The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-05 00:00:00

GROUP L.

The Committee on this group sat at twelre o'clock, and re.
sumed their inquiry on the Portsmouth Atmospheric line, Mr.
E. B. Denison in the chair, with Mr. Oswald, Lord Clive, Mr.
Vyvian, and Mr. Monckton Milne present.

Before, however, entering on the main business of the day, an
application was made to the Committee to take the Horsham
branch of the Brighton line into consideration on Friday. The
line was only eight miles long, and as all opposition to it had been
withdrawn, the evidence sv:;s not likely to occupy more than half
an hour.

The CHAIRMAN said that the only consideration with the Cem.
mittee was the public benefit, and the only obstacle was a doubt of
the time which would be occupied to the detriment of the line they
had now under consideration.
On the assurance of the Counsel for the line that he would pledge
himself that the evidence should not occupy more than half an hour,
the Committee' undertook to take the Horsham branch on Friday
afternoon, at three o'clock.
Sir. George Hißyer was then called by Mr. RAWLINSON, on
behalf of the Corporation of Portsmouth. He stated that he was a
miller and coal merchant at Hemsworth and Havant. He sent
about 12,600 tons of coals to the interior, at the rate of
eightpence to tenpence per ton per mile, making up to Petersfield
from eight shillings to ten shilling per ton. He knew the lime-
works of Mr. Seward at Butter-hill, and the quantity of lime sent
down to Portsmouth was ♦ery considerable. There were 27 mills
in that neighbourhood, which could grind from 1,800 to 3,000
quarters weekly, and the weight of corn and flour carried to and
from those mills was probably 200 to 250 tons a week.
To the cross-i-xamination by Mr. M. Saint', witness stated that
from 1.500 to 2,000 tons of coals were sent from Hemsworth to
Petersfield, which contained about 2,000 inhabitants. About 2,000
tons of timber were exported to Sunderland, Swansea, and other
places equally distant, but he could not, from his own knowledge,
say whether the Guildford line went through a finer timber court.
try, but he thought that they were about equal handed. In the Pe-
tersfield district there was the Bear forest and the Walmer forest, but
he knew nothing of the timber on the other district. He believed
that barely hall of the corn ground in the neighbourhood of Mid.
burst and Petersfield came from Chichester market.

To the 11-examination by Mr. RAWLINSON, the witness replied
that coals were from 3s. to 4s. a ton cheaper at Hemsworth than at
Chichester, as there were no port dues, but only pilotage, to pay at
tht foiner place.

Mr. Gale, a farmer, residing about seven miles from Petersfield,
stated that he had purchased about 2,500 quarters of oats at Ports-
mouth, and had bought more hay than any other individual in that
neighbourhood, the supply of the latter coming chiefly from about
Petersfield. He also brought a considerable quantity of malt from
Portsmouth, and the atmospheric line would be a great advantage,
and the country was at present suffering from the abstraction of
the traffic by the South-Western Railway. For several years he
had sent three or four horses daily from Petersfield to Portsmouth.
There were three people in the neighbourhood of the former place
to whom he had sent 300 quarters of oats yearly. He named
several villages to which this railway would et eat convenience,
but some of those places were as much as seven miles from the line
of railway.

To the inquiry of Mr. OSWALD, the witness stated that coals
were about the same price as in London.
To the inquiry of Mr. M. MILNE, the witness stated that the
trade in the Petersfield line had very much declined since the
formation of the South. Western Railway.

Sir W. Joiliffe, M.P., stated he resided at Aferstham, in
Surrey, and had considerable property in and about Peterafield, and
was Lord of the Manor of that place. The valley of Petersfield
was, in his opinion, as productive as any part of the county,
and he thought that this line of railway was absolutely indispens-
able to the prosperity of the county. Hundreds of horses
had disappeared from the county since the formation of the South-
Western hoe. He was anxious for this line, as it would open the
communication with Portsmouth, and buyers from Portsmouth
would have less competition in the Peterafield market than at Chi
chester. Since the formation of the South. Western line
the means of communication had been very defective;
in fact, they had no land carriage whatever except
common cartage. He paid 10s. a ton land carriage
for all the coals which he consumed. There was a good deal of
timber growing about Petersfield, especially oak, fit for ship build.
ing. The advantage of railway communication, therefore, with
Portsmouth, was self-evident. Some very good hops were also
grown in the neighbourhood, which they were now obliged to send
to Weyhill, which, if this railway were formed, they could
send to the Borough market. The country between
Peterafield and Godalming was traversed by several sterile hill
ranges, the most prominent of which was the Devil's Dyke.
Large plantations of oak had been made by the Government during
the: last fifty years about Petersfield. He had himself sold con.
siderable quantities of timber this year, but many of the trees had
been cut down, and the new wood would not be ready for
cutting for nearly fifty years to come, except for tillers and
staipLiiighst.hotHe,,owlyas Member for Petersfield, which by the Reform
tersfillaiicimeosplieric lir.e, and had become a Director, because he
Biniltlbikad been put into schedule B, and he had taken a large Interest
that the district would be greatly benefited, but
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aofboPnea-
.fi Company, and, if the Committeesure passed the preamble, and Par-
becde.. upon