The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-28 00:00:00

EVENING, AUGUST 28 1852,

large sum of 122,431,9001, but a comparatively small
proportion will ever be applied to the railway purposes
to which, under the authority of Parliament, it was in-
tended to be applied.
" The slims raised annually previous to the year 1843
cannot be ascertained; but since that period Parliament
have required returns from the companies, from which it
appears that the sums raised for railway purposes in
1848 amounted to 33,234,4184; in 1849, 29,574,720/ ;
and in 1850, 10,522,9674
" The returns of the sums raised during 1851 have not
all as yet been received, and therefore the amount raised
for the last year cannot be stated. Correspondingly
with this great diminution of expenditure upon works of
this nature, there has been, as it would appear from the
returns presented to Parliament, a reduction in the
number of persons employed upon railways to a very
great extent, nearly proportionate, as might have been
expected, to the reduction in the sums raised by the
companies.

"From tables prepared in continuation of the similar
table in the reports of the Commissioners of Ttlilvvays of
preceding years, it appears that the number of persons
employed in linking railways was 15,947 less on the
30th of June, 1851, than on the 29th of June, 1850,
while the number employed on railways open for traffic
had been increased by 3,589, showing the persons em-
ployed upon railways to have been 12,353 fewer in 1851
than in 1850.
" As the very rapid extension of railways consequent
on the proceedings of the years 1845 end 1346 appears
now to be drawing to a close, a comparative st-atement
has been prepared with the view of exhibiting ,e fluc-
tuations in the employment given by these extensive un-
dertakings.
" The general result shown by these tables is, that
on the 30th of June, 1851, the number of persons em-
ployed upon railways, either in construction or working,
was 197,226 less than at the corresponding per led in
1847. It would appear, therefore, that in the interval
which has elapsed this number of persons, who must
have been withdrawn from other industrial occupations
in consequence of the great demand for labour created
by the impetus given in 1845 and 1846 to the construc-
tion of railways, had been again absorbed in other occu-
pations, and obtain a living by other means.
" The reduction of labour, as divided between the
r of
three kingdoms, is as follows:
,6 The numbe persons employed on the 30th of
June, 1851, is less than on the Ist of May, 1847—in
England and
Wales, by 123,296; iu Scotland. by 49,306;
and, in Ireland, by
22,624; total diminution, 197,226,
" From this it will be seen that the cessation of rail.
way works has fallen more especially upon Scotland,
where the greatest proportionate reduction in the per-
sons employed has taken place.
" The number of persons employed in each country
on the 30th cf June, 1851, was—in England and Wales,
80,612; in
106,501.
Scotland, 8,80') • in Ireland, 17,087. Total,

