The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-02 00:00:00

GROUP AA.

WATERFORD AND LIMERICK RAILWAY.
The Committee on this group assembled at twelve o'clock—pre-
sent,:Mr. Henley (chairman), Mr. Glynn, the Marquis of Granby,
and another Hon. Member.
Mr. Sergeant WRANGLIAII opened the case for the promoters of
this line.

On his conclusion,
Mr. ALEXANDER applied to be allowed to appear in opposition
to the Bill on the part of the Great Southern and Western Corn-
pany. His ground of application was that an agreement which
had been entered into between the two parties—the prosecutor and
his clients—had been violated.
Sergeant WnLsGIIAM resisted this application, contending that
the applicants bad no locus slandi before the Committee.
Upon this question the room was cleared.
(Lair IlTTINI.)

C
LXV3E,PO AND nURY
The Committee resumed at the usual hour this morning, Sir C.
Lemon in the chair.
The first witness examined was Mr. T Taylor, an extensive
cotton.spinner, residing in Wigan, who stated that the present cost
of sending goods to Liverpool was Ss. Pd. per ton., including cartage;
by the proposed railway it would be ss. exclusive of cartage—with
cartage;7B. Most of the machinery used at the Wigan mills was
made at Bolton. There were a great many manufacturers of ma-
chinery at Bolton, but none in Wigan. The roads between
Wigan and Bolton were so hilly, that, though they were
only ten miles distant, it occupied a day in carting
goods from one place to the other. He principally
hired carts, paying at the rate of 6s. SI per ton. If the new line
were made it would be only 2s. 3d. If the projected line were
made, the traffic between Wigan and Bolton would be greatly in-
creased. There was a large agricultural district lying on the line
projected. Farmers would be greatly benefited by the projected
line ; and in respect to passengers, lie thought there would be a
great number of third-class passengers. The saving both in time
and money would be very great to the people of Bolton and Wigan.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS—Had been in the
cotton business for nine years. Had been a tanner, and did not
manufacture anything merely spun. Would as soon send twist by
railway as by canal. Obtained machinery from Bolton as well as
from Bury. The cost per ton, for machinery from Bolton, was at
present Gs. Bd. When he said the cost of goods by railway
would be 9.e. 3d. per ton, he did not include any extra charges, but
merely the railway tonnage. The distance between Liverpool and
Wigan was twenty-four miles by the present line of communica-
tion, and by the projected line it would be lessened to 18.
Re-examined by Mr. HARDY— It was of great importance to get
cotton.twist expeditiously. This railway would afford cheaper
conveyance than any other. The opinion of the people was divided
in favour of the projected line. Might have slightly over-stated the
distance between Liverpool and Wigan half a mile or so.
To the COMMITERE—Cotton-twist did not suffer by railway car-

riage.
The next witness examined was Mr. Richard Pennington, a
cotton-spinner at Hindley. He said—The distance from Hindley
to Wigan was three miles, and to Bolton seven miles. These
towns lay very close by the projected line of railway. The popu-
lation of Hindley is about 5,500. That population is chiefly em-
ployed in the manufacture of cotton, and in working at the col-
lieries. I employ about 400. I employ steam.engines of 100
horse power. The amount of cotton spun at Hindley per
annum is about 2,000 tons. The cotton is nearly all
brought from Liverpool. We obtain it chiefly by the
Leeds and Liverpool canal—from Liverpool it is taken
to Leigh, and thence carted to Hindley. The distance
by this route from Liverpool is about 44i miles. The canal
charge is ss. per ton, the cartage from Leigh 2s. per ton, so that
the total coast from Liverpool to Hindley is about 7s. per ton, ex-
clusive of cartage and porterage at Liverpool. By the projected
line the distance would be limited to about twenty miles. The
new line would pass close to Hindley.
(I,IIIT airmen.)

