The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-12 00:00:00

SOUTHPORT AND EUXTON BRANCH.

Mr. Sergeant KINGLAKE appeared in support of this branch.
The object of the Bill, he said, was the formation of a line of rail-
way passing from the North Union Railway, at Euxton, along the
Preston line to Southport, touching at Rufford. Southport was
a great bathing place, and was greatly used as such by the inhabi-
tants of Manchester, besides the communication between South-
port and Rochdale, Preston, Burnley, Bradford, Leeds, and in short
with all the first towns of Yorkshire and Lancashire. Southport
was a town of modern growth, having grown up within forty years,
and contained about 8,000 inhabitants. The Board of Trade had
suggested the postponement of this Bill, but it had not then con-
templated the formation of the Liverpool and Bury line, which had
been sanctioned by the Committee, and which entirely altered the
case. The line was only fourteen miles long, and went from Euxton
to Southport by the shortest possible route.

Mr. James Lees, a merchant in Manchester, stated that the po.
pulation of Southport had of late years rapidly increased. A great
deal of money had been recently expended in making promenades,
baths, building hotels, &c. The people of Manchester were in favour
of the project, and the physicians recommended bathing as
very salubrious. The people of Southport were about to apply
for police and to have the town lighted by gas. The present dis-
tance from Southport to Euxton was twenty-two miles, and the
journey from Manchester was very tedious and unsuited to invalids
The line would accommodateßlackburn, Bolton, Rochdale, Burnley,
Hayward, Leeds, Bury, and all that district on the east side of
the North Union Railway. The present route from Manchester to
Stockport occupied four hours—by the projected one people could
travel in two. Saving of time was a great object to a mercantile
community like that of Manchester. A double line of railway from
Euxton to Southport would cost about 150,0001 , could be com.
p:eted in twelve months, and was free from any engineering diffi.
culties.

Mr. CALvERT appeared on behalf of the Lee, Preston, and Orme.
kirk Railway Company, and was about to cross-examine the wit.
nesses, when

Mr. Sergeant KINGLAKE objected to his appearance, as they were
not competing lines.

Mr. CkLVERT replied, and

_ .
The Commyrrce decided that Mr. Calvert had a right to be
heard, and the Learned Counsel proceeded to cross.examine the
witness.

A person dressed in black came forward and said he was the
Rev. John Williams; he had sent in a petition and wished to cross-
examine the witness as to one matter he had stated, viz., that
about a month ago he had seen fifty or sixty people at Euxton who
had been travelling on to Southport.
The CHAIRMAN granted the permission.
The witness, in answer to questions from Mr. Williams, said
that he did not know whether the public.house would be injured
ten go i
sentrogtmthentpuKticctoKuLe.
by the line or not, as out of the fifty or sixty travellers who stopped
a while at Euxton on that
slay, be had not seen more than nine or
Is not that a beer-shop ? Witness—
I believe it is.
liavkLitTneossw—hoi m believe
ea ve
is t o.
boons
IVitness--To
Mr. Sergeant KINGLAIER—A barn that had been turned
into
sear
Sergeant er. sKh ouic
p