42 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



upon these 2 wire-rope lines, supported on standards at intervals 

 varying from 300 feet to 1,000 feet apart, according to the re- 

 quirements of the ground, are suspended iron boxes for the 

 carriage of the goods, which boxes pass on noiselessly and stead- 

 ily, carried forward by the rope at the uniform rate of 5 miles 

 an hour, the time required for performing the entire circuit of 

 the line. 



In laying out these 5 miles at Brighton, the opportunity has 

 been taken of exemplifj'ing the working of the system under 

 every variety of difficulty that could possibly present itself; thus 

 \ve have at one part an incline of 1 in 6, up and down which the 

 rope and boxes work with perfect facilit}', the descending weights 

 assisting those which are ascending; then there are, besides sev- 

 eral bends less acute, two instances of absolutely right angles 

 which are passed with the greatest ease. In some instances the 

 standards are carried to the height of 70 feet, to meet inequalities 

 of the ground, undulating and hilly country being more trying to 

 this system than craggy and mountainous, such as that for 

 which this plant is designed, and where, from the long reaches 

 taken, fewer posts will be required. 



The line is rather over 5 miles long ; there are 112 posts, or 

 standards, in the whole length. These standards can either be 

 made of light angle and band iron neatly put together, as in the 

 present case, or of wood. The rope is made of charcoal iron, is 

 2 inches in circumference, each strand, as well as the centre of 

 the rope, having a hempen core, to secure ductility. The power 

 employed to drive the rope is a portable 16 horse-power engine. 



Some of the spans are 600 feet and 900 feet in length, and in- 

 genuity has been shown in devising every possible mode of test- 

 ing the merits of this system of transport ; and we are bound to 

 record that all difficulties have been overcome with complete suc- 

 cess. The line is capable of delivering 240 tons per day of 10 

 hours, that is, 120 tons in each direction. 



This tramway has been erected by Mr. Hodgson, the inventor, 

 at the request of some gentlemen with whom he was in negotia- 

 tion, for the supply of materials for a line 60 miles in length in 

 Ceylon. 



It is intended to divide the proposed Ceylon line, of 60 miles, 

 into 5-mile sections, such as the one described, 1 engine work- 

 ing every 2 sections, and the boxes passing each section by 

 shunting arrangements, similar to those used at the termini, from 

 one section to another. The line in work will be open daily to 

 public inspection during the month of April, and is well worth a 

 visit. It is hardly likely that so efficient and economical a means 

 of transport will be for long exclusively confined, as at present, 

 to the conveyance of goods. For ourselves, we venture to con- 

 fidently predict an early adaptation of the principle of this in- 

 genious system to passenger traffic. Condensed from Scientific 

 Opinion. 



