Mr Anderson 07i the Railways of Belijiiim. 303 



and the manufacture of cloth. This, however, did not com- 

 plete their improvements. The means of communication 

 being slow and tedious, it became necessary to establish a 

 more expeditious mode of transit ; and for this purpose an 

 admirable system of railroads has been formed by the Go- 

 vernment, which, as in every other case, has been productive 

 of great advantage to every branch of industry. 



The bill authorising their construction was passed in the 

 Chambers in May 1834, and an extension of the system into 

 other pi'ovinces granted in May 1837. Malines (Plate IV.) 

 was chosen as the central station, through which two lines 

 pass from the extremities of the country at right angles to one 

 another. The line, from north to south, unites Antwerp with 

 the French frontiers and Valenciennes, passing through Brus- 

 sels, Braine-le-Comte, and Mons ; and that from east to west 

 connects Ostend with the Prussian frontiers and Cologne, 

 passing through the towns of Bruges, Ghent, Louvain, Tirle- 

 mont, Liege, and Verviers. These lines, with the exception 

 of those which proceed from Ghent, through Courtray to the 

 French frontiers, and Lille, and from Braine-le-Comte by 

 Charleroy to Kamur, and to Givet in France, when the pro- 

 ject is canned out, are considered the principal lines in Bel- 

 gium. Among the minor lines may be classed the one from 

 Mouscron to Tourna}', and the branch from Landen to St 

 Trond, and to Hasselt by Weyer, with a branch to Diest, when 

 the contemplated plan is cai'ried into effect. Powers were 

 also granted by the law of 1837 to carry out the system into 

 the province of Luxemburg ; but these powers were with- 

 drawn in 1840, on the ground that, while highly advantageous 

 for tlie province, it would not be profitable for the state. 



The Government greatly benefited their system by aiding 

 the extension of the line from West to East to Cologne, and 

 also encouraging the construction of the lines from Ghent to 

 the frontiers, and from Brussels to Quievrain, to the towns 

 of Lille and Valenciennes in France. By this means easy 

 and expeditious international communication has been ob- 

 tained, and traffic in every branch greatly increased. The 

 extension of the line to Cologne was of itself calculated to 

 realize the greatest benefits. Previously, the only mode of 

 communication for foreign merchandise to Germany and 



