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

sanction of their Directors to lease the Thetford and Bury line, if
constructed—four per cent, and a share in the profits being, as
usual, the terms.

A formal recapitulation of Sir John Rennie's evidence was then
given to prove compliance with the standing orders, and confirma.
tion of 'the traffic, distance, and time tables made, and the Com-
mittee adjourned.

GROUP KK.
LIVERPOOL AND BURY LINE.
The Committee resumed at the usual hour, whereupon Sir C.
Lemon, the Chairman, on behalf of his colleagues, expressed im-
patience at the continuation of the line of evidence wl.ich had been
pursued on the previous day respecting the same facts.
Mr. TALBOT said it was quite as painful to Counsel as to the
Committee to examine witnesses to the same facts, but as the other
side disputed the amount of traffic he had no alternative.

The Cessamaw said the Committee had no objection whatever
to hear all evidence which could be in any degree necessary, but
he hoped Counsel would use discretion in apportioning the evi-
dence. The Committee were, of course, willing to undergo
any amount of labour, and were only anxious for the saving of
time.

Mr. Chandler, a butcher in Bolton, who had lived there for the
last 30 years, said he represented the opinions of that class of
tradesmen there. The amount of meat brought from Liver-
pool to Bolton annually, was as follows :—Fat cattle, 2,600 ;
sheep, 5,200; lambs, 2,600 ; fat pigs, 5,00; horses, about 1,000 ;
lean cows, 2,000; lean pigs, 3,000. The cattle were generally
driven from one place to the other at present, by which the meat
suffered great injury. This witness highly approved of the pro-
jected line, which he considered would be very advantageous to
Bolton. There was an equal trade with the easterly towns of
Wakefield, Skepton, Gisborne, and other places collectively.
Mr. Henry Ashworth, a cotton spinner, residing at Turton,
near Bolton, and a magistrate, stated that he employed 1,000 hands.
The people of Bolton were very anxious for the projected line,
and he had been deputed at a public meeting of the people of
Bolton to express their opinions in favour of the line. The prin.
cipal business of Bolton was engrossed by half a dozen trades, whose
traffic he would mention. He would mention the amount of traffic
from Liverpool to Bolton only. The cotton brought from Liver.
pool to Bolton was 11,698,t0n5; materials for bleachers, 8,831 tons;
China clay, 1,200 tons; metal used by iron-founders, 19,404 tons;
timber, slates, and building materials, 14,000 tens ; groceries,
5,400 tons; flour and corn, 19,200 tons; oil, 840 tons; cattle,
2,900 tons—the total 83,373 tons. The cost of carriage varied at
present from Bs. 3d. to 111., and would average 10s. 2d. per ton.
The total cost of carriage, therefore, was 42,5521. He had not
spoken of the traffic of the paper-makers of Bolton, nor of the pas-
senger traffic, nor of numerous other articles which people use.
The cost per ton by the projected line of railway would be at the
maximum rate of 7s. 9d. per ton. The total saving would be
10,2451. The total amount of coal consumed by the mills at Bol-
ton yearly was 118,779 tons; the iron.founders annually, 31,381
tons; the bleachers and chemists, 189,987 tons; paper-makers,
12,000 tons; making a total of 352,177 tons of coal annually.
The house coal consumed by the inhabitants of Bolton,
who were about 100,000 in number, including the
union, was 150,000 tons, allowing a ton and a half as the con-
sumption for each individual. The grand total of coal used an-
nually was 462,177 tons. The selling price of coal at the pit's
mouth was ss. Bd. per ton. If the proposed line of railway were
carried out, Wigan coals could be had for 4s. 3d. per ten, and they
were 21 per cent, better than the Bolton. The saving to Bolton
from the opening of the projected line and of the Wigan coal-pits
would be 30,136/., and then adding the 21 per cent, for better
quality, which was 22,7691., the whole saving would be 52,905/.
The sum total of saving •n traffic would be more than 10,000/.
The sum total •f saving to the inhabitants of Bolton by the pro.
jected line would be 63,0004 These was great delay in the present
postal arrangement, and not spfficient communication between
Bolton and Liverpool. The projected line would afford a remedy
in this respect. Bolton was about thirty miles distant from Liver.
pool and twelve from Wigan.
This witness was cross.examined at great length by Mr. SMYTHE,
counsel for Lord Francis Egerton, but his direct testimony was in
no degree shaken.

