The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-27 00:00:00

stated their case. The railway was intended to supply inland
communication to a densely peopled district, which was now al.
most destitute of that accommodation. Since the great increase
of steam navigation on the river, and the establishment of the
railways passing through Kent, there had been a great decline of
coach conveyance on,the high-pad. So much so, that in the last few
years 70 coaches had been taken off the road between London and
Gravesend, and great inconvenience was felt by the very crowded
population cf the towns through which the propcsed railway was
designed to pass. The measure was opposed by the South-Eastern
Company, who came forward with their project to supply the de-
ficiency only after the prospectus of the North Kent Company
was published, having for the ten years of their
existence neglected to do anything for that purpose.
However, this project was brought out so hastily that it remained
still only a project, as the Standing Orders Committee were una-
ble to sanction it. But the Committee of the Board of Trade—a
tribunal of which he would not speak otherwise than with deep re-
spect—reporting in favour of both lines, gave the preference
to the South-Eastern, on the ground that they possessed
already an available income, which was a security for the
proper execution of this additional plan. He did not know where
that available income was to be found; for he believed that just
before the present Bill was offered to the House of Commons, the
South-Eastern Company gave a dividend of ten shillings per share.
He could scarcely admit that this was an income upon an outlay
of threw millions, so large and so available as to
form by itself a sufficient ground of preference over a company
which had the whole of its capital subscribed, and was entirely
free from debts, debentures, and other embarrassments. The
Learned Gentleuaan then read at length the report of the Board of
Trade respecting the rival companies, and assured the Com-
mittee that he should be able to prove that the Board was mistaken
in supposing the two plans were substantially the same.
There was a most important difference in the mode in which they
were to' 'cart y their roads across the Medway. The South-Eastern
plan would interfere with the navigation of the river, and would
greatly injure property, with which the plan of the North Kent,
carefully and successfully avoided to interfere. The Learned Ser-
geant then went into a detailed comparison of the plans, and con-
cluded at four o'clock, by expressing his confidence, that upon
hearing the evidence, the Committee would decide in favour of the

The Committee then adjourned to twelve o'clock on Wednesd

Group KK.

The Committee on the Railway Bills comprised in Group RK,
met this morning at One o'clock, Sir C. Lemon in the Chair.
The Bills referred to the Committee were the Liverpool,
Omskirk, and Preston; the Liverpool and Bury (Bolton, Wigan,
Liverpool and Bury Extension) ; the Liverpool and Manchester,
and the Southport and Exeter Junction.

The usual preliminaries having been gone through, it was arranged
that the Liverpool and Bury (Bolton, Wigan, and Liverpool and
Bury Extension Bill) should be taken first.
Some little delay took place in consequence of the non-atten.
dance of one of the members of the Committee. The Hon. Mem-
ber was sent for, and, after waiting a few minutes, Sir C. Lemon,
the Chairman, determined to proceed in his absence, and ac-
cordingly
Mr. Sergeant WRANORAM proceeded to open the case on the
part of the Liverpool, Bolton, and Bury project.

Group Y.
LOWESTOFFE RAILWAY AND HARBOUR.

The Committee on the lines for accommodating this and the ad-
jacent district, assembled at the usual hour this morning, when the
consideration of the Lowestoft Railway and Harbour was corn-

nienced.

Mr. GIRDEN, en behalf of the promoters of this sill,
expressed his ignorance of the nature of the opposition, or even
the parties from whom that opposition emanated, he therefore
urged that the petitions and names of the petitioners should be
immediately stated.
The Committee having assented, the clerk mentioned
that petitions had been presented to Parliament by the
Commissioners of the Great Yarmouth Haven, for whom
Mr. Tames appeared as Counsel ; the Mayor, Alder.
men, and Town Council of Norwich, for whom Mr.
Bircham appeared ; a third from the merchants and traders; a
iburth from the inhabitants generally of Norwich ; and another
from a Mr. Clarke, a landholder near that town.
Mr. GIRDEN briefly stated the main features of the Bill, for
whose promotion he contended, urging particularly the great ad-
vantages accruing to the fishing trade and manufacturing districts
. .