" " ACCIDENTS.
On the subject of accidents it is to be observed that
36 passengers have been returned as killed, and 375 as
injured, during the year 1851; those numbers showing
a very great increase as compared with the preceding
year, when only 32 passengers were killed, and 183
injured, It must not be assumed, however, that all
of those accidents to passengers were accidents
arising from causes beyond their own control,
and are therefore to be considered as attributable to the
dangers of railway travelling; for, upon examining the
returns, it appears that during the year 1851 no less than
17 passengers were killed and 20 injured owing to their
own misconduct or want of caution, leaving 19 killed
and 355 injured as the total number of sufferers from
causes beyond their own control. With respect to the 37
passengers either killed or injured by their own miscon-
duct or want of caution, it app-ars that no fewer than 24
of these accidents (9 killed, 15 injured) arose from pas-
sengers either attempting to get into or out of trains
while in motion. On this subject it may be worthy of
observation, that during the same period (the year 1851)
8 servants of railway companies—persons, therefore,
it may be presumed, in the habit of moving about more
or less upon engines and trains—were killed, and seven
injured, from the same cause. Such a statement ought
to operate as a caution to passengers not to leave their
seats or to attempt to get into carriages while the trains
are in motion; for, if experienced officials constantly
employed upon railways meet with such frequent disas-
ters from this cause, it is naturally to be expected that
inexperienced people, in making similar attempts to get
either upon or off trains in motion, will be much more
subject to accidents of this character. Proper caution
on the part of the public in this respect would produce a
very material diminution in the list of casualties; and it
may deserve consideration whether it might not conduce
to this caution if notices were posted conspicuously in
stations and carriages, warning passengers of the danger
to be apprehended from this improper practice.
" After deducting the numbers of those killed or in-
jured by their own misconduct, or want of caution, it
would appear that during tho year 19 persons were
killed, and 335 injured, from causes beyond their own
control. This result, giving a total of 374 sufferers,
when viewed with reference to the number of passen-
gers conveyed during the year, which amounted to
85,391,095, appears not unsatisfactory, being about four
in 1,000,000; but, when campared with the returns of
the preceding year (1850), it appears that the traffic
has not been conducted with nearly the same degree of
safety in 1851 as in 1850, for while tho number of pas-
sengers conveyed has increased in the ratio of about 17
per cent., the number of passengers injured by causes
beyond their own control, which may be considered as a
measure of the relative safety upon railways during dif-
ferent periods, has more than doubled, the ratio of in-
crease being 104 per cent,
" I will be found also, upon reference to the last an-
nual report of the Commissioners of Railways, that the
casualties in 1850 more than doubled those that occurred
is 1819, so that, relatively, the risk of danger ia travell-
ing a,- on railvays
appears to have considerably in-
crease:]. It is matter of obset vation that this in-
crease of accidents tree taken place concurrently a nth
the system of excursion trains,
;bleb
extensionlhichha e f
has bean
ben
principally developed within
the two last years; and it is also to be observed,
that in the sane period the number of persons employed
upon each mile of railway open for traffic had de-
creased, as shown by the returns presented to Parlia-
m are made up for the 30th of June in each
year,
Which
rt at which date it may be presumed that the excur-
sionP-
traffic is in full operation. The average number
of persons employed upon all the railways in the United
Kingdom open for traffic were, on the 30th of June.
1849, 10-27 per mile; 29th of June, 1850, 9.56 per mile;
30th of June, 1851, 9.49 per mile.
ais is, however, right to observe, that this reduction
in the
daverage number of persons employed may bo iu
some
egreo attributable to improvements in the
In and to the consideration
erralitiwoafythsewrhataLve been opened in late years
thatlua management
have traversed less populous districts than the railways
first constructed, and have therefore required fewer
persons to conduct the traffic upon them. It has been
thought
causes
of
desirable, with a view to ascertaining the
these
t.r accidents, and to the consideration of
the question whether
any remedial measures might
not be adopted,either by Parliament or by the
comp©
Hies themselves,
to analyze the reports that
have been made by the inspecting officers ape
pointed Commissioners of Railways or
by yoo
either Lords
Lordships
the
to
,
inquire into sach of these acci-
dents 53 seemed to call for investigation, These reports
will bo found is the Appendix (Nos. 25 to 64), and have
rote/Taco to 41 accidents, comprising the whole of the 19
passengers before stated to have been killed during the
year by eau -
Qes beyond their own control, and 319 of the
e
355 before stated as the whole number of persons in-
jured during the year from like causes.
"In addition to these casualties to passengers, 9 ser-
vants of
railway companies were killed and 4 injured by,
the same accidents, so that it will appear that the 41 re-
ports, which are analyzed in the following observations,
embrace all the more important accidents which have
occurred the
during year upon the railways of the
United Kingdom,
" Thc.se accidents may be classified under two heads:—
1. Thos© which arise from accidental failure of ma.
a
from defects in the roadway or works,
chinery, or
2. Those which arise from defects in the establi h
•
went and management of the railways.
"This head may
3 further subdivided into--
<< Inherent defects in the system upon which the
A
.
traffic is conduc
ted"
B. Defects in
reg ulationa.
6, C. jo9‘tention to regulations, or inexperience of ser,

