Evolution of the Railway 213 



could carry out the work at his or their own cost and charges, 

 without the consent of the owner of the lands, rivers, brooks 

 or water-courses it might be necessary to cross, though 

 subject to the payment to them of compensation under 

 conditions analogous to those in force in regard to the con- 

 struction of canals. One Act of this type, the Aberdare Canal 

 Act, 1793, goes on to say : " Every such rail way or waggon 

 road and bridge . . . shall ... be publick and open to all 

 persons for the conveyance of any minerals, goods, wares, 

 merchandizes and things, in waggons and other carriages," 

 of a specified construction, " and for the passage of horses, 

 cows and other meat cattle, on payment to the person or 

 persons at whose charge and expense such rail way or waggon 

 road shall have been made or erected " of the same rates as 

 would be payable to the canal company under like con- 

 ditions. 



It was in South Wales, even more than on the Tyne, that 

 the early railways eventually underwent their greatest develop- 

 ment. In "Illustrations of the Origin and Progress of Rail 

 and Tram Roads and Steam Carriages or Loco-motive Engines" 

 (1824), by T. G. Gumming, Surveyor, Denbigh, we read : 



" As late as the year 1790 there was scarcely a single rail- 

 way in all South Wales, whilst in the year 1812 the rail- ways, 

 in a finished state, connected with canals, collieries, iron and 

 copper works, &c., in the counties of Monmouth, Glamorgan 

 and Carmarthen alone extended to upwards of one hundred 

 and fifty miles in length, exclusive of a very considerable 

 extent within the mines themselves, of which one company at 

 Merthyr Tydvil possessed upwards of thirty miles under- 

 ground connected with the stupendous iron works at that 

 place ; and so rapid has been the increase of rail-ways in 

 South Wales of late years that at the present period they 

 exceed four hundred miles, exclusive of about one hundred 

 miles underground." 



The whole of these lines were on the tram-plate, or flanged- 

 rail, principle, while solid blocks of stone were, in Wales, 

 generally substituted for wooden sleepers. Cumming further 

 says : 



" In the extensive mining districts south of the Severn, 

 including South Wales, the rail and tram roads are very 

 numerous, and here, perhaps, more than in any part of the 



