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

and Oldham, two coaches a week were the only conveyance. Last
year, by the railway, there were 40,000 passengers, not including
pleisure excursions, and the number would be greater but that a
change of carriages took place on this line. In his opinion, the
sama kind of intercourse would occur between Wigan, Bury,
and Bolton, if the projected line were carried out.
Mr. Richard Manly Foster. superintendent to Messrs. Bromelaw
and Foster, coal mine proprietors at Bickerstaffe—Knew but of one
line which would be beneficial to the public, and that was the
proposed line.

At the conclusion of this witness's testimony the Committee
adjourned, at four o'clock.

GROUP L.

The Committee on this group sat at twelve 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withdrawn, the evidence was not likely to occupy more than half
an hour,
The CHAIRMAN said that the only consideration with the Cam.
naittee 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 h.,lf an hour,
the Committee undertook to take the Horsham branch on Friday
afternoon, at three o'clock.
Mr. George Hillyer 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 Buxter-hill, and the quantity of lime sent
down to Portsmouth was very 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-examination by Mr. M. SMITH, witness stated that
from 1,500 to 2,000 ions of coals were sent from Hems.vorth 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 coun.
try, but he thought that they were about equal handed. In the Pe-
tersfield district there was the Bear forest and the Weimer forest, but
he knew nothing of the timber on the other district. He believed
that barely halt of the corn ground in the neighbourhood of Mid.
hurst and Petersfield came from Chichester market.
To the re-examination by Mr. RAWLINSON, the witness replied
that coals were from Os. to 4s. a ton cheaper at Hemsworth than at
Chichester, as there were no port dues, but only pilotage, to pay at
the former 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 ea ; eat convenience,
but same 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. dolliffe, M.P., stated he resided at Meratham, in
Surrey, and had considerable property in and about Petersfield, and
was Lord of the Manor of that place. The •alley 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 line. He was anxious for this line, as it would open the
communication with Portsmouth, and buyers from Portsmouth
would have less competition in the Petersfield market than at Chi
cheater. 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 coald
send to the Borough market. The country between
Petersfield 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
saplings. He was Member for Petersfield, which by the Reform
Bill had been put into schedule B, and he had taken a large interest
in the atmospheric line, and had become a Director, because he
thought not only that the district would be greatly benefited, but
because upon it the very existence and the whole prosperity of Pe-
tersfield depended. He felt assured that the Company was a bona
fide Company, and, if the Committee passed the preamble, and Par-
liament gave them an Act, the line would most certainly be made.
The atmospheric line was the first that had been projected, and
he (Sir William) thought that he had heard of it some months be-
fore the South-Western line had been at all spoken of in public.
Certainly the population in that district were unanimously in its
favour.

Mr. Chace, a farmer, residing within about lye miles of Peters.
field, who, in addition to a farm on his own hands, also managed
2,000 acres for Sir Harry Featherstone—The land was exceedingly
good for pasture, and he had about 390 sheep on his own farm, and
there were from 1,400 to 1,500 on Sir H. Featherstone's ground.
Sir Harry had also another farm, where there were about 1,200
sheep. He had about 700 ewes which lambed, and,:together, about
240 to 250 beasts of the best quality, fed on the farms. They
sent a good many:calves to London, the cost being about ss. each for
calves, and Is, lid, for lambs. He had attended the market at
Chichester, which was about fourteen miles distant, since he was
sixteen years of age, and it was attended by people from ail round
the country. There were two great stock fairs in Petersfield in the
year, which were by far the greatest fairs in the neighbourhood.

There was also a considerable quantity of game sent up to London
during the existence of the coaching system, especially during the
early part of the season,

Mr. Parsons, a resident at Petersfield, confirmed the testimony of
the other witnesses as to the abstraction of the trade.
Mr. King, of Buriton, stated that he held 1,100 acres in one
farm and 240 in another, and that the whole of the country round
Petersfield was admirably adapted for feeding stock, and was very
rich in all kinds of agricultural produce.
Mr. Munday, a cattle-dealer, residing within two miles of
Petersfield, stated that he had about 2,300 sheep on his own
lands, and purchased 500 to 600 beasts, and from 10,000 to 12,000
sheep, yearly. The land throughout the whole district was ex-
ceedingly good for grazing, and the stock was of the very finest
description. He had himself obtained several prizes for show
cattle, as had also some of his neighbours, and he believed that
there were at least 1,000 beasts fatted every year in the valley of
Petersfield. The cost of conveying sheep to market was Pd. a head
to Vauxhall, and 2d. from there to Smithfield. The expense of
getting beasts to that market was from Bs. to 1 is. a head, and this
railway would be a very great advantage. This witness also testi.
fied to the growth of a considerable quantity of timber in the
district.

