The Sun.
London, England, 1852-01-29 00:00:00

6,300,000
Expenses at 1 per cent. per Ton or per Passenger, 2,580,000

Estimated Nett profit, .. 3,720,000
The stock estimated to be required for working this
traffic is stated to be-75 engines, 90 passenger cars, 960
freight cars, and 640 coal cars.
The passenger vehicles or " cars," used on these rail-
ways, resemble, in external appearance, the caravans
which once were used by Mr. Wombwell for his lions,
but they are much larger, and have ten times the num-
ber of windows. They are long boxes, either very plain
or very gaudy outside, according to their age and the
taste of the superintendent; but are usually fitted up in-
side with taste and great regard for comfort. They
work on bogie-frames, and, long as they are, will go
round the sharpest curves. They are invariably high
enough to enable you to stand upright, and usually
large enough to hold from 60 to 80 persons, the pas-
sengers sitting two together in rows, and a passage be-
ing left down the middle of the vehicle. In cars of the
best construction, the back of each seat is moveable, so
that you may sit either with your face or back to the
engine, as you may happen to prefer it; or you may thus
separate your party from intrusion. Small platforms
are placed on the end of each car, upon which the doors
open out, and thus you may walk from one end to the
other of the train with perfect facility. The conductor
marches through the cars, receives your fare, if you
have not chosen to pay it at the• depot before starting;
and takes your ticket or check, if you have one. To
enable the conductor to control the motions of the en-
gine-driver in case of need, a cord is run through rings
at the top of the cars, and connected through the train;
and by means of this he can make two or three simple
signals, and stop, start, or reduce the speed of running.
Every car has a break at each end; and in very long
trains the conductor is assisted by one or more breaks-
men. The cars are warmed by stoves in winter. In
summer the stove is removed; but on well-managed
lines a filter, containing clear iced water, is substituted,
and placed in some convenient corner of one or more of
the cars, for the use of the passengers. This is a great
comfort in hot weather; for the railroads are usually
very dusty in summer, and the fine wood ashes from the
engine drive in at the windows of the cars, very fre-
quently in showers.
In long through trains, at least one car is fitted with
separate closets for ladies and for gentlemen; and a
small compartment is partitioned off, and fitted up with
seats and a couch for invalids. These oars cost from
450/. to 600/. each.

To travel for twelve hours at a stretch, shut up in a
car along with sixty or eighty other persons of every
class, and of varying manners, is hardly comfortable to
exclusive English notions of the comfort of a semi-
solitary coupes, and of first-class travelling. Though
on most of the lines second class cars are provided, in
which the traveller, by the way, may smoke if he please,
the low fares and the abundant resources of the people,
lead to a very general use of the first-class. Thus you
may sometimes see a distinguished doctor of the Church,
a judge of the supreme court, or one of the President's
Ministers, in close proximity to some honest carpenter,
or village storekeeper on a very small scale; and it is a
very common sight to see the elegant silk or satin dress
in true French " mode," of some " upper crust" lady,
within a few feet of the rough coat of a country farmer,
or the homely shawl of the farmer's strapping wife or
daughter. Yet with all this mixing together of classes
in continual contrast, I never saw any approach to
studied rudeness, or even incivility; and it is notorious
that in the United States—would it were so in England
—a lady may travel alone through the whole country,
in any public conveyance she chooses, without the
chance of insult or personal inconvenience arising from
her want of a protector. In this particular, the people
of the United States prove their essentially good feeling
and gentility, and set an example to us which—now
that railway travelling has become so great a necessity,
that a hundred millions of journeys are made in the
United Kingdom every year—it is essential to enforce,
if we would ensure the comfort of ladies travelling alone.
The fares charged on the railways in the Northern
States are, generally speaking, lower than those de-
manded in districts of less population: and especially in
the Southern States. The through first-class fares on
some of the principal Northern railways are as follows:
Etie Railroad, 469 miles, New York, id. per mile.
Michigan Central, 218 miles, Michigan, ld. per mile.
Pennyslvania, 136 miles, Pennsylvania, lid. per mile.
Western, 200 miles, Massachusetts, lid. per mile.
Housatonic, 88 miles, Connecticut, id. per mile.
Boston and Providence, 43 miles, Massachusetts, lid.
per mile.
Atlantio and St. Lawrence, 47 miles, Maine, lid. per
mile.
Long Island, 95 miles, New York, 1 1-16 d.
Hudson River, 75 miles, New York, id. per mile.
Old Colony, 57 miles, Massachsetts, lid. per mile.
The usual fares on the Southern lines may be gathered
from the following selection:—
Baltimore and Ohio, 179 miles, Maryland and Va., 2d.
per miles.
Central Virginia, 71 miles, Virginia, 21d. per mile.
Georgia, 171 miles, Georgia, lid. per mile.
Macon and Western, 101 miler, Georgia, 2d. per mile.
Montgomery and West Point, 68 miles, Alabama, 211.
per mile.
South Carolina, 136 miles, S. Carolina, I id. per mile.
Ditto Columbia Branch, 68 miles, ditto, 28i. per mile.
West Feliciano, 26 miles, Louisiana, 2id. per mile.
Wilmington and Weldon,
_162 miles, North Carolina,
lid. per mile.

