The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-06 00:00:00

Mr. Wrn. Hancock said he was a partner in a large iron works
near Kidderminster. The firm paid from nine to tell thousand pounds
yearly. The articles they used were coal, coke, and iron. The coal was
got from the neighbourhood of Wolverhampton, and most of the Iron
from Shropshire. They also used a quantity of block. tin, which was
derived from Bristol. Coal cost them in carriage about 3s. per ton.
They had a large export trade through Liverpool, Bristol, Hull,
and London. The freights he considered very high, It took them,
by the present conveyance, three days to deliver goods in Man_
chester, and five days to deliver them in London or Bristol. He
thought the South Staffordshire scheme the best adapted for the
district, as involving less expellee than the broad gauge, in the
loading and unloading of coal and coke, as these articles, after being
taken from the collieries, would have to be unloaded into other wag-
gons before going along the bedy of the line. The reloading would
cause considerable breakage, and depreciate the value.
In answer to Mr. ALLEN, the witness said the firm manufac-
tured a great variety of articles in iron and tin. There were no
coal pits around Kidderminster; the coals hid all to be brought
from the neighbourhood of Dudley and Wolverhampton.
The Committee then adjourned till tomorrow at twelve o'clock.

Group N.
WEST CORN WALL.

The Committee met at twelve o'clock In room No. I.; the Right
Mon. T. B. Macaulay, Chairman.
Evidence on the part of the promoters of the line was adduced
before the Committee.

Mr. Pierce and other witnesses were called, who stated, that the
town of Penzance was a place of considerable trade, and that the
greatest benefit would be conferred by the line from Penzance to
Truro on the inhabitants of the mining districts.
After hearing evidence of this character, the Committee
adjourned.

Group DD.

EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW RAILWAY BRANCHES
TO CAMPSIE, &c.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
.. . . . .

Mr. ANDREWS, in reply, said that the dues Ciich had been re-
ferred to by his Learned Friend, had been defined originally by an
Act of Parliament, which had been framed in the reign of James
IL, and the tolls were levied on all cattle and goods going orer the
bridge. The dues were appropriated to keeping the bridge in sub-
stantial repair. The usual annual income derivable to the
town from the levying of these taxes amounted to 2001. rail-
way was to be made through the borough ; one had already been
constructed, for the purposes of which a viaduct had been erected.
The bridge for which the toll was originally granted had never been
used for the accommodation of the railway, nor had the
road over the bridge ever been interfered with. The railway coin.
pany were willing to give a perfect indemnity to the Town Council
for all traffic they might have taken away from the bridge. It was
proposed to pay them for all loss of traffic, and the bridge not being
so much used, the corporation would be at much less expense in
keeping it in repair. A clause had been specially introduced
into the Bill which expressly provided that no diminution
of the council's rights and privileges should be allowed
to arise from the making of the railway over the Avon.
If the clauses opposed were expunged from the Bill it would have
the effect of giving the Town Council a power of stopping alltheir
carrier trains, which would occasion great inconvenience and delay
to the public.
After further considerable discussion,

The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee had decided the clauses
should not stand part of the Bill, and they recommended some
arrangement or adjustment should he made between the parties.
Mr. Burke, the Parliamentary agent, having introduced a clause
for regulating the maximum rate of charges on the Campsie
branches, and other clauses, . .

Mr. Maxwail. rose, and !aid he appeared to support a petition
against the Campsie branches, on behalf of the Trustees of the
Inchbally Road. He introduced a plan showing the posi.
tion of the road, and that portion of the railway
which crosses it. In the Clauses Consolidation Bill
the erection of bridges and viaducts over roads were generally
provided tor, but, in the present case, that enactment was not
sufficiently specific to meet the urgency of the demand. 7he
Company contemplated erecting merely a single.span bridge
of thirty feet in width across the road ; and he contended that
this bridge would be inadequate to, and quite inconsistent with the
convenience and safety of the inhabitants. The trustees would
be sitisfied w ith a span of thirty feet of roadway, provided that an
archway for the accommodation of foot passengers were to be
erected on each side.

