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

Group X.

The Committee to whom the Bills comprised in this group were
referred, reassembled this morning—present, Lord Courteuay,
Chairman; Mr. Darby, Mr. B. Wall, and Mr. P. &rope.

LONDON AND YORK RAILWAY.

The Committee proceeded with the evidence in this case.
Mr. PAGE; on behalf of the promoters of the Bill, handed in a
scale of charges which the Company, if they should be allowed to
make the railway, would be prepared to make. These charges
would not exceed the tolls spoken to by the witnesses who had
been examined.

Mr. Samuel Lovel was then called and examined by Mr. PAGET
--He stated that he had been for 23 years a coal-merchant and
tanner in Bedford. He obtained his coal from Lyon. The price
to the consumer in the towns was from 28s. to 30s. per ton ; the
charge for carriage to Belford being 88. 6d. per ton. If this rail-
way were made he expected that the town would be supplied with
coal at 14s. 6d. per ton. He believed th 8t the corn trade would
be very much improved by this railway. He had originally
established his tan.yard for the purpose of supplying the London
market; but the high price of carriage had prevented him doing
so. In consequence of this high price by carriage be had only ma-
nufactured for home consumption.

Cross.examined by Mr. V. LEE—Knew the proposed line from
Fenny Stratford to Bedford. Knew the coal districts of Derby.
shire. The coal of that district was suited to the manufactures of
Bedford. The malt he sent to London would go to his factor. It
would be convenient to have the malt deliverednear to the breweries.
He would purchase his hides in London at Leadenball-market.
It would be convenient, therefore, to have the terminus of the
railway at Finsbury.

(LEFT SITTING.)

Group V.

The Committee appointed to consider of the following railway
plans, viz., the Midland Railways Extension (Nottingham and Lin-
coln), Newark and Sheffield Railway, Manchester, Sheffield, and
Midland Junction Railway, met in room No. 18, at twelve o'clock.
The Members were the O'Conor Don (Roscommon county),
Chairman ; the Right lion. T. B. Macaulay ( Edinburgh), Mr.
Pusey (Berkshire), Mr. Thomas Esmonde (Wexford county), Sir
John Rae Reid (Dover).
The preliminary arrt.r.,,tmiet.ts having been completed, the several
petitions against the projects were read, and the Committee then
decided to take the fl rot 0, the proposed lines into consideration.
Mr. HILD%ARD the.: opened the case on behalf of the promoters
of the Bill. He contended that the proposed line would be of in.
calculable advantage to Lincoln and Nottingham, as connecting
these towns with a rich and fertile country, and by a proposed
line at present under the consideration of the House with Hull,
the principal town on the East Coast for the Baltic trade.
There were no objections of any importance urged against the
projected line, although there were several petitions, one from Lord
Chesterfield, complaining of damage that would be done to a
shooting.box of his near Nottingham. He (Mr. Hildyard) was in.
structed that the line would not come within half a mile
of that box, and considering the advantages to be de.
rived from the line, he thought the petition of
minor consideration. There were a few more petitions, but they
were even of a less potent character. He should at once then pro-
ceed to call witnesses in support of the line.
Mr. Bell, the Secretary to the Midland Railway Company, was
called to prove the capital required. They proposed to raise a
capital of 408,0001., 136,0001. of which would require to be
borrowed.

William Henry Johnson, general ironmonger at Lincoln, was
of opinion that the trade of that city would be greatly increased
by the proposed line, as it was shorter than the turnpike-road, and
greatly shorter than the Trent Navigation Canal. The saving in
time would be material, and the necessity for a large capital on the
part of small traders would be obviated.
John Welbourne, coal and corn merchant at Lincoln, was called
to prove the unsatisfactory water communication, and the increase
in price which, in consequence of canal stoppages, took place in every
article imported.
John Hartley gave similar evidence.

Joseph Adams, malster, Newark, made from 60,000 to 70,000
quarters of malt, which were sent to the v.•estward. Great quan-
titles of coal were imported from Nottingham by the Trent Navi-
gation Canal, and they were raised sometimes in consequence of
the stoppage on the canal, from 10s. aton to nearly 20s. He
thought the proposed railway would be a blessing to the country
there.
Rickard Bell gave similar evidence.

