RAILWAY EXTENSION. 879 



line constructed on the Tasmanian standard gauge and on 

 the proposed nan'ow gauge in very difficult country. The 

 Report is inchided in Parliamentary Paper No. 162, Session 

 1891, and is as follows : — 



Mole Creek-Zeehan proposed Railway. 

 2 feet 6 inch Gauge. 



Ilobart, 20tk October, 1891. 

 Sir, 



Having received instructions on the morning of the 16th inst. 

 to prepare a Report on the saving in construction which would 

 be effected by a change of ruling grade from 1 in 40 to 1 in 33, 

 and of ruling curves from 5-chain radius to 2|-chain radius, I have 

 prepared a contour plan of a poi'tion of the line as laid out from 14 

 miles to 17 miles along the eastern slope of the River Mersey, which 

 probably contains the largest quantity of earth-work in the same 

 distance of any other portion of the line ; also, a section of the 

 same showing in black the line as laid out, the ruUng curves 

 being 5-chain radius, and in red the section along the red line on 

 plan, the ruling curves being 2|-chain, which, together with the 

 following remarks, I have now the honor to submit. 



Location of Line. — The line for the first 2| miles is along flat 

 easy ground, for the next 37 miles along sloping ground, for the 

 next Smiles along flat button-grass plains, for the next 30 miles 

 along sloping ground, for the next 5 miles round Lake Rolleston 

 comparatively flat ground, and for the remaining distance to 

 Zeehan about 21 miles along sloping ground. I mention this, 

 because on the point as to whether the ground is sloping or flat 

 depends the question of comparative cost; and, so far as the 

 question of curves is concerned, any saving depends on whether 

 mountain spurs and gullies form the ground features. 



I estimate that 60 miles of the line will be along broken sidling 

 ground, that 28 miles will be along fiiirly even sidling ground, 

 and that 12 miles will be on flat easy ground. 



The length, therefore, upon which the greatest saving would be 

 effected by the adoption of 2^-chain curves would be 60 miles. 

 A much less saving would be effected on 28 miles, and none at all 

 on 12 miles, excepting what will be due to the narrow gauge. 



Comi)arativc Qiiaiifities. — The following statement of quan- 

 tities on li miles from 14 miles to ISj miles, which is as heavy 

 as any other part of the line will be, shows the saving due to 

 2|-chain curves over 5-chain curves : — 



Cub. Yds. 



Cuttings on line as laid out (5-chain rudiiis) 82"30.5 



Ditto on red line (2i-chain radius) 18'900 



Savinpr on li miles 63-405 