vante,
"D. Want of punctuality.
reported upon,
h long exclusively
" Of these 41 ac:
idents that have bun
first class,
two only appear to -e to
while 25 belong to the eecond class, and in el 4 are in-
volved circumstances falling under both classes. In 6
of the 41 accidents were involved circumstances affectingl
the mechiuery or works of the railway,
y them only, so far
h,
c°l32
therefore under the first head. Two of
as they could t 3 traced, appear to have been purely E -
estthbe-
dental, and to fall exclusively under that head; in m-
oment of the railways. In fivea of
careless
other 14 are involved circumstances affecting the
estab-
lishment and manag
sidings,eci
these latter were involved mistakes, either from
nees or inexperience, at what are commonly term
points at junctions or
meeting or facing
showing the importance of reducing, as far asprae
cable, the number of these useful but otherwise ell;
jectionable contrivances. As at present generally con.
steacted there points ere self-acting; that is, when ,e,
held otherwiee be, hand, they are alwaye in not
held ell
position, being refeined in it by weights, rug the
trains then pass over them always in one direction ;
after being used to tan trains in another direction the
resume their original position by the action of the weight?'
It is to be observed, that; if these points act properly
there ought to be but little risk in trains passing
over them; but if a stone or clay other heed sub,Niez
oen; or it' the points
should chance to get between the moveable points and the
fxed rail, the points remain r rtlY °p
en;
from a jerk of a paving train or from any °thee
cause, shifi their positior, i here la great reason to fear
that the train may c 7.7,3 partly along one line and partly
along the other. Ibis rituallY happened to three of the
cases referred to, preducieg roost clargerou3 accidents.
It is worthy of consideration whether some means should
rot he prolided by which ell meeting or facing Points
el hich aro pe-red over constently by passenger train 3
shall be fixed at all times the mea`23 provided being
such that the fastening could not be applied before the
points are comnletele cleseC. It is believed that means
fee this purpose might- be simple and
i pensi nez •
ve nature. provided of a very
the " In four of the cases under the first head it appe :red
locomotive stock was deficient, chiefly in sense_
(pence of the enaines being overtasked; in two of them
that the perman'ent way was out of repair; in ono care a
bridge had be 1 down for alteration, with-
out part y taken
out proper precautions having been taken to warn the
drivers ceasing -
o f engines; and in one case the station
accommodation was inadequate for the requirements of
the traffic which had developed itself upon the railway,
" Under the division of what has above been termed