li must be recollected that, so far as the elements of
the cost of working are concerned, America is a dear
country; yet we see fares in force, even where no com-
petition of any kind exists, from twenty-five to fifty per
cent. lower than our own. The difference is to be ac-
counted for primarily by the lower first cost of the rail-
ways themselves, and in lesser degree by the lower speed
and more economical system of working adopted.
Capital must have its return: and though competition
may bring down prices for a time, or permanently, the
public will ultimately have to pay such rates as will not
merely defray the bare cost of working, but yield a rea-
sonable profit also; and the scale of that profit must
always be more or less measured by the extent of capital
requiring a dividend. Therefore the public have a deep,
though undoubtedly indirect, interest in cheapening, in-
stead of enhancing. the first cost of railways.
Then, again, in England we cover our lines over with
superintendents, police, guards, porters, and a host of
other officials; and relieve the passenger of many of
those troubles which, in America, ho contends with him-
self. Travellers in our country would " write to the
Times" in a moment, if they were not attended almost
from the door of the booking-office at one end of a rail-
way, to the cab-stand at the other, by some smirking
official in full uniform. In America, the traveller " fixes"
most matters himself. You go up to some gentleman at
a station, whom you suspect to be one of the porters of
the company,—for, as no uniform is worn, the identifi-
cation is difficult, and request to be informed " If he is
one of the officials?" le will, in all probability, reply,
" Well, suppose I am, now?" On which you will po-
litely point to your trunk, and state that you require its
deposit in the baggage car. If the trunk be a very
little one, the chances are that he will do what you ask;
but if, unfortunately, it should be a very big one, he
may answer, " Well, now, guess I ain't."
When the train is ready to move on the conductor
usually calls out twice, " All on board?" and then off it
goes; the man never thinking it necessary to see that all
his passengers are inside: and if his attention should be
called to the fact, that some pursy gentleman is left be-
hind, he will most likely lean over, and, listlessly exa-
mining the distanced passenger, coolly say, " Suspect,
now, he'll come by next train, ho will." Americans learn
very early the excellent rule of self-dependence; and
the railway travelling public wisely consider it their
duty to look after themselves. So there is less need of
porters, police, interpreters, end inquiry officers than
with us.
The locomotive used in the United States is an ugly
machine, with a "pilot," or iron guard before it. R
runs on ten, twelve, or fourteen wheels, in order
more
light
equally to distribute the weight in driving
over
metals; and has a chimney, broad at the top
and
anil narrow
ssists
at the bottom, like a great inverted bell, which
the air draught. These machines cost about 1,500/.
each. They burn wood, in lieu of coke or coal,s,aelmreorsyt
universally. This necessitates frequent stopp g
twenty or twenty-five miles, to take in wood
caaotnesstt6atnietnass,
and the heat evolved is not so regular and
The ave-
that derived from the consumption of coke.
rage cost for this fuel is from twopueonce,
to fivepence per mile run. Th.,e, w-asi,•eersage about two
tohrr `e. ec
of amr pt heinusgas-
"lit e being two dollars
tion," of engine drivers
dollars a day, the extreme p
and a half; but they usual with us.
work lon-ielarcuhiosurs, and run more
miles with the same engine, h
Firemen's wages are seldom
more
ftahrainmphuarltfautht oosffieuoerf
drivers. The conductor, who is
than the guard of an English train, a
usually receives from
builtand tloonbgo,ldlikfe the pas-
two to three dollars a day.
The freight cars are
almost invariably covered, hav-
ing seven
senger cars. They are sulaarlfyu.
This class of wagguonnius used
to twelve tons, and areidue.
ing slide doors at theand s
r I have seen a horse,
for all purposes;
and two or three tons of sh7t;glue
hogshead of sugar
cars cost
board, all loaded in'the s.ame vehicle. These
from 150/. to 230/.
Massachusettseaech
railways may per-
The working of the
haps be fairly taken as illustrating the ordinary mile-
age,. end expenses, of American railways,
earnings,
from the number of lines open, there is consi-
where, i Thetatisti
derable ceroPetiton. s es of these roads, as
made up last year, show the following results :-
1 number of miles of railway then open 1,025
Tots
number of miles run b • • •
Total y trains in year 4,436,895
Number of miles run by passenger trains ... 2,668,201
Number of miles run by freight (goods)
trains ••• ... 1,768,694
Number of passengerti carried 8,782,742
••• •••
Number of tons of merchandise carried ..- 2,205,165
Total income from passengers ••• X 712,810
.••
Total income from merchandise ... ••• £574,723
Total income from all sources ... ... £1,350,833

