3(34 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[October, 



] would not have you infer from what I have stated thai the Ordnance 

 survey is altogether wanting in point of talent ; I am free to admit that there 

 any intelligent, respectable men connected with it ; but I do contend 

 that the treatment which these men receive is sufficient "to wither all their 

 energies. It has been the boast of individuals in high places, that they can 

 procure the best draftsmen in Europe at the rate of 2s. 6rf. and 3». a-day. 1 

 willingly admit that, at the present moment, there are first-rate draftsmen 

 on the Ordnance survey, who are condemned to toil for this miserable pit- 

 tance ; but does not the individual " glory in his shame " who would thus 

 make a boast of his ability to crush merit? and I appeal to you, Sir Robert, 

 what interest will a man of talent take in that situation, the pecuniary emo- 

 luments of which amount to no more than 2s. 6rf. or 3s. a-day. and even 

 that much lessened by travelling and other expenses incidental to the emi- 

 grating life of the operative Ordnance surveyor? 1 could abundantly prove 

 icy of a system of economy which would treat deserving men thus ; 

 could show that the best, and ultimately the cheapest, mode of pro- 

 cee i- would be, to make a situation on the Ordnance survey wort!-, holding, 

 the man of merit properly, and thus excite in bim an interest in the 

 d to him for execution. 



. on the proceedings of the survey is the employment of per- 

 . still lower rate of paj than the above, several of whom are utterly 

 unfit lo take anj part in the undertaking ; the great majority of th 



belong to this class, and their misery beggars description. If the 

 nld permit me, I could detail to you the suBi 

 numbers of unfortunate Irishmen, who, after having been lured from their 

 vnisfatum bope nissed without a fault from their 



employment, and thrown upon the world houseless and penny'ess. in a 

 country , ttbies often run counter to the name of Irish: 



coul.l show you the quondam Ordnance surveyor craving at the Workhouse 

 r a morsel oi bread, and more ' ilsed as an impostor. I 



could show you the faithful servant of the survey toiling alone, a miry road 

 lie business, on a fearful nighl in December, the rain and snow beating 

 in his teeth, i mil, ovi rpowered with toil, he sinks and dies, while his lifeless 

 body Kent interment, is thrown like a cuml 



the grave, at the expense of the parish in which he lost his life I 



I know there are persons whose interest it would be to damn the credibility 



of what, in their parlance, will doubtless be dubbed "an anonymoi 



bier;'' but with reference to such I have to say, let them contradict me If 



Why, 1 would ask. is there not a single Englishman employed on 



the Ordnance survey ?— because he would spurn the paltry meed which the 



rulers of the survey would oiler for bis services. The Ordnance surveyors 



man, natives of Ireland. I have before stated there are many men 



, the most unl I has been 



taken, both of the peculiar circumstances of these men, and tin sc of their 



y be thought that I havi n the proper topic in the course 



of this letter— that I have foi th which I commenced ; 



•. though partially, of the ma- 

 t-Inner, of the Ordnai ee urvi ) ment which those employed on 

 itreci it the hands of th, nasters, will [ trust, strengthen 

 hat I have before stated— 4 ' That the civil profusion c 



I •idort as quickly, as t rrectly,ana Htm the 



Royal Engineers;" and that, therefore, thi work hould be lei i 

 petition. 



Sen 

 /h;t;. 18*3. 



of Cm Surveyor. — A Court of Common Council was held 

 1 9th of September for the purpose of electing a clerk of the ■ 

 the room of Mr. Montague, di ceased, win .Mr. Bunning was chosen by a 

 majority over Mr. Young, who had been several years principal clerk in Mr. 

 Montague's office, of 38 votes. The numbers were — 



For Mr. Bunning .. .. .. .. .. lUo 



"or Mr. Young 



Sie/.m Plough on Locbab Moss.— Lately Mr. Curtis, the eminent en- 

 gineer, invited about 20 of his friends to witness the machinery connected 

 with this plough put in motion; and it was trulj astonishing to'see such an 

 immense fabric travel with the greatest facility" over ground so soft that a 

 man can scarcely stand upon it 'without sinking. Mr. Curtis politely ex- 

 plained the objects of the different parts of the machine; and, so far as an 

 unprofessional person ecu judge, the principle of the construction appears 

 sound, and we have uo doubt that when completed (which it will be in a 

 short time), it will fully answer the purpose. — Dumfries Courier. 



Reclaiming I,.v.sd from inr. Sea.— The sea banks at Long Sutton, Lin- 

 colnshire, under Sir John Rcnnie's direction, are now nearly finished. TLe 

 contractor for the work is Mr. Henry Sharpe. 



RAILWAY CHRONICLE OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. 



