On Railway Gradients. 121 



do not cease, until the level plains are reached ; a point some 

 miles north of Bendigo. On the summit of Mount Alexander 

 this opinion can be readily tested ; from it will be seen the 

 intricacies of the country, extending from Mount Beckwith on 

 the west, to a point many miles east of Mount Camel. 



This large tract of country appears broken and rugged ; is 

 traversed with ranges and gullies of a most formidable character ; 

 and many of the abrupt declivities far exceed those on the sea- 

 board side of the mountains. 



» North of Bendigo, from east to west, the plains extending to 

 the Murray afford every facility for the construction of Railways. 

 In illustration, I may state, that on a line of upwards of 46 miles, 

 the descent is only 204 feet, giving a ruling gradient of 1 in 

 1199. 



Having as briefly as possible glanced over the features of the 

 country, between Melbourne and the Murray, I will describe the 

 leading difficulties to be contended against, and shew the means 

 adopted to insure the most perfect routes. 



In conducting the Railway Surveys in Victoria, two large 

 parties were established under the guidance of the Engineer-in- 

 Chief. The instructions in all preliminary surveys were to obtain 

 the most efficient working gradients and if time did not permit 

 the survey of alternative lines, transverse sections of the country 

 were to be taken, with a view to the ultimate improvement of routes, 

 when the permanent survey was decided upon. If a great diffi- 

 culty of obtaining an easy gradient arose ; as at Sunbury, Bacchus 

 Marsh, the Moorabool and again on the " Range" as at Kilmore, 

 East Macedon, Woodend, the heads of the Loddon and Werribee, 

 and Jowerrk Jowerrk, near Ballaarat, the most extended surveys 

 were made, and lines run in every possible direction to ensure the 

 most favourable passage of the mountains. Professional men 

 will believe this, when I state, that a transverse section of the 

 country has been taken between Macedon and Mount Blackwood 

 and over all points upon which a doubt could be raised. Many 

 minor features, have doubtless, not as yet received that attention 

 they require, from the fact, that the permanent survey in those 

 localities has not been decided upon. When that has been done, 

 I have no hesitation in affirming, that the best workable line will 

 be the one selected. 



As in theory, the most perfect line is that which is uniformly 

 straight and level : so have the permanent surveys of Victorian 

 bines been laid down, to approximate as closely as circumstances 

 would admit, to this standard. 



In Victoria, many difficulties intervene between points which 



