The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-02 00:00:00

Group X
LONDON AND YORK RAILWAY.
The Committee re-assembled this morning, Lord Courtenay in
the chair.
Mr. PAGET. for the promoters, called Mr. Samuel Baldoek,
printer, of Barnet, who deposed that that town had fallen off in
trade since the Great 'orth-Road had been diverted by the ex-
isting railways. The population of Barnet was near 4,600.
Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT—Did not know what the price
of coal would be if this railway were established. Had heard that
they might expect It at I/. per ton.
Cross-examined by Mr. CloWnEa, who appeared for a land-
owner against the London and York Eailway.—Believed that the
trade of Barnet had been reduced by the coaches being taken off the
road.
Mr. J. Duckworth was then called and examined by Mr. Des-
xisox—The witness spoke to the nature of the produce raised from
the land round Barnet. This produce consisted chiefly of grass,
and the greater part of it went to London- A cheaper mode of
conveyance than at present existed would be a great advantage to
the district. Property in Barnet had greatly depreciated in value
since the coaches had been taken off.
Mr. John Hopewell, a grocer at Barnet, was then called, and he
stated that the trade of the town had greatly fallen off of late. He
obtained his goods from London. There was no water conveyance
from London to Barnet. The cost of carriage from. London of
sugar was Bd. a cwt. By railway it would be about 4id. per ton.
Mr. Buckle, an ironmonger in Barnet, was called, and he stated
that he got the principal part of his stock from London. He re.
ceived about two tons per week from London. He also spoke to
the depreciation in the value of property in Barnet. He had pro-
perty himself which had cost him 4,0001., and which he could not.sell
now for 2,000/. The present amount of general goods per week
brought into Barnet was about 75 tons.
Mr. Lucas, banker, of Hitchin, was then called and examined
by Mr. KINGLAILE—He deposed to the quantity of grain sent
from Hitchin to London. The cost of carriage to London was one
shilling per quarter. The total cost before the malt could be got
into the warehouse of the brewer in London was about 245. per
ton. By a railway, if it should be established, the cost would not
be more than ss. per ton. He should, therefore, prefer that mode
of conveyance. Such a saving would give an impetus to the malt
trade of Hitchin. The price of coal at Hitchin was about 355. a
ton. The coal used was Derbyshire coal. He would save 2001.
a year in the reduction of the price of coal by the establishment of
a railway. The railway would reduce the price of bricks ss. a
thousand. There was formerly a tanning trade at Hitchin, which
might be restored by a railway being established The consump-
tion of coal was about 6,000 tons annually, or about a ton per head.
The saving in the carriage of coal would more than double the pre.
sent amount of the poor's rates in Hitchin.
Cross-examined by Mr. V. Lee, who appeared for the Totten-
ham and Farringdon-street Railway Company. Farringdon.street
station would be much more convenient than the King's.cross
station.
Cross. examined by Mr. Netts—The line of the Northern and
Eastern Company is now complete to Hertford, and it is proposed
to carry it on to Hitchin. That line is more beneficial to the
county of Hertford than the proposed London and York Railway
would be if it were constructed. The population within the Union
of Hitchin is about 20,009.
Re-examined by Mr. KINOLALE—He thought there was a good
communication diagonally from King's-cross to Smithfield.
Mr. J. Geard, brewer, of Hitchin, stated that lie consumed be-
tween 60 and 70 tons of coals a year. He got his coals from
Biggleswade. The price at which they were delivered was about
38s. The coal came by sea from Newcastle to the Ouse. He con-
sumed about 500 quarters of malt per annum. If this railway were
made he should save nearly 601. per annum in the cost of coals.
The population of Hitchin was about 6,500. There was formerly
a very large trade in malting carried en in Hitchin. It was not so
now, nor had it been for '2O or 30 years. There were formerly six-
teen or twenty malting establishments in Hitchin, now there were
but seven. He attributed this to the want of means of communi-
cation. If they had a railway, he believed that the malting trade
would rise again, as would several others. The value of property
iu Hitchin had been depreciated of late years.
The Rev. I. E. Kemp, curate of Barnet, was called and examined
by Mr. Dennison. The poor in that neighbourhood suffered much
from the want of fuel.
Mr. Pym, a Director and Shareholder of the London and York
Company, examined by Mr. KINGLAIE, said he farmed about 500
acres in Bedfordshire. He was Chairman of the Quarter Sessions.
The exports consisted of agricultural produce.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