Total working charges, and all other ex-
penses ... . . £797,436
These figures g ve the following averages :

Avnage of gross earnings per mile run

F. d.
• • 6 1
... 3 71
... 5 4

Average expenses do.
Average passenger receipts do.
Average merchandise recepts do.
...
Average sum received for each passenger
Average sum received for each ton of merchan-

6 5
1 8

I muEt observe, that the sums charged as "expenses,"
seem to include many items which are not strictly
working charges.
The railway companies in Massachusetts and New
York States are managed with great prudence, and re-
served funds are retained in hand, sometimes to a con-
siierable amount. The same may be said of many of
the companies in Peunsylvania and elsewhere. But, at
the same time, it must be observed, that in a majority
of cases, the policy pursued is to extract a dividend at
the earliest possible moment; to pay that dividend to the
last farthing of available surplus over working expenses;
and to trust to the increase of traffic for providing, when
the emergency may arrive, for the deterioration of the
permanent way, and the rebuilding or replacement of
worn-out stock. Very few companies, indeed, syste-
matically provide for the renewal of perishable parts of
their property by a reserve fund, regularly put aside out
of the annual revenue; and the reason given for the
omission is, simply, that by the time the permanent
way requires renewal, or timber bridges and viaducts
replacement, the traffic of the lines will have become Bo
greatly developed that it will be then more advisable to
enlarge the capital to the extent required, and replace
and
renew everything on a more permanent and sub-
stantial scale. Timber is cheap; and the sleeper or
"sill," which costs us four shillings, is to be had for a
shilling here.
The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company,
whose accounts give an extraordinary amount of valu-
able statistical detail, have a renewal fund, based upon
an assumed calculation of so much per t'o n conveyed.h
f
For instance, in the past year a gross
297,108,427 tons has been taken as conveyed over one
o
mile; and three-halfpence per hundred tons so conveyed
or, in total, 18,5681., has been put asidd to-meet re•
newels of road and stock. This is on ninety-five miles
of double line, bearing a gross revenue of 492,483 Z per
annum, or 5,1841, per mile, which is the largest mileage
receipt in America. The gross expenses of this line
average three shillings and sevenpence-halfpenny per
train mile; and the gross receipts, eight shillings and
fourpence-halfpenny per train mile, which latter is an
extremely high average. The enormous trains, which
carry a load of three hundred and seventy-two tons of
coal, for which the company's usual charge is five shil-
lings and ninepence-halfpenny per ton for ninety-five
miles, or nearly three farthings per mile, yield these
heavy receipts per mile.

