The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-13 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12.
The Sub-Comittee on Standing Orders No. 1, present Mr.
Strutt, chairman, Mr. Forbes, Mr. V. Stuart, Mr. Compton,
and the Hon. Mr. Clive, sat at 12 o'clock to-day.
A petition from
THE DUBLIN :AND DROGHEDA RAILWAY
Company for.a Bill to run a branch from the above line to
Howth, near Dublin, and t 9) alter and improve their previous
Act, will be reported as being in compliance with the stand-
ing orders. Length of branch, 3,-; miles; estimate, 40,0001. •,
engineer, Sir J. Macneill ; agents, Messrs. Hayward and
Harrington.
THE HARROGATE AND RIPON JUNCTION
RAI LW AY.
The promoters of a Bill for the purpose of running the
above line from the Great North of England Railroad at
Thirsk to Harrogate and Ripon, with a branch to Richmond,
were declared to have complied with the standing orders.
The line, including the branch, is 20 miles long; estimated
cost, 338,9001. ; engineer, Mr. J. Stephenson; agents, Burke,
Pritt, and Venables.
THE WEAR VALLEY RAILWAY.
The Committee were of opinion that the provisions of the
strinding orders had been complied with by the promoters of
the above railway, which they propose to run from Bishop
Auckland and Wear Railway to Stanhope, to facilitate the
transfer of the mineral produce of the surrounding districts.
Length, ten miles ; estimate, 82,000/. ; engineer, Mr. J. Ste-
phenson; agents, Messrs. Burke, Pritt, and 'enables.
The necessary proof of the contract was deferred to the
neact sitting of. the Committee, owing to the non-appears
ance of that document, the result of some accident or irre-
Yularit v.
rLIT -
E MIDDLESBOROUGH AND REDCAR RAILWAY.
A petition for a Bill with the above title, authorising the
formation of a line between the places named, and in junc-
tion with the Stockton and Darlington Railway (the same
engineer and agents as the preceding), was declared to be in
compliance with the standing orders. Length of line, 8 miles;
estimate, 36,0001.
THE SOUTH WALES RAILWAY.

This case, which has been adjourned on two occasions to
epable the engineers for the city of Gloucester and Mr.
Whitcombe (the opponents of the measure) and the promo-
ters of the line to examine into the allegations of the adverse
petition, and to ascertain their real value, was then brought
on, when
Mr. Burke (for the Bill) stated, as the result of the confer-
ence' that Mr. Whitcombe, on behalf of the city of Gloucester,
who had opposed the Bill on public grounds, being convinced
of the insufficiency of many of the allegations, and satisfied
with the explanations of those apparent errors on which the
others rested, now declined to press his opposition.
Mr, Hayward declared his conviction that the soundest
discretion had been exercised in doing so.
The CHAIRMAN observed that the engineer, in proving the
plans, had stated that they were accurate, with the exception
of those points against which there were allegations, and that
it would be necessary to examine him again, now that the
opposition was withdrawn.
Mr. Carrington, assistant to Mr. Brunel, the chief engineer,
was called, after some conservation had taken place on the
subject, and gave his evidence in a hesitating manner, and,
with such reservations as regarded the accuracy of the plans,
that the Committee thought it necessary to clear the room
to deliberate on the course which they ought to pursue, and
eventually decided that they should hear the evidence upon
the plans and sections, to ascertain if the standing orders had
been complied with.
Mr. Brunel was examined accordingly, as Mr. Carring-
ton's evidence did not appear very conclusive, and, on being
desired to state if the plans and sections complied with the
requisitions of the standing ordes, declared that he believed
they were as perfect as they could be, but at the same time
he might observe that he never yet had seen any plans which
could be said to comply with all the details of these provi-
sions. He believed them to be as accurate as possible, but
was not prepared to say that, on the plans of a line 200 miles
long, some violations of the orders might not exist. After
going over the allegations carefully, they had struck out
such as seemed untenable, till Mr. Whitcombe consented to
withdraw his petition, but still it was probable that errors
existed in the plans. He often felt the great difficulty of a
literal compliance with the orders, but more particularly when
called upon to proye the plans, as at present.
'rhe CHAIRMAN expressed the disinclination of the Com-
mittee to press upon the promoters of the Bill. They had no
intention of going through all the allegations of the peti-
tioners, as the present case was not like that in which Mr.
Aglionby's Committee had adopted that course, but they were
anxious to ascertain where the errors were.