inland, by the formation of a line, connecting so important a fishing

town with the populous localities at present unconnected, as well as
• the making Lowestoffe a harbour of refuge, proceeded to crll his
witnesses.
Edward Leathes examined by Mr. GIRDSN—IS a resident of Nor-
manstown, within a mile of Lowestoffe. Has attended a public
meeting held four months since in that town, at which the expres-
sion of opinion was unanimous in favour of the line. Considers
the construction of the proposed railway would confer the most
distinguished advantages on the neighbourhood, particularly as a
means of conveying cattle and agricultural produce to the markets,
which has now to be conveyed by water.
_ _ .

. .
Cross.examined by Mr. JAMES, on behalf of the Commis.
sioner. of the Great Yarmouth Haven—The popula-
tion of Lowestoffe is about 4,500. The line wiil
not go tha ugh valuable land, although the price is be-
tween 40/. to 501. per acre; there is no town of importance on
the line between Lowestoffe and Needham, the point of junction
with the Yarmouth and Norwich Raiway, but an immense body of
produce would fall on the line from the surrounding country.
George Parker Bidder examined by Mr. GIRDEN—Is a civil
engineer, and the plans and sections of the proposed Lowestoffe
railway have been submitted to his inspection. The length of the
line will be eleven miles and thirty chains, without tunnels
and ,with favourable gradients. The general charac.
ter of the line is practically a level, and the
curves are perfectly easy. It will have the first-class station at
Needham, crossing the River Wensham a few miles from that
town, and the Waveney near the Oulton Broad, by bridges of
forty-four and thirty feet opening, and terminating at the harbour
of Lowestoffe. For effecting this object 80,0001. has
been mmed as the necessary capital, besides 40,000/.
for the improvement of the harbour of Lowestoffe,
including the construction of a breakwater and other important
works. The Admiralty had been made acquainted with
the improvements they devised for the harbour, and
bad sent down an engineer to inspect and report on
it, and the result was most favourable to the project.
He had also had an interview with Captain Beaufort, the hydro-
grapher to the Board of Admiralty, who had since communicated
the entire approval of the erection of the bridge.
Cross-examined by Mr. Bracntsi, on the part of the conserva-
tors of the river Wensham—Gave Mr. Brunel, the engineer,
whom the Admiralty deputed to inspect the harbour, every in_
format:en respecting the nature of the bridges. The river is 130
feet wide. The working expenses of the line will be 2,7301. He
calculates that 6,000 passengers will travel on the line to Norwich,
1,650 to London, 6,276 to and from Yartnouth, and 26,000 to
and from Beccles. 269,000 passengers annually go on the line;
and the receipts for these, together with the payment on goods,
amounted to 15,0001., being an average of Is. sd. per passenger.
Mr. Jamss here stated that as his clients only opposed the Bill
on the fear that the navigation of the river would be impeded, he
would withdraw all further objection until Any clause affecting
those interests should be under discussion.
Mr. Ginnes,acting on this announcement, urged the immediate
passing of the preamble.
The Committee, however, decided on suspending their adjudi-
cation, until negotiations which are to be offered this evening shall
have been concluded.
Some documentary evidence was put in on the part of the pro-
moters of the Bill, and the Committee. adjourned.

