The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-23 00:00:00

AND CARLISLE RAILWAYS.

The adjourned Committee met this morning at half-past eleven,
and soon after proceeded to business.
The examination of witnesses to prove the traffic tables was re-
sumed by Sir THOMAS PHILLIPS calling
Mr. Hunter, farmer, near Dumfries—He said he was well
acquainted with the cattle • trade of Scotland, and par.
ticularly ;with lean cattle.: Thej whole of his cattle were ob-
tained from the north, and were usually sent to the Falkirk market
to be disposed of. He could corroborate the opinion of Mr.
M'Adam that it was not likely, except under extraordinary eircurn.
stances, that the lean cattle and sheep would be transmitted by railway.
If the beasts were to be sent by railway, the line through Dum-
fries would certainly be the most convenient one; but he would
still adhere to his former opinion, that it was not at all prooable
that the cattle would travel by that means of conveyance. Of
those that were driven southward, he was certain none
would go by railway. The number of cattle and sheep
that were annually exposed for sale at the October tryst at
Falkirk was about seventy thousand; of these, probably,
a few might be conveyed on the rails, but only when the weather
was very bad, or that they were not in a proper condition for
travelling on foot. He had inspected the traffic-tables that had
been put in by the promoters of the Caledonian scheme, and con .
sidered that the items of cattle and sheep had been grossly ex-
aggerated.

Mr. Laurie, farmer, Kircudbrightshire, said he had been a farmer
28 years, and had considerable experience in agricultural matters.
He could confirm the evidence of Mr. M'Adam as to the estimates
of fat cattle going into England. He had inspected the traffic
tables of the Dumfries line, and it was only reasonable to expect
that at least 18,000 head of cattle would be sent away; in fact, the
estimate in his opinion was rather below than above the mark. All
the fat cattle would be conveyed by railway. He had directed his
attention to the localities where potatoes were produced, through
which the Caledonian line was intended to pass. The quantity of
potatoes that would be produced in these districts was 2,458 tons,
and this was the largest quantity that it was likely would be sent
out of the country.

At the conclusion of the examination of the last witness,
The CHAIRMAN said that he had Just received a communication
addressed to him in his capacity of Chairman of the Committee on
the Caledonian scheme. The letter evidently contained an ex parte
statement, and he considered such communications highly repre-
hensible. He would wish to have the occurrence made publicly
known, but would refrain from mentioning the name of the party
from whom the letter came. The Hon. Gentleman then tore it in
pieces, and said he considered that was the only way In which
similar communications addressed to the Chairmen of Railway
Committees ought to be treated.
Mr. Payne, flesher, at Dumfries, was then examined—He stated
there were very few cattle to be had in Dumfries, and he
was obliged to go round to the different farms in the neigh.
bourhood to buy them up. The number of cattle and
sheep that were annually fattened in the valley of
the Nith amounted in sheep, including lambs, to 57,480, and In
cattle to 1,570 ; of sheep 50,000, and of cattle 1,000, were gene-
rally sent south, The witness concurred in the opinion that the
Dumfries line would be a great convenience for the conveyance of
fat cattle.

Mr. Geddis, mining engineer, was next called.—He deposed
that he had been employed by the Duke of Buccleucb, the Duke
of Portland, and other extensive mineral proprietors, and from the
information he had derived from that and other sources he was fully
capable to give an opinion on the mineral districts of almost the
entire of Scotland.

(LEFT SITTING.)

Group L.
GUILDFORD, CHICHESTER, AND PORTSMOUTH
RAILWAY.

The Committee resumed this morning the consideration of the
South_ Western Railway project.

Mr. Pardoe, the second in authority In Portsmouth Dockyard,
stated his conviction that the approach to Portsmouth by this line
mould be more advantageous than the other line for the purposes of
the dockyard. _ _

The Rev. John Burrell, rector of Portsea, stated that the ter-
minus, though at the extremity of Portsmouth, was centrically
situated with respect to the several portions of which the whole
town consisted.—To the cross-examination of Mr. Rawlinson, Mr.
Burrell said that the greater part of the traffic had heretofore gone
by way of Petersfield and Godalming to London. Part of it went
coastwise by Little Hampton, Shoreham, and Brighton. He could
not say exactly what was the relative proportion of his property
which would be taken by either railway, both railways pass-
ing through his property; but the South-Western Com-
pany certainly took (more than the atmospheric com-
pany. To the question as to whether he was anxious
that the Company should purchase the property which
they proposed to take, he replied that it was not a fair inquiry and
refused to answer it. To another inquiry, Mr. Burrell replied,
that he was not cognizant of the fact, that Southampton had in-
jured. Portsmouth since the formation of the railway to the latter
place.

