The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-07 00:00:00

the former than the latter places, on account of the great
difference in their respective traffic. The question of competition
was next commented on at great length. He considered that
private competition between lines ought not to be encouraged,
and cited several instances of its injurious effects, in which amal-
gallons had to take place to prevent ruin. He thought it best for
Government to lay down a general principle regulating traffic,
and quoted an offer made by the London and Birmingham line,
to give guarantees for a permanent reduction of its rate of tolls
for the accommodation of the public.
Mr. Best. an extensive tronmaster in South Staffordshire, was
first called and examined by Mr. Sergeant WIIANOHAM. He knew'
the wants of the district well. It was principally engaged in the
iron trade. There were 145 blast furnaces in the district, of
which 100 were in blast. They made in the district about
468,000 tons of pig iron in the year. The quantity of materials
required to be moved in making this quantity of iron, was about
seven times more than the quarstity of iron produced. These were
coal, iron stone, and lime stone. The existing means of carriage
were canal and road, and they were altogether inefficient. In the canal
which payed through the district there was a tunnel beneath Dudley
castle, which delayed the boats very much in passing. There were
ofwn twenty boats waiting to go through, being detained from the
defective means of propulsion ; only one boat could pass at the
time. The tunnel was about a mile long. He was satisfied that
if improved communisation was offered, many new mines would be
opened up, At present, west of Dudley, many furnaces were
out from the want of a supply of iron stone. The traffic of the
district altogether amounted to many hundred thousand tons,
while there was a great export trade. If the broad guage came into
the district, there would have to be a bleak in the guage in send-
ing goods to be exported. He thought the South Stafford-
group of railways with the narrow
shire scheme (that
rine) would :be preferable, as it would be much more con.
venient in affording small side lines for bringing minerals
into the main lines. There were a number of small coal lines in
the district already in the narrow guage, but if the broad guage
was carried there, these would be useless, or else two sets of car-
riages would be required for the conveyance of minerals, besides
the damage they would suffer in being changed from one set of
carriages to another.
In answer to questions from Mr. Krsossae, who appeared for
the Great Western Company, the witness said he did not know the
w,dth of the gauge on the side lines in the district, but he thought
about 4i feet. The Grand Junction Company had promised them
de lines wherever they would be required.
Mr. WiIITMORE appeared on behalf of the Birmingham Canal
Company against the Grand Junction Extension line, proposed
rom Wolverhampton to Dudley; and
Mr. ALLEN, for Mr. Hook and Mr. Foley, two gentlemen of
property in the district, who were opposed to all the three lines
included in the group.
The two Learned Gentlemen submitted Mr. Best to a lengthened
cross-examination without materially affecting his evidence.
Mr. Wm. Hancock said he was a partner in a large iron works
near Kidderminster. The firm paid from nine to ten 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 tt.e South Staffordshire scheme the best adapted for the
district, as involving less expense 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 body of the line. The reloading would
cau,e 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 hut all to be brought
from the neighbourhood of Dudley and Wolverhampton.
The Committee then adjourned till tomorrow at twelve o'clock.

Group V.
The Committee, the O'Connor Don, Chairman, on the Bills
classed under this group assembled this morning at 12 o'clock, In
the room 19, and the engineering evidence on the Nottingham and
Lincoln line was proceeded with.
The first witness called was
Frederick Swanick, who was joint engineer on the line with Mr.
R. Stevenson ; he stated the cost of the proposed line at 408,0601.,
of which 73,440!. was appropriated to the purchase of land and to
compensation for injury done to property. This would give 12,0001.
for cost per mile, and 47,493/. for roads and bridges. The line
was intended to be above 33 miles in length, and would cross three
turnpike roads and 34 highways.
The witness was cross.examined by Mr. Sergeant CLARKE and
Mr. HILL, Q. C., but nothing materially different from the exami-
nation in chief was elicited.
Thornas HawkesleY, civil engineer, residing In Nottingham,
thought that the level crossing over the Flood road would not be in
the slightest degree inconvenient to the town of Nottingham. Any
other mode of crossing would entail evils of great consequence ;
in fact, any other mode would be attended with such difficulties as
to be almost impracticable.
Win. Carter proved the traffic on the Wilford level crossing over
the Derby and Nottingham line near the latter town. In seven
days' observation he saw 21,000 foot passengers pass, 523 on horse-
back, 83 gigs, 269 carts, and 94 carriages.
Edwin Walter took the traffic on Trent_brige for a week. There
was a very great traffic over the bridge, especially on market days.
John Fox Bell, Secretary to the Midland Railway, said the
Derby and Nottingham Railway had been opened for six years,
and in that time not one single accident had happened at the Wil-
ford crossing. Had such happened he should have heard of it.
William Hutchinson proved the traffic from Gainsborough to
Nottingham, which would in a great degrte come upon this line.
William Liston Sharp gave similar evidence, which the Corn.
ntittee was proceeding with when the Speaker was announced to
prayers.

