The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-03 00:00:00

GROUP 1111.

331.AciEnuitN AND PRESTON RAILWAY.

The Committee met at half-past one o'clock, Sir Charles Douglas
in the chair, and, after a considerable delay, proceeded to examine
the additional information prepared since Friday on the subject of
fares and tolls.

Several schedules were put in showing, in most instances, consi
derable reductions, but in some few, where the traffic was but smal
a moderate increase.

A clause was inserted binding toe Company to make compensa.
tion for any damage or loss sustained to goods in their possession
as carriers.

Other clauses were inserted conformable to the " Model Bill
and after some amendments of a technical nature,
The Committee agreed to report the Bill,and then adjourned.

GROUP
LIVERPOOL AND BURY LINE.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. William Glover, clerk to Messrs. Jackson an Brigg's, so-
licitors at Belton, and clerk to the Cotton Spinners' Association of
that town, gave very important and interesting evidence. There
are in Bolton 61 cotton factories. From 57 of these I have ob-
tained the information lam about to give in evidence. At 56
there is a horse-power of 1,685 and 793,800 throstle spindles.
There are 2,131 power-looms and the weight of raw cotton an-
nually used is 13,705,636 lbs. The tonnage of coal at 55 out of
these 56 cotton factories is 69,278 of common coal and 888 tons
of cannel coal. There are in Bolton 15 iron-founders and machine
makers—of these there are 13 in my table with
a power of 433 horses. They employ 2,793 hands. There
are 18,390 tons of metal used, and the tonnage of coals
is 28,150 tons, and of coke 3,231 tons. There are five bleaching
crofts. Two of them have a power of 120 horses. In one of them
16,000 tons of coal are yearly consumed. There is a paper-mill at
Bolton which makes 470 tons of paper annually, and consumes
3,640 tens of coal. The number of people in Bolton in 1841 was
52,380-97,000 and upwwards in the Bolton Union. The assess-
ment of poor-rate on the factories is 141,3021. The present mode
of sending the mails was very circuitous.

•
Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS said lie would not and had not disputed
the importance of the town of Bolton; it was, therefore, unneces-
sary to examine this witness at any greater length respecting the
trade of the town

Mr. Thomas Cullen, a magistrate of the borough •f Bolton, and
a cottton-spinner, was next examined—Employed 200 hands.
Worked 2 s tons of cotton per week. Had been 44 years in Bolton,
and knew that the population of Bolton had nearly doubled during
the last twenty-five years. The cost of bringing cotton from Liver-
pool to Bolton was I Is. per ton by railway alone, and 10s. by rail-
way and canal. Thought the present mode of communication
between Bolton and Liverpool insufficient. The general opinion
of the people of Bolton was, that they should have a better mode
of communication with Liverpool.

Mr. Arrowsmith, a cotton-spinner at Bolten, confirmed the tes-
mony of the last witness. Consumed more than 4,000 tons of
coal per annum, and paid 65. Bd. a ton for them. Would save
2s. a ton by the proposed line, for they were sold at the pit's
mouth along the new line for 3s. a ton, and the carriage would
make the difference. The witness went into other calculations,
showing that his firm would save 3191. 108. 4d. by the projected
line, and that other manufacturers there save in proportion.
Mr. Charles Howard lived at Norwich, near Bolton, which was
famous for bleaching—Owned a bleach croft himself, and employed
480 hands, and bleached 430 tons of cloth per month. Consumed
70 tons of coal per day. Used 369 tons of cannel yearly.
Used in bleaching large quantities of flour and China clay, which
they got from Liverpool. Their traffic to and from Liverpool was
63 tons per month. The present mode of conveyance was insuffi-
cient, and thought the proposed line of railway would much benefit
Bolton and Florwich. Thought the present line required that
Bolton might retain its present trading position.
Cross-examined by Mr. LowNnes, Q.C.—Thought the Wigan
coal of a good quality, and that the proposed line of railway would
cause the price of coal there to increase.

Mr. Slaton, mayor of Bolton, a bleacher—Thought the pro.
jected line of railway would afford great accomodation to the
bleachers there, and to the townspeople generally. The principal
part of the bleaching of England was done at Bolton. The petition
in favour of the proposed line was signed by the magistrates and
principal persons of Bolton. Knew of no opposition to the line in
Bolton.

Mr. Howard was recalled, and stated that the bleachers of Bolton
employed about 4,000 hands, and used 185,937 tons of coal per
annum, and 1,9.40 tons of cannel coal. The total traffic to and
frorn Liverpool, as regarded bleaching materials, was 8,831 tons.
Mr. Morris, a druggist in Bolton, complained of the present mode
of bringing goods to and from Bolton and Liverpool. His traffic
was ten tons a month. In consequence of the sluggish mode of
conveyance the traffic between the t•wns was not so great as it
ought to be.

