents, experience, and
penetration could have, for a moment, favoured the insane plan of
the free corps is a matter of surprise to those who know him and
know the circumstances of Switzerland.
Without materialmeans, without discipline, without unity of pur-
pose, few had to attack enemies in their own houses, commanded
by able officers, supported by men, arms, ammunition from Aus.
tria, Naples, Piedmont, and Prussia. Yea, even if the first at-
tempt of the invaders had been successful, their success would
only have served as a pretext for Austria, France, and all the ultra-
montane enemies of Swiss freedom, to let loose their arms against
the Helvetic Republic. But, as far as the decree of dismissal of
the said professor, it is an act of pusillanimity, injustice, and
cowardice. If Snell was favourable to the expedition, indeed, even
if he urged it on, he did nothing to deserve the blame of a Govern.
ment, who did not interfere actively against the dismemberment of
the free corps, and rather encouraged than disapproved it.
From all we hear from that quarter, the rude dismissal of one of

the most esteemed and influential Professcrs of the University of
Berne, may prove the signal for a rising of the liberal party against
the actual Government.