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

GROUP K.

prizEcT iffORVTIC/1 It 5 XLWAV.
The Committee on thid line met this morning at the usual hour,
,rd Sandon in the chair.
1 'revious to the examination of witnesses, Mr. ALEXANDER,
Q.C. inforMed the Committee that, acting on
of the
the suggestion
irect
tiros 7n out on Friday last, the promoters D
Norsel oh line had entered into negotiations with the engineer
of the .Chelmsford and Bury branch, for making amicable arrange-
ments rt•specting the construction of the rail through Bishop St"rt.
ford or Cl, ,9msford, and he was happy to state that those overtures
had been met in the fairest spirit, although no specific answer had
as yet been received ; he trusted, however, from the courtesy
evinced, that a corerromise would be effected.
Mr. Rawlins= here !sanded a note to Mr. Alexander, which the
latter explained to the committee was an unequivocal refusal on
the pert of the Bury and CheiMsford line to enter into any terms
or comprOnlise whatever. The Learned Counsel expressed his
surprise at this termination ofa negotiation, opened with the fairest
and most amicable intentions, and regretted the necessity of pro..
•ceeding with the evidence of witnesses !O establish their case.
Mr. JAMES, Q.C., at a subsequent perk of the day, stated that
tho reason for breaking off the communicati!;:l was the untenable
proOosal of the Direct Norwich to form a bri:llc.t to Wickham-
broo;:. Such an overture could not be enteruzined for a
moment, and despite the opinion of the three engineers,
Sir John Rennie, Mr. Robert Stephenson, and Mr. T. Braithwa:te,
the promoters of the Bury and Chelmsford line had determined to
reject the terms.
The evidence of the witnesses was consequently resumed.
Cross-examined by Mr. LEE—Is a miller, residing at Little
W.ratten, a small town midway between Bury and Bishop Stortford.
These is a difference of 3s. a quarter in the price of barley at
Ilavei-shill and Bishop Stortford. Is auditor of the Risbridge
Union, about; twenty-fiee miles from Bishop Stortford. The
price on the present land carriage is lid. per quarter
per
mile, making in all 3s. ; while the price
by rail Would be little more than 63d. Riabridge Union
comprises a petpulation of 18,000 and an extent of 58,500 acres
of the latter 48,750 acres are arable, 7,800 pasture, and 1,930
wotA, giving 12,187 for wheat, 12,187 for barley, 6,093 for peas and
bean.s, 6,093 for clover,
of 23 for seed, and 1,323 mown for stover.
As to the conveyance surplus produce, wheat comprises 18,561
vs. (allowing 5 qrs. to
a t
45,010 quaiters, or (6 on), amounting to 3,712 tons; barley,
quarters to a ton), 7,501 tons ; peas and
or
beans, 19,041 quarters, 3,908 tons ; seeds, 165 tons; stover,
2,9.84 tons; and hay, 1,605 o making a total, for export, of
19,095 tons. The oatsirns tonspr-t
of
etitamnsOunt to 21,060 qrs., or 2,633 tons,
giving a total of 21,72
conveyed
needing a means of transit.
Wheat, peas, and' beans,
at present over twenty miles, at
9d. per quarter land carriage; by rail
to Stortford, ninateev miles, at lid, perbtyoenfrpees mile, is equivalent
etotinig thus a saving of
AO 6:4d. per quarter for the same oistance
in
barley,
aarneds t
Ims market.
3n 2s. 9d. per quarter in conveyance by rail
In the same proportion a laving of .s. 51d.d.
lit oats, would be effected.
Cross-examined by Mr. RAWLINSON—The surplus wlieavt in the
Union he computed at 13,561 qrs. Artificial manure i chiefly
procured at Misldon, and coals from Cambridge and Colchester at a
considerable cost.
Joseph Boreharn, examined by Mr. GIROEN, is a maltster, resid-
ing at Haverhill ; originally carried on a very extensive trade, but
since other towns had been afforded railway facilities, while liaver-
hill had been left unaccommodated, the trade had almost wholly
been withdrawn.
Cross-examined by Mr. RAWLINSON—One of the reasons for the
decline in the malt trade is the introduction of pale and patent
malt instead of brown. Coal is 365. a ton at Haverhill, and
during the last winter the sufferings of the poor te want of fuel
were extreme, while, if a means of transit had existed,:ti2.;s:e disad.
vantages would have been obviated.
Daniel Gurteen, examined by Mr. HETAgIttIIOII,OI-.-IS a manu.
facturer of Haverhill, employing upwards of 600 hands
other fac-
tories in the district, but their traffic Is limited for want of a
better means of transit. The present cost for carriage between
the town of Haverhill and the metropolis is 245. per ton; that by
railway would beabout 12s. or 13s. per ton.

The cross-examination of this witness was considered unneces-
sary, as the Committee were unanimously of opinion that the Bury
and Chelmsford line was preferable to the Bury and Bishop Stott-
ford, as projected by the Direct Norwich, and this scheme was
virtually abandoned by the latter Company, though formally re-
tained during the continuance of collateral opposition. By the
traffic table handed in at this period by the promoters of
the Direct Norwich Line it appeared that the income expected on
that railway from the conveyance of passengers and goods is :
From passengers by coach, 14,882/. 11s. 6d.; by post horses,
780/. 9s. 4d.; by gigs, &c., 3,328/. 135.; by spring
carts, vans, &c., 4,498/. ; in all, 23,4891. 13s. 10d.
Doubling for railway accommodation, the total passenger
revenue anticipated is 46,9791. 7s. 3d. For traffic :—Gene
ral merchandise, 12,589/. 25. ; agricultural produce, 11,825/. ;
live stock, 5,3321. ss. 10d. ; coach parcels and mails,
5,000/. ; carriages, &c., 2,7001. Total goods' revenue,
37,4461. 7s. 10d., which, together with the passenger
amount, gives a total of 84,4251. Iss. 6d., deducting 40
per cent. for working expenses, or 33,7701. 6s. 3d., the nett annual
income anticipated for the line is 50,6551. 9s. 3d., being 6 2-3
per cent, on the capital sum of 760,000/.
John Peto, examined by Mr. LEE—Has contracted for the con.
struction of the Direct Norwich line between Bury and Thetford,
and is ready to undertake the works for that distance of twelve
miles, at a cost of 179,0001., including permanent way, and every
thing except the land. The cost between Thetford and Bishop
Stortford would be 685,000/.
By Lord SANDON—The district north of Bury is easier than
that in the Southern parts. No tunnelling will be required on the
line, nor any level crossings. The height of the loftiest embank-
ment will be 50 feet.

In consequence of the absence of Sir John Rennie, whose evi-
dence was considered indispensable at this period of the examina.
tion, the Committee deferred the further consideration of the Direct
Norwich case till to-morrow, and in the interim proceeded with
that of the