The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-30 00:00:00

SOUTH-EASTERN LINE,

and said as he could not speak against the two lines, the
North Kent and the London and Croydon, at the
same time, he would first point out the superiority of the
South-Eastern to the former, which he considered the most
formidable antagonist, and then to the latter. Mr. Cockburn then
described the course of the two lines from London to Chatham, and
dwelt at some length on the distance of the Woolwich station from
the town, and the consequent want of accommodation to the in.
habitants. Mr. Cockburn also referred to the manner
in which the proposed line would pass Woolwich, the
evidence concerning which has been published from time to
time in the columns of The Sun. The Learned Counsel then
read over the whole of the correspondence on this subject, which
had been put in in evidence by Mr. Sergeant Wrangham on the
part of the North Kent Company, and particularly the letters of
Mr. Hignet, which professed to contain the consent of the Board
of Ordnance to the proposed deviation beyond the ordinary limits.
These papers had been prepared by Mr. Hignet without the acqui.
escence of the Master-General of the Board, and there-
fore were of no value. It was evident that the clauses had
been prepared by Mr. Hignet at the direction of some person con-
nected w th the North Kent line, but on Mr. Stevens (the solicitor
to the North Kent line) examining them, he saw that they were
not sufficient, as it was necessary to have the direct and written
consent of the Board, and not merely an implied consent in the
clauses. Mr. Hignet, therefore, wrote to Mr. Stevens a letter, in
which he said that he was oirected to communicate to Mr. Stevens
the consent of the Board to any necessary deviation. The authen-
ticity of this paper having been impugned by the South-Eastern
Company, Mr. Sergeant Wrangham had called as a witness
Mr. Bingham, the Secretary to the Board, eliciting from
him evidence with regard to other papers entirely uncon-
nected with the subject, but on this witness being examined as to
the letter in question he said that it had not received the appro.
bation of the Board. After dwelling on this subject, Mr. Cock.
burn referred to the evidence with regard to Messrs. Hall's mills.
This part of the evidence has also been given at length in The
Sun. Mr. Cockburn urged the importance of the evidence
on toe subject of the estimates of the two lines at some
length, and pointed out the fact, that no doubt had been thrown,
either in the examination or cross-examination of wit-
nesses, on the estimates of the South Eastern line, though
evidence had been brought forward by them to prove the insuffi-
ciency of Mr. Vignolles' estimates. He compared the South-
Eastern and London and Croydon lines, and pointed out in detail
what he considered the advantages of the former.

Mr. AUSTIN said that it was now his duty to address the Corn.
mittee on the part of the London and Croydon (Atmospheric)
line, but that, as it was already half. past three o'clock -
Here Mr. GoLnsurrn rose, and was about to say that he trusted
the Committee would -

When Mr. AUSTIN requeeed that his friend would not begin to
trust so soon, as he might find his confidence misplaced.—(A
laugh.) He had to call the attention of the Committee to a set
of figures, very dry, lAA very important, to which he would pre.
fer to direct their morning and not their afternoon attention. If
the Committee wished it, he would have no objection to their meet-
ing at half-[ ast eleven o'clock to-morrow.

The CHAIRMAN assented, and the Committee adjourned till half-
past eleven to-morrow.

GROUP K.
CAMBRIDGE AND BURY LINE.

The Committee resumed this day at noon, Viscount Sandon in
the chair.

Mr. Pare, the fraffic taker, corrected several items in his tables
as put in on Friday last, every particular in one, and almost
every particular in the other schedules were altered ; and in answer
to a searching examination by Mr. Ricardo, the witness admitted
his inaccuracy, and the conflicting statements of witnesses as prior
and subsequent to examination.

Mr. GI RDEN complained of the inconvenience to the opponents
of the Bill from the traffic tables being continually altered without
obtaining any previous intimation of the change.

Mr. Duncan, solicitor, the law clerk of the Eastern Counties
Railway, in examination by Mr. TALBOT, Q. C., deposed to the
prospective opening of the Cambridge and Ely line on the 9th inst.
The income of the Eastern Counties Company is 5,000/. a week,
or a produce of 260,000/. annually : deducting 104,000/.,
being 40 per cent., fur working expenses, the sum of
156,0001. remained to pay engagements with other

lines. As lessees of the Northern and Eastern Railway
they paid 47,0004 a year for its use to Bishops Stortford, leaving
99,0001. as a guarantee of the rental of the present projected line
between Cambridge and Bury. The order of priority of claim, in

the event of the line being granted, and its lease effected, would be
Ely and Peterborough No. 1 Stock, and Cambridge and Bury No. 2
Stock, and those claims must be all satisfied before the Share-
holders received any returns or dividend whatever. The construc-
tion of the line was estimated to cost 330,0001., which would be
raised by a subscription of 51. per cent. on the subscribed capital of
660,0001. of the Eastern Counties Railway.
IMPORTANT DECISION.

Mr. George Hess proved the number of assents, dissents, and
neuters on the line, the mileage traversed over whose land beisig
twelve miles seven furlongs, six miles three furlongs, and two fur-
longs respectively.
The case of the promoters having thus concluded,
Mr. GIRDEN addressed the Committee at some length in opposi-
tion to the Bill, commenting on the insufficiency of the evidence
more especially as regarded the traffic and estimated returns, and
urging on the Committee the propriety of postponing the project
till anothe r session.

Mr. RxwciNsox, on behalf of the Duke of Rutland, Mr. Alix
M.P., and other landowners, followed oil the same aide, devyin;
that the wants of the country warranted such a project, and
therefore inasmuch as property was recklessly invaded, and all the
landowners opposed to it, it ought to be negatived by the Committee.
Mr. CALVERT, on the part of Mr. Thorpe, whose estate was tra-
versed and allegedly injured by the line, also followed in opposition
to the Bill.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and after a pro-
tracted consultation, the Committee decided that they would ad.
journ till the 22d of July, to enable them to give this project the
same opportunities as that accorded the Bury and Thetford
The substance of this adjournment is a suspended negative to the
Bill. but giving it the benefit of any sessional resolution whicb, in