184 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Junk, 



The Practical Miner's Guide, comprising a complete set of Trigono- 

 metrical Tables, By J. Budge. London : Longman. Svo. pp.218. 

 This is the spcond edition of a work which forms a compendium of 

 various geometrical and trigonometrical theorems without the accom- 

 panying demonstrations. This we helievc to be Ihe difference be- 

 tween systematic works on geometry and " practical guides," — in the 

 one no construction is given without proof of its accuracy; in the 

 other tlie rules are given without explanation, —just like medical pre- 

 scriptions and recipes in a cookery book. We confess we prefer the 

 former method, not only because of its superior accuracy, but because 

 advancing every step by logical deduction it is, we are convinced, 

 actually more expeditious and easier to be learned. Mr. Budge's 

 ■work contains methods of assaying metals, and also formula for the 

 power of steam engines. Asa frontispiece to the work we liave — 

 not a trigonometrical diagram, not a view of some important mine, 

 not the representation of some steam engine, but — a portrait of Mr. 

 Budge! This, if nothing else, is a novelty in a work on practical 

 science ; and as of course the insertion of the portrait could not pos- 

 sibly have arisen from a feeling of conoeitedness and personal vanity, 

 the only other motive we can suggest is, that the author, on the prin- 

 ciples of Lavater, wished to give his readers in the lineaments of his 

 physiognomy a correct index of the mighty intellectual powers of 

 — Budge ! 



We cannot, however, conclude our notice without remarking on 

 some passages which occur towards the end of the book. Mr. Budge, 

 after arriving at the discovery that despite "the labours of our large 

 lody of geologists ... no good has emanated from their labours to 

 the value of a swabbing stick" makes the following deductions. 



This is the grand cause why the efforts of our geological societies have 

 utterly failed — they have set themselves against the Irulh — they have rejected 

 the inspired history of the creation of the world ; hence their writings and 

 tayings are replete with error, inconsistency, and contradiction. 



Let them begin again; cancel what they have written, and lay their foun- 

 dation ou the sublime account so minutely given us in the Scriptures. Then 

 let them follow nature in all her grand and stupendous subterranean opera- 

 tions, and they will discover a world of harmonious wonders, and will bring 

 to light, to the admiration and benefit of mankind, the cause and effect of 

 the magnificent order of every part of creation that is allowed to fall under 

 the inspection of man. 



I shall be borne out in stating my firm conviction that no sceptic ever 

 wade a good geologist ; and whatever those men may think of themselves, 

 who dare to write in contradiction to the Word which the Creator has gra- 

 ciously condescended to bestow ou his creatures, they are no better than 

 practical atheists, in the judgment of all men " who believe and know the 

 truth," and their writings are calculated to inflict a serious injury on society. 

 See how these talented infidels try all they can to sap the foundation of the 

 Christian's faith ! — their first, second, and i\nr A furmaiions. One thing /)ro- 

 Huced by another. Coal formed of vegetable matter, and lately they have 

 discovered that slate is a marine production .' 



We desire to give Mr. Budge full credit for the integrity of bis mo- 

 tives ; indeed, if warmth of expression prove bis sincerity, there can 

 be no doubt respecting it. At the same time we cannot help wishing 

 that he had exercised similar charity towards those whom he honours 

 with his notice. It seems somewhat hard that gentlemen, many of 

 them clergymen and men of hitherto unquestioned orthodoxy, should 

 be declared to be "practical atheists" and "talented infidels" who 

 "try all they can to sap the foundation of the Christian faith," be- 

 cause they have the misfortune to differ from Mr. Budge on certain 

 philosophical points. We should almost have imagined that these 

 vituperations proceeded from a vulgar uneducated bigot, had not the 

 genMeraanly candour, the pious humility, and, above all, the exceed- 

 ingly classical language of Mr. Budge's book convinced us of our 

 error. 



We cannot help concluding that if Mr. Budge would read a little 

 more, and think a little more, and write a little more slowly, he would 

 be rather less vituperative. 



THE INTRODUCTION OF RAILWAYS INTO BRITISH INDIA. 



We again recur to the subject of Railways in India. A pamphlet 

 has been put into our hands containing the reportofMr.R. M.Stephen- 

 son on a general system of Railway communication, and other reports 

 from the local authorities of the districts examined for the purpose of 

 laying down lines. The pamphlet is accompanied by a map of the 

 Railways projected in India. The indefatigable exertions which Mr. 

 Stephenson has made to obtain accurate information, give a great ad- 

 ditional value to this pamphlet. The number of sources from which 



local statistics have been collected are extraordinary ; and not a single 

 effort seems to have been neglected to present before the reader a 

 perfectly complete synopsis of the whole undertaking. 