After some discussion, the CHAIRMAN said the Committee re-
commended that a special provision should be introduced into the
Bill for giving thirty feet of roadway, and two footpaths of five
feet each for the convenience of foot passengers on either side, to
the Inchbally road. .

several other clauses, not of public importance, having been pro.
posed and agreed to,
The CHAIRMAN said he should report the Bill.
The next Bill called on was
THE SCOTTISH CENTRAL RAILWAY,

When Mr. CLERK said he wished to submit to the consideration
of the Committee a clause as to the expediency of erecting a station
on the South Inch at Perth. The object of the clause was to re..
strict the powers of the Sc Atish Central Company for making that
particular portion of their line which touched upon the South
Inch, untilithe other proposed railway companies should have come
to some satisfactorS arrangement for having a general central
station. And as the el,gibility of the South Inch was doubtful,
it was impossible to limit for a time the execution of the works.
The clause, after some slight alteration, was agreed to.
Mr. M`NEIL then said he appeared in support of a petition from
the trustees of the Redburn Turnpike-road to introduce a clause
for regulating the amount of compensation to be paid to them.
The clause, however, after some little discussion, was negatived.
The remaining clauses were then proceeded with, and were all
passed.
The Bill was ordered to be reported.

A very lengthy discussion between the Committee and Counsel
ensued as to tho course to be adopted in proceeeding with the Cale.
donian, Clydesdale, and Dumfries and Carlisle. hoes. It was
eventually decided that the Caledonian Railway should be taken
first, then the Dumfries and Carlisle, and lastly, the Clydesdale.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve to morrow.

Group Q.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
The preamble of this line of railway having been proved yester-
day, the several clauses came now to be examined.
On Clause 8 being read over,

Mr. Randall, engineer, was examined by Mr. ROBINSON, at great
length, to prove the safety and practicability with which a bridge
could be constructed over the Menai Strait, at the place stated.
He had no doubt whatever that this was practicable. He also be-
lieved that the mode proposed to be adopted for carry-
ing the railway trains over that—of a circular tube of
nine hundred feet long, stretching from shore to shore, and
,upported in the centre by a pier erected on the Brittania Rock—
was also practicable, and from the mode of its construction, would
in no way interfere with the navigation of the straits.
Mr. Stephenson was next examined, and gave similar
evidence to the last witness. This was the gentleman
w•ho suggested the idea of the iron suspension tunnel, through
which to convey the railway trains, in preference to the ordinary
road way over a suspension bridge. And he explained at
great length and minuteness the practicability and efficiency
with which his plan could be carried out. He considered that a
stone bridge might be more free from vibration, and perhaps more
durable ; but he had some doubts as to the praticability of con-
structing a stone bridge over the Menai Straits, and even if it were
practicable, he considered that the Admiralty would not allow its
construction, from its likelihood to impede the navigation of the
Straits.

-.-.
To_ a question from Mr. Encorr as to whether the
principle of the bridge at Yarmouth, which had lately
by its breaking down caused such a loss of life, was
the same as that erected over the Manai Straits, he replied that
the principle was the same, but there was only one chain ex-
tending over the Bure, Yarmouth, from which the bridge was
suspended, and that in consequence of the increased
traffic which had lately taken place over it, and which
had never been contemplated by its constructors, it had lately be-
Come quite ricketty and insufficient. He thought it quite prac-
ticable to alter and in prove the present Menai-bridge, so as to
afford a safe transit for railway carriages, and this was the mode at
first proposed; but the Government last year would not allow
this, and it was in consequence proposed that the present plan
should be substituted.
General Pasley was next examined, and believed that Mr.
tevenson's plan was practicable and sound in principle, and saw
no reason for dispensing with the suspension chains, after the con.
struction of the iron tubes. He thought, however, that the tubes
would of themselves be sufficiently strong to support railway
carriages with safety.
Sir John Rennie thought the site (a mile below the present Menai
Bridge), was an eligible one, but not having considered Mr. Ste..
phenson's plan, he did not feel himself in a position to pronounce an
opinion upon it.
The room was then cleared, and, after a short consultation, we
found, on our re.admission, that the Committee had agreed to the
clause.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY (No. 2.)

