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

as carriers,

tion for any damage or loss sustained to goods in their possession

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.

liK.
zsvEß.roox. AND 35117.'3T Lamm.
The Committee resumed at the usual hour this morning, Sir C.
Lemon in the chair.
- - •

.......
The first witness examined was Mr. T. Taylor, an extensive
cotton-spinner, residing in Wigan, who stated that the present cost
of sending goods to Liverpool was Ss. 9d. per ton., including cartage;
by the proposed railway it would be ss. exclusive of cartage—with
cartage, 7s. Most of the machinery used at the Wigan mills was
made at Bolton. There were a great many manufacturers of ma.
chinery at Bolton, but none in Wigan. The roads between
Wigan and Bolton were so hilly, that, though they were
only ten miles distant, it occupied a day in carting
goods from one place to the other. He principally
hired carts, paying at the rate of 6s. Sd. per ton. If the new lime
were made it would be only ts. 3d. If the projected line were
wade, the traffic between Wigan and Bolton would be greatly in-
creased. There was a large agricultural district lying on the line
projected. Farmers would be greatly benefited by the projected
line ; and in respect to passengers, he thought there would be a
great number of third-class passengers. The saving both in time
and money would be very great to the people of Bolton and Wigan.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Beu.asis—Had been in the
eo‘lon business for nine years. Had been a tanner, and did not
mar, ufacture anything merely spun. Would as soon send twist by
railway a; by canal. Obtained machinery from Bolton as well as
from Bury. The cost per ton, for machinery from Bolton, was at
preseut Cs. Sd. When he said the cost of goods by railway
would be 2s. 3d. per ton, he did not include any extra charges, but
merely the railway tonnage. The distance between Liverpool and
Wigan was twenty-four miles by the present line of communica-
tion, and by the projected line it would be lessened to 18.

Re-examined by Mr. HARDY— It was of great importance to get
cotton-twist expeditiously. This railway would afford cheaper
conveyance than any other. The opinion of the people was divided
in favour of the projected line. Might have slightly over-stated the
distance between Liverpool and Wigan half a mile or so.
To the Comm ITEEE—Cotton-twist did not suffer by railway car-
riage. . . .

The next witness examined was Mr. Richard Pennington, a
cotton-spinner at Hindley. He said—The distance from Hindley
to Wigan was three miles, and to Bolton seven miles. These
towns lay very close by the projected line of railway. The popu-
lation of Hindley is about 5,500. That population is chiefly em-
ployed in the manufacture of cotton, and in working at the col-
lieries. I employ about 400. I employ steam.engines of 100
horse power. The amount of cotton spun at Hindley per
annum is about 2,000 tons. The cotton is nearly all
brought from Liverpool. We obtain it chiefly by the
Leeds and Liverpool canal—from Liverpool it is taken
to Leigh, anti thence carted to Hindley. The distance
by this route from Liverpool is about 441 miles. The canal
charge is ss. per ton, the cartage from Leigh 2s. per ton, so that
the total coast from Liverpool to Hindle', is about 7s. per ton, ex-
clusive of cartage and porterage at Liverpool. By the projected
line the distance would be limited to about twenty miles. The
new line would pass close to Hindley.
Re-examined 133. Mr. Sergeant BELLASIS—There would be a
triliing cartage, even if the line were formed. There was a rail-
way branch about two miles from Wigan, but it was of no use to
them at Hindley.

Re-examined—The price of coals at the pit's mouth in Hindley
was 4s. 6d. per ton for a very good quality of coal, and for slack
about 25., and for best house coal, ss. 10d.
Mr. William Glover, clerk to Messrs. Jackson and Brigg's, so.
licitors at Bolton, 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 informtion lam about to give in evidence. At 56
there is a horse-power of 1,685 and 793,800 throttle 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
J 6,000 tons of coal are yearly consumed. There is a paper-mill at
Bolton which makes 470 tons of paper annually, and consumes
3,640 tons 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 he 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 of Bolton, and
a cottton-spinner, was next examined—Employed 200 hands.
Worked 21- 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-
pot 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
•f communication with Liverpool. .

Mr. Arrowsmith, a cotton-spinner at Bolton, confirmed the tes-
imony of the last witness. Consumed more than 4,000 tons of
ccal per annum, and paid 6s. 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 5191. 10s. 4d. by the projected
line, and that other manufacturers there save in proportion.
Mr. Charles Howard lived at Horwich, near Bolton, which was
famous for bleaching—Owned a bleach croft himself, and employed
451,' hands, and bleached 430 tons of cloth per month. Consamed
70 ions of coal per day. Used 36e 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 Horwich. Thought the present line required that
Bolton might retain its present trading position.
Cross-examined by Mr. LOWNDEs, 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. Staten, 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
Bolto.n.
Mr. Howard was recalled, and stated that the bleachers of Bolton
employed about 4,000 hands, and used 185,957 tons of coal per
annum, and 1,240 tons of cannel coal. The total traffic to and
from Liverpool, as regarded bleaching materials, was 9,831 tons.
Mr. Morris, a druggist in Bolton, complained of the present mode
a: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 towns was not so great as it
aught to be.
COUNSEL—Don't you get fish from Liverpool ? Witness—Not
tr,,uch, for when it comes it is bad.--(Laughter.) This: witness
re,lieved 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.)
.11. r. 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 out, and the proper com-
munication 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
Aireign export of coals was 117,718 tons yearly ; and the coasting
stonnage of the same article 56,218. This was the; calculation
aaede in 1840. 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, Bolton ,
confirmed the evidence of Mr. Morris as regarded the desirableness
of the projected line. About 450 tons of groceries were monthly
brought from Liverpool to Bolton. There were twenty-two
rocers in Bolton who supplied the small grocers for seven miles
xo and that town.
Mr. Hardmood, corn and flour-dealer, gave evidence in favour
oft he projected line.
r. John Metcalfe was manager to Messrs. Dobsons, machine
manm'actuvers at Bolton. Thought the proposed line would greatly
benefit 'iis trade, as it would communicate with Wigan, Bury, and
HayvOrt;l, which used machinery. His house employed 730 hands,
and us,Nl 91) tons of coal per week. Thought they would lave 2s.
per ton i,7 cool by the projected line. Part of his employers' business
was done
at Wigan on account of the bad commmunication be-
tween BoltCo and Wigan.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.