The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-26 00:00:00

Sub-Committee (No. 3.)

The Committee met to.day at twelve o'clock, in room No. 13.
The Committee consisted of Mr. Aglionby, Chairman, Mr. T.
Egerton, Mr. Broadly. Mr. Stanafteld„ Mr. Thornely, Captain
Jones, and Mr. Aldarn.
ERE WASH VALLEY RAILWAY.
In this case, In which Mr. Hall appeared for the promoters of
the Bill, the Committee decided that the standing orders were
proved.
GLASGOW HARBOUR UNION RAILWAY.
In this case, Mr. Connel appeared on behalf of the Edinburgh and
Glasgow Railway, and alleged that due notice had not been given
in the Edinburgh Gazette of the course the line intended to take.
It would seem that since the promoters had published their notices
they had determined to abandon some portions of their line, and it
was contended that under these circumstances, fresh notices ought
to have been given. It was urged, that in the case of the Lon-
don and York, who, following the recommendation of the Board of
Trade, abandoned that portion of their line lying between London
and Lincoln, and in the case of the Gravesend Railway, who had
also, in some instances, abandoned, and others varied the course
of their line, the Standing Orders' Committee determined that the
standing orders had not been complied with, in so far as the pub-
lished notice did not accurately describe the progress of the two
lines. On the same ground the petitioners contended that the
Committee, by these uniform decisions in dealing with the case of
the Glasgow Harbour Union Railway,
Mr. Gordon, the engineer of the projected tine, underwent a
lengthened cross-examination, to prove that the route of the rail-
way, as delineated on the plans and sections, did not correspond
with the description given in the published notices.
Mr. BURKE contended that the preamble of the Bill was quite
consistent with their notice. It was true that they had abandoned a
portion of their line, but the original notices were so diffuse in their
description and detail, that the line set out and specified in the Bill
was amply, if not minutely, described in them.
The Citszitsts:4 ordered the room to be cleared, and the Com-
mittee, after a short consultation, decided that the standing orders
had not been complied with.

Group D.
BLACKBURN, BURNLEY, ACCRINGTON, AND COLNE

RAILWAY.
The further consideration of this project was resumed this morn.
tog. The adjourned Committee met at twelve o'clock, and
soon after proceeded to business ; Mr. Bernal in the chair.
Two clauses which had been prepared by Mr. Coates, the Parlia.
mentary agent, limiting the line of deviation through Mr.
Parker's property and glebe, were agreed to by Mr. Giegory, on
behalf of Mr. Parker, and the Chairman directed that they should
be added to the Bill.

Clause 17, for limiting the time for compulsory payment to five

. _
years, was also agreed to, and made part of the Bill.
The CHAIRMAN observed that it would be necessary to add

clauses describing the rate of tolls which would be demanded by
the Company, and also ♦arious other clauses recently set forth in
• ' "

- - .
,he orders for the day were required to be added.

This'weuld ren,

der it compulsory for the Bill to be re-eommitted, which would be
a great hardship on the promoter, but, under the circumstances,
could nut be avoided. The consideration of the other clauses was
postponed, and the
BLACKBURN, DARWEN AND BOLTON RAILWAY

was proceeded with.
Mr. CALVERT said he appeared on behalf of the Blaackburn, Dar.
wen, and Bolton Railway Company, and proceeded to lay down the
grounds on which it was proposed to carry out the line. He stated
that the population at Blackburn, Darwen, and the neighbourhood
amounted to nearly 110,000 inhabi ants, who were principally en.
gaged in cotton manufactories, paper.mills, stone-quarries, and
coal-pits, but Ike principal source of traffic was the large bleaching.
grounds near Bolton As much as two hundred and seventy.
two tons of cotton in a week had passed between Black.
burn and Bolton. The present traffic was carried by carts,
but owing to the great steepness of some parts of the country,
which in one instance reached the height of 640 feet, over which
the road passed, many accidents happened, and great inconvenience
was occasioned. The engineer employed by the Darwen Railway
Company had, by the exertion of great skill, succeeded
in reducing the level of the proposed line to 530
feet, which, it was obvious, must be preferable to the old road.
From the nature of the gradients the line might easily be made
a thoroughway for a general communication with Preston, Man-
chester, and other large towns. The returns would realise a profit
of seven per cent. on the capital. Added to this, there was
scarcely a dissenting landholder opposed to the line, and from the
nature of the trade and the occupation of the inhabitants in the
neighbourhood, and also from the fact of the Board of Trade
having given their sanction to the proposed line, he trusted the
Committee would allow the Bill to pass.
Mr. Robinson, solicitor to the Company, was the first witness
examined --lie said that 3e0,0001. was the proposed capital for
making the line, of which amount a deposit of '24,0001. had been
made in compliance with the standing orders. There were 361
shareholders who had a kcal interest in the line, and 2.1 with a col-
lateral interest.
Mr. Morris was then called to prove the traffic, and, after a long
cross-examination, by Mr. Webster, nothing but what was of local
interest was elicited.
Several other witnesses were examined, when
The CIIAI am ix said that, for the proof of the preamble, a prima
facie case had been made out for the promoters of the line, and the
Committee would not trouble the witnesses any further.
Mr. Vignolles was then examined by Mr. CALVERT, and cross-
examined by Mr. WEBSTER— He stated that he had surveyed the
whole line, and was satisfied with it as at present laid out. No
part of the line was proposed to be worked by assistant or sta-
tionary engines, and no turnpike road was intended to be crossed
on the level. The line leaves Blackburn near the centre of the
town, and thence proceeds over the Leeds Canal, passing through
awhem length
mile
it in
joins
sth it t
e;
Manchesterlien goes on the valley near Darwen, where there is a tunnel nearly
Bmoiltonto RLaiitltwl ea
y.Bol,tiohne,
entire length of the line is 13i miles, and the principal
gradients ass 1 in 75 and lin 75. Several embankments were
side
necessary, each of which would form the
total cost of the line, including land, &c, would be 293,675/. 13s. 7d.
The estimated expense of working ~,,a
There were a million and a half yards 4
in 0
would cost in working 100, a cubic of a reservoir.
;
Jeer cent. on the capital.
yard.mb
janhkein which
costents,
ducts, together with tunnels, would he 193,4941.
of
via-
Th
greatest height of the principal viaduct, which would be
erected over Bradshaw Brook, was 115 feet. There were three
viaducts, which together would measure 555 yards. Thela
viaduct was 140 yards in length. The cost of bridges, including
viaducts, would amount together to 89,9301. The upper work: andih
fences were calculated at 66,3131. No allowance in the estmated
expenditure had been made for stations. The quantity of iron which
would be required for the purposes of the railway amounted to ten
tons, to be purchased at the rate of 701. per ton. The line would
be worked by a heavy engine calculated for severe gradients.
Mr. Dargon, the contractor, was then called, and said he was
of opinion that the estimates for the line were correct, and he
would must willingly undertake the work at the present estimates.
Mr. Robinson proved the assents and dissents.
d And buildings to be
Mr, Hutchinson laid, that the value of lan