Mr. AUSTIN went at great length into the relations which ex.
isted between the promoters of this line and the directors of the
Birkenhead and Cheater Company, and read the correspond-
ence which had taken place between them in the year 1844,
from which it appeared that an agreement had been
entered into by the Birkenhead Company, to connect
themselves with the promoters of this line shortly after it had
been first proposed, but finding afterwards that they had made a
bad bargain, they sought to rescind the agreement, and to throw
every obstruction in their power against the present undertaking.
The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to.morrow.

Group 00.

YORK AND SCAIMOROUdH RAILWAY DEVIATION.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)

The evidence in this case was resumed.

Mr. J. Stevenson was briefly examined; after which,
Mr. John Hawkshaw was called—ls engineer to the Leeds and
Manchester Railway Company. The crossing proposed by the
promoters would be highly dangerous. Their object would be
carried out by crossing in the manner preposed by the Great
North of England Company, and the advantage would be as great
as crossing on a level. The danger arising from the promoters
crossing would be greater at night than in the day.
Cross-examined by Mr. HOPE—Is engaged on the London and
York Railway; that line proposes to cross the Leeds and Selby
Railway on the level. Believes there is no rivalry between the
Great North of England Company and the York and Scarborough.
There is a rivalry between the London and York and the Leeds
and Selby. The latter Company do not object to the mode of cross-
ing their line.
Mr. Cubit, civil engineer, was of opinion that the promoters
crossing on a level at right angles would be most dangerous to the
traffic of both lines. _

~•~Mr. Hope briefly replied, and the room was then cleared.
After a a short deliberation the parties were called in and in-
formed that the Committee were unanimously of opinion that the
cressing proposed %by the Great North of England Company was
the most advantageous, and the one that should be adopted.
The consideration of the clauses of the Bill was then postponed
to a future day.
THE YORK AND NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY (BRID-

LINGTON BRANCH).
This Bill is to enable the York and North Midland Railway Com-
pany to make a branch railway from the line of the York and Scar.
borough Railway, in the township of Seamer to Bridlington.
Mr. HOPE briefly stated the case for the promoters. The scheme
was opposed by a rival interest, who claimed compensation for
interfering with part of their traffic. The Commissioners
of the Bridlington Piers and Harbour, asked for a clause of indem-
nity. The promoters only interfere with their imports and exports
like any other competing interest, and it was well known that no
compensation had been given to any such interest. He trusted the
Committee would look upon the opponents ie the light of turnpike
and road trustees, who were never compensated.
Mr. Hunts HILL addressed the Committee on behalf of the
Commissioners of the Bridlington Piers and Harbour.
Mr. HOPE replied, and the Committee postponed giving their
judgment till to-morrow.
The Committee rose at Four o'clock.

Group 0.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
Clauses up to 32 (with the exception of clause 20) having been
agreed to, an amendment was proposed by Mr. COCKBURN, on the
part of the Grand Junction, that the Trent Valley Company should
execute the whole of the line between Stafford and Rugby accord-
ing to certain agreements entered into, and to prove which Captain
Huish, and Mr. Swift, the solicitor to the Grand Junction Railway,
were examined, and testified to certain transactions which had
taken place between the Trent Valley and the London and fir.
mingham Railway, which were contended to have broken good
faith with the Grand Junction.
After considerable discussion the clause was amended as pro-
posed.
Clauses 40 to 46 were postponed.

On clause 47, the question of leasing the line and tolls, was
ar;"edill Fsidera ble length.
.0.1.1.01.~