including its manage-
the establishment of the railways,
ment and staff of servants, it appears that in 27 cases
are involved circumstances whic come under the Class
A, in 13 cases are involved circumstances which come
under the Class B, in 23 cases are involved circum-
stances which corns under the Class C, and in 23 cases
are involved circumstances which come under the Class
D. Out of the 27 cases in Class A, in which are in-
volved defects Chet are inherent to the system upon
which the traffic is conducted upon railways, it appears
that in two cases the luggage placed on the roofs of car-
riages had taken fire; in 24 cases collisions between
trains had occurred, and of these 19 were cases in which
trains conveying passengers had come into collision with
passenger trains convoying goods; four were cases in
which passenger trains had come in contact with pas•
senger trains; in one case a goods train with a goods
train; and in one case a passenger train with a return
engine unaccompanied by a train. The facts as stated
above appear to point to the principal defect in the
system, viz., that merchandise and minerals are con-
veyed over the same lines of rails that are used for the
conveyance of passengers.
" One remedy for this principal defect of the system
would be the addition to existing railways of' lines to be
used exclusively for the heavy traffic of goods and mi-
nerals. This would mitimate the evil and much reduce
the chance of accident of this nature, but would be ge-
aerally inapplicable on account of the vast expenditure
that would be requisite to carry it into effect, and, after
all, it would only partly remove the chances of collision,
which would remain, to a certain extent, so long as pas-
senger trains traverse railways at different speeds.
Another remedy that suggests itself is the separation of
the two descriptions of traffic, goods and passengers, and
conducting them at different timee, This pre 'tice has
been adopted to a great extent on many railways, the
goods being conveyed as much as possible by night, so
as to interfere with the passenger trains to the least
practicable extent, The third remedy that suggests it-
self is, that all trains, whether goods or passengers, and
all engines which traverse railways, should be worked
to well-adjusted time-tables, and that puectuolity should
be enforced. In twenty-three of the r eeidents es to
which inquiries have been instituted it hes been aver-
tamed that the trains have b en unpanctual or irregular
as to time. In twenty-one of the collisions it appears
that irregularity of the trains was one of the concurrent
causes which tended to produce them. Upon considera•
tion of the reports it appears wonder:Jl that more of
these accidents do not cccur; for it is recorded that in
some instances goods and mineral trains are sent along
railways under the direction of engine-drivers whose
only instructions are to preceed to the destination in-
tended for their charge, dropping trucks at stations
where necessary and taking up others, without any in-
structions at all as to time, but with the understanding
that they ere to get to their journey's end as bast they
can, so that they deliver the goods at the required
places. This understanding or instruction is, however,
subject in most cases to certain generel regulations, such
as, that no train is to follow another within a given time,
and that goods trains are to be shunted or moved off the
main line when a passenger train is expected within a
stated time. Experience, however, shows that these re-
gulations are not sufficient, and the principal guarantee
of safety when the traffic is conducted on this .system is
the vigilance and superior intelligence of the drivers and
persons to whom is intrusted the conduct of the trains.
"It is found on many railways that a large proportion
of the goods traffic is as regular and capable of as
much exactitude in respect of time as the ordinary
passenger traffic. There can be no valid reason why
goods traffic of this regular nataro should not be
conducted upon the same principle as the passenger
traffic, with carefully adjusted time-tables and with
punctuality. As to other traffic which in addition
to the regular or ordinary traffic, and is of a more
fluctuating nature, including goods end passengers
conveyed by what are commonly termed excursion
trains, or special goods trains, it may be well ques-
tioned whether a general instruction to an engine driver
to proceed on his journey to his destination, taken in
conjunction with the regulation above alluded to, is a
sufficient security to the public that the traffic will be
conducted with a duo regard to the safety of the tra-
vellers conveyed by railway.
" It is to be observed that an improper use of the dis.
cretion allowed to the driver not only endangers the
safety of the train which he himself is conducting, but
in a greater degree that of the treins in izont sod tear
of his own trein. It might be impossible 5 provide a
time-table for these trains for any length of time before
the trains aro run, but it is worthy of consideration whe-
ther the responsibility as to the hou.e at which trains ere
to pass along each railway or pai of a reilway in either
direction should not Us placed upon ono person, who
should be a responsible officer of the company, without
whose permission no engine or train should be allowed
to pass along the railway."
The report then states that the occurrence of a-el-
dents to an excursion train on the Great Western Rail-
way, and to a train on the North-West nni Be'lway at
Bicester, had led the Cemm'ssioners to urge upon the
directors the great necessity of working their excursion
traffic with the utmost regularity. The report then went
on to state that, independently of the absence of Crne-
tables for gocds and mineral trains, which existed on
many lines, another circurnst taco which tends elike to
produce danger that when time-tehles are pro-
vided, the trains are not worked with punctuality to the
times denoted in them. This want of punctuality may
arise from sseeral causes:—
•1. From an improper arrangement of ftie times in
the tables, either from not taking suffieiently into ac-
count the character of the lice it ;elf or the detentions to
which particular treins are subject at per-cu'ar stations.
The remedy in this ce es csn always be applied by re-ad-
justing the time tables expel:mentally, until they suit
the conditions of the line and regyirenacatc of the treflic.
"2. From the motive power not being sufficient to al-
low of the appointed times being kept. The deficiency may
arise either from the excessive weight of trains or 'om
atmospheric causes, such as damp rod fres'. by which a
bad state of rails is induced and the r ihesive power of
the engines diminished, or it may arise om very bois-
terous weather. The remedy in this case is equally es,
dent, no engine should be t: deed to do more than it has
adequate power to do with cetlainty at ell times and in
all ordinary conditions of weather.
"3. Want of punctuality may al:so from purely acci-
dental failures of inachinery, each es the feactere of some
part of the engine. These causes of delay apperr to be
of comparatively very rare occurrence.
"It only remains to advert to the cries in which in-
attention to regulations or carelessness of the servants
of the company are involved. It would appear that in
23 out of 41 cases, into the circumstances attending
which investigations were made, considerations of this
nature wore involved.
" Those may be divided under two distinct denomina

