The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-15 00:00:00

AILAVAY COMMITTEES.
ESTEIMAX.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.
THE COI2.NVIALT, matx.wiek.Y.

The Comm,t;ee met at eleven o'clock,

Mr. Kennoh and Mr. Whitby were the first witnesses examined
this morning. Their evidence regarded the value of the land
through which the line passes, and was not of an important
character,

Mr. Whitby was cross.examined by Mr Rows, rot only as re_
gay the value or the land, tut respecting the geu'ogical nature
of the country, and the disadvantages of the line in point of curves.
He thought the curves on the central line were better than on the
Cornwall line.

Mr. MEKRIVALE objected to Mr. Rowe's eliciting evidence in
support of a line which was not before the Committee.

Mr. Rowe said he only wished to show the demerits of the line
before the Committee, but the object on the other side was to shut
out the truth.

An altercation then occurred between the Counsel, and the old
question of the locus standi of the opponents to the Bill was

renewed.

The Committee decided upon allowing the crose-examination to
go on. It was proceeded with accordingly, but nothing material
Was elicited.

Mr. Brown deposed that he valued the land on the Bodmin
branch at 3,550/.

Charles Pearce had conducted the steam ferry-bridge at Tor-
point for upwards of eleven years. He worked from six in the
mornin till half-past nine at night. Was able at all times to
work the bridge. There was very considerable naviga-
tion there. Vessels of ISO tons went up to Morham.
Cross-examined—Collisions had sometimes occurred between
barges and the floating bridges. A lady was drowned on one oc-
casion. but it was from extreme carelessness on the part of the boat
conductors.

In answer to a question from Mr. )ILRaIvaLE, witness said he
thought there would he no difficulty or danger in passing over a
railway train on this floating bridge.

The Marquis of BREADALBANE—Hew long does it occupy you
to cro.s the Hamoaze with a large load ?

Witness—Not more than six or seven minutes.

The CIIAIHMAN—i/o you carry cattle over 7
Witness—Frequently.

The solicitor for the Bill then gave some formal evidence respect •
ing the number and amount of shares. He was cross-examined at
considerable length by Mr. Rowe.
NiVi.ness explained to the Committee a conference which took
place between the promoters of the Bill and the Admiralty, when
it was satisfactrrily arranged that several clauses should be intro-
duced into the Bill which would guarantee against all injurious in-
tent-, retire with the navigation of the Hamoaze.
The Noble CHAIRMAN observed that it would be much better if
the Boards of Admiralty and Ordnance would carry on their corn-
muoicAtions in writing than oral y.

The case for the promoters of the Bill then closed.
The tirst witness called for the opposition to the Bill was J. W.
Tranaine, who stated that the line would pass through his
property and near his residence. Did not think the line a good
one, and further considered that the county was not able to sup-
port two lines. Mr. Locke, the engineer, said it was the most dan-
gerous line he had ever seen, and that a floating-bridge for the
trains was possible, but a contrivance which he would do a great
deal to avoid. Such was witness's opinion likewise. The coast
line would be most difficult, and would cross several deep ravines at
right angle s. The line would cross several rivers.
The witness was cross.examined at great length. He admitted
that population was the strong point in favour of the present Bill.
The line passed through a populous district. But it would be
utterly useless to the corn-growing country of the north. The bridge
at Lostwithiel would be a great nuisance to that town, as passing so
near their principal street. In 1840 and 1841 everybody in Corn-
wall was in favour of the central line, but many of them were now
in favcair of the line before the Committee.

Tim Committee then adjourned tilt to-morrow morning.

WAILErIZILL, PONTEERA.LT, AND GOOLE

RAILWAY.

The Committee on this line (and Tenterden and the Charn) met
at eleven o'clock, in the Court of Common Pleas.
A great number of opponents entered their names against the
Bill; and
Mr. TALBOT opened the case for the promoters. He said that
the construction of this line would confer the greatest advantages
en the eastern counties of England, and particularly on the town
of Goole, which at present was almost destroyed by its
contiguity with its powerful rival Hull, and the disadvantages
under which it laboured in railway communication as compared
with it. The Learned Counsel entered into minute details of
traffic, showing that at Goole the northern coal-fields and the
Yorkshire and Lancashire manufactures would find an admirable
outlet, and that from the connexion with the Manchester and
Leeds Railway, no scheme in England had greater claims on the
public. The Learned Counsel referted also to the petitions of the
Earl of Beverley, a Mr. Smith, of the York and North Midland
Company, and orhers. The It ngth of the line was twenty-seven
mil s, and the cost 363,000/.
Witnesses were then called, and the first, Mr. John Lister, gave
a brief retrospt ct of the rise, progress, and decline of the Goole
trade, in consequence of the superior advantages of the port of Hull.
The tinny thing that could balance those advantages would be the
construction of independent railways, of which this would be one.
There was a counter line proposed by the York and North Midland,
but in his opinion it would confer no benefit upon the tow❑ of
Goole.