- .....
Mr. Hallam, a butcher at Calmore, said he had slaughtered be-
tween 800 and 1,000 sheep since February last, and sent most of
the carcases to London, at a cost of 2s. 4d. a cwt. During the
existence of the coaching system they had sent their meat for
2 Y2d. a stone, and at present they were suffering much from the
distance of the railway.
Mr. Canky stated that he and his father had farmed the tolls of
Peterafield market for more than 50 years, and that the number of
sheep penned at the December fair was from 7,000 to 10,000, be.
sides which there were about 600 or 700 beasts. He was also an
auctioneer. Had sold 2,663 oak trees at 41. a load this year
for Sir W. Jolliffe, but the price would have been at least I/. a load
higher If they had had any good conveyance to the coast, and the
country was altogether well wooded.
Mr. S. Chace, a farmer at Steep, north of Peterafield, confirmed
the previous witness as to the quality of the land, and stated that
there was as good malting barley grown in the neighbourhood as
anywhere in the country. He also dealt in provisions, and had
paid 2001. a year for carriage for the last thirty-eight years.
Mr. Hearsay, a farmer in the
,neighbourhood of Liss, which was
a

le farther up the line, gave similar testimony, and stated that
a farm had lately been sold in that neighbourhood at 501. an acre.
Mr. Simmons, a paper-maker and coal-merchant at Haslemere,
stated that there were fifteen corn-mills and seven paper.mills near
that place, and that the formation of the proposed railway would
reduce the price of coals nearly 15s. a ton. Beside this paper and corn
business, there was also a large turnery in the town, the wood
about the place being well adapted for that purpose. There was
also a manufactory of pyroligneous acid and of naptha. The ter-
minus at London-bridge was decidedly the best, and the formation
of the railway would save him at least 3001. a year in carriage,
and to another firm there would be a saving of double that amount.
The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP LL.
THE LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN
RAILWAY EXTENSION.
(Continued from our ♦fternoon Edition of yeiterday.)

Mr. M. CHAMBERS suggested that the Counsel on the opposite
side should produce evidence with respect to the traffic tables.
Mr. SmtexE raid that, if heithought that the branch of the line
which had been before the Committee would have taken so short a
time, he would have been able to produce evidence on that point, but
the principal witness was at present under examination before
another Committee.
.. _

The CHAIRMAN wished to be certain that the evidence would be
ready to morrow if they did adjourn.
Mr. SMIRBE assured the Committee that it would.
After a short discussion, the Committee adjourned to twelve
o'clock to-morrow.

GROUP N.
CORNWALL RAILWAY.

Mr. ROWE, counsel for the petitioners (in continuation from
our Afternoon Edition of yesterday), said—He held that the
promoters of the Bill had obtained a favourable report from the
Board of Trade by false colouring, on the assumption that the
line would be worked by atmospheric traction, whereas
they had not sufficient money to construct such a
line ; and even for the construction of a double locomotive
their estimates were 300,0001. below the sum which would be
necessary. Captain Moorsom had stated that the crossing of the
Hamoaze could be effected in a minute, while Mr. Stevenson, Mr.
Rendell, and other scientific gentlemen whom he had called before
them, had shown that such an opinion was absurd, as the passage
could not be accomplished in leas than half an hour, and that
they would rather go several miles round than cross the Hamoaze
by means of a floating bridge. The electrical telegraph could not
be properly or safely laid down. Then the drawbridge over the
Penryn-creek, which was navigated by large ship., would only be
four feet and a half high at high-water, and if the Admiralty did
not consent to the construction of the bridge, a dangerous pier,
projecting a considerable distance into the creek, was to be
constructed. Why, what could be greater obstacles to
the fre•passage of the shipping than such a bridge and such a pier ?
A line might have been constructed from Plymouth to Falmouth
in a more northern direction, avoiding the Hamoaze alto-
gether, end offering greater accommodation to the mines in
those districts than the coast line could. He eulogised
the central line, and referred to the small obstacles
which it would have to encounter in comparison with the proposed
line; that the gradients and curves on the one were moderate and
practicable, whilst on the other they were not only imprac•
ticable, but dangerous in every sense—opinions substantiated
by the evidence of gentlemen well competent to judge—not
only of engineers, but of Members of Parliament, and persons of
high standing and influence in the county. He concluded by call-
ing upon the Committee to reject the preamble of the Bill, as its
adoption would, its a political, commercial, and social view, be most
injurious to the county of Cornwall.
Mr. Sergeant KINGLAKE said the real question was, whether
Cornwall was to have a railway or not, and he held that if the
proposed scheme were not carried out the county would not have a
railway 71 all. Looking to the south coast of Cornwall—to the
wants of the mining interests—to the wants of the inhabitants of
Liskeard, St. Austel, Truro —the line laid down by Captain
Moorsom, whom his Learned Friend had most unjustly calum.