- To the re-examination of Mr. GURNEY, the witness replied that
he had heard that the South_ Western Company had offered a branch
to Portsmouth, which had been refused. He had travelled fre-
quently through the country of the proposed atmospheric line, and
knew the whole of it, though unable IV state precisely what was

the population of the several parishes through which it passed. The
line of the South-Western Company would injure one of his farms
more than any other.
Mr. B. Bramble, a surveyor, and a member of the Town Coun-
cil, stated that he was aware that the South-Western Company
bad, some years ago, offered a terminus to Portsm:uth, before the
line to Southampton was completed.
At this point of the proceedings
Mr. °swam), M.P., one of the Committee, observed that
there was a difference on the maps on the table. That
which he had before him, and which he had received
from the House of Commons, apparently carried on the atmospheric
line to Fareham, whereas that supplied by the agent of the Guild-
ford, Chichester, and Portsmouth line did not do so. Mr. Oswald,
therefore, wished to know which was correct, because the point
was important. On inquiry it was ascertained that the
mark on the map, which was coloured blue like the atmospheric
line, was a mistake of the colourer's. Mr. Montague Smith, one
of. the counsel for the promoters, informed the Committee that
a similar mistake had Leen observed in the map supplied to
the London and York Committee, and it was known that
many of the maps of the Board of Trade were incorrect, and that
the map with which they were supplied, and on which the re-
mark arose, was the correct one. The atmospheric line, it visa
agreed by both sides, did not pass to Fareham.
To the cross-examination of Mr. FLOOD, the witness stated that
a large meeting had been held in 1838, called by the Mayor, at
which the branch line to Portsmouth was rejected.
the cross-examination of Mr. AUSTIN, Mr. Bramble stated
he did not know Woolner Wood, though he was aware that there
was wood about Mitcham and Petworth, but that the
refused to cut it, as it was mostly ornamental timber. lie w"
aware that there was a strong feeling in the people of Portsmouth
for the direct communication with London. He was not able to
say whether the steam trade to the Isle of Wight had increased,
though he did think that, if the French packets could be drawn to
Portsmouth, it would be an advantage.
(LEFT SITTING.) proprietor

Group N.
On the sitting of the Committee this morning, Mr. AUSTIN
opened the case on the part of the promoters of the

CORNWALL RAILWAY.
The Learned GENTLEMAN said it was the intention of the 11°'
moters of the Bill to form a connexion with the Greg
Western Railway, which was laid down on the bred,.
gauge, and which was in full and effective force. Various POjec
had been under the consideration of Parliament with respect t°
the construction of a line from the Great Western Rail.
way through the county of Devon. A line,ftom
t
Exeter to Plymouth, along the coast, was .."`
was
which was a continuation of that line from the metropolis. - . „„
The terfros;
intended to work that line by atmospheric power.
of that line in the town of Plymouth was at a portion of that Wvlll
called Eldad. They proposed to commence the Corn
line at the opposite part of the town, but it 1138
proposed to continue the South Devon or Exeter litg.,:sp-
point so as to join the Cornwall line. Though the sta,,- did
peared in the plans to be laid down at different place%Y-- ad*
would constitute the termini to the whole line. PlYnwtiont- !Icon'
population of upwards of 100,000, and was, in respect "" ael The
mercial purposes, the metropolis of the west of Enilt°-,,. id run
general course of the line, after passing the Hamoare, at
to Torpoint, St. Germains, Liskeard, Bodmin—terMinatfy
slid
Penryn and Falmouth ; would be 66 miles in lengt"' h
t rong-
would, to use the words of his brief, " Pa° „tth al,
a rich and most densely populated mining, and arhittouvrgh
and commercial district." The population of the parishes '" was
which it would pass, excluding those common to both the litiesn'
46,000. The populatiou of the line through which the Ce--„turad
"net W-the
line would pass would be about half that number. The
pass through districts having a population, according -‘9id be
income-tax assessment, of 211,000. The traffic would
The
abundant to support the line, and keep it in full work' AOOl4
capital was a million. The general traffic was estimated at 103,.000
forty per cent. for the working of the line, which would givelwaf
than six per cent. on the capital. In the event
being carried out, the mail packet-station would, in all prohabtwisy
be restored to Falmouth, and of course the receipts a the rai,
would be considerably enhanced. The Government had eliucet:swith
sire to favour coast railways in the west of England. So that oirr
the new line there would be a coast railway communication
sed
mencing at Dover, and extending as far as Yarmouth. It wasl°.P,lble
preniiiere
to work the line by locomotion, and the gradients were
by that power. With respect to the opposition to the schelne', its
were several petitions from highly influential individuals 1"nos
were
very
favour, whilst there were others opposing it, but they
from persons, or of such a number, as to entitle them to
serious consideration. of the raiTty,