Mr. Milnes, M.P. for Pontefract, spoke to the feeling of the
borough in favour of the proposed railway.
Mr. Richard Patten, collector of Customs, furnished a return of
tl.e trade of Goole, from which it appeared that while it had de-
cri a,eit that of Hull had greatly extended.

Mr. l'alk and Capt. Laws gave similar evidence, and their Lord.
ships adjourned shortly before five o'clock.

ox.ronz, WORCESTER, AND 1,1707.VER-

PTON.

The Committee met to-day at eleven o'c!ock, Lord Auckland
in the chair, when the examination of witnesses was resumed,

Mr. Brunel's (civil engineer) examination continued—The Ox-
ford a, d Rugby line was much more favourable than the branch of
the London and Birmingham. The country was very easy, the
severest gradient being only one in 120. The gradients on the corn-
' etiog lines were very severe, the steepest being sane in 1(10. 'With
respect to the break of gusges, he considered Rugby superior to
Oxford, as,the point for Chit purpose. At Rugby several railways
now converged, as, under any circumstances, there would base to
be an unmaking and remaking of the goods trains, the tranship.
nient from the broad to the narrow gauges, or vice versa could be
accomplished with very little additional labsur or expense. The
witness then explained the mode by which the transhipment would
be effected, which has already been fully given in his previous exa-
mination before the House of Commons' Committee.

The witness was cross-examined at some length by Mr. Sergeant
WRANGIIANI, with the purpose of showing that the object sought to
be accompl shed by the present scheme was the construction of a
continuous line of railway to Birmingham, so as to establish direct
competition with the London and Birmingham Railway. The
present lives before the Committee would not effect that direct
communication with Birmingham, but in the event of the
Birmingham and Warwick line being formed, and a proposed
one, of which a prospectus had been published, from Fenny Comp
ton to Warwick, then there would be a direct communication.
These, however, were proposed by companies independent of the
Great Western Company, and the distance from London to Bir-
mingham would then be twelve miles further than by the London
and Birmingham. Still with the superior gauge and engines of the
Great Western Company he admitted that they could take goods
and passengers at a cheaper and quicker rate than the London and
Birmingham. The difference of capital between the present
scheme and the London and Birmingham was nearly a million of
Loney He could not exactly explain the difference of capital, as
the works on the London and Birmingham line were heavier than
hose on the Great Western. The scheme of the former was ten
miles longer than the latter, but this was not sufficient to explain
the difference of the estimates.

Mr. Sergeant WRANGIIAM said he would suggest a course that
would save the time of the Committee, as far as those estimates
v ere concerned. He would furnish Mr. Brunel with a series of
written questions, to which he could furnish answers and explana-
tions, to be afterwards placed before the Committee.
Mr. Brunel had no objection to the course suggested, and it was
accordingly so arranged.
the witness was next cross-examined by counsel on behalf of
Lords Ward and Rcdesdale and the Birmingham Canal Company,
but without leading to any material result.
Mr. Cubitt and Mr. Vignolles, civil engineers, were examined in
corobornion of the evidence of Mr. Brunel. They both certified
as to the ease with which the two sets of rails could be worked on
the same line of railway. With regard to the transhipment of
goods, they considered that it could be effected with dispatch, and
at a most reasonable expense, Mr. Cubitt stating that goods might
be transferred from one gauge to another at a farthing a ton.
After the witnesses were briefly examined on the evidence ad-
duced, the Committee adjourned till to-morrow at eleven o'clock.

WEST LONDON rtAITAWAY LMES.SZ AND

mxTEI:i-57L017.

The Select Committee appointed by the House of Lords to
ascertain the merits of this Bill re.assemblcd, after the adjournment,
this morning, and, at the request of the parties, again adjourned
till Friday.