The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-17 00:00:00

HOW COLD IT HAS BEEN.-NEGRETTI
sad UMBRA celebrated THIBMOYITII,B will cce-
rectly register the lowest temperature. Price ea liettee-
Amdeo , 69, Corn= , 163, Irleetatreet and 129, Bagent-street.
Agents wanted.

WHERE CAN WE MEET AFTER THE
PAILNTOYINLIS ?
My dear fellow I geatterma sap at IVANWS, Cloreatigardea.

%Mt entrefa•

TO 0011.11.18PONDZITIS.
Avert:lumina' t•tended for The Koren
Piper, mutt be at the taloa, 10, Bowen
•'dock on the day or pablketion„

,
1" London Waft
cioatreek by TIYO

00VENT-O.ULDILN.

THIS Evian% SHE TrFOTHIS TOE coNgura Messrs.
W. H. Wein, H Corri, G. Perron, and W. Harrison. Misses L
Irina and A. [ilea—Conductor. Mr. A. Idelion—and Um opening
of ST. GEOEGE .L.M) THE DLAGos.—Conunence all.

THIS ISYNNIWO, LITATDAIST.27HE RIVAL& Meson
Buckstone, Powe,Chippendais.FlrrandininistSbut ; 1".4"ael
Angel, 1. itzw aharn, Snowdon, Undley.—And KING ARTHUR..
Mr. Compton , Mei...tames L Loamy, Wright., Undky, &Romer.

PRINCESS'S.
TRH Ev=nig PAUL'S ILEICILN. Years. Vining, Nelson,
Fisher. Yerrester,'llellon. iwywa,Cathcart .Mastlahtet Manton.
C. Carsou, roweLl, sod Kate Barill&—And HARLEQUIN
LITTLE lOU 'MIME

LYCIUM.

LOST WILD. Mr. Wlddleomb and
Miss P. Leclercq —BIL DIMONIO, a Lore Mory. Masora
Yeentsr, Brougham, Brom, Marks. and Jordan Maser
Kate Terry. lamas, and Blaweelby, and Mr.. Lea

is!!!TA.inaL.

Tun Rvyamo. HICKORY. HICKORY, DOCK. lirs.
ti lone and nritditte Pantomimist/L-11U GREAT GHOST
AFFECT.—Arthar and Bertrand.—The lal7 Fountsln..—And
MY LORD lILLCOILL

NIGH %TATAR AT LONDON LtRIDOL
TEM DAT Marelmg, *, 43m Ahormoco. 10b. 2444.
Tamozzoll 4.. Morplaa, lib. Sm Llama& 110. 47m.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17.

IN the midst of the conflict as to metropolitan
communications, which is assuming almost a
national importance, peculiar interest attaches to
the Blackwall Railway. Since 1859, when the
stock of the Blackwall Railway Company was
consolidated, the company has paid the following
dividends :

1833
1860
1861
•
1862
1863
The comparatively small amount of these divi
deeds frequently leads to the observation that
metropolitan railways cannot be made to pay.
Even some of the most intelligent among those who
discuss railway affairs are accustomed to exclaim,
" Look at the Black wall ! " Now, we are anxious to
take the opportunity of looking at the Blackwall,
and inquiring why it does not pay 6 per cent., like
the North London, or 7 per cent., as we believe it
ought to do.

The Blackwell Railway was constructed specially
for the object of opening up • communication be-
tween the City and the docks. It was to clear the
Commercial-road, Rateliff-highway, and the other
streets leading from the great centre of metropoli-
tan trade to Blackwell of the heavy traffic with
which they promised to be over-crowded. Now, it
is a moat remarkable fact, that whilst as regards one
portion of the traffic (the passenger traffic) between
the City and Stepney, Limehouse, Poplar, end
Blackwell, the railway has most effectually cleared
the pavements, yet as regards the goods traffic
from the docks the railway scarcely carries any of
it. We do not know whether it is the fault of the
Railway Company or of the East and West India
Dock Company, but certain it is that the Black-
well Railway, although it runs from those docks
past the dock warehouses at Crutchedfriers, carries
scarcely any of the East and West India Dock
Company's goods. All the sugar, and tea, and
apices that come from those docks into the City
continue to be carted through the thoroughfares.
Last week the earnings of the Blackwell Rail-
way amounted to about 1,6001., of which nearly
1,4001. arose from passengers, and little more than
200/. from goods ; and even this small amount
of goods traffic can scarcely be considered • Black-
well traffic proper. It arises from goods passed
over the line by the Loudon and North Western,
the Great Northern, and the Victoria Dock Com-
panies, to and from their City warehouses in
Haydon-square and in the Minoriea. The Black-
well Company, we believe, scarcely possesses a
goods track, and it carries on scarcely any goods
traffic of its own.

In the face of these facts, it is not wonderful
that a line which originally cost nearly 500,000!.
per mile to make, and which, with its Stepney
Junction Extension, is now estimated to have cost,
in construction, nearly 305,000!. per mile, should
not pay more than 31 per cent. The only matter
for surprise is that so large an amount can be
earned on a capital of 2,000,000/. sterling, in
sums never exceeding 6d., and rarely exceeding 3d.
Such a fact shows the wonderful extent of pas-
senger traffic, where it is regularly and frequently
conducted at low rates of fare, and in the midst
of a teeming population. So far from regarding
the Blackwell Railway as affording any evidence
against Metropolitan lines, it ought to be considered
as exemplifying the convenience they afford to mul-
titudes of passengers.
Whilst the passenger traffic of this line is well
worked, it must, however, be admitted that the
management of this Company has been slow to
develop any other class of trade, that it has not
fully availed itself of the advantages arising from
the position of the line, and that it has not been
so successful as it might have been in its dealings
with other companies. It is only within a very
short period that it has been discovered that the
line was able to afford any facilities for a coal
trade. Recently, however, we believe, many of
the numerous arches of which the line is composed
have been let, with great advantage, to coal-
owners, and a coal trade has consequently sprung
up in the district, which is proving successful, and
which is considerably extending itself. The rates
which the Company obtain for traffic over their
line by the other railway companies which use it
are also, with one or two exceptions, understood
to be unreasonably low. Vut amounts of goods
traffic are passed over the Blackwell by other com-
panies ; but, unfortunately for itself, the Blackwell
has allowed those companies to erect or take ware-
houses of their own upon the line, instead of pro-
viding such accommodation for them. Instead,
therefore, of doing the business which they might
do in these goods, the Blackwell Company only
acts as toll-taker, and the other companies make
all the profit.

These are really the causes why the Blackwell
Railway is not a better property. But a day
will come, and that at no distant period, when
this property will be improved. It is remarkable
that almost every project for new Metropolitan
communications in some way or other affects the
Blackwell. The Company is wooed in every direc-
tion. One set of projectors desire to link it with
the southern railways by means of the Thames-
tunnel ; others want to connect it with the Brigh-
ton line by bridges across the Thames ; all the
lines which run along the Thames Embankment
propose, in some way or other, to form a connexion
with the Blackwell ; and the great outer and inner
circle project proposes to join it at both its
ends. There is, in fact, scarcely any plan that
can be adopted in Loudon that will not touch the