\f<47.-} 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



141 



way, the exact directions to be taken by which were settled by the Chambers 

 in that year ; and since that period, tlie greater part of the new lines have 

 been put up to auction, and conceded to the company ofl'ering the greatest 

 reduction on a maximum term of concession fixed by the Chambers. For 

 some, the government has been reimbursed by the companies for any outlay 

 expended on the line conceded to them ; for others, it continues to pay all 

 the expenses of the earth work, leaving the company only to provide the rails 

 and working stock — the length of lease of course varying, as one or other of 

 these alternatives has been adopted. Among the lines in the latter position, 

 are those from Orleans to Bordeaux, from Orleans to Vierzon, from Tours to 

 Nantes, from Avignon to Marseilles, and from Paris to Strasburg ; and in 

 the former, are the Northern Railway, those from Boulogne to Amiens, from 

 Paris to Lyons, and several other important undertakings. The length of 

 the leases has varied much, accor<ling to the time at which the concession 

 took place. The Boulogne and Amiens Railway, conceded in October 1844, 

 before the excitement of 1845, was taken for 90 years, although of great 

 value, as commanding the traffic between London and Paris ; the Northern 

 Kailway, taken duiing the heat of that excitement, and the great advantages 

 of which had been greatly exaggerated, has only a lease of 38 years ; the 

 Paris and Lyons, taken subsequently, has one of 41. The Lyons and Avig. 

 non is conceded for 45 years, the Bordeaux and Cette for 66. Among the 

 lines, part of the outlay for which is home by the government, that from 

 Avignon to Marseilles has a lease of 33 years, during which it is calculated 

 it will produce 10 per cent, per annum to the shareholders, while the less 

 lucrative line from Orleans to Bcurdeaux has only one of 28 years. The 

 Paris and Strasburg Railway is conceded for 44 years, and that from Tours 

 to Nante; for 34. By their acts, the various railway companies have a cer- 

 tain maximum tariff imposed upon them, Hiider which they rrny make any 

 alteration, l)ut which they cannot exceed. These rates are l'66d. per mile 

 for a first-class passenger ; l-24d. for a second-class ; and 0'91d. for a third- 

 class passenger. For goods, the maximum rates allowed vary on each line, 

 and are generally much higher than those actually charged on lines already at 

 work. French railway legislation is confused, and, in many instances, faulty ; 

 while no one can now be blind to the evils of reckless competition, induced 

 by the system of putting the leases of railways up to auction. On the other 

 Itand, the ai)sence of parliamentary expenses, and the recognition of the 

 principle that the first thing when a railway is to be made in any particular 

 district is to get a decision from the Chambers resjiecting the exact route to 

 be taken by it, so that no surveys need he undertaken by the company until 

 this is determined upon, contrast favourably with the course of proceedure 

 adopted in this country. On the whole, however, many of the strictures on 

 the French system of railway legislation made by Mr. Daud Salomons in the 

 lucid and interesting comparison between that system and the one pursued 

 in this country, contained in his recent pamphlet, will be found to he correct. 

 We have now entered into all the details it was our intention to touch at in 

 the course of this brief investigation, but the v\hole subject will be probably 

 rendered clear by a tabular view of the share capital of the various French 

 railway companies, which we subjoin : — 



RICHARDSON'S REVERSING WATER-WHEEL. 



This wheel is designed for the purpose of raising slate from the 

 Coombe Valley Quarry, and is proposed to do the vpork of a steam 

 engine, without its attendant expenses— the chief object being to 

 throw all its available power into direct action, without the interven- 

 tion of gear-work. Its projector, Mr. Richardson, says, that to cause 

 rotary machinery to reverse, it is usual to introduce bevelled gear — 

 all gear-vfork creates friction— friction loss of power, waste of time, 

 and money. To save time is the great desideratum in conducting the 

 works of a public company ; foriftiiis important point is neglected, 

 the profits expected to be derived can never be realised. 



Or a little more than 49,000,000/. Besides which, the several companies 

 have raised by loan about 2,400,000/. 



The following description will explain the method of its working: 

 — A and B represent a front elevation of the wheel ; the buckets on 

 the side A, are placed in an inverse direction to ihose on the side 

 B ; C, is an over-shot launder, or water-course, flowing on to B ; D, a 

 backshot launder, conducting the water on to A, which acts in a re- 

 verse manner to that of B; E, a reversing gate, hung on a centre, and 

 having a hollow quoin, similar to a common navigation lock-gate. F, 

 a lever, attached to the axle of the gate,E, which, with its connecting 

 pulleys, H and I, is made to turn the water alternately ofl'and on to 

 the overshot and backshot launders, C, and D ; G, the stopgate. H, 

 the overshot pulley; I, the backshot pulley. J, the stopgate pulley, 

 having a graduating plate, K, attached for the purpose of regulating 

 the feed. L, feed-head, or reservoir. M, the water way of back- 

 shot launder, D : when the wheel is set in motion, the lever F, is 



