The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-12-27 00:00:00

RAIL-ROADS AND CANALS.

As the great battle between rail-roads and canals will
soon be fought in Parliament, it may nQt be improper to
make ourselves fully acquainted with the merits of each
party, and see if the rail-roads have as strong grounds for
protection now canals are in use, as canals had when the
carriage of the country was in the hands of wagoners.
For this purpose it is necessary to inquire the various
rates charged by wagons and canals, and also the intended
amount that Parliament will be required by the rail-road
companies to sanction; and as a line from Lyndon is con-
templated through Birmingham to Liverpool, we will en-
deavour to settle our own, as well as the minds of all classes,
•particularly of those persons who will possess the power of
giving or denying this great public boon.
Goods are now charged from Liverpool to London, by
wagon, twelve pounds a ton, and they are delivered on
the sixth day; by canal they are charged four pounds,
and delivered on the Bth, 12th, and IGth day, depending
greatly on the quantity of goods which the Marquis of
Stafford's fiats have to remove betwctn Liverpool and
Runcorn, as well as being afterwards conveyed by slow or
fly boats—we see the charge is two-thirds less by canal
than by waggon.
The proprietors of the Darlington rail-roads eatry goods
for one halfpenny per ton per mile: this, added to three
halfpence duty, gives twopence per mile for each ton,
including locomotive power and wagons; the line of rail-
road surveyed front London to Liverpool is 192 miles, or
one pound twelve shillings; thus we shall have almost as
great a diminution from the expense by canals in conse-
quence of this irvention, as canals gave us over the old
conveyance by road-wagons and pack-horses, besides the
certainty of delivery on the second day, an advantage of
immense importance, if we may judge front the circum-
stance of the Manchester and London vans always being
loaded, though they charge sixteen pounds a ton, and de-
liver on the third day, when the same goods might be
delivered by fly-boats On the seventh day, at r charge of
four pounds.
_ _ _

Tlie fact that as speed by rail-road is increased, expense
is decreased, must be borne in recollection; this arises from
the saving of the engineer's time, the coals consumed being
the same,

Tradesmen of every description will appreciate thc be-
nefit likely to ensue from their being enabled to travel in
the same train of wagons with their goods, either to sell
or after having purchased them, particularly country
dealers in wines, spirits, London porter, grocery, &c. &c.
&c. and goods subject to mixture with water, either from
design or accident.

The East India Company's ships Lowther C title and
Buckinghamshire left Anjtcr fur China the 15th August,
and the Bombay on the following morning.
It is generally known that the new weights and mea-
sures will cane into operation the Ist of January next, but
as the duty on several articles is to be levied on the new
standard after the sth of January next, an order in Coun-
cil, dated 13th Dec. provides that, from the let to the 6th
of January, the duty, &c. shall be levied at a rate equi-
valent to the new standard.