Group X.
LONDON AND YORK LINE.
The Committee assembled to-day shortly afier twelve o'clock.
COAL TRAFFIC EVIDENCE.
Mr. Edward Wrigley resides at Manchester, and is a mineral
surveyor. Has visited the coal-fields to the eastward, in Norfolk,
and endeavoured to ascertain in that district the prices to the mer-
chant and consumer. (Produced a map.) The blue colours on the
snap exhibited the places he had visited ; his route from north to
south comprehended Retford and Barnet, and all the in-
termediate towns ; and from east to west from Norwich
to Stamford, and all the intermediate towns. One of the
London and York branches passed through the Sheffield
and Bedford coal beds, and joins the existing tram road. The
Barnsley bed was a very large district in Yorkshire. There was
no mode of transit at present for Barnsley coal but by the Dorn
and Dove Canal, and the Don Navigation. The London and York
branch proposed to join the latter at Doncaster. The Silkstone bed
was, in fact, part of the Barnsley bed,but was called the Silkstone,
and was a very large one. The Wakefield beds were to some ex-
tent immediately upon the London and York line. Has made a
tabular statement of the present cost of transit for coals from the
different towns he had visited, and compared it with the cost by
the proposed London and York Inc.:
To the Committee--The North Midland line did go through a
coal district.
To Mr. PAGET—The line of the North Midland runs nearly due
north and south. The table now in his hand contained the com-
parative list of prices; did not include Cambridge, because it was
not on the London and York line. The prices were based upon
the average cost of Silkstone coal, for that fairly represented the ave-
rage price of the whole article in Yorkshire. The columns of the
table represented the pi% sent cost to the merchant at the
pit's mouth, the cost to the consumer, the cost by the London
and York line, and the saving to be effected by the latter. The spcci-
men ofcoal now on the table was from the Silkestone bed, theprice o
that at the pit's mouth would be Si. 3d. per ton, price at Doncaster,
61. 9d., at Ilawtry, is. 3d., or say 7s. 6d. Assuming the latter to
be the price, the cost at the London depot, by the London and
York line, would be 165., including a cost of -id. per ton per
mile from Bawtry ; inferior coal for gas, coke, and smiths' tise
would be delivered in London by the London and York line at
13s. 6d , and the Barnsley slack at 13s. 3d. ; this price did
riot include city dues. The quantity of coal now raised from the
pits in the neighbourhood of Barnsley in a year was 803,300
tons, but 1,872,000 tons could be raised without sinking new
shafts; this included Silkstone. In the Sheffield and Rotherham
district the present quantity raised in a year was 727,208 tons;
they had facilities for raising 1,380,000 tons, with the present
establishment. In Wakefield the present annual supply was
1,592,000 tons, could raise 3,429,000 tons; this quantity could
be much increased, if necessary. The expense of raising the ad.
ditional quantity would he less than that of the present quantity,
because the greatly increased demand would lower the price.
A long digression here took place, which was occupied by
counsel in explaining the object of his giving this class of evidence
so minutely.
The witness continued by saying that if Cambridge had been in.
eluded in his calculation, the average price of coals would have
beer, celeed instead of lowered. There were also some other towns
not inch hied. Has no doubt that the London and York line,
passing throb the blue district, would compete with the sea-
borne coal.
Cross-examined by Kr. Cotv,-;;N—lf the sea-borne coal
could be brought as cheaply as by rail, the difference
then would be as to quality. The city dues Amounted to Is. lid.
per ton. Believes there are extensive coal fields Leicestershire,
,in the neighbourhood of Leicester. If they were to be brought
try the Swanington line, their price would depend on the cost of
transit. Is not aware of the distance 'between the South Stafford.
,shire fields and London. The distance between Durham and Lon-
ciao was 240 miles, and between Silkstone and London, by Doncas-
ter, i6O mile,. Could not say whether that was less than the
distance :.'etween South Staffordshire and London.

