Mr. Henry Robinson Palmer.—p. 156.
1. Are you a civil engineer?
I am.
2. Are you the engineer to the London Dock Company?
I am.
5. Have you carefully examined the proposed line of Railroad from London to Birmingham?
I have.
11. At what sum do you estimate the cost of the work, exclusive of contingencies?
1,893,788l.
14. Do you know at what sum the land is valued?
The land is valued at 250,000l.
15. What would that make your whole estimate?
Mr. Stephenson having estimated the whole cost at 2,500,000l.. I have supposed that that sum would be raised for the purpose of the whole work, and have therefore assumed the difference between my estimate and that sum as an item, which I distinguish as contingencies, which is about 356,000l, being a larger sum than is usually allowed for contingencies on public works.
16. In allowing the sum of 356,000l., do you conceive it would be required?
Certainly not; I think the prices I have put on the work throughout will be such as to be sufficient without the aid of that.
17. Do the contingencies come to nineteen per cent.?
About nineteen per cent, on the cost of the work.