FARMERS' REGISTER—RAILWAYS AND "CANALS. 



177 



tical working of high pressure engines, will see 

 the advantage likely to result from this circum- 

 stance. 



AVhen the line connecting two points at the 

 same level is thus resolved into curves, the motion 

 oi' the engine may not inaptly be compared to 

 that of a pendulum, and the moving principle 

 stands in the place of tlie maintaining power, the 

 functions of which are the same precisely as those 

 which it discharges. 



On the other hand, it is right to consider the 

 practical objections to this projected improvement. 

 The very small amount of friction on iron rail- 

 ways renders the rate of motion when descending 

 an incline frightfully great. We have ourselves 

 descended the Sutton plane on the INIanchester 

 Railway, followed by above 100 tons of goods, 

 and, although not particularly timid, we cannot 

 deny that we felt considerable apprehensions, 

 when on applying the drag to moderate tlie fury 

 of our speed, it was instantly burned to a cinder. 

 The power oi gravity in descending a plane of this 

 kind, which only falls one foot in ninety-six, is 

 perfectly uncontrollable ; and if great descents be 

 attempted, we very much fear that the velocities 

 will hardly be consistent with safety.* It must 

 not be forgotten that the more rapid the descent, 

 the less will be the friction, aiid therefore the great- 

 er the velocity due to a given number of perpen- 

 dicular inches. It would be premature, however, 

 at present to pass judgment on what after all can 

 only be satisfactorily decided by experinient. 

 Meanwhile, we have no hesitation in stating-, what 

 every scientific man, after reading what we have 

 above said, will confirm,, that there is nothing er- 

 roneous in principle, as many have supposed, in 

 the project. On the contrary, whatever be the 

 impelling jiowor, it will be undoubtedly rendered 

 more effective l>y the imdulation of the line; and 

 if steam be the power, it will be rendered doubly 

 effective, by the advantage gained by being ena- 

 bled to suspend the action of the moving principle 

 from time to time, so as to collect its energies. 



We are glad to learn that the patentees have ob- 

 tained the means of constructing an undulating 

 line of railway of some miles in extent, for the 

 purpose of testing on the large scale what they 

 have already proved on a model. 



Their success will mainly depend on the judi- 

 cious adaptation and selection of the curves into 

 v/hich the line will be divided. It may be worth 

 while to consider, whetlier the common cycloid 

 may not be rendered, by its well known proper- 

 ties, one of the best which could be selected. It 

 will likewise require consideration, what succes- 

 sion of curves will give a maximum advantage, 

 when the extremities of the line are at different 

 levels, and to provide not only for the efficient as- 

 cent from the lower to the higher. level, but like- 

 wise for the safety of the descent in the contrary 

 direction. 



Although, upon the whole we have a strong per- 

 suasion of the ultimate advantages of this project 

 yet we can see many practical difficulties which 

 still stand in the way of the patentees, and which 

 will require not only expense, but no little inge- 

 nuity to overcome. 



* Since the above was set up ia type, we learn that 

 a f-ital accident has occurred on the spot here alkided 

 to, arising from the engine and train beii>g carried off 

 the rails. 



Vol 1.— 23 



Rail^vays and Canals. 



From the Monthly Magazine. 



[We have already presented (see page 56, No. 1,) 

 some extracts from the pamphlet which forms the sub- 

 ject of the following article. The two pieces when 

 compared, may enable the reader to decide more cor- 

 rectly on the respective and opposite advantages and 

 disadvantages of railways and canals. The alleged un- 

 fitness of the English railways (which are formed of 

 stone and iron,) for the rapid movement of steam car- 

 riages, does not apply to those of America, where the 

 more elastic and yielding material wood, is substituted 

 for stone. This important advantage was not antici- 

 pated ; and when added to the greater cheapness of 

 wooden rails, will more than compensate for their want 

 of durability.]— £(^ Farm. Reg. 



Although the splendid advantages of the railway 

 system have become already apparent in the mi- 

 ning and manufiicturing districts of England, we 

 regret, that more than ordinary opposition has been 

 arrayed against its progress. In the vast and im- 

 mensely varied and complicated commercial inte- 

 rests of this great nation, it is certain that no im- 

 provement can ever arise without producing a 

 partial loss to the few vvhose capital is invested in 

 v.orks which the improvement supersedes ; and in 

 proportion to the extent of the change, is the cor- 

 responding disadvantage to former speculators. 

 Thus, the rising powers of the railway system, 

 are bringing on the entire annihilation of many 

 millions of property invested in canals, the alarm- 

 ed proprietors of which are struggling by Parlia- 

 mentary opposition, and by distorted and unfound- 

 ed statements and calculations, through the medi- 

 um of the press, to stay the progress of these 

 splendid undertakings. Amon"; other publica- 

 tions on this subject, we have been particularly 

 interested by two pamphlet letters upon the com- 

 paralive merits and advantages of railways and 

 canals, by Mr. Thomas Grahame, a gentleman 

 connected v/ith the Ardrossan, or Paisley canal; 

 and containing a description of certain experi- 

 ments and observations made at Glasgow in 1832. 

 This writer details the particulars of a novel dis- 

 covery in the practice of canal navigation, from 

 which it appears that contrary to all former cal- 

 culation, the facility of draught is immeasurably 

 increased by the adoption of a rapid pace upon ca- 

 nals; for, in the words of Mr. Grahame, "two 

 horses on the Paisley canal, draw with ease, a 

 passage boat with its compliment of seventy-five 

 or ninety passengers, at the rate of ten miles an 

 hour, whilst it would kill even double that num- 

 ber of horses to draw the same load along the ca- 

 nal at the rate of six miles an hour ; and it would 

 be decidedly easier to draw the load at the veloci- 

 ty of fifteen miles an h.our tlian at the rate of six 

 miles. The ordinary speed for the conveyance of 

 passengers along the Ardrossan canal, has for two 

 years, been from nine to ten miles an hour ; and, 

 although there are fourteen journeys along the ca- 

 nal per diem, at this rapid speed, the banks oi the 

 canal have yet sustained no injury." This im- 

 portant change in the practice of inland water- 

 carriage, is made the foundation by Mr. Gra- 

 hame, of certain calculations tending to demon- 

 strate the greater cheapness of transit by canals 

 than on rail-roads ; and before proceeding to exposo 

 the delusive nature of his staterxients, we acknowv 