Mr. Edwa,,:d Wrigley, cross-examined by Mr. Cowax—The price
of Durham coa::!, Coming by the London and York line, would be
I Ss. 6d., exclusive City dues ; the cost of transit being 145. 6d.,
and that of the coals at ,;:,e pit's mouth about 4s. This was tender
coal. Knows nothing of the :nice of South Staffordshire coal.
To Mr. WEasTua—The cost °t :remit of all description of coal
-
by railway would control the price of c 0.5 itself. Does not know
much of the Kingston or Nottingham coat. The average on
which he had fixed the price of Stamford in London
at 245. 9d. coming by the London and York was the
price of Derbyshire, Leicester, and Seaborne coal. The saying to
be effected was Ns. •l dI. per ton. Was not aware of the dista;:ce
between Stamford and the Derby, or Leicester coal-pits, nor of the
fact that there was a project for a line of railway from Stamford to
those places.
To Mr. WELLS—The Leicestershire coal was rather an inferior
; believes that any coal coming to London by the London
and yi;riobire would be cheapened in price.
To Mr. BA :melt—Said in his direct evidence that the nearest point
at which Silkstaize coal could be put upon a rail was at Doncaster.
nas heard of a line from Lincoln by Doncaster to Swindon. The
latter town is nearer Silkstone than Donceartasterof the. ThSilkstone ce North M
al
id-
land line proposed to go through the h
Does not know the Derbyshire coal
field, but that had died away.
field, but found that coal in the Newark market and found it in.
ferior, It came from Swanick.
Mr. Joseph Pease was then re-called, and he deposed that BUT-
hero coals, conveyed by the Loudon and York er
tli none, would
mil be
e, 245.
per ton to the consumer, after pal, ingp per
consumer
19s. 3d., if the tonnage were 1,4 d. The cost to the
if brought by sea, would be 9.89. 7d. per ton, including all
charges ; the 19s. 3d. per ten was arrived at, aSSUMIII the rail-
way company to be the vendors.

To Mr. Cowen—Did no. think the South Staffordshire coal could
compete with his.

To Mr. HILDYARD—The price of coals at Thirsk is I Is. per ton ;
the cost of transit of coal from the pit's mouth to Thirsk, by the
Stockton and Darlington line, was, practically, 2d. per ton per mile.
Dr. Webb has lived fifty-two years in Cambridge. Is well ac-
quainted with the Cambridge and Lincoln, and the London and
York schemes. Is decidedly in favour of the latter, because he
conceived it would afford much more general pubic accommodation,
being much more direct. Pays 275. per ton for coals at Cam-
bridge.

lo Mr. LEE—Does not say that the road proposed to be made
from Cambridge to Lincoln by engineers in 1845 was interior
to that made by the Romans.—(Laughter.) The Cambridge
Town Council signed a petition in favour of the Cambridge and
Lincoln line, and also one by a large number of the residents
of the University. The London and York line did not pass nearer
his land than seven miles.
To Mr. WELLS—The reason he conceived that the London and
York line would afford more accommodation to Warwickshire and
Derbyshire than the Cambridge and Lincoln, was because it went
more westward. It would be a great accommodation to have
frequent communication daily through Cambridge, north and
south; therefore it would be better to have a trunk line than a
branch line.

To Mr. Cowew—l believe the Romans were founders of direct
rather than circuitous roads—(Laughter)—they were a straight-
forward people ? (Laughter.)—Sometimes.— (Laughter.)—lf the
Cambridge and Lincoln line were 10 times shorter than the Lon-
don and York, would it not be more classical—more Roman 7
Laughter.)—lt would. Considers the northern traffic greater than
the western.
To the Committee—Has taken into consideration the branches
proposed to be made by the Cambridge and Lincoln scheme, and
still considers the London and York preferable.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

Group L.
GUILDFORD, CHICHESTER, AND PORTSMOUTH
RAILWAY.

The Committee resumed their investigation of the merits of this
line this morning, at twelve o'clock ; Mr. Denison in the chair.
Mr. GURNEY, for the promoters, called Mr. G. W. Home, now
secretary to theGuildford and Chichester Railway, who stated that
the gross number of passengers on the line between Nine Elms and
Gosport in 1844 was 60,270; and from Wandsworth and all the
stations east of Woking 4,743. The projected line branches
off from Woking. From Nine Elms, through the same stations,
to Fareham the number was 6,058. The next station which he
took was the licensed conveyances on the turnpike road—the data
of this he had obtained from the Stamp-Office, and he found by
these that the number of passengers by these conveyances was
82,680.
To an inquiry from the CsLtatt►N, the witness stated that he
took the passengers to all places on the line. This was the number
which had travelled. On this there was an increase allowed
for railway conveyance. By posting, before the opening of
the Brighton and Great Western line, they averaged in the
year 1,706 journeys between the south and the west of England,
generally carrying four passengers, making a total of 6,824 pas-
sengers.