Group 00.
The Committee reassembled this day at 12 o'clock, in Room
No. 17. Plesent the Right Hon. H. LABOUCHERE, Chairman, Mr.
Divett, Mr. A. Hussey, Lord Ingestrie, ani Mr. G. NV. Heneage.
The procceedings were opened by the Hon. Chairman, who
said, he thought it better to take the postponed clauses in the unop-
posed case of
THE WHITBY AND PICKERING RAILWAY.
Mr. Hudson was called—The tolls proposed to be charged were
the same as those charged on the Syston and Peterborough Rail-

way.
The ClistamAN—You propose by those amended clauses to limit
the luggage of flrst-class passengers to 1001bs. weight. Now, you
also limit the second and third-class passengers in the same ratio to
a smaller amount. In the Syston and Peterborough, the first class
are allowed to take 1501b5., and the second and third class pas-
sengers 1001bs. without charge.
Mr. Huosos had no objection to amend the clause in reference
to luggage. In fact, he would agree to allow the same as the
Syston and Peterborough.
The clauses regulating the tolls and charges were then agreed
to as amended. They are strictly copies of the tolls and charges
In the Syston and Peterborough Railway Bill.
The CHAIRMAN said he would report to the House that the Bill
had been gone through.
The evidence in this case was resumed.
Mr. J. Stephenson was briefly examined ; after which,
Mr. John flawksbaw was called— Is engineer to the Leeds and
Manchester Railway Compaky. The crossing proposed by the
promoters would be highly dangerous. Their object would be
carried out by crossing In the manner proposed by the Great
North of England Company, and the advantage would ►e 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 ia a rivalry between the London and York and the Leeds
and Selby. The Litter Company do not object to the mode of cross-

ing their line.
Mr. Cubitt, civil engineer, was of opinion that the promoters
Crossing on a level at right angles would be must 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
creasing proposed thy 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 3 future day.
THE YORK AND NORTH MIDLAND RAILWAY (BRID-

Act of Parliament, which had been framed in the reign of James
11., and the tolls were levied on all cattle and goods going over 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 9.001. A 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 corn.
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
keepii.g 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 all their
carrier trains, which would occasion great inconvenience and delay
to the public.
After farther considerable discussion,

The CMAIRMAN said that the Committee had decided the clauses
should not stand part of the Bill, and they recommended that some
arrangement or adjustment should he made between the parties.
Mr. Burke, the Parliamentary agent, having introduced a clause
for regulating the rna:cmum rate of charges on the Campsie
branches, and other clauses,
Mr. MAXWELL rose, and said 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 for, but, in the present case, that enactment was not
sufficiently specific to meet the urgency of the demand. "I he
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 satisfied with 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 Scottish Central Company for making that
particular portion of their line which touched upon the South
Inch, until the other proposed railway companies should have come
o some satisfactory arrangement for having a general central
- And as the el;gibility of the South Inch was doubtful,
was impossible to limit for a time the execution of the works.
The clause, after some slight alteration, was agreed to.
Mr. M`Nett. 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 the course to be adopted in proceeeding with the Cale.
donian, Clydesdale, and Dumfries and Carlisle lines. 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.

station,