GROUP L.
PORTSMOUTH ATMOSPHERIC MINE.
The Committee on group L sat this morning on the atmospheric
line to Portsmouth. Present, Mr. E. B. Denison in the chair; Mr.
Oswald, Lord Clive, Mr. R. M. Milnes, and Mr. Vyvian.
The Hon. Mr. TsLaor, Q.C., opened in favour of the promoters,
and in:the course of his observations stated that if there had been a
more important string of towns to which for the first time the South.
Western Company were about to give the benefit of railway com-
munication, he could not for a moment pretend to contend with the
right they claimed to supply the two important ports of Southamp-
ton and Portsmouth with their transit to London, but such was not
the case, and it was evident that if the South-Western Company
obtained their line they would provide but an inefficient line and
deprive their shareholders of a portion of their revenues, as the
return on the Portsmouth line must be an abstraction of the re-
turns from the line to Southampton. If two means of convey-
ance, however, were established, there would be all the advantages
which could possibly be derived by the public, while neither of the
companies could possibly be injured. In addition to this, the pro-
posed line directly to Portsmouth introduced a new principle, which
all allowed to be of the utmost importance if it were available. The
bugbear of amalgamation, however, could not here affect
the question, because the proposed line must go through the
lands of several companies. By the establishment of the atmos-
pheric line, there would moreover not only be the benefit of com-
petition but the advantages of the testing of a new principle of the
highest importance. The expense of constructing a double
line of atmospheric railway was undoubtedly greater than the
construction of a single locomotive line, but equally undoubted
was it that it was not superior, even if it were equal to the con-
struction of a double locomotive line. The expense of working
an atmospheric line was far less than that of a locomotive line, and
in proportion as the trade increased the cost of transit was reduced.
The first expense was greater, but the po Ner was concentrated, and the
interest of the Company was evidently to increase the number of
trains. It was, therefore, intended that the Company should make
their trains as numerous as possible. On the locomotive lines it
was the interest of the Company to attach as many carriages, whe-
ther of passengers or goods, as they could to one train, so as to re-
duce their expenditure. An instance of this was given lately by
the London and Birmingham Railway Company, who had refused
passengers, except by their usual trains, while, on the other hand,
it will be to the benefit of the Atmospheric Railway Company to
send as few passengers, even as few as ten, by one train. By
the report of the Select Committee on the atmospheric principle,
it appeared that that principle was, except at the
crossing places, both safer and cheaper. In another place they
came to the decision that the cost was in all respects cheaper ; and
in deciding on competing lines of railway, it was always to be re-
membered that it should not be held to be an objection to an at-
mospheric line, simply because the gradients on that line were too
severe to be overcome by a locomotive train. lie was prepared to
call the same witnesses as had been examined before the Select
Committee.

(11.17 T SITTINC

GROUP S.

This Committee re-assembled this morning at twelve o'clock
Mr. J. S. Wortley in the chair.

LONDONDERRY AND COLERAINE
RAILWAY.

On the sitting of the Committee the opposition of Mr. Dimsdale
was withdrawn, the Committee having intimated that he could not
appear agalcst the preamble and the estimate.
The case in support of the Bill was then proceeded with.
Mr. JAMES, for the promoters, called Mr. J. Gibb, C.E., who
stated that the proposed embankment of Lough Foyle was perfectly
practicable, and could be done within the estimate. He had had
much experience in draining seas and lakes in Holland, and was,
therefore, competent to judge of the proposed works.
Major Scott, who resided on the banks of Lough Foyle, gave evi-
-1 dence in favour of the proposed line, which he said would be of
great advantage to the district through which it would pass.
Mr. John Rennie gave evidence as to the increasing trade of
Coleraine. The trade since IS2el had doubled.

(LEFT irrriNG.)

GROUP V.

GROUP W.

_ .._ .
Mr. James Smith was called, and stated that he valued the land
which had been reclaimed from Lough Foyle at 3/. an acre per
annum.

Mr. Samuel Eason, a land-surveyor at Newtown Linivady, was
called, and said that the land to be reclaimed Irom the lough was
worth, in his opinion, 25 years' purchase.
Mr. Samuel Hemming, contractor for public works, proved that
the embankments could be made within the estimates.

Mr. James Beadle, a surveyor, of London, gave similar evidence.
Mr. Lanyar, the engineer of the proposed line, was called—
The cost of the line over the embankment would be 14,0001. a
mile.

The Committee met this day and proceeded to hear the further
cross examination of Mr. Cope, which had been adjourned from
the Saturday evening, on the subject of the traffic tables. The
witness was questioned at great length us to his details, but without
in the slightest degree causing him to alter the substance of his
tables.
Mr. Skidmore, an accountant and assistant in the formation of
the tables to the last witness, was examined by Mr. BAINES, and
stated that he had placed men on different stations of the intended
and neighbouring lines, and he was satisfied from daily examination
that the returns given were correct. He afterwards assisted Mr.
Cope in making them up.
Mr. Gibbs, C.E., was called, and examined by Mr. AD:►AI—He
had examined the line, and thought the proposed one the very
best line that could be laid out. He had examined the estimates,
including the permanent way, and he thought them correct. The
length of the line was 12 miles 1 furlongs. The gradient de.
scending into Sheffield would be a severe one, but as the bulk of
the waggons would descend it, it would be of the less consequence.
The steepest gradient was 1 in SO, and that was only for a length
of 14 miles. The viaduct into Sheffield he thought constructed in
the best possible manner, but he could not give an opinion as to
the value of the property beside it.
(Lair SITTING.)