To this Mr. NNHATELEY objected, because he thought the infor.
mation was intended to be unintelligible.

The witness further added, that he calculated that the journeys
to London by Medhurst and Petworth, were 200 ; by Peters-
field and London, 75, and by Petersfield, Petworth, and London,
100 ; by Chichester, Medhurst, and Petworth, 200 journeys; by
Chichester and Petworth, 125 journeys; and by Bognor
and Arundel, 200 journeys ; making the communication
by posting in which this line would be interested
9,624 journeys, averaging four passengers each. The commercial
passengers were 2,000 on the line, and the passengersfrom stations
were 21,157. He had taken his data from the persons passing
through the turnpikes. The passengers by van were 13,104, and
the gross extent of distance was 251,784 miles. The passengers
to Goodwood he estimated were 6,300; the total number of miles
travelled from all these sources was 6,131,202. That was the esti.
mate of the existing traffic by road and rail; and he further
estimated on the three first items an increase of 25 per cent.
This gave for the number of miles travelled by the passengers be-
tween Nine Elms and Gosport 3,898,748, between Wrndsworth
and the stations east of Woking and Gosport 306,844, and to the sta-
tions east of Woking and Farnham 378,625. By the road conveyances
he calculated an increase of 100 per cent., and by the rail an in-
crease of 25 per cent., giving a total of increase of passengers of
326,704, making for the increase to Gosport 449,000,400 miles, and
for commercial passengers 207,000, and for passengers by van
503,560. The increase to Goodwood he estimated at 260 per cent.,
making a total of 435,861 miles from this source. From the in-
crease of commercial passengers there would be 139,177 miles.
This would give a present traffic from these sources between the
stations at Nine Elms and those east of Woking of 34,104 pas.
sengers, which, with the increase to Farnham, would make 39,936.
On this, he calculated there would be an increase, both from the
road and rail, which he calculated at 74,046, at 9d., would
make a total of 2,7761. 10s. a year. It appeared that
the carriages carried from the Nine Elms station to the
stations east of Woking, and to Portsmouth and Fareham, last
year was, by the railway, 369, which, with those passing by road,
would make 619, passing over a mileage of 34,039, at 6d. a mile,
giving a total of income of 8501. 19s. 6d. The number of horses
carried by the railway was 377-by the same stations to Fareham the
number was 424. This gave an increase from carriages at 3d. per
mile of 7911.45, and from 1,6871. for horses, making a total of miles of
63,296. On the Gosport branch he calculated an increase of
25 per cent. on the present number of railway passengers. The
population at Gosport he estimated at between 8,000 and 9,000.
The traffic from coals the witness estimated at a total of 18,250
tons, carried over 302,312 miles at 1 id, per ton per mile, and the
revenue at 18,8911. 9s. per annum. Of chalk and lime he calcu-
lated that there would be 20,000 tons carried on an average of 10
miles, making a total of carriage over 200,000 miles at 2d. per mile,
and a revenue of 1,6661. I3s. 4d. Of heavy goods carried coast-
wise by water to Chichester, Portsmouth, and for Fareham there
were 13,387 tons carried 419,591 miles, at 2d. per ton, and yield-
ing a return of 3,4961. I s. 10d. On timber there was about
13,500 tons carried 272,000 miles, at 2d., and yielding a revenue
of 2,2661. 13s. 4d. Of sheep and lambs he calculated there
would be 52,531 carried 1,264,124 miles, and making a re-
turn of 1,0531. Bs. Bd. For cattle, he estimated there would be
52,051, at lid. per head per mile, and making a return of 3301.65. 4 id.
Of calves there would be 1,324 head, carried over a total number of
32,127 miles, at a halfpenny per head, making a return of
641. 16s. 1 lid. From thesis sources, therefore, he estimated a
total revenue of 395/. Is. 3d. From the mails Mr. Horne antici-
pated a total revenue of 2,0001. ; from passengers the total amount
at present received from this source was 69,890/. Is, Bd. ; and
from parcels he anticipated 2,776/. 10s. Those conclusions
were drawn from the data furnished by the Stamp-office, and
from his own knowledge of what occurred on the South. Western
Railway. Of corn there was 6,050 tons carried over a distance
of 69,775 miles at 2d., and which would yield a revenue of
5811. 9s. 2d. Of third.class goods there would be 3,640 tons car.
ried 106,615 miles at 2d., and yielding a return of 1,100/. 7s.
Of fourth-class goods there would be 19,833 tons carried a total
distance of 1,127,734 miles at 3d. a ton per mile, and which would
of course make a return of 6,434/. 35. 71d. From these several
sources there would be a revenue. From merchandise there
could be 17,4451. 11 s. 9d. per annum. From cattle and
pigs, 395/. 7s. 4d. For sheep and lambs, 1,0531. Ss. Bd.
making, with the difference arising from passengers, an aggregate
income of 95,2021. 18s. I Id. Deducting from this an allowance
of 40 per cent, for working expenses, which amounted to
57,121/. 15s. 5d., it would leave a return of 5/. 14s. 3d. per cent.
on 1,000,0001, capital. With respect to distance, the saving by the
Guildford line over the atmospheric line to Chichester was 51
miles, To Chillingford the distance by the Guildford line was 40
miles, by the Atmospheric it was 53 IA miles, making a difference
in favour of the former of 131 miles.
Mr. W. J. Choplin, Chairman of the South-Western Company,
was then called, and in his cross.examinatien by Mr. RAWLINSON,
testified that the South-Western Company had always been desiroue
of accommodating the inhabitants of Portsmouth.

