The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-02 00:00:00

GROUP SS.

The Committee on this group re-assembled at the usual hour this
morning, bind proceeded with the affirmative evidence in favour of the
covENT.7.7, BEDWORTH, AND lIIITNEATON
RAILWAY.

➢ir. R. Smith, a riblson-manufacturer at Bedworth, corroborated
the testimony given yesteizlay.
Mr. Samuel Smith, an uwiertaker at Attleborough, employed
upwards of 12 men. There were about 68 or 70 undertakers in
the town of Attleborough alone, who employed upwards of 1,000
men, who would be greatly benefited by the proposed railway.
Mr. Thomas Nestor gave concurrent testimony.

Mr. Calloway, an overseer at Toleshill, said the railway would
be a great accommodation to the vast coal mines in that district,
and facilitate and increase the trade in a species of blue bricks that
are manufactured in large quantities at Marston and Chilrnsloton.
These bricks were of a very superior quality, and were used
extensively in the construction of railways and canals.
Mr. Frederick James, of Wyken, proved that coal was sold in
that neighbourhood, at the pits' mouth, at 6s. Bd. per ton. They
raised during the last six months 17,000 tons of large coal, and
3,000 of small, which all had to pass over the route of the pro-
posed railway. There were about 300 acres of coal fields yet to
be worked, and there could be no doubt the line would prove of
great service to the colliers.
Mr. Nutter, a coal dealer at Leamington, proved that there
were 18,000 to 20,0013 tons of Staffordshire coals sold in that town
annually. The price of this coal differed from 15s. to 2.05. per
ton; but if this railway were made it would enable other coal to
come into the market, and thus tend materially to reduce the
price.
Mr. David Weldon, one of the proprietors of a stone quarry at
Hartshill, exported from 10,000:to 15,000 tons of stones for repairing
roads annually, and he thought the railway would considerably
increase the trade.
Mr. Tattersal, town clerk of Coventry; Mr. Rotheram, an ex-
tensive miller and grocer at Coventry ; and Mr. H. Harris, a coal.
dealer near to Coventry, having given simillar evidence,
Mr. Brown, an accountant, who had taken the traffic accounts
was called to prove the traffic-tables.
pn many existing railways,
in; calculations were made in March last, and occupied 14 days.
He help.' in his hand the result of all his inquiries, 10,9681. 2s. 10d.
The preyee number of passengers going annually over the route
of the propos:4 railway was 98,852. The present amount of
Casual traffic going by carts, waggons, &c., was 65,468 tons, travell.
;Iv a distance equ'el to 392,808 tons carried one mile.
fans/ traffic ,going by canal and other con.
ceyance was 34,500 tons carried over a distance
equa: to ‘2O/,(Y00 toss carried one mile. The merchan-
dise traffie .7 as 17,028% tons, carried a distance equal to 110,385
Ile. The expected traffic to come on the rail.
tons carried one coal traffic, 3,1011. 18s. 6d. ; from stone,
way was as follows 'ise, 1,2771. 2s. Id. • from passengers,
4531. 6s. Bd.; from merchani— „affie ' 2731.
; and from cattle
10,9681. 2s. 10d. ; from parcel
'stal of 16,3331. 8s
traffic, 2791. 17s. 7d,, making a grand ed.
djourned till Monday.
It being now four o'clock, the Committee

GROUP V, AND
THE MANCHESTER, sHErrinTai; ,

MIDL AND JUNCTION RAILWAY.

