54 Mr Martin's Remarks on the 



the cylinders have metallic packing ; the boilers are all of that 

 description called tubular. In the Gargill there are 82, 6 feet 

 6 inches long. If inches diameter interior. In the Garnkirk 

 107 ; in the George Stephenson 104 ; in the Glasgow 102, all 

 If inches diameter ; in the new engine 92, If inches diameter, 

 the length of all the tubes, except those in the Gargill, is 7 feet, 

 exclusive of the water casing round the fire-box. The average 

 quantity of water in the boiler in an ordinary working state is 

 about 300 gallons, weighing 26 cwt. 3 quarters and 10 lbs. 



When the water is quite cold, the fire new, and the engine 

 stationary, it requires one hour to raise the steam. When the 

 engine has been in use, and the water in the boiler been partly 

 used the previous day, and the engine stationary, steam is raised 

 in three quarters of an hour. When the engine is run out to 

 create a draught, steam is raised in half an hour. 



There is no restriction on this railway, as on the Liverpool and 

 Manchester, as to the description of fuel to be used. The best 

 splint coal of the Monkland district is employed, the price of 

 which is 5s. 6d. per ton, being less by two-thirds than the ex- 

 pense of coke. This produces a great saving as compared with 

 the English railways. It has also been ascertained that one ton 

 of this splint coal produces as much steam as the same weight of 

 coke. Moreover, there is a great saving of the tubes in the 

 boilers of engines where this coal is used, arising from the for- 

 mation of a crust in their interior, which preserves them, and 

 has no perceptible injurious effect in preventing the full ac- 

 tion of the heat on the water in the boiler. There have been as 

 yet no decided experiments made to prove this statement, but it 

 may be inferred to be correct from the fact, that, on this railway, 

 of the whole of the boilers of the engines since its opening, only 

 eight tubes have given way, while on the Liverpool the tear 

 and wear have been enormous, and the expense correspondingly 

 great. 



As far as can be judged, this undertaking holds out the pros- 

 pect of fully realizing the expectations of its projectors. This, 

 and similar undertakings in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, 

 have had the most beneficial effects on the manufactures and 

 shipping of that city ; for, supposing that they have reduced 