Mr. ASHWORTH gave evidence on his direct examination, show-
ing that frequent delay had occurred on the Liverpool and Man-
chester line, so that his goods were often detained four or even six
days by the railway, and he was consequently subjected to great
louses. Sometimes his machinery was idle, waiting for his goods,
when he wished to execute large continental orders, in which dis-
patch was of the last importance.
Mr. George Gordon, land-agent at Bury, was well acquainted
with the Liverpool and Bury line, all the way from Wigan to
Rochdale. A considerable quantity of hemp and twist were sent
from Bolton and Bury to Wigan for manufacture. The people of
Stand sent cotton to Wigan to be woven. Bury obtained most of
its provisions from the Bolton market. The cost of travelling from
Bury to Wigan at present was 6s. 6d., and occupied two hours and
a half. The distance was thirty miles by the present mode
of communication—by the road it was only seventeen mile.. A
great number of people go upon pleasure excursions at Whitsun-
tide from Bury to Bolton, 3,000 or 4,000 a week.

„ -
Here the Chairman of the Committee left to give evidence upon
another railway Committee.

Upon his return the witness proceeded to state that with a cheap
railway intercourse the third-dass passengers between Bury,
Bolton, and Wigan would be immense. Approved of the projected
line. Bury was a very thriving place. The amount of raw ma-
terial imported from Liverpool to Bury was 41,778 tons, the
carriage of which was 22,7981. 8%. at the present rate, which
was 1 Is. per ton. The cost of carriage by the projected line was
83. 3d., so that there would be an annual saving to the town of Bury
in this respect of 5,7441. 9s. 6d. When he spoke of Bury, he in.
eluded a circle of three miles around it. The present price of coal
at Bury varied from 10s. 2d. to ss. per ton; at Wigan from ss.
to 2s. The carriage by the projected line would be only Is. 6d.
per ton, so that the difference would be saved to the people of
Bury by the new line. The works and domestic consumption in
and about Bury would be 469,203 tons yearly, and the saving from
using Wigan coal by the proposed line would be 16,9201. Esti-
mated that the new line would, in point of traffic, be an annual
saving to the people of Bury in importing goods from Liverpool
and coal from Wigan of 23,690/. ss. 9d.

Mr. Bawer cross-examined the witness on behalf of Lord
Francis Burton, but nothing material was elicited.
Mr. Walker, M.P. for Bury, had been a manufacturer of steam-
engines at Bury. There were five or six such works in Bury and
its neighbourhood, as well as many large print-works. Considered
the present line would be advantageous to Bury. The people of
Bury were in favour of the projected line, and presented a petition
on the previous evening in favour of the tine, signed by 1,850
persons, comp.-nuns the most respectable of the Inhabitants. Man-
chester was, hovrever, the great absorbing Inarket in that part of
the country.

Mr. Hutchinson, a cotton-spinner at Bury, gave evidence in
favour of the projected line, but said nothing new or important,
except that the postal arrangements between Liverpool and Bury
were inefficient, and that the proposed line would remedy the
evil.

Mr. W. Walker, a cotton manufacturer at Bury, and brother to
the Member for Bury, confirmed the testimony of the last witness
in every respect.

Mr. Thomas Stetten, agent to Lord Denby—Knew the line of
country through which the projected line would pass. Consi-
dered it would be highly advantageous to Bury and Wigan, as well
as to the agriculturists near Bury, as it would enable them to
obtain large quantities of the best lime and flagstones. There was
a dense population along the whole line, from Liverpool to Bury.
The inhabitants of Bury were almost universally in favour of the
line. Wakefield would be greatly benefited by the line, as the
inhabitants:were at present very bad), supplied with coal.
Mr. Maydon said.ithe line would greatly benefit the Itossendale
Valley, which was rather densely inhabited. Agreed with the for-
mer witnesses in the opinions they had expressed in favour of the
line, and in their calculations generally,

The Committee adjourned when this witness had concluded his
evidence.

GROUP L.

PORTSMOUTH ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.
r this morning, Mr. E. B.
DeTnliiseonCoinmrhiettcellirre.sumed the inquiry

Mr. Denny, a proprietor of East India ships, stated that a direct
line to Portsmouth would be a great convenience in shipping their
passengers, as the vessels of the firm to which he belonged all
called at that place for that purpose.