The Committee met at twelve o'clock, and
Mr. Vignoles was called upon to speak to the engineering upon
the above line. He had laid out the general features of the line
about a year before, and there was only one alteration made since
in the details of the plan, which alteretion had met his approval.
The line was the very best that could be taken, for while it gave an
improved communication with the north and south it opened up
a rich mineral district. He had examined the estimates, and
thought they would be amply sufficient for cost of construction.
The length of line was above 12 miles, and the steepest
gradient in the length was one in 800, and that for
a distance only of a mile and three quarters. The
curve of least radius was some twenty chains. The range of
the curve at Chesterfield would be eighteen chains, and the Shef-
field was about the same extent. The strata on the whole line
was very favourable to engineering operations. It passed through
the mineral fields of Newbold, Mustin, and Dronfield, and did not
interfere with any very valuable or ornamental property. It formed
a continuous line of railway with the Manchester and Midland
Junction. The greatest depth of embankment would be 50 feet, and
the deepest cutting about 70 feet. These were very short, however.
He proposed to cross part of Sheffield by a viaduct, and in order to
preserve as much space as possible in the markets, he intended that
the piers should be of cast iron. The estimate of construction
was 400,0001., and he had already stated that it would be amply
sufficient. It was not intended to cross any highway on a level.
The Bill which had been promoted last year was not so favourable
as the present, because the summits were higher. There would be
a tunnel on the line of 2,103 yards at the inclination of 1 in 100,
and no ventilating shafts would be necessary, because the very
front of the inclination would create a current.
Cross-examined by Mr. WILITELEY—He had furnished a report
of the preferable line between Chesterfield and Sheffield to the
Provisional Committee of last year, and it was in its main feature
identical with this line. The construction of the tunnel he
estimated at 42/. 10s. the yard. The viaduct he took
generally at 201. per yard. That did not of course include injury
to property, &c. The total cost of the viaduct he estimr ted at
44,0001. The earth-work he calculated at 94,374/. ; bridges and
culverts, 26,0001. He thought the whole work might be very well
done in a couple of years, as a great mass of the cutting would go
to spoil, which would naturally lessen the labour. The ten miles
out of Carlisle, on the Carlisle and Newcastle! Railway were much
mere difficult than the present line. The average of the embank-
ments was 1 to 1.
Mr. Cope was recalled, and he was rigidly cross-examined by
Mr. NN HAMLET, regarding the accuracy of his traffic tables. The
Learned Counsel failed to shake the evidence given on the pre-
' vious day by the witness.
The Committee then adjourned till half-past eleven on Monday.

GROUP W.
BRAYTON AND GOOLIE RAILWAY.
The Committee on this line met to-day at twelve o'clock, Mr.
Pakington in the chair. The examination of
Mr. M. Bentley was then resumed by Mr. PICIESING.—The
water carriage was, in his opinion, a better mode of conveyance
than the rail. In the lime season the quantity consumed
from March to September was about 500,000 tons daily. The
railway carriages would hold on an average shout three tons of
lime each. It would therefore take an Immense number of car-
riages to: convey that quantity. He considered it would not be
worth his while as a lime.burner to send his lime by the rail. Has
himself nine vessels engaged in the trade. There were fifty or sixty
vessels altogether employed in the lime trade at Knottingley, in-
cluding canal boats and river vessels. The vessels engaged in the
coasting trade were about 300. if the proposed Wakefield, Pontefract,

and Goole Railway were formed it would cause a serious injury to
the owners of those vessels—he meant those engaged in the corn-
trade. It would not decrease the number of vessels employed in
the lime trade, as lime.burners would still prefer the canal. The
corn would also, in his opinion, be still sent by water conveyance.

By the CIi•IRMAN—Had stated that the rail would decrease the
number of vessels. Did not think that this decrease would take
place in consequence of the rail being selected in preference to the
canal for the conveyance of corn. Thought that the proposed
Wakefield and Goole line would injure Pontefract. The farmer
would then bring his corn to the Wakefield or Leeds market—the
farmer would be a gainer by it.

Cross-examined by Mr. WicaiNs--The people of Knottingley
were in favour of the proposed Wakefield and Goole line. (A pe-
tition was here handed to witness.) Knew many of the people
who signed that petition. It was signed by the principal men of
wealth and substance in Knottingley. It was signed, however, in
consequence of an apprehension that another line would be laid
down which would not take Knottingley in its course ; it was a
choice of two evils, and they preferred to sign that petition in fa-
vo•..r of the Wakefield and Goole line. Was part •wner of eleven
vessels. Heard the evidence of Mr. Moorehouse ; knew that he
was a very large lime-burner, and had a great many vessels engaged
in the trade.

