The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-27 00:00:00

The case on the part of the Croydon line being now concluded,

Mr. COCKBURN referred to a paper put in in evidence by Mr. Ser-
geant Wrangham last evening, and purporting to be the consent of
the Board of Ordnance to the mode of passing Woolwich-common
proposed by the North Kent Company- This letter was signed by
Mr. Hignet, the solicitor to the Board; but he (Mr. Cock-
burn) had evidence which he thought would convince the
Committee that no reliance could be placed on this paper. He
bad a very serious charge to make against Mr. Hignet—a charge of
corruption. He held in his hand a letter from Mr. Hignet dated
May 3, 1845, in which he not only offered to sell the influence lie
had over the Board of Ordnance for a certain number of
shares in the South-Eastern Company ; but he could prove from
evidence under the hand of Mr. Hignet, that finding his offer
refused by the South. Eastern line, he had made a similar applica-
tion to the North Kent Company, who had accepted it. Now
after reading this letter it would be impossible for the Com-
mittee to place any reliance on his signature to the letter put in
by the North Kent Company.
Mr. Sergeant WRANGBAM objected to the reading of the letter
on the ground that the paper put in by him was not a corn-
munication from Mr. Hignet, but from the:Board of Ordnance, and
that no letter from Mr. Hignet, in his private capacity, to any
person connected with the South-Eastern Company. could in any
way affect a letter from the Board who employed him. And if the
Committee had any doubt of the authenticity of the letter, the
readiest way to support themselves would be by a communication
with the Board of Ordnance on the subject.
Mr. Cocnrstiror insisted that a letter containing a proof of cor-
ruption, or of the inclination to corruption, on the part of Mr.
Hignet, was sufficient to cast a doubt on the authenticity of a do-
cument which had only his signature to support it.
After a few words from Mr. Sergeant Wnancriam, the Chairman
desired the room to be cleared.
The Committee consulted for two hours, and on our return to the
Committee-room,

The CHAIRMAN said that the Committee were of opinion
that it was not their province to consider whether or no
Mr. Hignet was guilty of the charge made agaiNst him, and there-
fore that they could not receive the letter in evidence, but that as
the authenticity of the letter from the Board of Ordnance had
been impugned by counsel, they thought It necessary for the North
Kent Company to bring forward evidence to prove it.
Sir WALTER RIDDEL, en the part of the North Ker::. line, said
that the evidence could be produced, but not immediltely.
Mr. MERRENVETHER said that the letter which Mr. Cockburn had
wished to put in would be forwarded to the Master of the Board
of Ordnance.

Sir WELTER RITMEL could havdno objection to Mr. Merrewether
taking any course he pleased as to his own correspondence.
Sir W. RIDDEL then addressed the Committee on the part of the
Commissioners of the Navigation of the River Medway.
After some discussion on no potnts of public interest the Com-
mittee adjourned at four o'clock.

GROUP GG.

G=. AS G OW ,

READ, AND NEXLSTON
LINE.

The Committee reassembled at twelve o'clock in the Sessions
House. Present—Mr. Evans (Chairman), Mr. Newdegate, Mr.
Aluntz, and Mr. P. S. Miles.
The CHAIRMAN having again announced the decision of the
Committee on the competing lines,

Mr. Sergeant ANDREWS said that, after the opinion expressed
by the Hoe. Committee, his clients were not desirous of adducing
further evidence as to the competing (branch) line; but with
respect to the Glasgow and Paisley Canal, he should be obliged to
trouble them with a few observations. The Learned Counsel then
referred to the injury inflicted upon the canal proprietors by
the crossing of the canal by the railway, and he contended that
their terminus might be made on the south aide, which would
avoid this evil, and only be 300 yards further from the city of
Glasgow. He afterwards referred to another mode of passing the
canal by a bridge, raised sufficiently above the water level, and
this he maintained could be effected without any bad gradient.
The Learned Sergeant, then: argued that the railway bridge would
offer an insuperable barrier to their (raffle, because as the trains
could not be regularly expected at a certain hour, the canal boats
would be kept in from minute to minute, and hour perhaps to
hour, until the locomotive:should'actually:arrive. These injuries
ought to be obviated, and he thought the Committee would not
pass the scheme according to its present plan.
A long discussion ensued between counsel and the Committee
as to the possibility of crossing the canal by a fixed bridge,:so as to
obviate the evil arising from the proposed crossing on: a level, and
it was ultimately agreed to draw up a clause to meet the wishes of
both parties.
The preamble and clauses were passed with some verbal amend-
ments, and the Committee then rose a five o'clock.

GROUP K.
CAMBRIDGE AND BURT LINE.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. Manning, an extensive cattle dealer, from the neighbour.
hood of Newmarket, deposed to the great importance of the line to
the oilcake, manure, cheeses. and vast quantities of cattle that
passed through Harwich and Ipswich at present, which would un-
exceptionably come upon the line on their route to Cambridge and
Huntingdon.
The CHAIRMAN intimated an opinion of the Committee that a
line south of Newmarket would be far more advantageous to the
necessities of the district than either of the projects now under
consideration.
Mr. AUSTIN assured the Committee that the engineering diffi-
culties on such a line would present almost insuperable objections
to its constructions.
Mr. Braithwaite, C.E., cross-examined by Mr. Atnrrts—He
stated that the entire length of the line would be about 25} miles,
and would accommodate a population of 40,000 inhabitants, ex.
elusive of the termini. It could be worked at a cost of 12,0001.
a mile, the gradients being very favourable, and the engineering
difficulties insignificant. Stations would be placed at Bottisham,
Swaff ham Prior, a point near Newmarket, Moulton, and Risby.
Confirmation was given of the traffic evidence adduced yester-
day ; it was stated that 3,000 tons of cheese are annually im-
ported into Ipswich from Derby, and 1,500 tons from Holland.
Other evidence of Mr. C. May, as respected the trade of that
locality, being confirmed,
The Committee adjourned till the usual hour to-morrow.