228 DISCUSSION ON 
Mr. C. VANDEVELDE advocated the adoption of the two foot 
gauge for branch lines. The author stated that he had experience 
with several gauges, from the five feet nine inches gauge of Spain 
to the one foot eleven and a half inches of Festiniog, but he would 
be better qualified to speak if he had seen the latest and most 
improved development of the two feet gauge in France. These 
lines had been made for from £1,600 to £1,800 per mile, including 
rolling stock. They had rails of nineteen pounds to the yard, and 
curves of thirty metres. He thought the Government here should 
send an expert to France to report upon those lines and their 
adaptability to these Colonies. He considered that such lines 
would be superior to our present standard gauge branches, and if 
sharp curves were introduced with the present gauge, the existing 
carriages must be altered. Mr. Vandevelde would ask the author 
if he would now recommend that the Festiniog two feet line should 
be altered to the standard gauge. The author had said that light 
rails, steep gradients, light works, and light working expenses 
were nearly all more or less antagonistic to each other, but if the 
two feet gauge were adopted this would not be the case. 
Mr. W. F. How was convinced that engineers who had to 
construct railways in foreign and thinly populated countries, 
which were expected to produce good financial results at an early 
date, were justified in adopting a very light and cheap construc- 
tion in the first instance, and to do this sharp curves, heavy 
gradients, and lght rails were necessary. As the population 
increased, the modification of the curves etc.; could be carried out 
when desirable. He considered that as the lines proposed by the 
author would probably be constructed by a Government, the pro- 
posal to use fairly heavy rails, and to adhere to the existing gauge 
of railway would be justifiable. He pointed out that for many 
years English manufacturers could not see any advantage in 
departing from their long established practice with regard to the 
design of locomotives, but appeared to think’ that the types they 
had always made to suit the British tracks should work well 
everywhere, and the consequence was that in many instances, on 
