1839.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



91 



from the money wliicli tliey had subscribed towards Irisli railway under- 

 takings, in consequence of which tliey liave hesitated to proceed with 

 tliP works. Tiiis renders it imperative on tlie Government to repair 

 the deep injuries tlicy have inflicted on Ireland by the Railway Com- 

 mission, and to come forward promptly to reanimate that spirit of 

 vigorous enterprise which has been thus so unfortunately checked by 

 reasonable and judicious loans to such railway undertakings as have 

 been sanctioned by Parliament. 



Railroads are being extended through France, Germany, Russia, 

 Belgium, England, Scotland, and the United States of America ; but, 

 unfortunately, in Ireland the Royal Railway Commission has paralysed 

 tile progress of these works of civilization, anil has sealed their doom 

 for years to come, unless the Britisli Executive assumes the mantle of 

 Engineer-General of Railways for Ireland, and constructs the.n at the 

 public expense. This Royal Commission has by its acts and writings, 

 for more than two years past, been contriving the most unfair practices 

 to railuay companies, the deepest injury to the existing rights of private 

 enterprise, and the total subversion in Ireland of all the freedom of the 

 pursuits of both the Irish and British people, as conn cted with the 

 promotion of those works of improvement, the offspring of human 

 invention, and which are shedding such a lustre upon the annals of the 

 nineteenth centuiy. 



It is very remarkible that a distinguished public character, exercising 

 great influence in Ireland, and a strenuous supporter of the present 

 government has lately appeared in public as a prominent supporter and 

 advocate for the commissioners' report, and the plan of the execution o( 

 railways by the government, on their own responsibility, to the exclu- 

 sion of private enterprise. It may be useful to refer "to the recorded 

 opinions of the same honourable gentleman as delivered in the House 

 of Commons on the first appearance cf the Commissioners' Report, 

 and which appears more accurately to describe the injurious efl'ects of 

 that document than a more lengthened essay, for which we have shown 

 there was ample grounds. 



" Mr. O'Connell said he was one of those who was dissatisfied with 

 the report. Tlie commissioners had not contented themselves with re- 

 porting proper lines for railroads hereafter to be undertaken, but they 

 take upon themselves to stigmatise those .ilready in progress. They 

 tell us, moreover, that no railroad in Ireland can yield more than 

 3j per cent, profit. And through whose agency do they arrive at 

 this conclusion? Why they employ Mr. Stanley, of the Stamp- 

 office, to make their calculations— a person well qualified to close 

 bankrupt books, and give the balance which ever way the party pleased, 

 lleally the result of this commission was a melancholy one for Ireland. 

 These commissioners having decided that 3^ per cent, jnofit is the most 

 the speculations could yield, it is now impossible to go to the Stock 

 Exchange and get money to forward these works. The result on the 

 whole is, that it woidd be useless to make railroads in Ireland. If we 

 had not this report, works would be undertaken, and employment given 

 to the people; and yet the Chancellor of the Exchequer comes forward 

 to praise these commissioners — and praise more undeserved was never, 

 in his (Mr. O'ConncU's) opinion bestowed iqion any men. The thing 

 is done — Ireland is stamped— there is the report. He rose to perform 

 a melancholy duty ; he could not approve of tlie report, and he had only 

 now to express his regret at the inevitable consequences which must 

 follow from it."— Mr. O'ConncU's Speecli ; House of CvrHnions,Moudau, 

 30th Julj, 1838. 



STEAM BOAT INSPECTORS. 



It is with great regret we learn that the Government has given 

 way to the clamours of a few idle twaddlers, and is on the point of 

 proposing measures in Parliament calculated to be in the highest 

 degree injurious to all parties interested in steam navigation. These 

 mcasiires arc said to be based on the plan of appointing inspectors to 

 examme all machinery, and to decide upon its safety and ai)plicability. 

 This is a course which will certainly not only defeat the objects of its 

 promoters, but strike a deadly blow at this important branch of public 

 enterprise, while, at the same time, it will inflict great injustice on a 

 particular class. 



This is a measure totally uncalled for, as it is a question not to be 

 decided by the clamour of fools, but by the evidence of facts; and to 

 these we confidently appeal, to prove that instead of there being any 

 degree of danger, further than is incident to all human proceedings, 

 there is a less amount of loss of life than is to be found in any other 

 department of foreign, or domestic communication. Let figures 

 speak for themselves, and then we shall sec the thousands of lives 

 •which are yearly lost in the merchant marine of all nations, and the 

 numbers who daily perish on laud, by accidents from coaches and 

 other vehicles. While, if we look to other countries, and particularly 

 to the United States, wc sball fiinl that the accijeiits iij steanj vessels 



far outnumber those with us. It must be remembered, also, that 

 where accidents with steam Ixials have occurred, thai where they have 

 nut iirocfeded from maritime causes, often so far from being the fault 

 of the manufacturer, they have arisen from avarice of the owners, or 

 the ignorance of the engineers on board. Thus, not only is there no 

 possible reason for such arbitrary proceedings, but there is no reason 

 for singling out for oppression a means of Intercourse which has 

 carried so many millions of ])ersons with such an incredibly small 

 number of casualties. 



