(HAP. XV. THROWN OUT IN THE LOKDS. 309 



case was made out as before ; though an attempt was 

 made to break down the evidence of the witnesses on 

 cross-examination. The feasibility of the route was 

 questioned, and the greatest conceivable difficulties were 

 suggested. Their lordships seemed to take quite a 

 paternal interest in the protection of the public against 

 possible loss by the formation of the line. The Com- 

 mittee required that the promoters should prove the 

 traffic to be brought upon the railway, and that the 

 profits derived from the working should pay a divi- 

 dend of from six to eight per cent, upon the money 

 invested. A few years after, the policy of Parlia- 

 ment completely changed in this respect. When the 

 landed interest found railway companies paying from 

 six to ten times the marketable value of the land taken, 

 they were ready to grant duplicate lines through the 

 same districts, without proving any traffic whatever. 



It soon became evident, after the proceedings had 

 been opened before the Committee of the Lords, that 

 the fate of the bill had been determined before a word 

 of the evidence had been heard. At that time the 

 committees were open to all peers ; and the promoters 

 of the bill found, to their dismay, many of the lords 

 who were avowed opponents of the measure as land- 

 owners, sitting as judges to decide its fate. Their 

 principal object seemed to be, to bring the proceedings 

 to a termination as quickly as possible. An attempt at 

 negociation was made in the course of the proceedings 

 in committee, but failed, and the bill was thrown outi 

 on the motion of Earl Brownlow, one of Lady Bridge- 

 water's trustees ; but though carried by a large majority, 

 the vote was far from unanimous. 



As the result had been foreseen, measures were 

 taken to neutralise the effect of this decision as 

 regarded future operations. Not less than 32,000/J 

 had been expended in preliminary and parliamentary! 

 expenses up to this stage ; but the promoters deter-1 



