The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-30 00:00:00

estimated at 4s. 6d. per ton, The road between Wigan and
Bolton was very bad,

Mr. CilldWeil, a Eorn merchant, in Wigan, stated that he im-
ported a larger quantity of grain than any other merchant in
Wigan. The bulk of the flour and grain consumed in Wigan
was Irish produce. Sold 300 sacks per week ; 2,000
sacks of flour and wheat were weakly consumed in Wigan-12,000
or 3,000 tons per year. Got most of the corn from Ireland, from
Drogheda to Lytham, and thence it was brought by the Leeds and
Liverpool. The cost of transporting goods by that dila-
tory route of eight or ten days was 12s, per ton. Sometimes the
transit of goods from Drogheda to Wigan occupied
three weeks. The insurance was about Is. 6d. per
ton. The route by Preston would cost 16s. 10d.; that by the
Leeds and Liverpool cam! from Liverpool was 14s. 7d. ; and that
by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway tvas the taint. Ttity
could import goods by the Liverpool and BUty line, as projected,
as. 6d. less per ton than by either of the last-mentioned
modes of conveyance. The carriage by the projected line
wnuld be much more expeditious than by any of the
others. The cost of carting grain and flour from Wigan to Bolton,
was Os. 6d. der ton. Wigan had considerable natural advantages
over Liverpool in the way of corn-grinding, for the corn which
was groond by engine at Liverpool was done by Wigan coal. If
the projected line were carried out, he thought there would be an
increase of mills there. The present railway communication be-
tween Liverpool and Wigan was subject to considerable delay.
The cost of Railway from Wigan to Bolton was Os. BJ. per ton. If
the line were carried out, traffic would be much extended between
the towns at which it touched. There would be a saving of 4s.
per ton between Wigan and Bolton by the projected line. There
would be a great saving effected in the importation of Irish produce.
Mr. Ormrod, living between Hindley and Bolton, miller and
corn merchant—Agreed entirely with the last witness as to the in.
efficiency of the present line of communication between Bolton
and Wigan, and the desirableness of the projected line. At the
Parkside station in Liverpool carts of wheat were so much delayed
there, that the wheat actually sprouted in tne sack. The delay in-
volved great loss and inconvenience. The rate of carriage was
about being raised on the Liverpool and Manchester line.
Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS cross-examined this witness, who admitted
that there was not at present much trede between Wigan and
Bolton.

At the dose of this cross.examiriation, the Committee rose, it
being past four o'clock.

GROUP N.

COIZNIXTALL RAILWAY.
At the sitting of the Committee, the cross.exaraination of
Captain Moorsom,' by Mr. Rowe, was resumed—He was first exa.
mined with respect to the Falmouth terminus, at Green.bank
Wharf. Steamers came close to the wharf, and goods could be
conveyed to the trains with much facility. That would be a most
convenient part of the town, when the proposed docks were con-
structed. Penryn Creek, where it would be necessary to have
embankments, was about nineteen chains across at high water.
The Learned Counsel said he should put this question to the
witness—What is the length of the viaduct across Penryn Creek?—
when the Committee (who were looking at the map), gave him
their attention.

The CHAIRMAN desired him to proceed.
Mr. Rowe said the question was a most important one, and he
should defer putting it until the Committee had examined the spot
on the map to which his question referred. It was necessary that
he should have their attention.

The CHAIRMAN repeated that he had their attention. Were
they not to refer to the map to form an opinion on matters of im-
portance to the public ?
Mr. Rowe submitted that it would be better to put the
question after the Committee had inspected the map.
The CHAIRMAN again repeated that the Committee were attend-
ing to the examination of the witness. The remark which Mr.
Rowe had made was quite uncalled for, it was not his province
to direct the conduct of the Committee.

Colonel ROLLESTON said, if such conduct were repeated, he
should move that they proceed to the consideration of the preamble.

Mr. DEN ISON said they were the guardians of the public inte.
rests and of the public time, and he should feel it his duty to in.
terfere if so much tisne was wasted, or if similar conduct was pur-
sued towards them.