After some further conversation,
Mr. Brunel, in reply to the Chairman, proceeded to state
the instances of nonn• compliance which he was aware of.
There were four cases of omission respecting curves of less
than one aiile radii in about seventy which occurred along the
line, and seven mistakes in the statements of gradients, some
of which were afttributable to mere clerical errors in mis-
placing the figures, as well as some omissions of enlarge-
ment.
The CHAIRMAN asked if there were any other instances of
errors in the plans ?
Mr. Brunel replied, that it would be necessary for him to
go over all the allegations of the petition, and compare them
with the plane, before he could answer that question.
'Lille room was again cleared, and, on our re-admission,
1 lake CitAtEackx stated the decision of the Committee to
be, that they should report that the standing orders had not
been complied with in respect to the four curves and seven
gradients meationed (which were specified by Mr. Brunel
accordingly).
The Committee then adjourned, at three o'clock.

RAILWAY BUSINESS IN PAR-
LIAMENT.
WSDNEMDAY, 11Lincif 12.
The following Bills were presented and read a first time:—
London and Greenwich Railway.
York and North Midland Railway (Doncaster Extension).
:'.heltield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway.
Blackburn and Preston Railway.
Newark and Sheffield Railway.
Itrewpo# and Ponty Pool Railway.
Sheffidd, As.hton-under, Lytle, and Manchester Railway.

The following Bills were referred to the Select Committee
(m Standing Orders :
Manchester, Leeds, and Hull Associated Railway Companies.
Yarmouth and Nozwich Railway.

. Shrewsbury, Oswestry, and Chester Junction Railway,—
Petition for Bill reported, and Bill ordered to be brought
in by Lord Robert .4rosiicuor, Sir Watkin Williams Wynn,
and Mr. Mainwaring.
Loudon and South- Western Railway,—Petition for Bill re-
ported, and Bill ordered to be brought in by Sir John East-
hope, Mr. Masternian, and Mr. Mangles.
Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings Railway (Keymer Branch),
—Petition far Bill reported, and Bill ordered to be brought
in by Mr.. Fitzroy and Mr. Elphinstone.
Midland Railway (Lincoln and Ely),—Petition for Bill
rewoorted, and , Bill ordered to be brought in by Sir John
Trollope and Sir John- Lowther.
Great Southern and Western Railway (Ireland)—Report
from select Committee on :Petitions for Private Bills read;
Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Morgan John O'Connell,
Mr. Shell, and Mr. Edmund Roche.
. Manchester, Bury, and Rossendale Railway,—Petition for
Bi:1 reported, and Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr.
Wilson Patten and Mr. Walker.
Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North Shields Railway (Tyne-
mouth Extension, &e.),—Petition for Bill reported, and Bill
ordered to be brought in by Mr. Bell and Mr. Hodgson Hanle.
St. Helen's Canal and Railway,—Petition for Bill reported,
and Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Wilson Patten,
Vi.:count Sandon, and Mr. Greenhall.
Bedford and London and Birmingham Railway,—Petition
for Bill reported, and Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr.
St n-irt, Mr. Astell, and Viscount Alford.
Blackburn, Damen, and Bolton Railway,—Report from
Select Committee on Standing Orders read ; Bill ordered to be
brought in by Mr. Wilson Patten, Mr. William Feilden, and
.Nlr. llornby.

NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL OFFICE,
Clydesdale Junction Railway ,—Second reading, Monday,
11.1 arch 17.
-31kldlesbro' and Redcar Railway,—Oommittee on petition,
_ o,4l4rued till the next day on which Sub-Committee .No. 1
neeta:.
Wk 33 Valley Railwav,--Committee on petition, adjourned
411.146.4 ext day on which' Sub• Committee No.l meets.
- , 1
ti4Arkol and Bury Railway,—Committee on petition,
i,tpQ td from Friday 14th, till Monday, March 17.
iulli Devon (Ta‘iistock and other Branches) Railway,--
• :0064 reading, Monday, Mandl 17.
`,.Latinceston and Smell Devon Railway,—Second reading,
.I‘Nulios, 'March 17.
Lerks and Hants 'Tailway —Seeoml reading, Monday
-March 17.