L tions:—
, " Ist. Occasional—Those caused by
inexperienc© or
carelessness of individ
" 2d. Habitual—Those caused by general inattention
to regulations on the part of the servants of the com-
pany, exhibiting, as a natural consequence, a laxity of
discipline throughout the whole management of the
railway.
" Oa this subject, as to which it is very difficult to
give any accurate statement, and to separate the two
classes, it appears that there is much ground for appre-
hension that on some re,lways the disregard of regula-
tions is habitual, and the gene& discipline lax, .rom the
fact that breaches of the rogulations issued by the direc-
tors of railway companies for the guide ice of their ser-
vants are of very frequent c iurrence under the imme-
diate supervision of the superior officers o: the railways,
and in which many of them participate, or of which at
any rate they are cognizant. This may be induced by
the regulations themselves not being very explicit, ii
appears to have been the cc le in some of these acciden",
as, for instance, the collision that occurr^d or the
Eastern Counties Railway at Ponder's-cne, on the Bth of
January, 1851; or by defect've sup lrvision and insp -!-
tion on the part of the railway componies over the;-
servant?, such as would appear to have been the cese
upon the Midland Railway, as shown by the accidents,
the reports end correspondence relative to which are to
be found in appendices 4S to 53. Discipline upon rail-
ways is of the greatest importance, both to the public and
to the companies who are subject by the occurrence of
serious accidents to great losses, and to the payment of
compensation to injured persons; but, notwithstcadin;
the direct interest which the companies thus have in
maintaining discipline and enforcing the regulations
which they themselves have considered necessary for the
safe conduct of the traffic upon their lines, it has been
the duty both of the Commissioners of Railways and of
the Lords of this Committee, to linker -Wert in some cases ,

in very pointed terms upon the neglect of these regula-
tions. It is a subject to which it is desirable that the
attention of railway companies should be especially called,
both as affecting the safety of the public and the profits
of their undertaking, as the only security the public can
have in this respect i 9 in the companies themselves, who
alone have the power, by the adoption of carefully con-
sidered regulations and careful supervision, to enforce an
efficient state of discipline.
"It appears advisable, in considering this questior,
that some few obsery toons should be made upon a pro-
position which is considered by many as holding out a
prospect of obtaining a greater degree of safety upon
railways, viz,, to prescribe en interval of time to be ob-
served upon all railways between succeding trains, e^-1
which should at ell times bo strictly entorce This
proposition has been adopted on some railways, but does
not appear alone to afford a sufficient seem ay for the
safe working of a railway. The object to be gained in
fixing an interval of time between the trans following
each other upon the same line of rails is, that upon an
accident occurring by which the stoppage of a train is
occasioned, and the line of railway obstructed, there
shall be sufficient time to admit of a signal being sent
out to protect the rev r of the train that is stopped.
This time must depend en the nature of the signal. In
fine weather a light or a flag is employed, according as
the necessity for its use may arise, by night or by day,
which may be seen fur a considerable distance, provided
the view be unobstructed either by curves or objects in
the vicinity of the railway. In foggy or thick weather
a detonating signal is attached to the rail, which, upon
being expl6ded by the passage of an engine, gives a
loud report, and thus coinmunicates the required signal
diitt i oins
theiruad e rd
uty which t o
to the driver. This latter signal requires that the man
extent
e t
eod
thoooff
whose duty it is to fix it
ushroounldthaeetpueaollpyleh
iRT:hO
ec arrivedhdai
rsgtaen
distant©
the place where the signal first becomes available, and is
therefore the most uanfsaigvonuariatbolostcoopn,
signals can be applied.
the train receiving
apply the means provided upon the train, for arresting
its progress with the greatest alacrity.
to be traversed by the train before it will codme
will depend, first, upon the alacrity with which rest
means are appreal,alasond,insteocoenodnlsyi,deura7l
those means as compared with the vveir:rihotninhileih
must be
the train, taking
inclina-
tions and curves upon the line, and
dition of the weather. The distance, therefore, the
from
any obstacle at which a signaliveninordleer
to
secure the safety of the UalEc requires to be ocer-

tained with reference to each railway, and the weight
of engines and trains in general use upon it, the speed
at which they travel, and the means for arresting their
progress provided upon each train.
" The intervals between succeeding trains should be
made up, therefore—
" 1. OE the time consumed in stopping, the first train.
" 2. Of the time consumed by the guard or man who is
responsible for applying the signals in going out to the
required distance with those signals. This time, in a
case in which considerations of public safety are involved,
ehould be determined under the most unfavourable con-
ditions in which the signals can require to be applied,
such as a dense fog. A liberal margin should, moreover,
be allowed in each consideration in the interval so cal-
culated, which will seldom be less than 10 minutes, and
may be more. Upon railways where the means provided
for arresting the progress of a train aro very powerful it
might be reduced.