ILLUSTRATED LONDON ALIIIANACK.

1852.

During the last few winters this has, to a very
considerable extent, been the general favourite among
the whole of the more popular class of almanacks. Its
embellishments alone would, in the majority of in-
stances, be sufficient to secure its favourable reception.
This season, however, the illustrated London Alms-
nack demands at our hands an eulogistic notice rather
in regard to the excellence of the literary contribu-
tions than in reference to the merit of the wood-cuts
with which that letterpress is intermingled. No less
than twenty-four sonnets are comprised in its pages,
besides a variety of miscellaneous prose articles. One
set of these sonnets (each set twelve in number) is
from the pen of Shirley Brooks, the other from that
of E. E. M. K. In one instance the former indulges
himself with a freak that might have thrown
Petrach into convulsions—driving us on into the
agony of a fifteenth line ! It is in the Sonnet on
May—but curiously enough to this very blemish we
are indebted for the most meritorious verse from the
pen of the contributor, that in which he gracefully
and poetically designates a swing as
"A pendulum that beats no time but joy's!"
Not so with the other set of sonnets by E. E. M. K.
—sonnets replete from first to last with an exquisite
beauty. Upon the various charms of these very ele
gant and appropriate celebrations of the months we
should have had pleasure in expatiating, but that our
doing so has been rendered altogether superfluous by
the quotation of them collectively in our columns
of Monday evening. Where all are equally
admirable, it is somewhat difficult to make
a selection ; but by very many we doubt
not but that the ones dedicated to April and to June
will be singled out as especial favourites. It were
agreeable to have productions so eminently poeti-
cal as the " Twelve Sonnets to the Months," by
E. E. M. K., preceded by appropriate illustrations.
But so far is this from being the case, that the wood
engravings have no reference at all either to the
months or to the sonnets. On the contrary, they are
little else than silly and fantastic conceits, pencilled with
very considerable vulgarity by an artist from whom
we should have expected better things—Gavarni.
Some of them, indeed, are absolutely execrable.
Harvey's twelve symbolic Sketches to the Ca-
lendar are immeasurably better, several being worthy
of the famous illustrator of the " Arabian
Nights' Entertainments." Besides the forego-
ing, the contents of the almanack are ex-
tended to a variety of ingenious papers of a
very miscellaneous character, some of them of real
interest in their nature, and accompanied by curiosi-
ties in the way of embellishment. The ordinary ar-
rangements of the publication under notice are, as
usual, complete and lucid, comprehending every par-
ticular that could be reasonably expected in the Il-
lustrated Almanack.

TLIE PRUDENT MAYS ALMANACK ,1852.

D. M. Aird.

A capital title introduces us here to a singularly
useful almanack. Poor Richard's has been outdone
by the Prudent Van's as a means of conveying infor-
mation. William Bridges, indeed, the compiler of
the little work before us, has judged wisely in admit-
ting into the pages of his brochure facts relating to
every branch of " insurance"—facts, the importance
of which was, comparatively speaking, unknown to
Franklin. The book is filled, moreover, with a va-
riety of practical suggestions of-singular value to the
man of business. From the merit of its contents and
the tasteful character of its external appearance, we
are satisfied that no little popularity will be extended
to the Prudent Man's Almanack.

Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston will leave
Broadlands, on Friday next, for town, for the season.

We understand that the Marquis of Normanby
has, since his return to this country, resigned his appoint-
ment as British Ambassador at Paris. We believe that Lord
Cowley, Minister at Frankfort, will succeed to the post which
is become vacant by the resignation of the Marquis of
Normanby.
ROYAL DISPENSARY FOR DISEASES OF THE EAR.