Group E.
NEWCASTLE AND BERWICK LINE OF RAILWAYS.
This Committee continued to-day to hear evidence in favour of
this proposed line. Wm. Henry Barkett, Alderman of Gateshead,
Win. Hind, who had been ton years endeavouring to get a line
through Northumberland, and Mr. Hutt, M.P., spoke very str.rigly
of the advantages likely to accrue from the Newcastle and Berwick

lines.
Thomas Harrison, civil engineer, spoke to the generally advents.
germs nature of the gradients, with the exception of two, one being
170 feet, and the other being 150 feet, which had been forced upon
them for the purpose of avoiding a passage through Lord Grey's
property. The viaduct in the principal streets through Newcastle
was 75 feet, while the Brandling Junction in Gateshead was 22 feet,
from which no inconvenience was felt.
Thomas Harrison, cross-examined by Mr. ALEXANDER—After
crossing the bridge over the Tweed there would be an embankment
extending 726 yards, for which they should resort to the purchase
of side-cuttings of 604,000 yards, the value of which would amount
to 30,2001. The greater part of the stuff would be soft red sand-
stone, which they proposed to get from the face of
a hill. In putting down 30,200/. for the side cuttings,
he included tie cost of the side-cutting and the 'Lakin of the em.
bankment. Independently of the land at Newcastle, the land upon
the whole main line would amount in value to 57,202/., none of
which was to be apportioned to the side-cutting of the above-
mentioned embankment. The bridge across the Tweed would
probably be constructed of brick, and would consist of thir-
teen arches of seventy feet span each. The expense
would amount t) 65,0001. The whole viaduct, including the
bridge across the Tweed, would consist of 27 arches. The bridge
of Tyne would have 24 arches of 19.5 inches each. There was a
gradient on the Bligh branch of 1 in 100, which the witness con-
sidered a very unfavourable gradient. He was of opinion that
there would be a great saving of them gained by passing the railroad
through Morpeth. He considered that there would be to great
likelihood of any danger arising from the locomotive engine
passing on a viaduct over the houses In Newcastle-. There might
be a possibility of danger from the sparks falling over the 'viaduct
on the tops of the houses, best did not think it probable.
Mr. Robert Stevenson, the engineer of the line, wilt then
examined. He corronorated the estimates made by the last wit-
ness as well as the engineering details. His examination had not
concluded when the Committee adjourned.

BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY BRANCHES.
The object of the Bill under this title is to obtain power to form
four branches of the Great Western Railway—one from Bristol to
Yeovil, twenty miles in length ; one to Tiverton, of four miles and
sixty chains; a third to Clevedon, a sea-bathing village on the
Bristol Channel, three miles and three-quarters from Bristol ; and a
fourth, to obtain an uninterrupted communication between the
Great Western and the Bristol and Exeter Railways. In conse.
quence of the latter of the two railways running at a right angle
to the former great delay occurred, and in sense instances the
passengers had to get out of their carriages, or go over two or three
turn-tables.
Mr. MEREWETHER, who appeared for Messrs. Hares, of Bristol,
waived his opposition to the preamble at present, in consideration
of an arrangement which was likely to be made between his clients
and the Company, and especially as the Bill was not yet read a
second time, and also as it was hardly competent for the Committee to
take the preamble of the Bill, though they might go into the evidence
By the statements of Mr. Brunel it was shown that the cost of the.
Teovil branch, the object of which was to open a better communi.
cation with the south, would be 200,0001. ; that of the Tiverton
branch, about 60,0001. ; of the Clevedon branch, 40,0001.,
and the commun icatii g branch at Bristol which is to be only about
half-a-mile in length, about 60,000/. The whole expenditure was
likely to be about 375,0001. There were no engineering difficulties
in any of the branches, nor any inconvenience in passing turnpike-
roads or other highways at a coincident level. He intended to work
the Tiverton branch certainly on the atmospheric principle, and
very likely the Clevedon also.
Mr. Ford, contractor of the carriage department at Bridgewater,
was produced, to state the expected traffic; but as there was no
opposition at present, his evidence was declined.
Mr. Vyvian stated that. the whole amount of the capital to be
raised was 500,0001, of which the Company were empowered to
raise 166,0001. by mortgage or on loan ; the etimated cost
375,000/. The shares subscribed for amounted to 285,0661. 131. 4d.,
on which a deposit had been paid of 17,1841. The number of share.
holders locally interested in the line was 21 ti, and the amount of their

shares 152,866/. 13s. 4d. The number of other shareholders was 101,
and the amount of their interest in the line 132,200/. There were
35 shareholders, SCN erally possessing interest to the amount of
2,0001. and upwards.

