The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-25 00:00:00

BARNSLEY JUNCTION RAILWAY.

The inquiry on this railway was this morning resumed
before Mr. Barnebv and the other members of the Commit-
tee on Group C, when Mr. Robinson was examined upon the
quantity of coal consumed in the manufacturing districts in
the neighbourhood ofManchester, but especially at Glossop. He
stated that the population of Glossop was more than 22,000,
and allowing the consumption of each house to be 7 tons per
house, the saving effected in this article alone would be
16,143/. in that town. But there was also a population at
Mottram of 21,115, at Hyde 10,170, at Ashton 46,304, at
Staleybridge 12,371, and at Stockport 84,382, making a
population of more than 197,500, all of whom would be
benefited by the forniation of this railway. By several of the
inhabitants of these places he had been informed that the
opening of this railway would be considered a great benefit.
To a question from Mr. SOMES as to whether he was in-
formed that some of the Railway Companies conceived that
the carriage of coal was a loss rather than an advantage, Mr,
Robinson replied that he was aware that an objection had
been entertained against carrying coal by the London and
Birmingham Railway Company, but he knew that now they
were prepared to carry coal at Id. per ton per mile.
By this railway the carriage to Selby would be 4s. 3d. a ton,
and to Goole 4s. 71/2d. During fourteen days in last De-
camber he bad taken the traffic on the Dearn and
Dove Canal, which he found to be in limestone and coal to-
gether 650,000 tons a year, and on the Wakefield and
Barnsley Canal it was 160,000 tons, making a total of
810,000 tons a year. But as this traffic was taken at a pe-
riod of the year when the coal trade was in state of
great activity, he would reduce the traffic on the Deans
and Dove Canal to 540,000 tons a year, and that on the
Wakefield and Barnsley Canal to 135,000 tons. Of this
quantity 170,000 tons went to Goole, Gainsborough;
Grimsby, and Hull ; and the greater part of the remainder
to other places to the east. To the inquiries of Mr. Talbot,
Mr. Robinson stated that the passenger traffic to the Cud-
worth station and to I'ennistone, at 6,059/.165. 10d. anti the
prospective traffic at 3,368/. 16s. 10d., making a
total of 9,4281. 13s. Bd., a great portion of which
was likely to accrue from the abstraction of passengers
from the Leeds and Manchester Railway. He believed that
the number of persons travelling in consequence of the con-
venience of this railway would be doubled, and he assumed
that a great portion of the mass of the population at Ashton,
Staleybridge, and other places, would travel by the Manches-
ter and Sheffield and the Barnsley Junction, and so on to the
North Midland Railway; but he had made no allowance for
the traffic likely to be attracted to any of the railways
proposed, but yet unformed, in that neighbOtnitood.
By the present line of railway the distance to Manchester
from Barnsley was 63 miles, that the journey occupied 41
Mlles, and the fare was lls 6d. ; while the distance by the
new line would be 36, miles, occupying an hour and a half
in the transit, and the fare would be 65., making a saving
of 27 miles in distance, three hours in time, and in money
5. The traffic westward he estimated at 255,000
tons, that from Barnsley 200,000 tons, and that
from Silkestone 1500 tons. To the inquiries of Mr.
Talbot, Mr. Robinson replied that he was aware that
a considerable quantity of the Dunkinfield coal, which was
found near Ashton, was used in that neighbourhood. The
traffic in coal and limestone he estimated at about. 35,000
tons more than was now carried on the canal. The carriage
to Hull, Leeds, Huddersfield, and York, lie calculated both
ways at 24,000 tons, and lie did not conceive, from the pecu-
liar nature of the traffic; that any of it would be diverted to
_
any other line.
Mr. Jee, the engineer of the line, and acting engineer of
the Manchester and Sheffield line, stated that lie fir:it re-
ceived instructions to survey the line in 1841, and that he
was requested to select the best line of country, having re-
spect to the wants of the neighbourhood, and passing as
much as possible through the coal district. The difference
between the summit of the Barnsley Junction Railway, at
Pennistone, and that of the North Midland, at Cudworth,
was more than 500 feet, which lie proposed to surmount
by a uniform gradient of 1 in 95 ; but lie did not
anticipate any difficulty in surmounting this bar, which
extended through the whole length of the line, which was
9 miles 58 chains, for there were two gradients on the Liver.
pool and Manchester line of similar or greater steepness; one
of 1 in 89 and one of 1 in 95, which extended over planes of
about a mile and a half each. There would be two tunnels

