320 Mr Anderson on the Bailways of Belgium. 



rally speaking, includes the other three, one of which consists 

 in the management of the lines, and the finishing and con- 

 structing of new works of art ; another in the traction of the 

 trains, the manufacture of coke, and the management of the 

 arsenal at Malines, including the workshops for repairing 

 the locomotives and carriages ; and the third, in the management 

 of the stations and the passenger and merchandise traffic. Over 

 each of these four departments a functionary, entitled, Engineer- 

 in-Chief, or Inspector of Administration, is placed, who furnishes 

 an account of the proceedings of his department to the Minis- 

 ter, and makes such proposals to him as he thinks necessary 

 or advantageous. The propositions he submits are sent for 

 examination to the Council or permanent Commission of Ways 

 and Bridges. Besides the surveillance exercised by the direc- 

 tor, and the agents under his orders, the Minister causes all 

 the works to be examined by the Inspector-General, and by 

 the Divisionary Inspector of Ways and Bridges ; and with the 

 documents received from the different departments, renders an 

 elaborate report of the whole business annually to the Chamber 

 of Deputies. 



The government have, at various times, voted sums to the 

 amount of L.6,010,562, at different rates of interest, for defray- 

 ing the expense of the construction of the railways, — which, 

 with the exception of L. 40,654, has been devoted to that pur- 

 pose. Up to the 1st of February 1843, L.5,311 ,960 have been 

 expended or set apart, leaving a balance of L.657,948. When 

 the government sum shall have been expended, the outlay per 

 mile will be L. 17,149; on which sum, although a little below 

 the definite estimates elsewhere given, the rate of interest has 

 been calculated. In concluding these remarks upori the rail- 

 ways, it may not be uninteresting to state the amount of traffic 

 throughout the different lines, and the return made to govern- 

 ment for their spirited undertaking. For this purpose, the 

 following table is given, shewing at once the length of the rail- 

 ways, the number of passengers, the amount of receipts, the 

 expense of working the lines, and the returns, in each year, up 

 to the 31st December 1842 : — 