Why have not the shipowners been singled out ? They count sacri- 

 fices of life by thousands where we lose tens, yet none think ot'attaik- 

 ing an interest which s powerfnl enough to defenil i'self Neither are 

 there inspectors of coaches to decide wliether a rotten axle i-honld run 

 anutlier journey or be laid aside; while, because the rights of steam 

 boat owners are supposed to have no pnwerfiil protection, they are to 

 be selected as a peaee-oft'ering at the shrine of vulgar prejudice and 

 administrative ignorance. 



While this novel legislation is thus uncalled for, we may see, by 

 anticipating its results, that it has no argument on which to base its 

 future utility. For by the introduction of inspectors, the whole talent 

 of the maniiliicturers will bo left at the mercy of men who, however 

 competent in other respects, caunot fail to be guided by prejudices 

 injurious to ;lie cause of science, and to the interests oi the parties 

 concerned. A stop will be put to all improvement, and all experiments 

 annihilated ; anil in the hands of two or three men will be left the 

 control of all this important department. What manufacturer will 

 run the hazard of incurring the veto of this despot, or what owner 

 will expose himself to the loss of capital in experiments ? That this 

 will be the result, it needs but little reflection to demonstrate ; for, 

 in a science which is not yet fixed, but is ever progressive, which must 

 be left to the decision of time, which would be rejected by the preju- 

 dices of men. Let us remember the opposition of Watt to the high- 

 pressure engine, and the conflict of opinion which still exists on the 

 subject. Let us imagine Watt a steam-boat inspector, and say where 

 would now be the locomotive and the Peruvian mine engine. Let us 

 recall the contest about the powers of the Cornish engines, or sup- 

 pose Dr. Lardner deciding on the question of Atlantic steam naviga- 

 tion ; and we may be assured that if this plan had been in activity 

 thirty years ago, wo should have been fiir behind ; and that if it is 

 carried on now, we shall bo as victims before the power of those 

 nations who have the sense to leave science unshackled. 



Except to produce this mischief, the operations of these obstructors 

 must ever be a nullity ; for they must be more dispersed (ban poor 

 law commissioners, or as numetous as excisemen, if they have time 

 and power to make such an examination as shall ensure a remedy 

 against the evils which they are intended to prevent. Tlieir superin- 

 tendence must be indeed vigilant if they can climb every chimney and 

 poke themselves into every fire grate, while their occupation will be no 

 sinecure when they will aflbrd such admirable opportunities for dimin- 

 ishing the rcsiionsibility of the engineers, and thrusting it all on the 

 devoted obstructors. The eflect will be a check to the progress of 

 science, no guarantee against accidents, and a less available responsi- 

 bility than at present exists ; while the unfortunate employers will have 

 the benefit of all the odium of the class over whom they are spies, and 

 the certain blame of every mischance. 



If there be even a shadow of a fault, and wc have shown that there 

 is scarcely that, the proposed measure, instead of remedying the evil, by 

 attacking wrong parties, perpetuates it and creates a greater. It is 

 not the manufacturers who are in fault, but the cupidity of the owners 

 or the want of instruction in the working engineers. These are the 

 sources of the evil, if any exist ; and it is to these that the measures of the 

 American government are chiefly directed. The skill of the manufac- 

 turer no inspectional ability can regulate; but, by making the responsi- 

 bility of owners and captains more direct, a more eflicient remedy will 

 be provided, and the error, if any, corrected. 



Ill conchisioii, we deprecate this proceeding as mischievous and 

 unjust ; and we call upon the manufacturers and steam-boat owners to 

 unite and oppose this nieasure by all the means in tlieir power. It was 

 by such combination that the railway proprietors last yeai defeated the 

 government in a similar invasion ou their rights and property ; and iu 

 this case, even should not the entire proceeding be annulled, at any rate 

 many of its ill eftects may be removed, while the Itgislature may be 

 brought to entertain sounder opinions on the question. This associa- 

 tion of persons interested in steam-boat trattic has now become impera- 

 tive ; for not only in this instance, but in others, measures are contem- 

 plated for intlictiug severe injury on it. The question of tolls on 

 passengers is of paramount importance, while the proposal of inspectors 

 ei]ually calls for lesistance, and the steam-boat proprietors may feel 

 assured that it is only by union and prompt measures that these uiescnt 

 evils can be ^ivoided and luiure safety insured, 



