that

you have now in execution, under the sanction of Parliament, in the Birmingham Line ?--Yes.

Have you every reason to think that they will answer every purpose of the railroad?--I think so.

Do you know what sort of soil the cutting of this tunnel will be in?-The borings have been made on the line; and that is a detail that Mr. Bidder will give.

Have you any reason to apprehend that there will be any difficulty at all in executing that tunnel there, having regard to the strata?None at all.

*

From the tunnel upon Epsom Common you descend into the valley of Mickleham, in the neighbourhood of Leatherhead ?—Yes.

Is there a cutting there?-There is a cutting on entering the valley.

In your judgment can the cutting be executed with safety, and at such an expense as is included in the estimate of the work? Yes.

When you have got down into the Mickleham Valley, have you an opportunity of availing yourself of that valley for a considerable distance?-Yes.

Will the earth that comes out of that cutting, in descending the valley, form the embankment which will be necessary in the course of the valley ?—Yes. ·

What will be the average lead at which you will carry your cuttings upon your line of railroad?---The average lead from the section will, in my judgment, not exceed a mile and a half.

Having got into the Mickleham Valley, you have to pass through Norbury Park?—Yes.

Is it necessary for you, in order to preserve the entrance of that park, to have an archway?—Yes, a very small tunnel, about 100 yards long..

Will there be any difficulty in constructing that tunnel?—I think

not.

What will be the width of it and the height?—The same as the other.

Will there be the slightest difficulty in that tunnel of 100 yards with the locomotive engines?-I do not consider any in a tunnel so short as that.

In getting afterwards from the Mickleham Valley at a higher level, have you another tunnel there?--Yes, near Dorking,

I know you do not go into the detail of it, but what is the length of that tunnel?-I think it is about the same length as the other. The one upon. Epsom Common?—Yes.

Have you got a plan at all by you?--Yes. [The Witness referred to a Plan.]

I believe you will find that that tunnel is a little more than 600 yards?—I do not recollect the precise lengths.

Will the width and the height of that tunnel be the same as of the other?-Just the same.

Have you any reason to apprehend any difficulty in the strata there in executing that tunnel?--No, I think not.

You have mentioned now three tunnels; will those tunnels have any considerable inclination on them, or will they be nearly level? They have some inclination in them.

Is the inclination at all injurious for the purpose of their being easily and safely used?—No, I think not,

Do you recollect where it is that you deposit the earth which comes out of that tunnel?-It comes into an embankment just by. Is this tunnel on the Norbury Park side of the river, or beyond? -Underneath Norbury Park.

The other is further on, when they ascend from the Valley of Mickleham?—Yes.

With respect to these tunnels, you have had considerable experience in tunnels, have you not?--Yes, I have.

Considering the shortness of those tunnels, do you apprehend any material inconvenience in the use of the railroad from those tunnels? -No, in consequence of their shortness I do not.

Then I conclude from that that tunnels of considerable length would be objectionable?—I consider them so, but in some cases they are totally unavoidable.

Then if they are not of an improper length, any inconvenience from them is reduced most essentially?—Yes.

Will you state what, in your judgment, is an improper length?——— I conceive that they are very objectionable when they exceed half a mile; but we have some upwards of a mile on the London and Birmingham Line.

You consider that beyond half a mile they become objectionable? -Yes.

Of course that objection increases afterwards in proportion to the increased length ?—Yes.

On the Birmingham Line you have some of a mile you say; is that in parts of the country where you could not avoid them? They were quite unavoidable.

You would have avoided them if you could?—Yes.

Have you any method of ventilating those tunnels ?-Yes, we have very large shafts made in different parts.

Will you tell me whether those three tunnels of which you have spoken will require any such means of ventilation, or, from their shortness, whether the aperture at each end will afford a sufficient natural ventilation?—I think sufficient.

From the point that I have spoken of the second tunnel, which is about 15 miles on your line of railroad, you get to your highest summit at Capel?--Yes.

I believe that is about 21 miles and a half along your road ?--Yes, about that.

[To be continued.]

LONDON AND DOVER ENGINEERING EVIDENCE.

EXTRACTS from the Evidence of GEORGE WALTER, Esq., given before the COMMONS' COMMITTEE on the London and Dover (SouthEastern) Railway Bill, relative to the Greenwich Railway.

The following important Evidence of Mr. Walter sets the stability and capabilities of this line in a clearer light than they have yet been seen.-ED.

Mr. GEORGE WALTER called in, and examined by Mr. GORDON, as follows.

I believe you are the Resident Director of the Greenwich Railway?—I am.

Was that work originally projected with a view to its continuation to Kent and Sussex?-It was.

You made your arrangements for that purpose accordingly?—We did.

What is the width of your property along which the railway goes? -It is 75 feet.

Is that along the whole length of the railway?—The whole length. How much is occupied by the present line?-25 feet.

Can you, if necessary, without going again to Parliament, widen your railway so as to admit of two distinct sets of railways?—Yes. On your own property?—Yes.

Supposing the amount of traffic on your railway requires it, are you prepared to make that addition?—We are prepared.