The nature of the whole project may be stated in general terms 

 thus — considering Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras as three points at 

 the angles of a vast triangle, lines are to be drawn connecting each of 

 those points with the others. The advantage of Railways in India 

 must be estimated in two points of view. First, the benefits to 

 Europeans and others from facilities of communication; secondly, the 

 probable profit of the lines as speculations, estimated according to the 

 populousness of the districts traversed. The first-mentioned consi- 

 deration would of course suggest the connection of the capitals of the 

 three great presidencies, as affording by far the greatest benefit to 

 Europeans travelling. But then regarding the undertakings as specu- 

 lations, it is quite clear that the distance between the termini is so 

 vast that without intermediate and local traffic such Railways could 

 not be remunerative. 



It must be remembered, however, that in dealing with India we are 

 dealing with a country which, notwithstanding its enormous extent, 

 is densely populated. Taking the population cf the modern states of 

 Hindoostan at 130,000,000, and the area at 1,300,000, we have a po- 

 pulation of one hundred to the square mile. 



The first project proposed by Mr. Stephenson is a communication 

 between Calcutta and Mirzapore to the North West, which would 

 ultimately be continued to Bombay. One advantage of this railway 

 is that it would be directly inland: we thiuk lines approaching the 

 coast ought in such a country as India to be avoided. Even in Eng- 

 lanfl the policy of coast lines is at best doubtful. The greater part of 

 the railway projected to Hydrabad is a coast line, and parallel to the 

 route of the steamers from Madras to Calcutta. Now as the whole 

 of this coast is accessible by steam navigation, we think that it is by 

 no means favourable for the establishment of railways. Indeed we 

 think that in the first instance at least all railway schemes should be 

 confined to directly inland communication. 



Extracts from the Report of Mr. R. Macdonald Stephemon, and other Docu. 

 merits referring more esjyecially to the proposition of a Railway from Cal- 

 cutta to Mirzapore. 



Having completed the collection of the documents which appertain to the 

 line of country between Calcutta and the great central entrepot for merchan- 

 dize and produce of all descriptions at Mirzapore, I have been induced to 

 submit the whole of the valuable information already collected by myself and 

 by others who have for some years past been so engaged, and who have 

 kindly placed their papers at ray disposal, and to recommend that a com- 

 mencement should be made upon this line without delay, pending the con- 

 struction of which, the statistical returns, surveys, &c., of other districts will 

 be obtained for future consideration, in the events of the inducements held 

 out being such as to justify their being undertaken, on the completion of the 

 first line. 



There are strong grounds for believing that the proposed Railway will 

 hereafter connect Calcutta with Bombay, by a line passing along the valley 

 of the Nerbudda, as there are several objections to the more direct route 

 which has been suggested ; among which may be mentioned the comparative 

 trade upon the two lines — the one already existing, the other having yet to 

 be made — and the construction of the one line being attended with less loss 

 of life than the other, from the unhealthiness of the districts traversed ; 

 whereas the advantage in time of the direct over the longer line will not ex- 

 ceed a few hours. 



The statistical returns of the traffic in goods and passengers, as well as the 

 cost of conveyance between Calcutta and Mirzapore, have been obtained, and 

 the extent of the trade is sufficient to justify measures being taken to improve 

 the means of transport by laying down a railway between these two places, 

 which should pass through the rich and productive district of Burdwan. 

 The uniform and gradual inclination of the road from Howrah (opposite to 

 Calcutta) to Raneegunge, where the principal collieries are opened, presents 

 advantages which are rarely to be obtained upon a line of equal length, and 

 as this portion of the great line would, upon its completion, yield an inde- 

 pendent and considerable income, it would be most advisable that to this ex- 

 tent the line, which has been carefully surveyed upon a former occasion, 

 should be first completed, and the interval be occupied in completing the 

 surveys and levels of the remainder; the more especially as it is a question 

 in the minds of mary, whetlier after passing through Burdwan, the direct 

 trunk road to Mirzapore, or the more circuitous route along the Valley of 

 the Ganges, would present the greatest advantages, and as, in either case, the 

 line to the Burdwan collieries would form a part of the plan, it would in 

 this respect signify little, in the first instance, which direction shall he 

 adopted. It is the opinion of most qualified men, to whom application has 

 been made upon the subject, that .■CG,000 per mile will suffice to complete 

 Ihe entire distance, taking the level parts of the country as well as the billy 

 districts and rivers into consideration ; but it may be more satisfactory to 

 increase the amount to ;CS,000 per mile, a sum more than sufficient to cover 

 every contingency. 

 Upon this basis I most strongly recommend the undertaking being com-. 