COUNSEL—Don't you get fish from Liverpool ? Witness—Not
much, for when it comes it is bad. —(Laughter.) This: witness
relieved the dullness of the proceedings by a story of a lady who,
on her way from Bury to Bolton, jumped out, and said she could
not wait for it, that she must walk —(Great laughter.)
Mr. Moore, chairman of the Liverpool Dock Trustees, in which
witness said a large amount of property was invested. Six new
docks had been commenced at the north end of the town. If the
projected line of railway were carried cut, and the proper corn.
municatio❑ established between It and the dock the export of
coals would be greatly increased, as well as the export of
many other articles which was at present limited. The present
foreign export of coals was 117,718 tons yearly ; and the coasting
tonnage of the same article 36,218. This was the: calculation
made in 1842. Seven-eighths of the whole exports went from the
docks at the south end of the town.

Mr. John Stones, wholesale grocer and provision dealer, 801t0..a
monthly
confirmed the evidence of Mr. Morris as regarded the desirabl.ene.,
of the projected line. About 450 tons of groceries were
mthly
brought from Liverpool to Bolton. There were
e,wo
grocers in Bolton who supplied the small grocers `,O, seven nnie3
round that town.
Mr. Hardmood, corn and flour-dealer, gP;re evidence in favour
of the projected line.

Mr. John Metcalfe was manager tr) Messrs. Dobsons, machine
manufacturers at Bolton. Thought the proposed line would greatly
benefit his trade, as it would cotr,inunicate with Wigan, Bury, and
Hayworth, which used machinery. His house employed 730 hands,
and used SO ton,: of coal per week. Thought they would save S., 8.
per ton in csal by the proic ...tett line. Part of his employers' business
was done at Wigan on recount of the bad conunmunication be-
tween Bolton and W igan.
The Committee radjourned at four o'clock.

GROUP K.
117.-SLECT NORWICH RAILWAY.
The Committee on this line met this morning at the usual hour,
Lord `:3andon in the chair.
Previous to the examination of witnesses, Mr. ALEXANDER,
informed the Committee that, acting on the suggestion
thrown out on Friday last, the promoters of the Direct
Norwich line had entered into negotiations with the engineer
of the Chelmsford and Bury branch, for making amicable arrange-
ments respecting the construction of the rail through Bishop Stort-
ford or Chelmsford, and he was happy to state that those overtures
had been met in the fairest spirit, although no specific answer had
as vet been received ; he trusted, however, from the courtesy
evinced, that a compromise would be effected.

Mr. Rawlinson here handed a note to Mr. Alexander, which the
latter explained to the Committee was an unequivocal refusal on
the part of the Bury and Chelmsford line to enter into any terms
or compromise whatever. The Learned Counsel expressed his
surprise at this termination of a negotiation, opened with the fairest
and most amicable intentions, and regretted the necessity of pro.
ceeding with the evidence of witnesses to establish their case.
Mr. JAMES, Q.C., at a subsequent period of the day, stated that
the reason for breaking off the communication was the untenable
proposal of the Direct Norwich ti form a branch to NVickharn.
brook. Such an overture could not be entertained for a
moment, and despite the Opinion of the three engineers,
Sir John Rennie, Mr. Robert Stephenson, and Mr. T. Braithwaite,
the promoters of the Bury and Chelmsford line had determined to
reject the terms.
The evidence of the witnesses was consequently resumed.
NV r Cross-examinedr ,a sm al small townby mMitrl.%lanyi3b7tNivsecial Imluirlylearndrelliidskinoig,
sat.orLtfil,trtdle.
There is a difference of 3s. a quarter in the price of barley at
Haver:shill and L'ishop Stratford. Is auditor of the Risbridge
Union, about' twenty-five miles from Bishop S'o .f d The
price on the present land carriage is ld.
. r.. or .
per quarter
per mile, making in all fla. 74d. ,
on of 18,000 and an extent
by rail would he little
comprises a populatj
ypac.s, t
(47; f and 1,950
ni"re than 6id. while t. the price
7,sonoft 58,500 acres
of the latter 40,750 acres are
latlr,allßil7e
'for bade isbridge Union
wood, giving 12,187 for wheat,
beans, 6,093 for clover, 1,523 for seed, and 1,323 6,0.13 for
Peas
and
As to the conveyance of surplus card
eat
ompibe:istsovsebr.
qrs. (allowing 5 qrs. to a ton), amounting to 3,712 tons; barley,.l
45,010 qua: ters, or (0 quarters to a ton), 7,501 tons; peas and
beaus, 19,041 quarters, or 3,808 tons ; seeds, 165 tons ; stover,
2,284 tons; and hay, 1,625 tons, making a total, for export, of
19,005 tons. The oats imported amount to 21,060 qrs., or 2,633 tons,
giving a total of 21,723 tons of produce needing a means of transit.
Wheat, peas, and beans, conveyed at present over twenty miles, at
2d. per quarter per mite, costs 3s. 4d by land carriage; by rail
to Stortford, nineteen miles, at 1;(1. per ton per mile, is equivalent
to is per quarter for the same distance, effecting thus a saving of