"Few companies adopt a less interval than 10 minutes;
all, however, have rules by which it is imperative up in
their servants to exhibit at all signal stations the
danger' or ' stop' signal for a certain interval after the
passing of every train, so as to prevent at each of these
points, which average a distance of not more than three
miles apart on all the railways in the kingdom, a dimi-
nution in the interval considered necessary by the ma-
nagers of the railways to be maintained between the
trains. In any regulations of this nature, as in all others
that may be adopted, safety would still depend upon the
vigilance of the servants of the companies, and the effi-
ciency of the machinery.
" From these considerations it appears manifest that
to prescribe a certain fixed interval of time applicable
alike to all trains, taking the responsibility out of the
hands of the companies, would be improper, as each lino
with its gradients and curve., and the train arrange-
ments in force upon it, would require separate conside-
ration. To enforce upon all companies a uniform regu-
lation in this respect would, moreover, be unjust; for
upon a line of light traffic, where trains do not succeed
each other with great rapidity, fewer servants may be
employed upon the trains, and fewer breaks used for
stopping the trains, a longer interval of time being
adopted; whereas upon a line of heavy traffic, railway
companies may find it in their interest occasionally to
statio❑ men within signalling distance along the line of
railway, in order to save the time consumed by a guard
in running out with and placing his signal when his
train shall, from any cause, have been obliged to stop.
The prescription of a minimum interval, as deduced
from a line of great traffic, would tend t 3 diminish ra-
ther than increase safety in travel'ing, as it might lead
those companies which do not use the precautions em-
ployed upon the line of great traffic to adopt the mini-
mum interval without examination of the data and de-
tails upon which it was founded, and so relieve them, in
a great degree, of that responsibility which should attach
to them.

"Probably one of the best means that can be recom-
mended for promoting the safety of the public upon rail-
ways is an extended use of the electric telegraph, by
means of which the traffic upon a railway may be so
worked that no two trains shall bo upon the same line
between neighbouring telegraph stations at the same
time. All lines do not possess this adjunct to their es-
tablishment, which requires a considerable outlay of
capital and a large establishment of clerks. Upon some
lines the telegraph stations aro not sufficiently near to
one another to allow of its being used for this purpose,
so that although the use of the telegraph may, no doubt,
be very much extended, its adoption upon all lines, and
its employment in the meaner here described, cannot be
enforced.

" TRAFFIC.

" A detailed analysis of the statistics of traffic upon
railways having appeared in the last report of the Com-
missioners of Railways, including the traffic for a period
of five years, I should have considered it unnecessary to
present any analysis for the present year; but consider-
ing the gl eat event of the Exhibition of all Nations
which took place in the year 1851, and which must al-
ways render that year remarkable in the annals of this
country, I have thought it desirable to give a short state-
ment of the traffic upan railways in that year, which
has been, us it would appear, materially affected by that
important e►en`
" It appears that tho number of passengers travelling
on railways in England and Wales, which in 1850
amounted to 58,514,435, reached 70,471,179 in 1851,
showing an increase of 20 per cent., while the receipts
from these passengers rose from 5,888,6031. to 6,952,6121.,
being an increase of 18 per cent. The mean length of
railway upon which this tavffic was conducted had in-
creased in the same r ,riod only 6.6 per cen" It appears
that in the preceding years, for which returns of traffic
have teen prepared, the average annual increase in the
length of railways in England and Wales had been 21
per cent., being more than three times the rate of last
year; and that, while •he average number of passengers
has increased annually 11.03 per cent., the receipts from
passengers have increased 6.4 per cent
"hence it would appear that although the railway
communications in England and Wales have in the
past year increased at a rate much below the
average, being about one third, the number of passen-
gers has increased at a rata nearly amounting to double
the annual average, and the receipts derived from
them at nearly three times the ordinary rate of in-
crease. The number of passengers in the last year
has exceeded the number which would have been
conveyed by railways, it they had only increa.::d at the
ordinary rate, by 5,502,602; and the receipts :om them
in the same manner 687,1381. This increase is in a

