8 3 6 
I'HK TROPICA!. 
increased three-fold (from 23,000 to 73,001/ t.msi, 
the passenger traffic only 13 percent (83,000 to 
94,000) with the result that working expenses per 
train-mile rose from 3s 4'-fd to 38 H)'8d: — 
W.Xa per l'er cent of 
Mile, 
On the Western system, 865 
train-mile 
were 
•i:o-y 
4:0-t; 
3:115 
will show 
gross re- 
ceip:B. 
71 0 
471 
515 
bom 
nus- 
Alidfand ,, 613 
v Eastern ,, iWO 
„ Northern ,, 308 
A glance at these figure* 
leading is the statement of working expen in 
percentage of gross receipt-. It may serve to 
inform the shareholder, wiiose interest in hi- rail 
Avay is restricted to his dividenil, whether or 
not there has been, a profit on working; hnt 
this is the most that can he said for the Injure*. 
For our purpose we want a datum less anibigubua 
Such a dat um is cost per train-mile. 
Experience has shown that the probable nuui- 
her of trains a day over a defined length of line 
is the most satisfactory baaifl for a forecast of 
expenses. It may he more correctly anticipated 
than any other item of railway business, and 
it furnishes a unit of measurement sutiiciently 
uniform and easy of application! The boat of 
working a train a mile varies, indeed, within 
such narrow limits that it may he regarded a* 
a "constant,' - holding good of all train- i 
heavy expresses, irrespective of longoli and load. 
More than this, the modifications, generally slight 
necessitated by local peculiarities may he readily 
ascertained and accurately calculated. 
The influence of load on working ex- 
penses was investigated afiesh last year by 
a Select Parliamentary Commission at the 
Cape. Technical evidence checked by experi- 
mental runs, established the valuable fact that 
on a certain line (length 303 mile-, gauge 3 0, 
ruling gradient 1 percent, curves " flat and few") 
the difference in cost of running between trucks 
full ami trucks empty was one^thirtp -sixth of a 
penny per ton ( -^2,000 lb. ) per mile. Another 
enquiry undertaken by the same Committee was 
as to the relative influence of curves and gra- 
dients on costs of running, with the result that 
where the engines are of a heavy type and 
skilfully handled the straightening out of curves 
is a much more beneficial betterment than the 
reduction of gradients, that, indeed, gradients 
are a much less formidable obstacle to cheap 
working than is generally supposed : a fact which 
contributes to the unitary value of the train-mile. 
Taking the average of the railways of the 
United Kingdom in 1893, the cost of the train-mile 
is 2s: 8 - 5d, an astonishing figure when 
due weight is given to the circumstances under 
■which the management of these great under- 
takings has to be carried on : e.g. ttie high rates 
of speed, the rapid wear and tear, the costly 
requirements of the Board of Trade, the high 
price and indocility of labour, the enormous 
fluctuations in the volume of traffic, the fierce 
competition at every point. Even more signifi- 
cant of super!: management is the fact that since 
1870 the figure has altered by only 20 percent, and 
this in the direction of steady reduction. Not- 
withstanding that the determining factors of 
cjst have been all in continual, often violent, 
perturbation, yet so vigilant and resourceful has 
been the management that in their resultant, 
cost per train-mile, small sign of perturbation is 
to be detected. Throughout the industrial storms 
and economic crisis of the last 23 years, the 
figures under that heading show a steady frac- 
tional shrinkage from 38d to 33'5d ( 
« ».i the Statc-biiili . Slate managed tailw a \ - of t he 
Colonies a cerj different state of tiling* obtain-, 
and we come upon figure* of expenditure swollen 
by politics. Keeping -trictly within the known 
facts we may say that on many of the eolouial 
linen the cost of the train mile depend* much 
more on the political exigencies of minister* and 
parties, than on curve*, gradient* price of find, 
or any other legitimate determinant. 
In the light of these consideration* we run 
dude that on any new line, exempt from state 
management, working expenses mould not ex- 
ceed :t- per brain-mile unaei any ninriiiinronfia. 
while on well-constructed single line railway - of 
metre uaugc. not lc*s than 4.> mile- in length, 
and operated at speeds not exceeding with stop- 
pages L'n mile- an hour, the co.*t per train -mile 
should be under rather ihau (MflOt 2* Id, To 
show how under condition- which may be surli 
oiently indicated by the word " normal " the co»t 
per train mile is made up we adopt, lacking 
anything more authoritative, a form of dige-t 
*uu _'e*t -d bv Wellington in hi* invaluable work 
"The E •onomic Theory of Railway Location. ": — 
»er cent per cent 
i Locomotive power and repairs 18 
- Train wages and stores 17 
I Carriage and waggon repair* U 
Total Train expenses <T 
Trade between stations . 8 
(toad bed • 7 
Yards and structure* • t> 
Total maintenance of way and works — 23 
Statijiis wages anil stores 80 
General expenses ' 10 
1*0 
My help of this table, the effect of such local 
peculiarities a* influence cost of working may be 
allowed for, and the standard of cost added to or 
subtracted from accordingly. 
BRITISH NEW GUINEA AM) BIB 
WM. MACGKKGOH. 
Sir Win. Macgregor was a passe ig»-r by the II. I. 
ss. " India" which left Colombo on 9th .May. 
Sir William has had to hurry out earlier than wasex- 
pected.in consequence of smallpox, for thelir*t time, 
having reached New Guinea, and his fear that 
not only great mortality but a state of demo- 
ralization may be the result among the people. 
Sir William goes back alone and he has 3| 
years before him of the term for which the 
present compact between (Queensland and the 
Imperial Government in respect of New Guinea, 
has to run. Sir William regrets very much 
being unable to stay over a fortnight or month in 
Ceylon : and he would gladly welcome a few" Ceylon 
planters in New Guinea to plant coffee, coconuts, 
cacao, &e.j guaranteeing them land and labour if 
they brought the needful capital and reputation 
as practical reliable men. Sir Wm. Macgregor 
has not been idle while at home as his several 
addresses before public bodies show. A set of 
these he has beeu good enough to hand to us 
and their perusal w ill, we have no doubt, afford 
us a good deal to reproduce to our readers. It 
only remains that we should expie-* every good 
wish for the further success of Sir Wm. Macgregor * 
administration — this time as Lieut. -Governor 
of British New Guinea. 
DEAFN 88, 
An essay describing a really 
genuine Cure for Deafness, 
Kinging in Ears, $0c., no matter how severe or long- 
standing, will be sent post free. — Artificial Ear- 
drums and similar appliances entirely superseded 
Address THOMAS KEMPE, Victoria Cham- 
bers, 19, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, 
LONPON. 
