The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-07 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(YESTERDAY.)

GROUP A.

LONDON, CHATHAM, AND NORTH KENT

R.ll ZL %V Y.

The Committee met this morning at the usual hour, when,
Mr. MERREWETHER addressed the Committee on the part of the
Messrs. Hatblock, tanners, at Bermondsey. He called several
witnesses to prove the injury which the line would do to their
premises, but the Committee gave their opinion that no ease was
made out by Mr. Merrewether against the line.

Mr. CORBETT called the attention of the Committee to the po.
sition of Lord Dartmouth, and called the following witnesses to
prove the injury which would be done to his estate, and to the
public by the proposed line.

Mr. Simms, civil engineer, bad examined the part of Lord Dart-
mouth's estate at Blackheath which the line would pass through.
A tunnel would pass under, or nearly under, several wells on various
parts of the estate. One well was lg feet above the level of the
rails. The soil there was formed of sand and gravel. The rail-
way would have the effect of draining the land and making It very
porous, and might perhaps cause a settlement. The wells would
certainly be dried up.

Mr. Sergeant SHEA cross-examined the witness for the purpose
of proving that if a water company were established, Lord Dart-
mouth would be likely to have pipes laid down to supply the upper
part of his house, even if the wells were not meddled with, and that
the expense of laying down pipes would be a fit subject of compen-
sation.

Mr. Thomas Parker, steward of the manor of Willesham, proved
that Lord Dartmouth had the power of inclosing a great portion of
Blackheath-common, but is at present unwilling to do so; that if
the proposed raitwaay were formed his Lordship would be obliged
to inclose it, and that his doing so would greatly lessen the enjoy.
ment of the public.

Mr. BOTIL appeared on behalf of Mr. Wildman, whose estate at
Chilliam the railway would pass through, and called
Mr. Thurston and Mr. Wildman to prove the beauty of the
neighbourhood of Mr. Wildman's estate, and the injury that would
be done by the line to the inhabitants of Chilham.
Mr. Bovic, having concluded the case on the part of Mr. Wild.
man, was about to proceed with the examination of tha witnesses
from Feversham, whe❑

Mr. Sergeant SHEA objected on the ground that the petitioners
were not landowners. Fe (Mr. Sergeant Shea) could prove that
this petition was paid for by the South-Eastern Railway Company.
After a short discussion the Committee decided in favour of Mr.
Sergeant Shea's objection.

Mr. ALEXANDER requested permission to reserve his case on the
part of certain landowners.

The Committee having agreed to Mr. Alexander's request, ad•
journed over to Monday next.

GROUP AA.

TEE GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN
(IRELAND).
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. BunKE observed that it was a hard case on the Great
Southern and Western to be prevented from making the branch
line in question. When made, it was as much for the benefit of the
Limerick and Waterford Company as the Great Southern and Western
The room was then cleared, and the Committee, after ten mi.
nutes' consideration, decided that i❑ the event of the Limerick
and Waterford Bill being rejected, the Great Southern and
Western should be at liberty to make a branch line from the town
of Tipperary to Limerick.

Mr. BurtHE suggested that it ought to be understood that the
Linicrck and Waterford promoters should be obliged to go on with
their Bill, as they might withdraw it this session.

The CHAIRMAN then suggested that it would be expedient to in_! troduce the words, " be repeated this session or next." which
being inserted, the clause was agreed to.
The next clause was as to the use of stations and the purchase
of land for stations. It was agreed that the regulations of the
stations should be left to the engineers, Sir John M`Neill and Mr.
Vigr•.olles. The next clause was to limit the Limerick and Water-
ford Company to the completion of the railway in a period of
three years. The next clause was that the regulation of the rent
of the branch railway shares be mutually borne by the respective
companies, and to be regulated, in case of disagreement, by a com-
petent person appointed by the Board of Trade. The next clause
was that the rent of the branch line could not be changed but every
five years. The next and last clause was as to the regula-
tion of the accounts on the part of the Great Southern
and Western Company.

Mr. PUNSONBY then proposed several clauses on the part of the
promoters of the Limerick and Waterford Railway Company, which
met with but little opposition from the Southern or Western
Company, chiefly as to the regulation of the stations and
traffic on the branch line. The report being handed in,
the Chairman was directed to report this Bill to the House with
its amendments.

LIMERICIL AND WATERFORD RAILWAY.
The clauses of this Bill met with no opposition, and the report
of the Bill being handed in, the Chairman was directed to report
to the House this Bill, with its amendments.

GROUP 88.