on the road, one at Oxspring of 500 yards long, another near
Barnsley of 440 yards long. There would be two
viaducts on the line, one over the Don 156
yards long, and with the greates height 78 feet ;
the ether over the valley of the Hearne, 286 yards long, and
having its greatest height 129 feet. He did not contemplate
the use of stationary engines, considering them unnecessary, as
they were not needed on the Sheffield and Manchester line,
where the planes of 1 in 95, and another of 1 in 118 were
three miles long. There were cuttings through Lord Wham-
cliffe's property, within half a mile of which there were drift-
ways from the Silkestone coal-bed.
Mr. Locke, the engineer, stated that he was well acquainted
with the district and had looked at it with an engineer's'
eye. He had no doubt that the Silkestone Coal-field. was the
largest unwrought coal-field in England, and he believed
that the only obstacle to the fuller working of this field was
the want of good railway communication. He had twice
surveyed that coal-field with a view to open up a commu •
nication with Goole and the sea, and if that were
effected he felt assured that the coal, which was of
very good quality, would be brought into competi-
tion with the coal from the north. lie was convinced
that the line was the best that could be projected, and that
the high line of railway was necessary to carry the coal from
the Silkestone-field to Manchester and all parts of the west,
and that indeed so necessary was this railway, that it would
be only one of several which would be formed after this was
made.

Perhaps there are very few cases that eorne before our
legal tribunals that have excited more interest, and more
genuine feeling on behalf of the defendants, than the
case of " the Attorney-General v. Smith." Front the pro-
ceedings that have already taken place, our readers must
_ebe.
aware that the defendant is charged by the Crown with t.v
lo
frauding the revenue to an enormous amount. That cba,
he repudiates, and calls upon a jury of the country to decide
whether he be right or wrong. Upon several occasions the
case has come before the Court, but no result has been
arrived at. The case was specially appointed to
come before the Court to-day, and its interest WM
such, that long before the Learned Judges took their seats
every part of the Court was crowded to excess. Shortly
lalftatr ten
r.onu o'
olicel,oacnkdtle 3rirL. oßrdarCohniefa
Platt,
too(Skirt. their'lo
'slealetcskQ)n, Mr.
the
bench.
In answer to the question of the Lord Chief Baron,
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL stated that he, together with Mr.
Sergeant Wilde, Mr. Jaryis, and Mr. Wilde, jun., appeared
for the Crown; and Mr. Kelly, Mr. Martin, Mr. Wilson. and
Mr. Greenwood were fur the defendants.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAI, in opening the case, said that it
would be in the recollection of their Lordships, that a few
days since his Learned Friend, Mr. Kelly, had applied to
their Lordships to permit the jury to have a view of the
premises of the defendant. At the time that that application
lilvtv‘to,
views,
sh;eaowbelnsecut,eat
said:
eiesei
i),itnwoel
cicaeettsi
ididbnat iteoiwatNli,htie teotluN time,,Cl4ol
innti
having
1 1
tieearN
acting
tnei isghimselfltgciuon uar:liojt
maturely
ett fur
hil t.
sio. li
mit, a
consideredcacdeod adopt
principlesnt glatt
in.ladeos
prepared to say, on the part of the Crown,
that he was not Only desirous. hut anxious that the view
should take place. •
Mr. KELL' thanked his Hon. and Learned Friend for the
candour he had exhibited, and would at once accede to hie
LAW INTELLIGENCE. proposition.
The LORD CHIEF BARON said that he had taken consider-
able HOUSE OF LORDS, April 22. pains with respect to the present subject. He had COD-
CORMACK V. HENDERSON, EXECUTRIX, &c. sidered it fully, and after that consideration he continued
The brought
present appeal wasopinion
against a judgment of the to be of the same
that be bad expressed
first division of the Court of Session, suspending a charge at before, that the Court liad no power
I togrant a
the instance of the appellants, originally directed against the view. The doctrine of view was of modern origin. It was
deceased, Edward Henderson, and afterwards transferred said that it was error not to grant a view where justice de•
against his widow, the respondent, for payment of the balance manded it. That proposition was a fallacy. Grant a view
due upon a bond granted to the Royal Bank of Scotland by where it was necessary if they pleased ; iMt in the present
the company of Sceales, Henderson, and Co. In the begin- instance, in his opinion. everything tended to show
ning of the year 1836 a proposal was made to the late sus- that all had been done that could be done. It had been said
pander, Edward Henderson, by .Mr. Adolphus Meiklejohn that it was error not to grant a view—that it was against sit
Sceales, to form a co-partnery in business with him. Mr. precedent to avert such a proposition, he had only to refer to
A. M. Sceales, who resided with his father, Mr. Andrew Jacob's Law Directory.
Sceales, pf the Customs, Leith, had been previously en- The foreman of the
jury wished to know how they were isgaged ,in business as a wine merchant, under the desig- act. For his own part, and on those of hie brotherjurvaies,
nation of A. M. Sceales and Ce., and it was proposed he begged to say that they could understand the model musk
that the same business should be continued, and that better than viewing the premises.
the new firm should be that of Sceales, Henderson, After some further discussion the jury retired to takea
and Co. Mr. Henderson had not previously been in busi- view of the premises. and the 'further consideration of the
ness, and was unacquainted with its details. He agreed to case was adjourned till thejury should
enter into the partnership proposed by Mr. A. M. Sceales After an absence of four hours, jury . was
" the first witness called
and examined by the Sorierron
the arrangements for which were made with the full know- names having been called over, and liihon'
ledge of Mr. Andrew Sceales. A bond of co-partnership was Robert Button, sworn
to survey the distiper:y a .Si. .
of 6th July, 1843,
entered into, and the question was as to the extent of the GZICERAI.—I am a supervisor
obligation incurred under the terms of the bond by eachk • in
Smith. I was not ordered ordered to aiisist Mr. Drin we
the subscribers to it.
- I was on the 18th August
There was a ditierenceo
Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Gordon appeared for the ap-
taking drip of the receiver:_
proof
spirits. 1 also ex-
pellant ;and Mr. Kelly and Mr. Anderson for the respondent.
I.loth, fore`qual to 14 gallo.nrt )1-
•sor of Excise. and I was, en
_r_bre
The Lords reversed the judgment or, the Court below. a • 1 the cover of the spa
Hire'experienced for Live years; and I found that the pro-
APEII. 24.
I The Peers present laxly f the wash in Mr.
appointed to
rsecuro:ev3e-r.thle rii:ctunif..b.-ineegr: hosit:i:
Smith's distillery was leas than in
The House sat to-day to hear appea s.
due- 01. tilleries. I NM on duty on 15th Oct., 18413,
' were Lord Brougham, Lord Cottenham,
1 examined the lipor pm
.14
Their Lordships Were occupied the w on his premises.
Scotch appeal of no general interest. haonied.Ltoorr(nliCtigan"lp.ibthelel.
other
.(Is..

