LIGHT RAILWAYS FOR NEW SOUTH WALES. 221 
Except therefore the saving in cost of construction there was 
practically no set off against the serious evils of break of gauge, 
and he would nowcompare the extra working expenditure, incurred 
by the break, with that saving. 
Take for instance a short branch surface line of thirty-four 
miles on the two feet gauge, the saving in first cost would be 
£880 x 34m. = £29,920, and the interest at four per cent. 
about £1,200 per annum. 
The extra annual expenditure incurred by break of gauge would 
chiefly arise from— 
1. Transhipment and demurrage. 
2. Extra cost of providing sufficient rolling stock for inequality 
of traffic, and extra cost of repairs due to isolation. 
As regards the first, he had calculated that 24,000 tons goods 
annually, with a similar proportion of passengers as obtains on 
country branches at present, will be required to be moved to pay 
working expenses and interest, on such a two feet line as that 
supposed ; and the transhipment of this at seven pence per ton, 
will amount to £700 per annum. Demurrage arises from the 
fact that instead of the trucks as at present, at a standard junc- 
tion, being merely shunted and taken on by the next main or 
branch train, as the case may be, they may be delayed during 
transhipment beyond that time. Counting the equivalent of only 
one truck load of the standard gauge being so delayed daily for 
twenty-four hours, £313 would be incurred annually. Quite 
as important a cause of demurrage would be the practical impossi- 
bility, through the exigencies of traffic, of always having the 
proper proportion of small trucks, and of the particular type, to 
suit the load, at the junction, to meet the standard trucks with 
loads for the branch, and vice versd. While this adjustment was 
being made either demurrage would go on, or to release the trucks, 
a second and third transhipment at seven pence per ton each must — 
be made. Though hardly calculable, the amount incurred was 
not likely to be less, and probably would be a good deal more, 