Mr. Chambers, a merchant at Portsmouth, testified to the charge
for carriage by the South-Western Railway. Ilia evidence con-
firmed that of the previous witnesses, with the addition that there
was a less charge made to captains of ships than was made to other
persons. By goods carried coastwise there was a charge of I9s. 6d.
a ton, while by railway they cost 235. 6d. a ton.
To the cross-examination of Mr. Gurtmev, the witness replied
that a hogshead of sugar, which weighed 18 cwt., was sent for fis.
by water, but Bs. a ton by railway would be a sufficient induce-
ment to send this sort of heavy gocds by rail.

.. .
On the re- examination by Mr. TALBOT, Mr. Chambers stated that
there was a considerable delay in the carriage by water, and that
the expenses in addition rendered a railway communication very
desirable.

Vice-Admiral Sir John Ommaney testified to the general feeling
at Portsmouth, and the favourable nature of the country proposed
for the Atmospheric Railway. The population was considerable on
the line, and there was now no coach for the accommodation of the
public. On that line there Is as the forest of Woolner, which had for-
merly been disforerted in consequence of the obstacles which existed to
the carriage of the timber from or to Portsmouth. It had, how-
ever, lately been inclosed, and it would be very desirable to obtain
a good means of access to the south, so that the timber that was
grown there for the navy rnight be easily obtained.. He thought
that it was very desirable that there should be a communication
with Deptford and Chatham, and also along the coast from Dover
to Plymouth, so as to give a facility for the conveyance of troops
and artillery to any particular point.
Major White, Town-major of Portsmouth for 2'2 years, whose
business was to circulate the orders for the defence of the port—
He had had considerable experience in the removal of troops, es-
pecially during the war. One great instance, the arrival of
the troops from Corunna, showed the inconvenience of the want
of sufficient communication with the interior. Had they possessed
railway communication at that time, the shipping would not have
got in shore, and the men would have been moved into ether
quarters without the sickness and loss at that time sustained.
To the examination of Mr. WAPUINGTON, Major White replied
that Portsmouth could not hold out long with its present garrison,
but an increased garrison might be obtained by a railway along the
coast. In the event of a descent by a hostile steam navy this
convenience would be absolutely indispensable. There was
a great want of conveyance for troops. During the com-
mand of Sir Hercules Pakenham there had been only one
regiment moved from Chatham to Portsmouth, but there had been
considerable communication with Winchester and Weedon, and
he thought that the circulation of troops on the coast was about
15,000 a-year. It would be a great saving to be able to send
troops by land: There was great delay at present in going round
by the coast, he himself having when engaged in the expedition to
Sicily been detained six weeks, and his family who were with the
store ships were detained 17 weeks, the stores at that time being
very much wanted in the Peninsular.
Mr. Hoskins, formerly a merchant and now assistant tide-keeper
at Portsmouth, testified to the utility of the London-bridge station,
and the great convenience which the third.class trains would be to
sailors paid off at the port. The mercantile intercourse had greatly
decreased since the establishment of the railway to Southampton
and the establishment of the docks. The alosport branch had, in
his opinion, been an injury rather than a benefit, and in his expel i.
ence the Southampton line was the dearest and the worst in the
kingdom. Before the competition the second class carriages espe-
cially were of a very miserable description. The witness
also gave testimony respecting the termini similar to that
of all the other witnesses. The houses building at Landport
would bear the comparison with those in course of erection at
Portsca. On the whole he thought the atmospheric line passed
through a district far superior to that through which the other
line went.

Mr. Wyse, Mr. T. Whyte, a ship.builder at Portsmouth, Mr. Pring,
Mr. Colebrook, and Mr. Russell all gave similar testimony as to the
utility of the proposed line, and the facilities which it offered
for the communication with the Isle of Wight, but there was
nothing of any particular moment elicited, and the Committee was
adjourned till twelve o'clock tomorrow.

GROUP LL.
THE LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN
(METROPOLITAN EXTENSION).

Mr. HILL opened, this morning, the case for the directors of
this line of railway. The object of the promoters was to extend the
line, the terminus •f which was now at Nine-elms,
to a point which would be equally distant from Water-
loo, Hungerford, and Westminster-bridges. It would be of
great benefit to the public, and he considerei that the directors of
that railway had only acted in strict accordance with their duly i❑
having laid this Bill on their table.
Mr. Wm. Reid was then called and examined in favour of the ex.
tension, by Mr. SMIRK K—He stated that he was lately the Managing
Director of the Rouen and Paris line of railway. He afterwards
became Managing Director of the South-Western line, and was
identified with it when it was first introduced into Parliament.
As to the position of the present terminus the di;acican.