—The half-yearly meeting of this institution was held yes-
terday, Mr. R. J. Cole in the chair. The secretary read the
report, and the amount of subscriptions received during the
last six months, from which it appeared that the institution
had benefited by additional donations and subscriptions. Mr•
Harvey, surgeon to the institution, stated to the committee
that the numbers admitted with various diseases of the ear,
and some complicated affections of the head, during last
six months, amounted to 506 ; cured, 196; remaining in
weekly attendance, upwards of 300. The committee, there-
fore,t. solicited the aid of the affluent for this valuable irilitimi.
tution, it being entirely dependent upon voluntary t
tions. A vote of thanks was passed to Ur. HarveYn and to
the chairman, and the meeting separated.
for ISLINGTON CATTLE MARKET COMPANY. The
in
tahisisls:,_pegiatocne, bbylott's
standing orders were complied with
incorpo-
rating the company, and extending it
Felton-place, pur-
chase of property in the Lower-road,
Southgate-road, Lausdo
lane, Albion-place, Ball's-pond, So . it vfn
Cottages, and Market-terrace. Negotiations, is under-
stood, have been going on between the company and
the
City authorities, with the view of substituting Islington for
Smithfield. BIRKENHEAD DOCKS.—This Bill, which passed
through standing orders, is to alter the constitution of the
Birkenhead Dock Trust, alleging that differences of Opinion
as to the mode of carrying out the undertaking having
arisen, and the works for some time past having in conse-
quence been suspended, the "bondholders," who have ad-
vanced their money upon the faith of thevvprks being pro-
secuted and completed, are seriously prejudiced,
repre-
sent the expediency of remodelling the and
trust for insuring
the immediate prosecution and completion of the works, and
that power be given to the bondholders to elect new trustees
and increase capital.—The standingi orders were also complied
with in the following cases
:....
abandonment of und(esr,.tia_kif? :.Glasgow Union Arcade (for
undertaking dissolution of funds), New-
port Improvement ttuncorn Improvement, Portsea
Gas Company, Ba\rn"sreP)
and WexfordFLl. Improvement, Macclesfield Im-
provement,The following di arbour Improvement.
assembled at B 1- distinguished guests are at present
of Rutland, e voir Castle, the splendid seat of the Duke
and are likely to remain until the meeting of
Parliament :—The Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, Lady
Adeliza Howard, L
Count and Lord and Lady Foley and Miss Foley,
Countess Jarnac, Lord and Lady Howe, Lord and
Lady Lanesbor_ou gh, Lord and Lady Jersey, Lady Clemen-
tine Villiers, Lord Berners Marquis of Granby, Lord C.
Manners, Lord G. Manner Lord and Lady J. Manners, Mr.
and__ Lady Elizabeth Drummond, Mr. and Lady Adeliza
Norman, General and Mrs. Berkeley Drummond, Lord For-
rester, Lord Jermyn and Lady Elizabeth Hervey, Rev. P.
Mules, Lord Colville, Mr. Augustus Stafford, Mr. Bentinck,
and Sir Thomas and Lady Moncrieffe. Yesterday the Bel-
vo.r hounds met in the Castle grounds, in honour of the
visit of the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk. The Duke of
Rutland is expected in London on Monday next, for the pur-
, pose of attending Lord Derby's grand dinner on that day.
EARLY DELIVERY OF LETTERS.—We had recently
the pleasure of announcing that the Postmaster General had
made arrangements for an earlier delivery of General Post
letters at Clapham, Brixton-hill, and Stockwell, and that .in •
quiries were making with a view, if possible, of effecting the
same improvement in other districts near London. We un-
derstand that the result of this inquiry has been satisfactory,
and that means have been devised for extending the early
delivery to Blackheath, Deptford, Greenwich, Hammersmish,
Hampstead, Highgate, Lewisham, Peckham, and Stoke New-
ington. In a few days the morning delivery of General
Post letters at these places will. we are informed, be from an
hour and a half to two hours earlier than heretofore • and
that the deliveries will be earlier also, by about hit'lf an
hour, at Woolwich. The delivery at Kensington and
Bayswater, also, which some time ago was rendered much
earlier than formerly, has lately been expedited still further.
COLONIAL EXPENDITURE.—Yesterday
a Perlis-
EaPntary paper was printed, from which it appears that the
colonial expenditure of Great Britain in the year 1847-48
was 3,804,1831. 14s. 7d., and
3,480,3451. Bs. Bd.
PUNCH'S COUNSEL TO LOUIS IsTAFOLEON.—Stop,
thief I—,Punch.