The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-21 00:00:00

Group DD.

GLASGOW, DUMFRIES, AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.
On the re-assembling of the Committee this morning, at half-past
eleven, the examination of witnesses was resumed by
Sir T. PHILLIPS calling Mr. Gordon, writer at Dumfries, but his
examination had scarcely been commenced, when
Mr. Gaeta addressed the Committee, saying that he had been
given to understand he had no locus standi before them to
oppose the Glasgow and Carlisle Railway on behalf of the Carlisle
Canal Company, and he wished to know what was the decision of
the Committee on the subject.

The CIIAIRNIAN said that Mr. Greig was not competent to be
heard, as the standing orders had not been complied with. The
petition of the Carlisle Canal Company ought to have been pre-
sented to Parliament three clear days before the meeting of the
Committee, and this had not been done.

The examination of Sir. Gordon was then proceeded with. It
appeared from his evidence that the aggregate amount of goods
imported into Dumfries annually, on an average of four years, was
7,804 tons. The quantity of goods exported during the same in-
terval averaged 3,870 tons each year. The traffic of the town is
principally carried en by one steam vessel from Dumfries
and two from Annan, • and by small sailing vessels
from both places. The steamers convey the majority of passengers,
and all the live stock are imported in them. The merchandise to
Liverpool and the west coast was usually conveyed by sailing ves-
sels, but sometimes steamers were employed for that purpose, and
it vvAs recently in contemplation to have a vessel of considerable
power appointed to the Dumfries station. The aggregate receipts of
stea,i,ers during four y ears was 184,923/. The navigation of the river
islith was very difficult and uncertain, and it was frequently found
necessary to land passengers and cattle because the vessel could
not leave the river, owing to the obstacles which the sand pre-
sented. He considered that a large portion of the passengers would
prefer going by railway, if one existed, and a considerable amount
of the goods and cattle would also find their way on the rails,
and generally very large traffic would be diverted to
the railway if it were made. An extensive cattle market
was held weekly in Dumfries. The number of cattle exposed for
sale in the market last year amounted to 218,041 heads. The
quantity that passed through Dumfries, without being sent to the
fair, was 9,345, and about air equal number were conveyed through
the river to England. A very large pig market existed also at
Dumfries, and the aggregate number of pigs annually sold there
was 14,099, which, taking the average weight of each pig at
13 stone, would give a total result of 183,287 stone ;
and the revenue derivable from this source averaging the price per
stone at 4s. 9d , would be 43,530/. The Caledonian line would
alTord no facility fur conveying the pig traffic from Dumfries to
Annan. It would take it to Carlisle, but only by a circuitous and
inconvenient route. The number of live pigs that were exposed
for sale during the last year was 7,749. There was a
large carpet manntaetory at Sanquhar, near Dumfries,
which produced each year on the average 1,000 pieces, of
the value of 10,0001., and all these would be conve)ed by way of
Dumfries to Edinburgh and Glasgow if a convenient mode of
transit existed. From the statistical statement which he had sup-
plied to Mr. ArCulloch it appeared that the total revenue received
in 1636 by the manufacturers it) the neighbourhrod of Dumfries
was 70,0001., but this sum of later years had been considerably in.
creased,—(The witness then read an extract from the ilia 08