My dear Sir
Having searched the Votes of the House of Commons and not finding any trace of the Wilts Somerset & Dorset Railway I went to the Private Bill Office, and I learn that the necessary papers having been this day lodged it is expected that the Bill will be brought in the Evening – The proper course will be for you to have a Petition presented to the House before the second Reading and you will be entitled to be heard before the Committee & by Counsel agents & witnesses if you please to go on – It will be proper to employ some one as agent to watch the matter and whose expences to be incurred supposing you not to prosecute the matter with Counsel & witnesses might not exceed 10 gns – If you go on with Counsel & witnesses it is of course impossible to guess at the expences – but the more formidable you make your opposition of course the larger will in all probability be the compensation offered to buy you off.
The standing orders do not require any amount of assent or dissent of Proprietors to be proved – Parties applying for the Bill are bound to prove their notices & as far as possible the amount of assent or dissent – as parties <illeg> are not bound to give an answer at all It is obvious that any such order could not in justice apply – of course the Committee are influenced by the amount of assent & dissent so far as ascertained but the Parties are not bound by any standing order on the subject
I am dear Sir
Yours truly
Wm Chas King
1 New Square Lincolns Inn
3 March 1845
W H F Talbot Esq