Charles Simpkins, a butcher at Nottingham, said that 4,000
beasts were driven annually from Lincolnshire to the first-named
place. The cattle were greatly injured by the driving, and this
evil would be obviated by this railway.
Riebard Strelly was of a similar opinion.

THE 31AGAZINES-CON TINUED.

COLBURN'S UNITED SERVICE.

The present Number opens with a brief history
of "Kolapoor and Saw unt Warree," the disturbed dis-
tricts in Southern 11.1ahratta, which are at present the
scene of a " little war" in India. The article con-
veys information which cannot but be useful at the
present time, and is drawn up in a plain and under-
standable style. The "Spirit of Military Institutions,"
by Marshal Marmont, is continued, as are Captain
Hippesly's " Reminiscences of the War of Sucses •
sion in Portugal." Felix Grumtnel concludes his
" Reminiscences of a French Prison." The history
of his escape is well told, and is full of interest. Capt.
Smyth O'Conner gives us the first chapter of
" Twelve Months' Service in Western Africa." This
chapter is devoted to an account of the colony of
Sierra Leone, and of its capital, Freetown. The
following account of the causes of its insalubriousness
is well deserving the attention of the Colonial-office :
" From the position of Freetown it is and ever will
be suited only for African constitutions. Placed at the
base of a circle of hills, after heavy rains the surplus sun
is washed down, forming a compost of red mud and re-
getable rubbish, intersected by pools of stagnant water,
which latter, were it not for the admirable drains run
ning in eery direction to the sea, would inundate the
houses in the low: .f the town. The action of a
vertical sun on -. ur.*, ..1" decomposed matter superin-
duces dense hez-„vy til-A deleterious exhalations, and pro
duces those fearful f vers that occasionally devastate the
capital and almost depopulate the colony of its European
inhabitants. In traversing the town, the effluvia from
stinking fish, rancid palm oil, rotten vegetahi~r;=, garbage
of the most filthy description, and tmtid smell of naked
negroes, concocts a villainous odour requiring a brazen
nose to eur.ounter.

" Tne supply of fish caught in the lagoons and bats
near Freetown being considerably greater than is re-
quired for daily consumption a vast surplus remains un-
sold ; this is stewed, baked, or boiled with palm oil, and
hawked about fur sale in baskets or trays, or piled up in
heaps in every direction, poisoning the atmosphere, and
renderit g a drive or walk through the capital of Sierra
Leone by no means a recreation, or an appetizer for a
seven o'clock dinner.

" Freetown and its vicinity is insalubrious, not only
from local circure,tances, but also from effects produced
by the neighbouring country and coast, effects which are
beyond our control, over which we have no power, and
)r which there is no probable remedy. I refer to the
vast forests, uncultivated plains, deep jungles, and ex•
ensive swamps, covering the Bultan shores on the oppo-
site side, and running parallel to the promontory of Sierra
Leone. 1, hen the wind blows from this direction dis-
ease and mortality are snre to follow, and the scourges
which have periodically visited the colony may be easily
and trnly traced to this source. Nor do I see in what
way, or by what means the evil can be removed ; we
hold no claim, authority or command over the Mending°
country ; the natural indolence of its inhabitants forldds
the idea that they would clear away these primaeval
woods, to benefit or please the European ; their interests
jar with our desire to enter their land, and consequently
they are h., stile to our making settlements in it. No-
minally they deal not in slaves, and the trade it; by
treaty abolished, but actually the hateful commerce
flourishes rife as ever, and forms a vast source of revenue.
Cunning, selfish, and bigoted, the Mandingos tolerate
the English, only as long as they can give presents, or
afford by cajolery or cheating, the means of acquiring
money."
The author considers that Sierra Leone never can
become an emporium where steady capitalists will
risk their lives and constitutions even with the pros-
pect of acquiring rapid fortunes. It is, has been, and
will be, the " white man's grave." Lieut.-Colonel
Wilkie, in an article on the " Defensive Force of the
British Islands," suggests that more attention should
he paid to the enrolling and disciplining the militia,
so as to make it an efficient means of internal defence
against an invader, and, as it was during the time of
the last war, a nursery for the army. The publication
of this paper is exceedingly well-timed, and the sug-
gestions of Colonel Wilkie merit the attentive
consideration of the Government. This is an excel-
lent Number, and most of the articles are of permanent
national interest.