Agricultural and Commercial Society. 83 
the question of gauge. On the Berbice Extension of 
the parent line there could, of course, have boen no 
question of the gauge to be adopted, and I will not 
therefore discuss it further. In the case of the West 
Coast Railway, however, the gauge received very careful 
consideration, and as the probabilities of any connection 
being made between the East and West Coast Railways 
are extremely remote, and interchange of rolling stock 
practically impossible, I did not allow the fact of the 
East Coast being 4 feet 8| inches to influence me 
beyond the storing of '' spares," such as axles and other 
parts which are affected by the gauge. As regards the 
Essequebo Railway, I have always looked on it as being 
merely of a temporary nature, and though extremely 
useful at present, hardly worth considering in connection 
with a trunk line. When running through hilly country 
there is a very large saving in both construction and 
working by using a 3 feet 6 inches instead of a 4 feet 
8 1 inches gauge — particularly in rock cuttings, and in 
admitting of much sharper curves, which can be easily 
run round on a 3 feet 6 inches gauge, when a 4 feet 8 J 
inches gauge would be almost impractical. Next, the 
rolling stock for the narrow gauge (3 feet 6 inches) is, 
roughly, 20 per cent, cheaper than that for the broad 
gauge (4 feet 8^ inches.) 
The next point an engineer would consider is, where 
would this line be likely to end ultimatel}^ and I have 
no hesitation in saying that such a line would ultimately 
end by joining the Argentine railways. The latter are 
of various gauges ; but, as far as I could ascertain, the 
3 feet 6 inches gauge preponderated ; this being added 
to the fact that it is a more favourite gauge than the 
30-metre or 5 0, all of which, I understand, are in use 
h 2 
