RAILWAYS. 



771 



companies pushing the termini of their lines too fur 

 into the centie of towns, and by carrying their 

 lines through towns, in order to effect which it 

 becomes necessary to purchase much valuable pro- 

 perty. 



4th. Engineer*, it is believed, have incurred 

 heavy, and sometimes ruinous, expenses, in order 

 to render their lines mechanically as perfect as pos- 

 sible, without duly considering whether the advan- 

 tages thus obtained will compensate for the expen- 

 diture requisite to produce them. By admitting a 

 certain degree of undulation, accommodated to the 

 natural inequalities of the ground, very large sav- 

 ings may often be effected, without introducing 

 any serious impediments to the working of the 

 lines. It is also in the heavy parts of the work, 

 in cuttings and embankments, that many of those 

 unforeseen and contingent expenses occur, which 

 so frequently cause the actual cost of construction 

 so much to exceed the estimated cost. The New- 

 castle and Carlisle railway, which has been already 

 quoted for the economy of its construction, is re- 

 markable for its sinuosities. There are several 

 curves of about a quarter of a mile in radius, and 

 in one part the line runs round the base of a hill, 

 of very moderate diameter, at a less curve proba- 

 bly than other railway in the kingdom. Adopting 

 these views, the Irish railway commissioners found 

 that by a very inconsiderable loss of mechanical 

 power, and without, in any respect, interfering 

 with the working capabilities of their proposed 

 lines, that is to say, without the introduction of 

 any gradients exceeding the limit in their original 

 sections (of sixteen feet to a mile), a saving of 31^ 

 per cent, might be effected, or an amount of 

 1,674,000 on a line of 359 miles. The advan- 

 tage of this reduction in the neighbourhood of 

 towns may be deduced from the fact, that while 

 the average saving per mile of the whole distance 

 was estimated at 3,200, the saving at the en- 

 trance into Dublin was calculated at 18,200 per 

 mile, vizi- 



Original Gradients 

 Reduced 



Entrance inl 



Dublin 

 L 52,925 

 . 34,508 



.14,813 

 11,639 



On the Belgian railway the gradients never ex- 

 ceed 1 in 250. From Louvain to Ans they aver- 

 age 1 in 333, which is the limit adopted above by 

 the Irish commissioners. 



5th. Another source of extravagant expenditure 

 arises from the haste with which these works are 

 frequently pushed forward ; which is such, in 

 many cases, as to require day and night work, and 

 many other heavy extra charges. 



6th. Short lines are frequently rendered expen- 

 sive by their requiring a gi eater proportionate 

 number of stations, warehouses, workshops, and 

 other establishments; those always forming a large 

 item in the general cost of construction. 



7th. The nature of the country frequently pre- 

 sents difficulties only to be overcome by an enor- 

 mous expenditure in the formation of tunnels, cut- 

 tings, embankments, bridges, &c. 



The Irish railway commissioners pronounce a 

 decided opinion, that unless expenses of this na- 

 ture can be avoided in Ireland, there is but little 

 prospect of a general railway system being attended 

 in that country with either private or national ad- 

 vantage. 



It will be observed that most of the causes 

 which have enhanced the cost of railways in this 

 country would be in a great measure avoided, or 



might be controlled by the government, if the un- 

 dertaking were in their hands. But supposing that 

 their influence was merely exerted to suppiess the 

 two first causes of expenditure parliamentary 

 costs, and excessive compensation to proprietors of 

 lands and houses and the removal of the other 

 causes were left to private judgment, it will be 

 seen that, notwithstanding the difference in the 

 value of land and labour in this country, the ex- 

 pense of constructing a railway in England under 

 ordinary circumstances, which already falls short ot 

 that incurred in France, would not much exceed 

 that incurred in Belgium. In this country the 

 cost may be taken at from 10,000 to 12,000 

 per mile, which has been the actual cost of two 

 lines subject to the expenses already enumerated ; 

 in France at 15,000, and in Belgium at 8,500, in 

 both of which countries the construction is in the 

 hands of the government. 



We have not the means of comparing the differ- 

 ent branches of expenditure in this and foreign 

 countries. Labour, which is the principal portion, 

 is paid higher in England; but it may be doubted 

 whether, as compared with France and Belgium, 

 itssuperior productiveness will not to a considerable 

 extent diminish this disadvantage. Land also must 

 be much more expensive, particularly under the 

 present system of purchase ; but we lie under less 

 disadvantage with respect to materials and mechani- 

 cal processes. 



The estimate of the total expense of the several 

 lines projected by the Belgian government is as 

 follows, according to the statement put forth in the 

 " Livret du Chetnin de fer de la Belgique," pub- 

 lished by the Royal Geographical establishment in 

 Brussels. The cost of a single line of rails in a 

 level country is taken at 6,950 per mile, and in a 

 hilly or broken country at 8,559, an increase of 

 23 per cent. 



158 milee completed, at .fi,050 per mile .1,097,580 ) , , 7aj , 9(v . 

 81i uniinished at L 8,559 688,920 J^- 1 ' 7 ^ 



239i by the law of 1st May, 1834. 



3^i _ level country, at .6.950 per mile .259,200 ) ~> a nnn 

 56 of hilly country, at .8,559 478,800) 



931 _ by the law of 26th May, 1837. 



332i miles .... . .2,524,200 



To this must be added the cost of engines and car- ) 

 riages, stations, workshops, and buildings, &<-., ^ 355,800 

 about 14 per cent. . . . . J 



Total . . .2,880,000 



This sum averages 8,660 per mile. The ex- 

 tent of the lines proposed by the Irish railway 

 commissioners is remarkably approximate 359 

 miles. Their estimate, with the reduced gradients, 

 is 3,643,353, averaging 10,150 per mile, or 17^ 

 per cent, more than the Belgian lines. 



The carriages on the latter are divided into four 

 classes, the fares of which vary according to the 

 degree of comfort which the conveyances possess. 

 They present a great contrast, as regards amount, 

 with the English fares. The average charge per 

 post league of 4,000 metres, or 4,374 yards, is, 



Hd. p. m, 

 )d. 



In Berlins 35 c.; equal to 14-08 c., or less than 



Diligences 30 12-06 )|d. 



Chars-a banc20 8 04 or rather more than Jd. 



Waggons 10 4'02 or rather less than Jd. 



There are also waggons for the transport of mer- 

 chandise, but it is only since the commencement of 

 1838 that heavy goods have been conveyed by this 

 means. Previous to that period not even the car- 

 riages of persons travelling by the railway could 

 3 c 2 