To the inquiry of Mr. Sou s, Mr. Locke stated it as his
opinion that coals could not he so cheaply carried by canal
as by railway.
To the inquiries of Mr. AUSTEN, Mr. Locke expressed his
opinion that the formation of the Sheffield and Huddersfield
Railway would tend to increase the traffic on the Barnsley
Junction Railway, as also would the formation of the latter
line increase the traffic on the former, as it would be
necessary to go three miles on the Barnsley Junction Rail-
way to get at the Silkestone coal-field. The gradient was
the best that could be got, and with reference to the coal -field
the gradient itself was an advantage, and would enable them
to form communications with existing lines on both sides of the
island, and an extremely desirable line for the district and the
consumers of coal both in the neighbourhood and at a dis-
tance. He would undertake to carry 100 tons of coal with
every train, with an engine of no extraordinary power.
There was a proffer of a guarantee from the Sheffield Com-
pany of 5 per cent. upon 200,000/. and of 4 per
cent. on 100,000/. of the capital. There would be no
difficulty in making tramways from the several
pits to the railway, so as to render the coal easily accessible,
and the field could not be opened without better railway
communication than now existed. In reply to an observa-
tion in the report of the Board of Trade, Mr. Locke said that
there would not be any difficulty in accommodating the
future bringing of coal to the level of the railway, and that
the line, so far from skirting a coal-field, never left the
Silkestone-field from the moment the coal cropped out at
the Oxspring Tunnel till it joined the North Midland Rail-
way.
The CHAIRMAN, having advised with the Committee, stated
that it was the unanimous opinion of the Committee that
the preamble of the Bill had not been proved.