The Ch•IEMAN here interfered, and said that the evidence of
the witness had so far gone to show the superiority of water
carriage to conveyance by rail, and therefore affected the Brayton
and Goole suggested line as much as the proposed Wakefield, Pon-
tefract, and Goole line.
Messrs. Pit/KERING and KNOWLES said that their object was to
show that Wakefield was not the key of the position of the traffic
of the country, but they would call direct evidence to prove the
necessity for the formation of the Brayton and Goole line.

Mr. Alexander Sherrill' was then examined by Mr. ricitEttiNc—
Was manager of the goods depot on the Leeds and Selby Railway.
Knew the trade generally of the West Riding and about Leeds.
There was a considerable traffic between Leeds and Hull. There
were great inconveniences for the accommodation of that traffic to
Hull, from want of docks. The dock and wharfage dues were very
high, and there would be no chance of a reduction in these with.
out a competing port. Goole would afford ample accommodation
for the traffic. The weol.merchants complain of the delay of
the delivery of their wool at Leeds after its arrival at Hull. Some-
times four or five days elapse from the arrival of the wool and its
delivery. There was a great deal of traffic on the Ayr and Calder
canal. The import trade for 1844 has been—
Bags of German wool
Flax

Sheets of English wool, to Leeds 6,212
Ditto, to Bradford 11,380
Bales of wool, from Van Dieman's Land 6,964
Sacks of flour, from London
Tons of general goods, by sailing vessels 2,600
Ditto, by steam-vessels to Hull

The export trade was 4,750 tons of linen from Leeds
to Hull ; 1,570 tons from Bradford to Hull ; 1,400 tons
from Leeds to London. There were 13,000 sheep sent annually
from Hull and the stations on the line, aid 910 head of cattle. If
there were a direct line between Leeds and Goole, a great traffic
would go to Goole. The amount of the export and import trade
between the places ment,oned was about 32,543 tons annually.
The Wakefield and Goole line would benefit Leeds, but not to so
great an extent as the Brayton and Goole line.
By the CHAIRMAN—The reason that the traffic would go to
Goole from Hull was the superior accommodation which it af-
forded. At present the merchants were entirely at the mercy of
the shipping agents at Hull.

By Lord SEYMOUR—Was manager of the Leeds and Selby line,
but was not on that account an interested witness.

This witness was cress-examined at great length by Mr. WlLatNs.

Mr. Thomas Matthewson—Lived at Stockton-on-Tees. Was a
coal-fitter for the Durham County Coal Company. This Company
sold annually 200,000 tons of coal. 140,000 tons of this quantity
were for exportation ; 40,000 tons went to York, the half of which
was consumed along the line between the collieries and lock,
and the other half at York. The effect of the proposed Brayton
and Goole line would, in his opinion, considerably extend this
trade in coal.
After the cross-examination of this witness,

The CHAIRMAN asked Mr. Knowles what order he inteneed to pur-
sue with respect to the additional evidence he would bring forward ?
In reply to which ➢ir. Knowles said that he had been obliged to
change the course he had first laid down, in consequence of an ob-
servation which fell from the Chairman, and he had called witnesses
to prove, independently, the necessity for the formation of the
Brayton and Goole line. He had now regretted that he did not
open the case with a general statement.

The CHAIRMAN said that it was the wish of the Committee that
a continuous chain of evidence should be, given on all points,
and that one should be concluded before another was commenced.

Mr. KNOWLES concurred in the observations of the Chairman,
and called upon

Mr. George Andrews, who concurred in the evidence of the last
witness. The coal trade would be greatly increased if there was
an outlet at York for the conveyance of coals. The proposed
Brayton and Goole line would in his opinion effect this.

Mi. Joseph Fletcher was next examined, and gave similar evi-
dence: As the cross-examination of this witness was about to
commence,

The Cn►IRMAN said, that as it only wanted five minutes to three
o'clock (the time appointed yesterday for the conclusion of the pro.
ceedings today) he thought it better not to enter into it.
The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock on Monday.