RAILWAFS AND CANALS. 189 



thence, of the necessaries of life, Acts of Parliament, which cause 

 the violation of the property of unwilling individuals, not being 

 passed for the sole benefit of the Directors and stockholders, but for 

 the general welfare, it is time that a different course of management 

 should be required to be adopted by tlie Directors of the Liverpool 

 and Manchester railway. 



It will undoubtedly be; answered, that twenty-five tons, conveyed 

 ten miles in two hours, is an exaggerated estimate of the powers of a 

 horse upon railways. Indeed, in the lectures of Dr. Lardner, upon 

 the steam engine, that learned person is made to estimate the daily 

 performances of a horse at twelve tons conveyed a distance of twenty 

 miles at the rate of two miles an hour. But upon the suppositions 

 and calculations of Dr. Lardner, this is very far from being equal to 

 the conveyance of a load of twenty-five tons, even for a distance of 

 ten miles at the rate of four miles an hour the rate of draught being 

 represented as decreasing in a very rapid proportion, by an in- 

 crease of speed, even in the proportion of one hundred and fourteen to 

 fifty-three, from four to seven miles an hour. But with every 

 possible respect for the authority of Dr. Lardner, we beg to suggest, 

 that this is an unfounded and insufficiently considered calculation ; 

 for the principle operates in a manner the very reverse of this sup- 

 position, owing to the increasing impetus upon an increased speed, for 

 which Dr. Lardner has made no allowance whatever. This, upon a 

 railway, where the resistance is slight, and the weight conveyed so 

 heavy, is an immense consideration ; and if the force of traction be 

 twelve times greater upon a turnpike road than upon a level railway, 

 so the impetus will be twelve times greater upon a railway than upon 

 a turnpike road. It is the increase of impetus which facilitates the 

 draught of the boats upon the Ardrossan canal, when drawn at the 

 rate of twelve miles an hour, as described by Mr. Grahame ; for if 

 the towing rope were suddenly to be severed, the boat, without any 

 other propelling power than its own headway, would, probably, 

 proceed for a distance of a quarter of a mile ; but if the rope attached 

 to a barge of similar weight, and travelling at the rate of only two 

 miles an hour were similarly severed, the barge would, probably, 

 proceed but a very few yards. 



The practice of the Directors of the Ardrossan canal ought 

 undoubtedly to be introduced upon all railways, for similar advanta- 

 ges are produced by an increase of speed in land carriage ; and this 

 indeed may be illustrated by the instance of the Birmingham mail, 

 as described by Dr. Lardner. He says, that " the mail weighs two 

 tons, and is conveyed at the rate of ten miles an hour." Therefore, at 

 the rate of one hundred and fourteen, at four miles an hour, to thirty- 

 two at ten miles an hour, the same four horses would draw the Bir- 

 mingham mail, though it weighed more than seven tons and a half, which 

 is known to be double the load of the four-horse waggons of the 

 London coal merchants, though not travelling at a rate exceeding 

 two miles an hour. But if the Birmingham mail weigh two tons, 

 many of the stage-coaches are heavier built, and carrying sixteen 

 passengers, with a due proportion of goods, will weigh more than 

 four tons, and yet travel at the rate of ten miles an hour ; to corres- 