To an inquiry from the CHAIRMAN, Mr. Chaplin stated that the
Company had contemplated a line from Windsor, through Chertsey
by Woking and Weybridge, to Portsmouth direct, but they
were thrown out in the surveys last summer, not
being able to bring them out in time to deposit
the notices required by the Parliamentary Standing
Orders. The Company had made several efforts to get the privilege
of running packets to Havre, and other places in France, as well
as to the west of England, but they could get no countenance from
the Government. They had established a communication by
packet, and every packet going In and out of Southampton called at
Portsmouth.

From an inquiry from Mr. MILNE; as to whethar, if no
other Company had started the project of a railway direct to
Portsmouth, they would have proposed any line to Ports-
mouth, Mr. Chaplin stated, that he having had a conver-
sation with the Duke of Wellington, who was a leading authority
with respect to the defences of the country, he had been
led to the conviction that the coast line from Dorchester
was of the utmost importance, and the Company had determined
to run a line to Corsham, and then turn into Portsmouth. From
the position of the coast-line a great portion of the traffic must of
necessity be drawn from the South-Western line. The conse-
quence of this would be to spread the dividends over a
larger amount of capital, and yet, notwithstanding this,
the witness thought it was worth the while of the com-
pany to go to the expense of making the two lines,
because they expected to draw that which was now turn-
pike road traffic on to their line, and in addition to this they
anticipated some facilities from other sources. Besides these cir-
cumstances, the Board were induced by a saving of expense in
having only to begin at Woking. And in consequence of all the
inferences they drew they anticipated a reasonable profit from this
projected railway.
To the cross-examination of Mr. O'MALLEY, Mr. Chaplin stated
that the South-Western Company had done all that they could do
for the Portsmouth population, and, in some instances, more than
they were justified in doing. The highest dividend the Company
had ever paid was 725. 6d. on a 501. share. The first
dividend they ever paid was 15s. a share, but that was on
part of the line. One of the autumnal dividends had been as much
as 405. a share, but this was counterbalanced by the bad dividend in
spring.
To Mr. OSWALD'S inquiry, Mr. Chaplin stated that the distance
to London by the Brighton line would be to Ch;chester about
78i miles.
To the questions of Mr. MaNes the witness replied that he and
several others of the Directors of the South Western Company
had met the Mayor and several other individuals,whom they con-
sidered the most influential persons in that town, and he believed
that the line they proposed would be agreeable to the inhabitants
of Portsmouth ; and at any rate he was convinced that the South.
Western Company would give satisfaction to Portsmouth. The
Company would have no objection to adopt the atmospheric prin-
ciple if it were proved to be the best. They thought, indeed, that
after they had got their Bill they would have an opportunity of
seeing the principle on the Croydon and Epsom line before they
commenced their earthworks.
To the cross.examination of Mr. AUSTIN, Mr. Chaplin stated
that the estimates were made out on the supposition that the line
would be a locomotive line, but there was no obstacle to making It
an atmosphere line.
To the re-examination of Mr. GURNEY, the witness replied that
he expected much of the loss which would otherwise accrue
from the abstraction of traffic from the South-Western line would
