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The able Engineer-in-Chief of the Railway Department T. 

 Higinbotham, Esq. has obligingly supplied me with the fol- 

 lowing data in reference to the timber at present consumed for 

 the Government railway lines ; this gentleman explains also 

 what will most likely be needed within the next few years for 

 this purpose. 



"The number of sleepers, which are used annually on the 

 existing lines of railway to replace decayed sleepers, is about 

 40,000; and there can be no doubt that renewals at this rate at 

 least must be continued for many years to come. Each sleeper 

 contains 3J cubic feet of timber, and for renewals red-gum 

 timber is used exclusively, the principal supplies being 

 obtained from the Murray River. 



" The length of fencing, which is renewed annually on the 

 existing lines, may be taken at 18 miles, and the quantity of 

 timber in a mile of fencing is about 3000 cubic feet; the 

 timber used in renewing fencing is messmate, peppermint and 

 stringy-bark, and the durability of these timbers when used 

 for fencing may be taken at ten years. 



"There are at present nearly 120 miles of new railway in 

 course of construction, and 60 miles more will be undertaken 

 before the close of this year. The new line of railway, the 

 North-eastern, will be 181 miles long, and for each mile 2000 

 sleepers are required, which at 3J cubic feet per sleeper gives 

 6250 cubic feet per mile; or, for the whole length of 181 

 miles, 1,131,250 cubic feet will be required for sleepers. The 

 timber to be used in these sleepers will be red-gum, ironbark, 

 or box. I have no actual experience of the durability of these 

 timbers when used for sleepers ; but I believe that it will be 

 quite safe to reckon on their lasting for eighteen years. The 

 ordinary gums, when used for sleepers, will not last more 

 than half that time. 



" The quantity of timber required for fencing the North- 

 eastern railway will be 1,086,000 cubic feet. The fence-posts 

 will be of red-gum, ironbark, blue-gum, or box, and the rails 

 of stringy-bark. I think that a fence of these materials will 

 last for eighteen years. As to projected railways, it seems to 

 be probable that on the average from 30 to 40 miles will be 

 made for the next ten years, in addition to the North-eastern 

 railway already in progress." 



I am further told, by a gentleman conversant with our rail- 

 way aifairs, that the engines on the present Government line 

 use about 3000 tons of wood a-year, while about 800 tons 

 more are consumed on the stations. The Government line 



