The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-26 00:00:00

GROUP L.

CHICHESTER AND BRIGHTON LINE.

The Committee on Group L, having arrived at the termination
of the cases of the Atmospheric Direct line and the Guildford,
Chichester, and Portsmouth lines, this morning took the Chichester
and Brighton line. Mr. E. B. Denison was in the chair, with the
other Members of the Committee present.

Mr. Witarucc,i appeared for the promoters, and after stating
that be would reserve his observations until the close of the case,
called

Mr. Rose, a member of the Town Council of Portsmouth, and
an owner oaf considerable property in the borough, who awed that
he believed that this line was quite in accordance with the feelings
of the peuple of Portsmouth, and was auopted, after the expression
of much feeling, by the greater portion of the inhabitants of the
town.

Mr. HILDYAID stated that this line had been adopted after a
public meeting of the inhabitants, convewecl in consequence of a
large requisition. In addition to this fact, also, there was the circum-
stance that a petition had been presented to Parliament, signed by
more than 3,000 of the most respectable inhabitants in the town
and neighbourhood. The construction of this line would open up
a great convenience to the inhabitants of the whole of that line of
coast. Coals, for installer, would be brought more readily and
and cheaply than by the custom now adopted of bringing them
coastwise to Chichester.

Colonel Williams, of the Engineers, stated that this would, In his
cpinion, be a most important line for the connexion between the
several ports. Troops could be conveyed by this line, and con-
densed on any particular spot, in the course of a few hours, and
on this coast, just opposed as it was to the coast of France, this
was an object which ought never to be left out of sight. The
electric telegraph was a feature of as great importance, almost of
as much importance as the line itself. For the general objects of
the Government no better line could be laid out, and as a military
man he would say, that this line was of incalculable importance,
and likely to be of great benefit to the country.
Mr. Rastrick, the engineer of the Brighton Railway, stated tbat
the railway advantages of this line were pre-eminently great. It
was in fact a merely surface line, and offered no engineering diffi-
culties whatever. The main lice would be 17 miles 73y chains in
length, and there was a branch laid out to Fareham of something more
than six miles. The earthwork would cost 27,961/. ; the crossings
of the public and turnpike roads he estimated at 33,6191. ; for the
permanent way, stations, and plant, 127,3831. 155., and for con•
tingeeces he had allowed 29,9371., making for the engineering ex-
/Arises a total of 253,500/. In addition to this there was a charge
of 61,501)1. for land, making the aggregate expense 320,0001. The
revenue from passengers would be 19,6931. 81., and from goods
3,445/. Os. 10d., making a total of 28,138/. 9s. 6d., amid deducting
from this 40 per cent. for working expenses, there was left a ba-
lance of 16,883/. Is. Sd., which would give a return of more than
.5 per cent. on the capital of 320,0001, the aggregate expenses of
the line.

Mr. Driver, the eminent land surveyor, testified to the accuracy
of the land valuation.

After some cross examination by Mr. Sergeant Wasslostsm,
Mr. WHATELEY replied, and in the course of his observations,
stated that petitions for this line had been sent from Portsmouth,
Havant, Bognor, Little Hampton, Worthing, Shoreham,
and Brighton ; that from Portsmouth signed by more
than 3,500 persons, while only two had been presented against
it, one from Bognor, and the other from Fareham. This, he
thought, was a sufficient indication of toe public feeling on the
subject, and of the sense of their own interests which the inhabit-
ants of that great district entertained. With this observation, he
would readily leave the decision of the case to the fairness, inde-
fatigable industry, and excellent judgment and intelligence of the
Committee.
The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow.