The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-29 00:00:00

ROADS AND RAILWAYS.

The AdelaVeliepi:st;•ofii;C;itliCirietant earnestly
recommends the authorities and the public to take
into consideration without delay the means for
effecting some radical improvement in the roads of
the colony of South Australia. Our contemporary
brings forward some facts, which we have already
placed before our readers, as to the comparative cost
of the present system of metalled roads, aid the
more permanent lines of tramway or railway com-
munication. He observes—" Beyond the general
fact that every mile of metalled road costs some-
where about 2,0001., we know little or nothing of
the economies of our colonial road-making." lle
then refers to the ascertained fact, that the American
railways have cost on an average, about 5,000/. a
mile ; but he does not appear to be acquainted with
the cost of tramways, which are not much
above half that of railways. The experiment
of forming a tramway will probably be carried
' out in the colony, at an early period, as the
government were abont to recommend to the legisla-
tive body the formation of such a line from Port
Adelaide to Gawler Town. The Legislative Council
were also engaged in the consideration of an impor-
tant improvement in railway lines, and of car-
riages adapted for them, patented by a gentleman
named Curtis, and which is thus described by the in-
ventor: .

The peculiarity of this system of railways is, that the
rails are formed out of the rough trees of the forest, and re-
quire very little labour to adapt them to the purposes of
toe railway ; the carriages run as 1 ghtly upon it as upon
the most perfect edge railway; at the same time, the
carriages will run equally as well upon the collusion read,
and are as easily dragged on or off the rail as carriages
running upon the greuite trains in common use; ordinary
carriages, waggons, and carts, may be easily adapted to
this railway, by simply substituting the patent wheels for
those in common use ; also, in the event of the rails being
laid down along the common road, no impediment will be
created for the conduct of the ordinary traffic along the
road ; but the destructive heavy traffic being transferred to
the rail, the roads will be subject to less depreciation, and
will be kept in repair at a much lower charge than at pre-
sent. It is intended to work the lines, in the first instance,
by animal power; but, when required by the increased
wants of the community, and the probable traffic will justify
the outlay, by simply placing iron rails on the timber
trams, locomotives and trains upon the ordinary construc-
tion can be made to work upon the railway. The object is
to supply a system of roads embracing all the valuable pro-
perties of the most perfect railway, at the least possible
outlay in the first instance, and to improve and extend the
lines out of the resources and revenues of the colonies them-
selves. . _ _ .

Phis plan has been considered by the Lieutenant-
Governor to merit a trial in the colony, and his ex-
cellency has accordingly recommended " to tho
Central Board not to spend any more money in
metalling or making common main roads, and that
a contract, under proper bonds and securities, should
be entered into uith Mr. Curtis or his company, or
both, to lay down a tramway from Adelaide to
Gauler Town, and as much farther, or in other di-
rections on main lines, as can be comparsA for not
less than two-thirds of tho sum available by the
board in Is 3-1."