The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-17 00:00:00

t was clear, if the opposition of the Admiralty continued against
the making of the proposed bridge across the Severn, that the
intentions of the railway company as regarded Standish could not
be carried out, and therefore it would necessarily follow that the
consent of the Committee could not be given in the preamble.
In the opening harangue of Mr. Austin he had observed that
considerable difficulty had been experienced on this subject, and
even had gone so far as to say that supposing the line could not
be continued to Standish, it was still desirable to have railway
communication to Chepstow. The Learned Counsel then shortly
adverted to the various lines which had appeared in the course of
evidence as preferable to the route laid down by the South Wales
Company, and also briefly commented on the inadequacy
of the estimates for the construction of the proposed line. He con.
eluded by calling on the Committee not to allow the preamble of
the Bill to pass.
Sir Walter Riddle withdrew the opposition on the part of Colonel
Lewis to the Bill, a satisfactory arrangement having been arrived at
between him and the promoters of the railway.
After a few words from Mr. DAVIS, on behalf of Sir T. C. Bovey
and the Rev. Mr. Jones, the opposition against the line having
been brought to a conclusion, the room was ordered to be cleared.
On our return

The CHAIRNIAN said the Committee were of opinion that it was
unnecessary to trouble the Counsel for the Bill to make a reply, as
they were unanimous in thinking that the preamble of the Bill
had been proved.
After some desultory conversation between the Committee and
Counsel, as to the method in which the opposed clauses should be
proceeded with, the Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow.

GROUP PP.
MIDDLESEOROUGH AND REDCAR
RAILWAY.

This Committee met at half-past three o'clock, the Hon. Eliot
Yorke in the chair.

The preamble of the Bill being proved, the clauses of the Bill
were gone through without opposition, and the Chairman was
directed to report to the House that it passed with its amendments.

GROUP SS.

COVENTRY, BEDWORTH, AND NUNEATON

RAILWAY.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

Mr. Shailor, an int keeper, at Nuneaton, signed a petition against
the railway under precisely similar circumstances.
Mr. Edward Phillips, a land valuer, of Whitmore Park, near
Coventry, proved that the railway would require sixty acres of
land, which he estimated would cost 14,0001., including the
severance. This sum was for ninety years' purchase.
Mr. Banbury, Secretary to the Company, proved that the num-
ber of shares subscribed for was 3,574, being equal to 89,3501.
The amount of deposits already paid was 4,4671.

Mr. PARKES here intimated that he was authorised to state that
the London and Birmingham Company were prepared to take a
lease in perpetuity of the line, but the terms had not been fixed on.
Mr. DANIEL, before entering upon his opposition, wished the
Committee to draw from Mr. Parkes the fact that the London and
Birmingham Company had agreed to take a lease of the proposed
railway, on the condition that the promoters were prepared to aban-
don a portion of their line. If this were the case, the nature of
his opposition would be materially altered.

The CHAIRMAN remarked that there was no witness before them
who had spoken to the point, and of course there was no one to
whom they could put the question.
Mr. DANIEL replied that under these circumstances it would be
his duty to call evidence to prove that it would be a greater public
advantage if the proposed railway struck off to the westward in-
stead of the eastward of Coventry.

Mr. William Willis Bailey, who was well acquainted with the
mineral districts of Coventry and Nuneaton, had been over the
proposed line from Coventry to Bulkington, between which places
the collieries dipped to the west, but on the east many of the
collieries were already exhausted, and others were of a very inferior
character. The land between Longford and Bulkington
was in a sinking state, and it was highly natural that the railway
should run to the west instead of to the east. There were extensive
collieries working towards the west region, if he might be allowed
the term, or main bed of coal, but on the east side the collieries were
chiefly exhaust^d. The proposed railway would afford an accom-
modation to the collieries he had just mentioned. There were also
tome important lime works on the west side, but none on the east.
Mr. George Starkie, ground.bailiff to Bedworth colliery, con-
firmed the testimony of the last witness.

On cross-examination, he admitted that the bulk of the iron.
stone was raised on the east side of the proposed railway.

Mr. John Sinclair, engineer to the Coventry Canal, said the
bulk of the population on the proposed railway resided to the west
of the line. A railway to the east would therefore afford very
little accommodation to them. The witness also spoke to the
sinking of the land between Longford and Bulkington. Within
his own time it had sunk twenty.one feet, and was still sinking.
At one point since November last it had sunk two feet, and that
point joined the proposed line of railway. A railway takinga west-
wardly direction would better serve the wants of the mining in.
terest, and in fact the population at large. He had prepared the
plans and sections for such line for the use of the Coventry Canal
Company, and these plans and sections could be easily made avail-
able, because they were in every way complete.
On cross-examination he said he received no particular instruc-
tions from the Canal Company to prevent him from carrying the
line eastward of the turnpike-road. His instructions were of a
very general nature, and he was to make out what he thought
would be the best line for the district. He had made three-tram
roads, but had never made or laid out a locomotive line. The line
he had marked out would cross two turnpike roads by
bridge and three on the level. The canal of which he was the en-
gineer was of two meandering a nature to afford sufficient accora.
modalion to all the traffic of the district. It was evidently con.
structed with a view of accommodating the mineral interest.
It being announced that the Speaker was at prayers, the Com-
mittee adjourned till to-morrow.