A power was also sought to apply 75,0001. to the purchase of
shares in the Devon and Cornwall line, similar to the power sought
also by the Gloucester and Bristol Company.
The evidence being concluded, the further consideration of the
line was deferred till twelve o'clock on Monday next.

Group G and G 2.
WILTS AND SOMERSET RAILWAY.
The inquiry into the merits of this railway was resumed to-day,
before the Chairman, the Hon. T. H. Liddell, and the Committee.
The Committee assembled at twelve o'clock, the attendance of those
interested in the line being as large as en the previous days of the
investigation.
Previous to entering Into the evidence, the CHAIRMAN stated that
having some very urgent business to attend to to-morrow, and
such being the case with two other members of the Committee, he
would put it to those interested whether any great inconve,iience
would result from adjourning the Committee after the proceedings
until Monday.
The counsel on both sides having immediately assented, Mr.
Merewether was about to open the case of Captain Williams,
when by a proposal from Mr. Brunel, the opposition on that gentle-
man's behalf was obviated.
Mr. Geeesswoon proceeded to open the ease of the Somerset.
shire Canal Company. The Company ob)ected to the formation of
the branch to Radstock, from a conception that the utility of the
line would be in no degree affected if this branch was not formed.
It appeared from the evidence of Mr. Brunel, that one of the ob-
jects of the Railway Company was to open up the Radstock coal-
field. The advantage of this would be getting the Timsbury and
Radstock coal up to Bradford by the Warminster branch. By a
very slight difference of price the coal could now be carried by the
canal, while the effect of forming the railway would be to entirely
destroy the property of the canal. This canal, which with
the assistance of tram-roads from the pits and by the water.
way the coal from the whole of the Somersetshire coal field
was conveyed into the Kennet Canal, and thence into the Wilts
Canal, and thus through a large district. The canal had cost up-
wards of 2fi0,000/., upon which no dividend at all had been paid
for fourteen years, and on an average only three-and-a-half per
cent. had been paid. The Act of Parliament entitled the proprietors
to take ten per cent., but from the moderateness of their charges the
greatest profit ever obtained was only six per cent. on the original
capital. The Canal Company had always been ready to carry more
coal than had ever been offered by the coal masters, so that it was
evident no disadvantage had been suffered by the public. The Act
enabled the proprietors to charge 212 d. per ton per mile for the
whole distance of ten miles, which was the length of the canal; the
Company might charge 2s. Id.; their usual charge was, however, 2d. a
ton per mile, which for the whole distance would be Is, Bd., but the
Company only charged one shilling for the whole of this distance.
The Somersetshire canal locked into the Kennet and Avon, which
took the coal up to Bradford, and for which carriage there was a
further charge of 9d. a ton. The capital of the Canal Company
was divided into a great number of shares held by a great number
of persons, and the property of these persons would be entirely de.
a;tr Frome, which would save a water carriage of eight miles.
had been Secretary of
that the stroyed. The real question was whether the public should receive
in
tl.eir coal at Bradford, which they could do without the railway,
or
eomSocemebrestewtsch.einre e Canalight
ee
eighteen
oan
and
an Carpenter,andwho
nineteen years, was produced to r p ove the outlay of capital,
f
but this was admitted on behalf the railway promoters.
The highest dividend ever paid°
was 121. 10s. on each
.
share of 150/. This was in 1842 In the following
reduced to Se 100., and to Si. in 1844. In ls year this was
18, the first year its
which a dividend was declared, the division was
and it then gradually rose to the sum stated abaveii. I °Ts. per share,
these 150/. shares was 981., which was the
the value
.of
tered price ; but a share was said to have been sold theastregm
other
day.
for 841., but this was hearsay. The price charged for coal was
a ton per mile, less by a liallpenuy than the sum which the
Act
gave them, and the whole charge to the Kennet and Avon Canal
wasone shilling. The price of coal at the pit's mouth was orian
average half-a-guinea a ton, and the districts supplied
by means of this canal, and through the Ken-
net and Avon and the Wilts and Berks Canal,
comprised Bradford, Trowbridge, Abingdon, Swindon, Reading,
Newbury, Hungerford, the village and vale of Pusey, and the
whole of the centre of Wilts, Marlborough, and Devises—a great
part of this district lying on the line of the Great Western Railway
though the latter towns do 119 W approach it; but the supply