The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-28 00:00:00

METROPOLI TAN POLITICAL

SUMMARY.

The Globe of last evening observes, with reference
to the present popular discontents :—" That the nearly
balanced state of parties in the House of Commons can-
not with truth be regarded as a proof of affection
in the people to the principles of Toryism, is evident
from the struggle which is now taking place among the
labouring classes to obtain a larger share of iufluence in
the Government. Much as we deplore the discontents,
and strongly as we disapprove of the means employed by
the misguided followers of the unprincipled demagogues
who have availed themselves of popular discontent to
effect their own mischievous and selfish designs, it is
not possible to shut our eyes to the fact that there is a
struggle for mastery going on between the people and the
aristocracy, which, if not allayed by a wise and prudent''
attention to the evils which led to it, may at no distant pe-
riod produce results fearfully and tremendously appalling.
The unpopularity of the present Government with the
lower classes, which the Tory party has fomented, and
in which they so indiscreetly glory, results from its
having placed itself between the popular movement'
and the objects at which it aims. The same course
must be taken with yet more hostile determination
by the Tories, were they in power. The struggle would
then become increasingly fearful. The innate hatred
w Inch the great bulk of the nation feels to the prin-
ciples of Toryism, the selfish and corrupt operation of
which is written on every page of England's history,
would break forth—the movement' would be strength-
ened and accelerated in the collision which would ensue ;
the most venerable and sacred institutions of the coun-
try would be endangered ; and though they might and
probably would survive the shock, it is the part of wis-
dom to avoid the experiment."
The Standard, commenting on the character of the new
Ministerial appointments, observes as follows :—" That
tit° Cabinet has been for some time past the scene of

the lowest intrigue for place is obvious from the fact,
that the various sections by which it is divided have
exhibited, in reference to these very appointments,

the greatest distrust and dislike of each other.
Some authority must have been received from
Members of the Cabinet to contradict the announce-
ment, on the correctness of which the Morning
Chronicle insisted so positively. Was the denial put
forth by the interested parties themselves, under
a feeling of apprehension of any premature an-
nouncement of their forthcoming honours, lest
sonic unlucky chance should intervene to prevent
them from attaining them ? Or did the contradiction
arise from the determination of the Melbourne
portion of the Ministry to resist their preposterous pre-
tensions as long as they had the power so to do ? In
whichever of these causes it originated, the result af-
fords abundant evidence that the ' movement,' or
' Morning Chronicle,' section of the Government, is at
present in the ascendant ; and that further and
more important changes may be looked for on
the first convenient opportunity ? We may consi-
der, therefore, the intimation of Sir John Hob-
house on the subject, as correct as the authority' on
which our three Evening Ministerial Contemporaries were
pleased to deny so firmly the correctness of the Morn-
ing Chronicle's announcement. The Bedchamber Go-
vernment is evidently in the dark as to what it may or
may not be compelled to d;,.. There is but one portion
of their policy which may be held to be irrevocable,
and that is, their determination to remain in office as
long as it is possible for them so to do."
The Courier, speaking of Lord Brougham's friendly
allusion last night to Lord Melbourne, in the course of
his speech on education, says :—The foolish fat scullion
of Sterne must have wept at this ; but Peers, however
fat, are wiser in their generation, and their hearts grow
flintier with years. Lord Melbourne excites in us the
utmost admiration. The power with which he seems to
suppress his inward and natural emotions whilst
hearing this, is marvellous. The effort must have been
terrible, but it was successful. The Noble Viscount suc-
ceeded in saying not a word ! This was indeed a triumph.
Had he attempted to utter a syllable he must have co-
vered himself with confusion. Emotions that excite
tears, as in the case of Lord Brougham, are prodigiously
powerful, and cannot sometimes be suppressed ; but emo-
tions that assume quite a contrary expression ought on
such occasions to be controlled, and they were wonder-
fully kept down."

STEAM LOCOMOTION ON

COMMON ROADS.

Mr. W. Hancock, of Stratford, has published a com-
parative statement of the advantages of steam locomo-
tion on common roads and on railroads, in which he
safs—" It has been asserted that steam locomotion on
common roads can never be profitably- adopted ; that it ;
is against the laws of nature—because the resistance of
a common road, compared with that of an iron rail, is
as 12 to 1 ; and it would be inferred that the wear and
tear would be in this proportion. Although the above
ratio, 12 to 1, is believed to be too high, yet I will not
dispute the point at present, but proceed to prove, that
through the enormous first outlay in the formation of a
railway, common road locomotion can well afford to pay ,
!for increased wear and tear. No person would forego
the accommodations of the common roads to travel by
railways, but for the sake of expedition ; and as wear
and tear is increased by the squares of the velocities, this
will be some set off in favour of locomotion on the ,
common road, not only in theory, but which practice
has also fully established. I shall take the speed on
the common road at 14 miles, and for the railway at
25 miles an hour. The average cxpence for the
repair of railway locomotives has been allowed at
33 per cent., equal to a renewal every three years.
The square of the velocity 14, gives 196 as the ratio
of wear and tear of common road locomotives ; the
square of the velocity 25, gives 625 as the ratio of
wear and tear of railway locomotives ; or above three
times more through increase of speed. Multiply 196 t
by 12, the difference of resistance, it gives the ratio of
wear and tear of a common road locomotive, compared 1
with a railway one as 2,352 is to 625, or nearly four
times greater, which from my experience during 14
years' running on the common roads, and from all the
information I have been able to obtain upon railway
affairs, I am quite certain cannot be the proportion.
As we are on the subject of wear, we should recollect
that the present rough surface of the roads, arising from
the horses' feet and narrow wheels, would be materially
smoothed down by the rolling of the broad vertical
wheels of locomotives, and the resistance be materidly
diminished. We will now proceed to ascertain the
merits of the two modes of locomotion, under as equal I
circumstances as possible, that is, the removal of
like weights equal distances. The formation of the
Birmingham Railway cost, say 5,000,000/. ; the annual
interest of which, at 5 per cent. is 250,000/. The for-
mation of stations for water, fuel, workshops, &c., on the
common roads would cost, for the same distance, about
10,000/. ; the annual interest on which, at 5 per cent.,
would be only 500/. The number of locomotives on
the railway we will take at 50 ; to perform the same
work on the common road would require 70 ; and
the reason that no more would be required is, that
I make my engines of doable power in size of c 3 tin-
der to those used on the railway, and use steam
at double the pressure, which makes one of
mine equal to four railway engines, without weighing
more, the lower speed, and other circumstances, nut
requiring many of the parts should be so strong.
The total value of the railway locomotives, at 1,4001.
each. would be 70,000/. ; the annual amount of repairs,
at 33 per cent. would be 23,300/. ; the common road
locomotives at 1,8001. each, would be 126,000/. ; the
annual amount • of repairs, at 33 per cent. would be
42,000/. It cannot be unfair to anticipate, that an
equal annual sum would be received for goods and pas-
sengers, as with the railway, when we reflect that by
passing along the ancient and accustomed line of traffic,
both the expense and inconvenience of cross-road con-
veyance, as from the railway, would be avoided, greater
accommodation (speed excepted) would be afforded,
and that without risk of accident frorti running off high
embankments, or the disagreeable confinement in travel-
ling at the bottom of deep cuttings or through tunnels."
He then gives a table showing that the daily interest of
capital on the common road, would be '271. Bs., and of
the railway, 6851. On the common road, he says. the
cost per mile would be 4s. 10d. ; and by the railway it
is 17s. 7d.