Interior Communications for British Guiana. 21 



steam locomotives over and above that necessary for generating electri- 

 city by steam power, is relatively unimportant because of the plentitude 

 and conseqst of coal in those countries. 



When we consider how large a proportion of the first cost of con- 

 structing steam railways is due to the necessity for maintaining easy 

 gradients, and how much more economically a railway can be built for 

 electrical operation, on which alignment aloDe is important, and within 

 certain broad limits grades do not matter, it would seem that the old 

 style of heavy steam railway is not likely to be built in future, except 

 in extension of existing systems. 



But when we remember that in addition to this all our coal has to 

 be brought from England or America, that we are not likely to find any 

 coal in the Colony, that any road or light railway system can never be 

 out of reach of one or another of the numerous possible sources of electric 

 power we possess in the various waterfalls, it seems unbelievable that the 

 construction of old-time heavy steam railways, with their expensive 

 earthwork and high-running costs, should be seriously advocated for this 

 Colony at the present day. 