This month has been distinguished by the amalgamation iuto one concern, 

 of the three midland lines, the North Midland, Midland Counties, aud Bir- 

 mingham and Derby. Special meetings for that purpose were held on the 

 18th, 20th, and 21st, when resolutions iu favour of the scheme were passed 

 almost without opposition. The terms are, that the capital aud debt of the 

 united company should be distributed according to the following scheme. 



North Midland 

 Midland Counties 

 Birmingham and Derby 



Total 



Capital. Debt. Total. 



412,905,400 £863,000 £3,768,400 



1,275,000 581,000 1,856,000 



978,500 411,000 1,389,500 



>, 158,900 1,855,000 



,013,900 



The shares to be converted into stock, and the profits to be divided pro rata 

 except that the Birmingham and Derby is to receive 27s. 6rf. per cent, per 

 annum less dividend. An incidental question arose at the Birmingham and 

 Derby meeting as to the eighths shares which had been issued at a very great 

 discount, but which had not all been called up. The holders of eighths 

 claim that the whole shall be called up to entitle them to the benefits which 

 would have accrued to them had the whole amount of money been required. 

 It was pretty generally agreed that they ought to have £8. 3s. 5rf. per 

 £1. 10s. paid up, but what they claim is £10. 18s. lid. for £2. Is. bd. paid 

 up. The question is put off till a future date, when it is supposed the holders 

 of eighths will rr-t satisfied with what they have got. At the Midland 

 Counties meeting the Chairman very clearly showed that that Company 

 would be placed in a more disadvantageous position than it would have been 

 under any of the schemes formerly proposed and rejected. The majority, 

 howi vei . felt that thej were obliged to submit to the new terms. The effect 

 of the amalgamation is to create a Company, which adds another to the 

 number of colossal railwae institutions, and which stands thus : — 



Great Western ' 

 United Midland 

 London and Birmingham - 

 Grand Junction 



Capital and 

 Loan. 



£6,670,000 



7,013,000 

 7,000,000 



'-'.104,1)00 



Annual 

 traffic. 



Length 



opened 

 in miles. 

 190 £750,000 



1781 400,000 



119$ 800,000 



119 360,000 



It will thus be seen that the London & Birmingham is hard put to it to 

 keep the pre-eminence, and that a number of gigantic companies are being 

 erected in the country, into which all minor lines must sink. Within three 

 years there will be perhaps not more than half a dozen railway companies in 

 the country, aud the new system will develop some extraordinary results, 

 particular!) as to economy. The saving on the United Midland line is es- 

 timated at £30,000 per annum, besides a considerable revenue to accrue 

 from better arrangements of the trains. 



The half-yearly reports of the two other companies wc gave iu our last 

 number ; that of the Birmingham and Derby, not then published, presents no 

 very extraordinary results. The estimated amount of savings to be effected 

 was upwards of £7000 a year. 



Edinburgh Sf Glasgow Railway. — This Company have adopted the plan of 

 making up their accounts to the 31st of January, and 31st of July of each 

 year, instead of 31st of December, and 30th of June, by which the half 

 year's accounts made nearly equal in receipts, but the present accounts show 

 7 months' income and expenditure. The dividend recommended was at the 

 pel i at. pel annum. A junction line was in progress to the 

 Monkland and Kirkintilloch to cost £3000. 



Hull and Sell/;/ Railway. — This report slates a diminution iu the passenger 

 traffic, anil an increase in the goods, the accommodation for which had 

 required further provision. 



Toff Yale Railway. — The Taff Yale meeting was a stormy one, and the 



more particularly as it was to receive the report of a committee of inquiry 



into the conduct of the concern. It appeared pretty clearly that the under- 



jrrosslj mismanaged, and there appears little prospect of its 



uenf, for a great part of the capital is held by the proprietors of the 



and iron works, whose interests seem to be opposed 



to those of the shareholders. The owners require a further reduction in the 



tolls, and the shareholders require an augmentation of the tolls. 



Dublin <y Droijhedn Railway appears to be progressing favourably, and 

 its success is likely to he the best railway measure for Ireland, by inducing 

 private capitalists to make investments there. A difference having taken 

 place with the Ulster Railway as to the width of rails, it was referred to the 

 Board of Trade, aud General Pasley eas recommended a gauge of 5ft. 3 in., a 

 most extraordinary measure, and seemingly not having very powerful argu- 

 ments for its support. Mr. Mac Neil, C.S., is having about 4 miles laid with 

 permanent rails, on which he means to try some experiments as to the best 

 forms of carriages and engines for working the line. lie holds out hopes of 

 some new results. 



1 The Great Western has a considerable length of line yet to be opened, 

 and the capital and lean do not include the cost of the B'ristol & Exeter, 

 Bristol & Gloucester, aud Cheltenham & Great Western. 



- The London 8i Birm ; ngham has about 47 miles of branch still to open. 



