202 REPORT—1858. 
she may be placed. In fact, she may be considered as a large hollow girder requiring 
a load of nearly 10,000 tons suspended from the centre to break her. I mention this 
to show that her want of success is not due to any fault in the ship herself, but to the 
magnitude of the speculation as a commercial transaction, and her unmanageable 
character in regard to the shipment of cargo, and similar difficulties which she may 
be called upon to encounter. I hope, however, that the necessary funds will be 
forthcoming to complete her equipment, and that we shall yet see her dashing aside 
the surge of the Atlantic at a speed of 18 to 20 knots an hour. 
Railways.—The magnitude of this great Republic (as it is called) of speculation 
and industry is scarcely, if ever, appreciated by the public. We look at the locomotive 
of the present day, or glide by its means over the surface of the earth, without once 
thinking of the amount of skill and capital expended in the production of such vast 
and important results. At the present moment we learn, from returns recently pub- 
lished, that we have in this country alone 9500 miles of railway, executed and in 
actual operation, and taking at a rough calculation one locomotive engine with a 
force of 200 horses’ power to every three miles of railway, and assuming each to run 
120 miles a day, we thence calculate the distance travelled over by railway trains to 
be equal to 380,000 miles per diem, or the enormous distance of 138 millions of miles 
per annum, a space measuring the distance of the planets, and beyond the conception 
of those unacquainted with the measurements of the astronomer. To transport en- 
gines and trains this distance, requires a force equivalent to that of upwards of 200,000 
horses in constant operation throughout the year. 
As regards the commercial value of railways, it will not be necessary to enlarge 
upon it in this place; suffice it to observe, that a clear revenue of 12 millions is left 
after all expenses are paid, for distribution amongst shareholders and creditors. This 
amounts to 33 per cent. per annum, a small return upon 320 millions, the original 
cost of 9500 miles of railway, or an average of £34,000 per mile. 
In the locomotive engine there has been no improvement of importance during the 
last two years, excepting only its adaptation to the burning of coal instead of coke 
without the production of smoke ; to a certain extent this has been successfully accom- 
plished, but the process is still far from perfect. Superior training is wanted for 
engineers and stokers before we can look forward with certainty to the time when 
the use of coal will become general, with increased economy and with the suppression 
of the nuisance of smoke. 
In the formation of the permanent way considerable improvements haye been 
effected, especially in the joining of the rails by what is technically termed the fish 
joint, which secures a more perfect union of the rails, produces a smoother surface, 
and diminishes the wear and tear of the rolling stock, when compared with the old 
system of joining so sensibly felt in carriages running over the line at great velo- 
cities. 
Manufactures.—For the last twelve months great depression has existed in this 
department of the national industry, and, notwithstanding the attempts to cheapen 
the production of the staple articles of manufacture by the introduction of improved 
machinery, there exists a considerable depression in many of the great marts of 
industry. This is probably to be attributed to the disturbed state of India and China ; 
but, looking at the activity of the manufacturing population, and the amount of 
capital employed, there has been no serious diminution in the production of manu- 
factured articles, nor any stagnation in the demand for labour. On the contrary, I 
believe, with the exception of the causes just alluded to, that the manufactures of 
this country generally were never in a more flourishing condition. 
In the iron trade, with which this Section is more immediately connected, there has 
been a similar but slight depression, the manufacture of pig, plates and bars being 
as great as in any former year; and, taking into account the improved process by 
which malleable iron and steel are now produced, there is reason to hope for a greatly 
increased demand and an enlarged production. In fact, such have been the improve- 
ments since Mr. Bessemer first announced his new process of boiling the crude iron 
direct from the smelting furnace, and dispensing with the puddling process, that we 
appear to be now in a state of transition from the old system of smelting, refining, 
and puddling, to a more direct, continuous, and improved process of manufacture, — 
: Steel bars and plates are now made without the intervention of an intermediate , 
