The Express.
London, England, 1847-09-07 00:00:00

THE TRIESTE AND GENOA OVERLAND

ROUTES._

Sir,—Your correspondent Adria asserts that the
route from Trieste alone is practicable, and that he route
from Genoa is but imaginary. Why might nut hose cot-
riers who have traversed the post roads between Trieste and
Mannheim in parts where there are no diligent as easily
pursue the post roads between Genoa and Mannheim, which
are much better marked out, are kept in better repair, and
throughout are provided with diligences running daily ? hit
that the pretensions of the Austrian Lloyd's would so farts
to affect ignorance of the very existence of all route not hav-
ing Trieste for their starting point, and deny the sent incon-
trovertible facts, unless they tend to the support precon-
ceived opinions? Is it that they are content to impose them
on the German journals published under the Austrian
censorship by tilling their columns with di c..llllViOtle,
dated from every corner of the world, in :-,your of
Telerate, but which are all drawn up at Tr rate,—to
beset and weary the authorities of Vienna a ,th pica
in favour of a railroad between Salzburg and Bret k, wtieh
Austria, for all-suffieing reasons, will not, can not, concede ?
These fabrications represent Trieste to the world as the
centre of commerce with the East (in the same sway as die
Chinese represent their empire as the centre of the earth);
while a single glance at the map proves to dem mstration
that the geographical position of Trieste &dip% it to serve as
the poet of the hereditary provinces of Austrbi,
Poland, anti the north-east of Germany, a task inifficiently
extensive and remunerative ; but, in fact, in to fir as the
real of Germany, the Zollverein, and particularly its
wealthiest and most developed portion, namely, the districts
along the It tine and its tributaries, are concern, .1, Trieste
is separated from these districts by every ennui, geo•
graphical impediment by numerous Alpine chain., and by
rivers all running in an easterly and north-easterli direction
—that is to say, diametrically opposed to the nort„-westerly
course between Trieste and the Rhine.
But to return to the allegation that the route by Genoa is
imsginary : we maintain teat from Mannheim to frieste, the
Austrian Lloyd's couriers ore forced to pursue 'he post-
roads, while on the route from Genoa the Great lliden line
might beused almost to Buie, for a distance of 120 miles,
which would take fifteen hours travelling by courier (at the
rate of eight miles an hour), or six hour; by railroad
(at the rate of twenty miles an hour), showing a gain
of nine boon. From Basle to Genoa there are two routes
clear of the Austrian territory—by Lucerne sad the St
Gothard, and by Zurich Cosi end the St. Simard—cm-
venient, and provided with all that is requi.i.e for comfort
and safety. 'With the exception of the ?away: over me
single chain of the Alps, these two mutes are almew entirely
in the plain, while the route pursued by the annum of the
Austrian Lloyd's from Mannheim into the plain of Italy,
presents, for the greater part of its length, one inceesat
succession of rises and descents, and crosses three alpine
chains—the Feurstein, 4,906 feet •, Brenner, 4,340 feet; aid
the Hollenstein, 4,761 feet; making, together, 14.007 feel,
instead of the 6,400 feet of the St. Gothard or St. Bernard.
These matters being taken into consideration, it will readily
be admitted that the couriers from Genoa will he able to
travel more rapidly along this route, which is se
well provided with means of conveyance, and naturallikel
difficult, than those of Lloyd's along the Trieste route. Role
ever, in this calculation, we only assume their Neal),
Adding, therefore, 341 hours for travelling the 275 else
between Bade and Genoa (at the rate of 8 mile. as boar),
to the 6 hours allowed for passing the Baden Railway, le
shall have a total of 40 1-3 hours between Heidelberg aer
Mannheim and Genoa, while the 457 miles between Than
and Mannheim, by the same calculation, will require 51
hours, or seventeen hours more than by the other roam.
The relative advantages of the two routes can not be
changed, because the obstacles to be surmounted as the
Genoa route are far less numerous than those on theist
Trieste.