be made up by the increase from other sources, to which he had
alluded.
Mr. Cornelius Stovin, superintendent of traffic on the South-
Western Railway since 1839, stated that no favour had been
shown to the Southampton traffic over the Portsmouth traffic ; in
fact, the mileage to Gosport was less than that to Southampton.
The charge for the delivery of goods from Nine Elms within a cir-
cuit of 4 miles from the static-1, varied from 3s. 6d. a ton for heavy
goods, and 6s. Pd. a ton for lighter goods—single parcels. He
range of delivery extended eastward all over the City, and west-
want as far as Chelsea. By water he had now a contract which
enables him to deliver goods by water at any wharf between Nine-
elms and Woolwich, at a shilling a ton. There was no train run to
Southampton without a corresponding one to Gosport, and a reduc-
tion had been made last September on the carriage of goods ; the
charge to Gosport was the same as to Southampton, although the
rilatance was greater, This reduction had been made,
in his opinion, in consequence of the impression that
the carriage by rail was high, and partly, also,
in consequence of the opening of the Southampton Docks. The
reduction had been 50 per cent., the charge for the whole distance
having been 20s. a ton. The present traffic made a return for pas-
senger: of 254,000/., goods 52,0001., horses 3,9741., carriages
4,3791., parcel: 11,1731., and for live stock 2,6981., making a total
for all sources of upwards of 347,5171.; the account being made
up to the end of 1844, the cost for expenses being shout 40 per cent.
The reduption of charge for goods during the first three months had
occasioned some rallies °lnn the receipts, though they had gradually
recovered. The effect of the rednetion had been this : Durinthe
Last three months of 1843, the quantity of goods egpled Was 1:,51 a
tons, and d4Fing the corresponding months last year, 25,875 ton..
During
:he first three r;,pths of last year, the quantity carried
was 18,681 tons, asii during
the three corresponding months of
the present year, 26,204 tons,
making gn inpregse of 16:4. The
number of passengers between Gosport and T.oncion during 'aft
year had been 60,237, and to Southampion, 103,145, making a
superiority in favour of Southampton of 47,90. The paucity

of goods carried between London and Gosport was 6,564 tons, and
to Southampton 15,372 tons, mzking a total in favour of South.
ampton of 8,808 tons.
To the Inquiries of Mr. RawraNsort and Mr. FLOOD, Mr. Stovin
stated the rates of charge for the carriage of goods between the in.
termediate stations—all his replies tending to show that the rates
were high, but not higher than those of all the other railways.
The third-class train W 23 five hours on the road, and a passenger
by that train could not return the same day; the rate of speed was
more than sixteen miles an hour, although the rate required by
Parlisment was only twelve miles an hour.
To Mr. WHATELEY.—The witness could not give any definite in.
formation as to the amount of traffic likely to be diverted by the
other proposed lines from the South-Western line.
To Mr. GURNEY—On re-examination, the:witness stated that
the reduction on the carriage of goods, made last September, ex.
tended to all export and import goods. The charge varied from
16s. to 295. a ton for heavy goods, and 31. for goods of a costly
kind. From the former charges, however, there was a deduction
of 40 per cent., reducing the charge for delivery at Southampton
to less than 10s. a ton. But the Company were ready to give equal
advantages to any port which supplied traffic to their railway.
The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.