The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-15 00:00:00

JULY 15, 1854.

from this line (or rather a separate trunk-line
joining it) carried in a south-westerly direc-
tion to Bombay ; (3) various small lines within
the Bombay Presidency, meant to facilitate
the transport of goods, especially from and to
the cotton-growing districts; (4) the junction
with one of these lines of a line from Madras,
bringing that Presidency and Bombay into
direct communication. Of the above works,
the first and most important—namely, that
connecting Calcutta with the north-west fron
tier—is ordered to be commenced simulta-
neously in various places, with a view to com-
pletion at the earliest possible period. The
others, from want of sufficient surveys, remain
plans only, but plans sanctioned by the govern-
ing body, and for the carrying out of which,
accordingly, an ample security is given.
The mode of construction is announced to
be the following—namely, by private com-
panies, under the supervision of Govern-
ment, which guarantees interest at four per
cent. on the capital subscribed. The Direc-
tors do not apprehend that this guarantee
will have an injurious effect on private
enterprise. The profit thus secured to
shareholders is small ; they are naturally
desirous to increase it; thus personal care on
their parts may be expected ; while the power
of official superintendence and control is re
garded as an additional pledge for the good
execution of the works. The only line
opened in Bengal—that to Allahabad—con-
firms these favourable anticipations. It has
cost only 9,0001. per mile, which is about the
average cost of construction in the United
States; that cost in England being usually
computed at 40,0001. per mile, law and parlia-
mentary expenses included. In the works now
sanctioned economy is recommended ; the
rate of speed and frequency of transit being
made wholly subordinate to this consideration.
This is well; but how far will the practice
correspond with the theory thus laid down ?
Colonel Corrores- warnings ought not to be
forgotten. " Improve the natural communica-
" tions which India already possesses," says
that practical and earnest reformer. " When
" this is done it will be time enough to talk of
" high•speed railroads." We ourselves confess
a doubt whether the number of native
travellers by rail will ever be large. It
depends on the relative values of time and
money whether many persons adopt this mode
of transit or not. In India the poor man's
time is worth very little—from 11d. to 3d. a
day : he will, therefore, prefer to make a week's
journey on foot rather than expend a fort.
night's wages in reaching his destination
within six hours. Of wealthy natives the
number, thanks to our policy, diminishes
yearly ; to them the loss of time is immaterial,
for they pass their lives in doing nothing;
and, though willing to pay largely for any
object which they may fancy valuable, they
will hesitate to make the sacrifice of dignity
which in their eyes railway travelling involves.
Who, then, will be the passengers ? Only, we
believe, Europeans, and here and there a rich
Parsee, or Hindoo, trader. It is as a means
of reducing military expenses by making the
army more disposable—as a means of reducing
commercial expenses by facilitating the trans-
port of goods—and in these two respects only—
that Indian railroads are likely to pay. Let
this certainty—for to such it amounts—be
borne in mind ; and let the wise warning of
the Directors to study economy, irrespective of
speed, be practically acted upon by the con-
structing companies. Without these precau-
tions the great Indian experiment will prove
only a costly failure.