So far in regard to the alleged imaginary route as it sitasilY
exists. Speaking of the future, the Austrian Lloyd's boat
that in a few years their line will have railway for the wide
distance. A glance at the map will at once show the fdlael
of this notion also. In the first place, it cannot but be men
that their present line never will be famished with railway,and that even the company themselves, not very
in praising their route, have never so much al tholltid
proposing them. Their route, from the direction 1601
mountains and water-courses above referred to, into"
tending towards the north-west, must necessarily take a
backward course towards the north-east, follow the vondirds
of the railway in the direction of Vienna ; pass Saliba',
either by way of Vienna by Linn, or directly bye branch&
verging at Bruck; pass onwards: by Munich to tugs?
burg; and at Ulm join the Wurtemberg railway'
which is to be connected with the Baden line. This,
is a°l
case, will be an immense round for any one to take nerdy
,
to enjoy the advantages of a railroad, since,instead of that
457 miles between Tnesto and Heidelberg, by the mein
road there will be 785 miles (almost double) by the rare!
did Vienna, and even 650 miles by the direct road between
Bruck and Salzburg. But it is not by any means certain—e°
linest e oo:iturarybeitc.ievetturyciteamproinbaablefe—wthayetuths:.abod
wve;
great reason to doubt if they will ever be constructed at
of
' The junction of the Wurtemberg with its neighbours
Baden and Bavaria, is very far from being agreed afct
From petty motives of local and egotistical policy, 3
desired to force Wurtemberg to renounce the naturel peet.s
of junction at Bruchial in Baden, and at Ulm in Ban"
and change to Pfortitheim in Baden, and to Nordliarn
en
Bavaria, with the view of retaining to the Baden and Boa'
rian lines advantages extorted from that of Wartembert
This is an unworthy and mast objectionable deterroinallabf
the part of the two confederate states, but, taking a PrED"'
view of the case, who can guarantee that the protes
rtoas
; concerning the Germanic Union with which the pr..;
joorosts abound, will in the end Men out anyteinghutolore
Mhaevatti*neened
and interested rivalries? For the moment, indeed, Dt
else is visible in all this. We have already eheeree°„,,,,,
Bavaria insists on a junction with Wurtemberg. al
lingen. Bat supposing even that, in consideration of the
federal stronghold of Ulm, she forms a junction at that pis"
it cannot for a moment be supposed that she will ever ogres
to a direct line between Augsburg and Ulm, partly beer?!
of the actual geographical difficulties, and partly lest sae
renounce any the least, of the advantages which she allaer
to gain over Wartemberg ; it is consequently quite etlolo
that she will insist on the line from Augsburg to Ulm taking
the turn by way of Donauwerth
Returning to the Wurtemberg line, it is certain to be
finished, within three years from the frontier of Sidon sit
only to Ulm, but to Friedrichshafen on the Lake of Car
terminus, or 62 miles farther, while the sontinastion of
ustir omuly Tabus,asbytiblemoPethneiGngenoorathiirouiltenevri, be which
open to its

rail from Ulm towards Augsburg is still very uncertain.
Tom. Augsburg to Munich the railway is in active progress,
het it is of no benefit to the Austrian Lloyd's present route.
Much has been said about a Bavarian and Austrian jape-
tion line between Munich and Salzburg, but nothing definite
has yet been done. Great difficulties are presented by the
fans of the country; and Austria, engaged as she is in vast
postrivances for the union of her southern and northern pro-
Tosco, and, it would appear, little disposed to favour their
intercourse with the more advanced states of the west, is not
ugly to make any serious effort to bring her docile flocks of
eldep into contact with the faithless and !cunning wolves of
Bemet. Nevertheless, we do not entertain a doubt but
that the tide of evants will one day bring about the execution
of this needful and beneficial work; only we must be per-
tained to sued that, for the time being, and probably for
many years to come, it were vain to think of it.