great mea9ure to be attributed to the vast extension o

'acilities for travelling afforded to the public by means
of excursion trr'ns, which in 1850 had received a great
impulse, but was developed In an extraordina'y degree
in the past year.
"If the same reasoning be applied to the treffic upon
railways in S -totlend it w'tl 1 • seen that the mean length
of railway open for traffic dyeing the yeer has increased
in about the same ratio as in Engl-ade-vi7 , 6.2 per
cent., while the number of passengers hca only increased
from 8,841,191 to 9,286,313, or 4.9 per cent ; ;aid the
receipts from them from 600,082/. to 622,5494., or 3.7
per cent. This increase is considerably below the ave-
rage obtained c.'om the treffic returns of preceding
periods; but as the average annul rate of increase of
ra• ways open for traffic in Scotland, as obtained from
those retinas, was very high, being nearly 32 per cent.,
it would not appear that any very accurate deductions
can be made from a comparison with their It is to be
observed, however, that the results are very striking as
compared with the previous conclusiors respecting Eng-
land and Wales.
" With respect to Ireland, the results of the passen-
ger traffic are of the same nature, when compared with
those in England and Wales, es in Scotlenel, The mean
extent of railway over which it was varied has in-
creased 12i per cent., while the numbers conveyed have
only increased from 5,495,796 to 5,633,603, or 2.5 per
cent., the sums receie- I from them having risen from
339,076/, to 365,603/, or 7.8 per eee
"The receipts from goods nave incrececd during the
year, but not in such a marked degree as those from pas-
senger- In England and Wales the sums received for
the transport of goods have risen from 5,480 771/ to
6,044,1834, or 10.3 per cent ; in Scotland from 721,176/.
to 814,0531,, or 12.8 per cent.; in Ireland from 174,959/.
to .98,4594, or 13.4 per cent. This augmentation in
the goods traffic has been in each me in a higher ratio
than can be r 'counted for by the increase to the rail-
ways opened for its conveyance, although it has not been
Comparatively so great as in former years.
" The general results of traffic over all the railways in
the United Kingdom show that the aggregate number of
passengers conveyed in 1850 amounted to 72,854,422; in
1851, to 85,391,005; being an increase of 12,536,673,
or 17.2 per cent. The gross receipts from passengers in
1850 amounted to 6,827,7614; in 1851, to 7,940,7644;
showing an increase of 1,113,003/, or 16 3 per con'. The
gross sum received for the transport of goo Is amounted
in 1850 to 6,376,9074; in 1851 to 7,056,695/ ; showing
an increase of 679,7851., or 10.6 per cent.
" The gross revenue of all the railways, ei:sing from
traffic of all descriptions, which in 1850 etriouuted to
13,204,668/., amounted in 1851 to 14,997 4591, or very
nearly 15 millions; showing an increase in the receipts
for the year of 1,792,7911, or 13.5 per cent."
The report stated, in conclusion, that the Commis-
sioners had found it unnecessary to continue the legal
proceedings instituted to enforce their order requiring
the Great Western Railway Company to complete the
Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway, as the
company established for constructing the latter railway
would be enabled to complete the undertaking from their
own resource:.

THE COUNTRY MARKETS.
WAKEFIELD, AUG. 27.—With fine weather, harvest
is going on favourably in this district. The market to-
day is fairly supplied with wheat, amongst which there
is a sprinkling or the new crop, to which millers pretty
much confine their purchases, at prices ranging from 40s
to 463 for red, and 47s to 52s for white; we make no
change in the value of old. Oats and shelling sell
slowly, and are rather lower. English beans are scarce,
and rather dearer. Grind; ag barley is held for full prices.
New. Old.
WHEAT, per qr. 601bs per bushel:— s. s. s. s.
Suffolk, Essex, and Kent, red ... —to 43 to 45
Ditto, white 46 50
Norfolk and Hunts., red ...
40 —42
Ditto, white 45 48
Lincolnshire and Cairbridge, red ... 42
Ditto, white ... 45 47
Yorkshire, red „.. 40 —42
Ditto, white 45 48
Dantzic and Konigsburg, white _ 41 —4B
Lowerßaltic and H 38 42amburgh, red...
Mediterranean, red ... 33 33
BARLEY, per quarter of 8 bushels:—
Grinding per 30 stone
Foreign