The witness then said the viaduct would be 500 feet in length.
He could not say whether the Admiralcy had given their assent or
not to the construction of the viaduct. In 1840 he projected a
line which would have avoided Penryn Creek, but subsequently he
had improved his plan, and had laid the proposed line as crossing
it. The terminus proposed to be erected on the Mylor side, in the
event of the Admiralty not consenting to ;he construction of the
viaduct and docks, would run some distance into the creek on
an incline of I in 60, and would offer no obstacle to the
shipping, nor would it be liable to produce accidents to those
employed in connexion with it. At Troon River, which they
cross by a viaduct, the average tides the distance across was 113
yards. He had never seen vessels " beat" up there. The height
of the arch from the clear at high water was seventy feet, and at
low water eighty feet. The river at Lostwithiel would be crossed
by a bridge without arches. It might prevent access to some
small houses in the vicinity, but if it were found objectionable to
cross the river at that spot they would alter the course of the
line within the limits of deviation, and would not entail
much additional expense, passing not more than the
crossing of the river as laid down in the plan.
This alteration of the course of the line would cause a radius of
seventeen mains. At Polbathie they would have a drawbridge
three hundred feet in length—the height at high water would be
four feet six inches. Some vessels came up for whitestone, which
would have to be towed or warped. Cheviot and Trevol creeks
would also be crossed by viaducts. At Torpoint they would not
interfere with house property. The distance across the ferry was
about six hundred yards. Vessels in ordinary anchored there.
The fiag.ship of the Admiralty Commissioner laid about a mile
below.

Mr. DENtsoN, a Member of the Committee, said if the examina-
tion referred to matters on which the Admirrity had to decide, he
should object to the course which Mr. Rowe was pursuing.

Mr. ROWE said he proposed to show by the examination of
Captain Moorsom, that the bridge itself and the electrical telegraph
would be exposed to considerable danger, by ships getting their
anchors fouled in the chains of the floating bridge.

The Committee assented, and the examination of Capt. Moorsen,
which the Committee had frequently interrupted, on the ground
that Mr. Rowe was guilty of irregularity with respect to the topics
on which besought to rest his testimony, was resumed. He said, the
present boat (which is a very ingenious contrivance for the con.
veyance of general traffic across the Hamoaze, being moved by
chains worked by a windlass) would be sufficient for the
purposes of the railway. Vessels dragging their anchors might
get them fouled in the chains, but he had not heard of any serious
inconvenience resulting from them. The electrical telegraph would
be worked in an iron tube, which would be kept free from damp,
lying at the bottom of the water. The ordinary passage was effected
in six or seven minutes. When they arrived at the opposite
side, the arranging of the carriages would not occupy
more than a minute. The present boat would hold six
of the Great Western carriages. They would have stronger
chains if it were possible to obtain them. It had
not been finally arranged whether the engine should be shipped or
not, because on so important a point he should not come to a deter-
mination until the very latest moment which might be allowed for
him to do so. It would not take any time to disengage the
engine, as she would tun on while the traits advanced.
In 1540 he reported to the County Committee against carrying a
railway across that part of the Hamoaze. Since that time he had
had a good deal of experience in that part of the country, and was
now in favour of it. if the South Devon Railway, which
had supported the proposed railway in every way, had not been in
existence, the whole features of the scheme would be changed. The
weight of the rails would be 561hs. The witness was then examined
as to the permanent way, the power and cost of the engines, the
electrical telegraph, and cngine.housts, which merely bore out the
estimate which he yesterday gave in evidence, and which appeared
at length in the afternoon edition of The Sun. There would be
40 engines, at a cost of 1,0001. each, and 40 stations on the line.
With respect to the Bodmin branch, they must construct the line
at the back of Lord Vivian's mansion at Glyn, at an impractl.
cab le expense, and without answering the objects for which the
line was proposed. Other lines must be constructed, but there
were great obstacles to all :--in some instances they would have to
make a tunnel beneath the town of Bodmin; other spots would
also present great difficulties, not only with respect to gradients,
but in expense.
The Committee then adjourned until to.morrow.