Will you be able to do so without any increase of your present tolls?-We should be able-[a model exhibited]—this is the Greenwich line, and this is the Croydon; at this part there will be a house for a man, with a station to watch the arrival and departure and passing of the trains.

By Mr. Rotch. What is that road below; is it a carriage-road ? -It is now a footpath.

By the Committee.-Does that represent your property?—This does, with exceptions.

By Mr. Rotch.-But what represents your property at the foot of it? The boundary wall, the 25 feet; the space occupied is 25 feet, then on the north of 25 feet and the south of 25 feet is inclosed by the walls.

Have you 50 feet independent of your viaduct?—Yes.
What is the width of that viaduct ?--25 feet.

That is, 75 feet between the external walls?—Yes.

By the Committee.-Is that the case through the whole length of your viaduct?-The whole length.

It is not intersected by any other property or building?—None. When you state the whole length of the line, have you 20 feet from the side of your railway up to where you come on the London Bridge, and in reference to the property of St. Thomas's Hospital?— We have no approach from Duke-street.

All I want to know is, is this your railway, and this your 25 feet? Do you carry the 25 feet right out into the main street at London Bridge, or are you checked anywhere by any building at St. Thomas's Hospital?-Not by any.

You have clear 25 feet, besides the railway, into the main street that goes on the bridge?—That is an approach of 50 feet to the railway.

What is your ground there? show the terminus, the exact terminus.--Referring to the plan.] This is the street leading to the railway at this point.

What width is that?-Fifty feet.

What I want to know is, whether you have 75 feet right home to the Borough end?-At the commencement of the railway it is 65 feet.

That is the whole of the property?--On four lines of rails; it is what we call our station; at the London end we have a street leading to the commencement of the railway of 50 feet.

First you begin with 50 feet for a certain length ?--Yes.
What length, for how many yards?--Perhaps 50 yards.

Have you any authority under your Act to continue your railway on that point, which is only 50 feet?--We have; for we have ground on each side. We have bought it on each side.

Can you enlarge 50 feet, and to what distance, under any powers you have?-To the whole extent; that is 150 feet more.

You can enlarge it up to that point?--Yes, up to the corner, to the angle.

What is your next?-Sixty-five feet.

Can you enlarge there?-We can enlarge it; it is 280 feet in length.

Can you enlarge there?-We can enlarge there at that point. Sixty-five feet is ample width for your four lines of railway ?—It is, for six lines. It is ample.

Can you enlarge that 65 feet?—At this point we can very considerably.

But not there without an Act?--Or by consent; we do not require it.

Have you the power of doing it?-We only bought this property marked yellow.

You cannot make it wider through the whole length of that 300 yards; what width do you require for a double set, not two lines but four?-About 20 feet. No, 40 feet for four lines.

You say you have got 65 feet; you said that is sufficient, but have you got any superfluous ground? What is the width you want for four lines?-We have sufficient ground at present to lay down two more new lines of rails. We have enough.

Here is your railroad, which is 50 feet, and 25 feet on each side? -We have bought all that is marked yellow; we have 75 feet every way.

Have you 75 feet on the pink where it passes that road; how can

you extend it to the right or to the left?—Not exactly over the road, but on the other side; we have the ground on each side of the road.

Suppose it necessary to extend the width of the viaduct, have you the power of extending it where there is that road?-Over the road also we have the power.

What is your width there?-Thirty feet.

Could you widen there without another Act of Parliament ?—It belongs to the Company, the warehouse.

Why is it not marked yellow?—I do not know why it is not; it is a very large hop warehouse. It cost the Company 14,000l.; we can do what we like with it.

Are they all marked yellow?-Yellow and brown.

There is another wide space; is that a road?-It is a road. That is the Company's property that is crossed by a viaduct.

What is that? A small lane or alley leading into property. You have a power of increasing the width of your viaduct?-We have it.

Where you cross the road beyond that?-We have the same power the whole way to Deptford.

Have you land still on the Bermondsey road?—Yes, there is a great deal of property.

And on the other side of the Bermondsey road?—Yes, the same width of property, and considerably more on each side of the road. [The Witness goes to the Counsel and explains.]. Cross-examined by Mr. ROTCH.

You have stated generally that you do not contemplate to increase your tolls?-We do not intend to increase our tolls.

I do not know if you understood that question that was asked as to your increasing and extending the railway to accommodate the two lines of the companies; if you can make those alterations that may be necessary for the purpose of accommodating those new trains, do you still mean to say you will not increase your tolls?—I can only give my own impression that we are bound to give that accommodation to the other companies passing over us; I speak as an individual. I cannot say what the directors will do.

Is there a provision in the Act of Parliament that compels you to let other companies on your line?--Only by agreement with them; we have the power of making our own arrangement.

Though you are compelled to take the traffic along your line that may be brought, you do not mean to say that you are compelled to let another company let their line run into it?-We should do it, because it would be advantageous to us.

That is, if it would ?-If it would, we have the power.

Have you made any calculation whatever, or to your knowledge have the company or directors, as to what the expense is that would be necessary for the purpose of receiving the traffic of all those companies?-The estimate of the expense is 100,000l. to double the line as far as the junction; to double the width of the present line.