Thus it appears that, for the great interval of 172 geo-
graphical miles between Salzburg and Vienna, there exists
nether projects nor prospects of its execution. The ground
in part is very unfavourable, the traffic unimportant (except
for heavy goods, such as wood and paving stones, which may
be conveyed by water); and before entertaining the notion
the Austrian government would surely rather complete the
great lines decided upon, and in course of execution, from
Vienna to Lemberg, from Vienna to Trieste, and from
Milan to Venice. Decidedly averse aa the Austrian govern-
ment is to giving the execution of the great lines of railway
into private hands, they are forced to conduct the entire
works themselves, and on their own resource,. Now, it is
easy to calculate that the last lean will scarcely suffice for the
completion of the above works, and that to enter upon the
Salzburg line they must have recourse to a fresh loan, which
cannot be done, for on contracting the last loan an engage-
Meet was entered into to contract no others for a certain
period. This being the ease, we will leave each to judge for
himself as to the probability of a speedy construction of this
route.
If the line between Salzburg and Vienna is thus uncertain,
that between Salzburg and Bruck is even more so ; for it
strikes against two, in Austria, all-powerful interests ; viz.,
the military and administrative. The predominating idea in
the tracing of Austrian lines is that of concentrating at
Vienna all the great lines of the empire, whether south,
north, east, or west ' and of setting up Vienna not only as
the governmental, but also as the commercial and manufac-
turing, capital. The projected branch between Bruck and
Salzburg, in opening a direct line of communication, inde-
pendent of Vienna, between Germany, llungary, and Trieste
would interfere with this plan—would partly emancipate the
provinces from the capital, and, as it were, substitute for
Vienna the little town of Bruck. Again, the military de-
fence of Austria depends on the fortress of Linz. A railway
between Salzburg and Bruck would turn the former place,
and subject Vienna to the danger of being attacked in thereat,
and at the tune time having its communicational with the south.
ern portion of the empire cut off. To all these considerations
let us add the serious difficulty offered to the enterprise itself,
forced to crass two Alpine chains, and to cut its way through
narrow and rocky valleys, and all will be convinced, with
as, that the construction of this branch is, at least for the
present, more than improbable.
Between Vienna and Trieste there are, besides the
breaks in the continuity of tho line at Mount Seim-
meting, between Gloggnitz and Murzzusehlag •' that be-
tween Cilli, and Laibach ; and, finally, that of the Julian
Alps between Laibach and Trieste. As regards the first,
au Alpine chain must be passed with a steep ascent of
4,000 feet. This will no doubt be accomplished some
time, but up to the present moment nothing definite
has been determined with regard to it. The trunk line be-
tween Cilli and Laibach is in the course of construction,
and might be completed in a year. With regard to crossing
the Alps between Laibach and Trieste there as yet exists
no definite project, because of the difficulties which this part
of the trunk line presents. The chain here, instead of ter-
minating in a lofty peak (as is the case in the central Alpe),
susceptible of being approached by gradual ascents, pro-
tected from the wind, and penetrated by a tunnel at its cul-
minating point, extends for 30 geographical mites of isolated
calcareous heights, steep, and including basins, which suc-
ceed one another without any kind of adder, and through
which a passage could not be cut without long windings, and
extreme!) difficult and expensive works. For these reasons
is it that as vet no definite project has been formed ; nothing
ezisu but plans, and it certainly cannot be expected that
this portion would be accomplished before 1852.
From what has now been said, it appears that Trieste may
possibly in 18.52 have a railway to Vienna, but as there would
still be 458 miles from Vienna to Heidelberg,—that is to say,
exactly the same distance as by the present road from Trieste
to Heidelberg,—it will be at once admitted that the whole
line to Vienna will be useless, as far as Trieste is concerned,
for this part of the journey would be pure loss of time, at all
events until the line from Vienna shall have been coatinued
to Clm. In the interim, Trieste will still find it more ad-
vantageous to make use of its present post road ; that is to
say, it will remain stationary while its rivals progress.
The route from Genoa has now a railroad as far as Baele ;
front B.tsle to Zurich the line is in course of construction, and
is already opened for a portion of the distance. From Zurich
to Wallenstadt, and below Coil, there is water carriage by
steam. boats, alongside of which a railroad will doubtless be con-
structed, as soon as the road across the Alps is opened. Thus
there it oue of the lines of rail towards Con already certain.
