The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-15 00:00:00

SCO rT- SF! IV/ZDLA.ND RAILWAY.

On the re-assembling of the Committee this morning, it eleven
o'cicck, . _

Mr. ANDREWS proceeded to ..,ddress them on behalf of the op_
posing landowner. The Learned Counsel quoted several extracts
from the report of the Board of Trade, from which it appeared that
the coast line was not an inferior line to that before the Com.
mittee, but that the stoppages on it were objectionable. The
question of the proposed line, looking simply at its merits, divided
itself into two parts. First, into the through traffic, and then into
the question of the local traffic. The subject of the traffic going
north and south was a mere question of saving, in point of time, of
about five minutes as compared with the coast-line; and looking
at the greater amount of public accommodation which the latter line
wouldit afford, it was most unquestionably the preferable of the two.
With
respe,it to the local traffic, he contended that the amount
had been over.rated to the extent of '20,0001.; that the periods of
the year which had been selected for the computation of the tables
were most unfair, and that the small requirements of the district
which the line traversed did not justify the damage and
nuisance which it would occasion to the owners of
the eight miles of land who were opposing the Bill.
He contended also that the passenger traffic, which had been put
down as being derived from Cargi I, Arbroath, and other
places,
could not, in point of fact, be properly included. These were
matters which their Lordship.; ought to consider well before they
came to any decision on the subject. With regard to the goods
traffic from Forfar to Dundee there had not been one particle
of evidence to show that it would go by the railway, and
the probability was that it would continue to be conveyed along
the road by which it had always been .cent. The same observa_
tions would apply to the traffic in stone, wood, and other sim,lar
articles. The items in the coal and lime tables had been greatly
exaggerated : credit had been taken for 26,000 tons out of 40,000
tons from mere guess and pro.pective notions. There would be
as great a competition in the sale of coals from the Dundee market
in Glarnis and other points of the proposed line as there
would be in the coal coming from Forfar, which place
hail been set forth as the point of concentration, where all
competition would end. The grand dept for their cattle traffic
was at Brechin. That point could be settled in a few words. A
railway already existed for the conveyance of the cattle from Brechin
to the south. The same onservatien applied to all the traffic except
the in' evmdia,e cattle triffie. but then it was absurd to suppose that
to tie cattle wcula be driven four or five milts for the purpnaeofmerely

travelling a few miles by railway. He contended that it was the
du y of the promoters to lay before the Committee that clear and
cogent evidence that its authenticity could not be doubted. The
cause, however, was teat their tables had been constructed on in..
correct data, and consequently could not be relied on.
Mr. Stocks, who was examined for the opposition, spoke gene-
rally as to the traffic to Perth, which he said he should prefer
sending in carts as at present, rather than by the proposed railway,
owing to the distance. They carried potatoes to Perth, and
brought back coals. The price of the Glengarry coal, at Perth,
was 14e. per ton, and English coal, of an inferior quality, might
be obtained at 12s. per ton. He never saw any cattle coming east.
ward from the Forfar market. Cargill was almost entirely an
agricultural village, and certainly not one-third of the population
were engaged in cotton spinning. He thought the tables were
generally very incorrect and extravagant. He had conversed with
all the farmers between Kinclaven and Perth, and the majority of
them were adverse to the proposed ►ine. He was not aware of any
petitions being presented in favour of it. For his own part, he
thought it would never answer.
Mr. Isaac M'Cray, coach contractor at Aberdeen, was next ex-
amined. He said he was nearly the largest contractor in Scotland,
and usually kept from 200 to 250 horses. He considered that the
main line of communication between Dundee, Perth, Arbroath, and
Montrose would be by means of the coast lines, and not through
Strathmore. The coach traffic in the tables had been generally
overstated. The proposed line was not, in his opinion, necessary
for the convenience of the district, as the points of distance were
very short, and were easily travelled by coaches.
The witness was subject to a short cross-examination by Mr. Hors:
without materially altering his statements, and
The Committee adjourned till to-morrow at eleven.