248 Chronicles of Science. [April, 



24th October last. A sufficient number of detached portions of 

 railway are now open to admit of the journey from Calcutta to Bom- 

 bay being performed in about four days. Forty years ago the 

 United States had but three miles of railroad in operation ; but they 

 now have 35,341 miles open, and 15,943 miles under construction. 

 The United States Congress, in order to aid the establishment of 

 the South Pacific Railroad, has granted that undertaking 25,000 

 acres of land per mile ; the distance between New York and San 

 Francisco by this route will be 3,200 miles. Advices from Brazil 

 state that the San Paulo Railway was expected to be opened on 

 the 1st January last ; and that a prospectus has been issued of the 

 Paraguassu Steam Tramroad Company, for the construction of a 

 train line of 250 miles, from the city of Bahia to the city of Lencoes, 

 near the diamond-mines, with which there is already a steady traffic, 

 Amongst harbour and dock works we may notice, in the first- 

 place, the extensive additions now in progress to the Government 

 docks at Chatham, on a tract of marsh land known by the name of 

 St. Mary's Island. For some time past the admiralty have been 

 carrying on some very important works, with a view of reclaiming 

 St. Mary's Island ; but in addition to the mere work of reclamation,, 

 the scheme includes the construction of a series of extensive docks 

 and workshops, all of which are estimated to cost about one-and-a- 

 half million sterling. The Millwall Docks, now in course of con- 

 struction on the Isle of Bogs, will, it is expected, be finished and 

 open for shipping by the end of next autumn. There will be two 

 docks, — the one of 25 acres, and the other 10 J acres in extent ; 

 the depth of water in each basin will be about 29 feet and the 

 entrance locks will be 80 feet wide. A large graving-dock, 402 

 feet long by 86 feet wide, is also being constructed as an adjunct to 

 the other works. On the 1st January the contractors com m enced 

 the great works for the extension of Portsmouth Dockyard, the 

 estimated cost of which is 1,500,0007. Up to the present time 

 Glasgow has been without any dock accommodation, or tidal basin ; 

 and although the whariing is extended on either side of the river 

 for a great distance, it is inadequate to the demands upon it. A 

 tidal basin is now in course of construction there, which will be 

 completed in a few months ; and the commencement of another 

 basin is contemplated soon after the completion of that now in pro- 

 gress. New works are under construction on either side of the 

 river at Belfast ; those on the County Down side consist of a large 

 open tidal basin and a capacious graving dock ; and those on the 

 County Antrim side consist of a floating dock, 630 feet long by 

 225 feet wide, and a tidal dock 600 feet long by 550 wide. The 

 entrance to the former is 60 feet, and to the tidal dock 80 feet in 

 width. The cost of the entire works will be 150,000Z. A new 

 port has not long since been established in the Bristol Channel, at 