Returning to the Baden hoe, there is in contemplation a
branch from Offenburg to Constance, in order to avoid the
winding of the road by Ride. The conditions of concession
have been agreed to by the states; the government has
taken shares to the amount of one-sixth of the whole ; and as
it is intend,d by this project to do justice to a large portion
of the grand duchy, which has contributed to the construc-
tion of the great road between Basle and Mannheim, with-
out shnring its advantages, we cannot doubt but that the
government of Baden will itself take charge of the matter,
which, looking at the favourable state of its finances, and the
satisfactory result of that great line, would be no difficult
matter.
The governments of the cantons of Zurich end Thurgau
have granted to a highly respectable Swiss company the con-
cession of a line between Zurich and the Lake of Constance,
with branches to Constance and Rohnchach. In proportion
as the works between Zurich sand Basle progress, those be-
tween Zurich and Constance, which, inasmuch as they bring
the line from Zurich into direct communication with those
running to Constance. Friedrickshafen, Lindau, and Rohrs-
chach, use the complement of the first mentioned works,
must necessarily progress also. Thus we are sure of a second
line as far as Rohrschach on the Lake of Constance.
We have already stated that the government of Wurtem-
berg is actively occupied in the construction of the Wurtem-
berg line. It is bound by an engagement with the country
to ample te it within three years. Thus we are certain of a
thirst line as far as Friedrickahafen on the Lake of Constance

opposite Rohrschach.
Passing to the other side of the Alps, we find the great
Sardinian line in the course of construction to Genoa. It
gives employment to 25,000 labourers, and must be finished
in 1849.
The only gap then left open would be that comprised be-
tween the Lake of Constance and the Lego Magniore. This
would he provided for by thejunction lines between Germany
and Italy crossing the summit of the Lucmanier. This pro-
ject, supported by the first notabilities of Piedmont, en-
couraged in every way by all the governments interested in
it—Sardinia, Switzerland, and the states of South Germany
—is actually prosecuted ; the moet distinguished engineers
of Germany and Italy have pronounced it practicable ; and
the recommendation it posseesea—being an unrivalled line
between the basins of the Rhine and the Po, the two seas of
the north, and the two seas of the south, between the so dis-
similar produce sad manufactures of north and south—a
safe passage, neutral and independent of any great power.
These advantages, combined with the eminent advantages of
its concessions, will certainly make it an object of general at-
traction to speculators, as soon as it is brought within
their reach. It is impassible that the Italian and German
lines should be left without a connecting link ; and as the
object can be attained by niother line than this, the necessities
of politics and commerce will urge it on. If Austria finds
it necessary to push its lines on to the Adriatic, the above-
mentioned states will find it quite as necessary to join the
Mediterranean and the north ; and their united efforts will
perhaps accomplish this with greater facility than the inert
masa of Austria herself, occupied inevitably with so many
other affairs no less urgent.
In recapitulating the above data, we find that in two or
three years Genoa will have an uninterrupted line of rail-
way of 303 geographical miles, (the formation of which is
begun, and entirely approved of on the part of the govern-
ment) from Genoa to the railroads along the Rhine, with
the single interraption of the 29 miles. Supposing the
average rats of travelling to be as above calculated, 20 miles
an hour by rail, and 8 miles an hour by post•road, this
journey will take 15 hours by rail and 16 hours by road,
making together 31 hours • while Trieste, within a like
ri peod, will have only 110 Miles of rail between Heidelberg
and Clm, and will have to perform the remainder of the 347
miles on the road, expending 51 in rail, and 434 hours on
the road, making together 49 hours, or 18 hours more than
Genoa.

_
But supposing, and there is no reasonable ground of doubt,
that the railroad over the Lucnianier be finished in five
years, then in 1852 Genoa will possess a continuous line] of
railway of 432 miles to Heidelberg, while Trieste, as we
have above proved, will remain stationary.
Bo much for the existing line, and its imaginary rival.
London, August 31.