The Sun.
London, England, 1830-04-27 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 27, 1830.

RAIL-WAYS.

(From the Observer of Sunday.)

There is at present a great probability that loco-
motive carriages will speedily be brought to run on
rail-roads for public accommodation. Should this
be the case, and should the advantages of such a
mode of conveyance be as great as described, they
must supersede common roads, arid all vehicles
moved by animal power. The changes this will
effect in the face of the country, and in the moral re-
lations of its inhabitants, seem likely to be very ex-
tensive. Places will be brought nearer to each
other, and communication between them will be
more rapid and frequent. Nobody will consent, we
presume, to be jolted along a rough road, 10 or 12
miles an hour, when he can be whirled along a
smooth and pleasant one with twice the velocity.
Such, however, if we may trust the experiments
lately made on the Liverpool and Manchester rail-
road, which only confirmed experiments previously
made, and accorded with the theory previously pro-
pounded, will be the effects of employing locomotive
engines on rail-roads. They seem likely to put an
end to my Lord's travelling carriages as well as to
the public stage. Locomotive carriages, indeed,
are not yet brought into general use; there is a dif-
ficulty in making them at once sufficiently light and
sufficiently powerful to drag along with great ra-
pidity a much heavier load than their own ponder-
ous weight. This difficulty, however, seems at
length about to be overcome, and locomotive car-
riages, it seems now probable, will soon come into
general use. Till they are completely adapted to
their projected purposes; till we can gather the
fruit of the ingenious plans, and many times
frustrated contrivances of men of talents ; till the
throes of invention be past, and the public can en-
joy the advantages of the perfect machine; till we
can reap the _rich harvest of ease and convenience
which the toil of skilful individuals is preparing
for us; till the pure metal is separated from the
coutaminating earth ; till long-tasked ingenuity has,
as it were, cast up its cream ; till locomotive car-
riages actually perform the functions of stage-
coaches, we shall forbear to expatiate on their
wonderful advantages. We will only observe, that
we look on them as one of those things which,
though unnoticed in their beginning and in their pro-
gress till their effects are irresistible, seem destined
to change the face of empires.

about two hours and a half, carrying 70 to 80
passengers ; the two towns would become as it were
part of each other; the merchant might almost live
is Brighton, and come to his counting-house in the
morning, and return at night, thus breathing the sea
air instead of the unwholesome atmosphere of this
vast city. And this would be done at a trifling ex-
pence. People do not stop to consider the difference
between tram and rail-ways. Upon the latter a horse
can draw as 10 to seven, and they do not require a
tenth of the yearly expence to keep them in repair,
particularly since the introduction of malleable iron
rail-way bars by Mr. Birkinshaw, of the Bedling ton
iron works—upon which principle, under that able
engineer, Mr. Stephenson, of Neweastle.on-Tyne,
the Stockton and Darlington, and Liverpool and
Manchester rail-roads have been constructed, as also
in Scotland, from Edinburgh to Dalkeith, by Mr.
Grainger; and several others by Mr. Jardine,
and other gentlemen of eminence and talent In that
country. •
It is worth mentioning, that in consequence of
the opening of the Stockton and Darlington rail-
road, coals fell more than 6s. a chaldron at those two
places.
The.very judicious and handsome reward offered
by the Directors of the Liverpool and Manchester
Rail-way Company for the best locomotive engine
called forth the talent and ingenuity of many engi-
neers ; amongst others, Mr. Robert Stephenson and
Messrs Braithwaite and Erickson, whose engines
surprised all the spectators (amongst whom were
engineers of the first name and respectability from all
parts of Europe and America, who travelled from
their respective countries to witness it) with the
safety and astonishing velocity at which they travelled,
though carrying very heavy weights.
It becomes of great national importance that our
manufactures should be carried speedily and eco-
nomically, more especially when we consider that
our powerful rival—America—is quite alive to the
subject, and laying down vast tracts of rail-ways, as
well as most of the continental powers.
In case of a threatened invasion, a country with
such roads, and such means of conveyance as these,
becomes an impregnable fortress;; for whole armies,
with parks of artillery, and all necessary stores might
be conveyed from one part of the island to the other
in less time than an enemy could disembark their
troops.

It would be easy to prove the great saving of the
revenue of the post-office, for the mails would be
carried at twenty miles per hour, and at about one-
third the expence. Those counties which now have
hardly any markets for their agricultural produce,
and are badly supplied with coals and other foreign
productions, would have a new field opened for
their industry, and would make a considerable saving
in their own expences.

Nor let it for a moment be imagined that the
farmer would be injured by the introduction of steam
instead of animal power; for though it might be
true that so many horses would not be in demand
as at present, let it be recollected that there would
be a greater consumption of wheat, and sheep, and
oxen ; for the labourer, being more economically
supplied with articles of clothing and fire, instead
of at present getting meat once, would be able to
afford it three or four times ix a week.

The expence of conveying one ton of goods for
one mile on a railway may be estimated at one
penny ; whereas now, by the waggon or canal boats,
it is at least sevenpence; on the former, heavy
goods might be transferred from ene part of the
kingdom to the other in a few hours, while by the
latter, weeks, nay months elapse, before they reach
their destination. Nor is the former subject to stop-
page by frost in Winter, too much water in Au-
tumn, or too little in Summer, whereby the canals
ate rendered of little use throughout a very great
proportion of the year.
_ _ _

. .
The coal works near Leeds are connected with the
neighbouring canals by numerous rail-roads, and on
that one which connects Leeds itself with the Mid-
dleton colliery, the waggons are impelled by steam-
carriages. Connected with different canals and
coai-work, in England, there are numberless short
rail-ways of three, five, and seven miles in length,
making on the whole a very considerable extent of
rail-way already laid down. 'I here is a rail-road of
considerable length between Canterbury and Whit-
stable; the one called the Stockton and Darlington
rail-way is 32 miles long, and the one now making
between Manchester and Liverpool is about the
same length. As some of the roads of the descrip-
tion already made, pass through the most difficult
species of country—the Shropshire Canal rail-way,
for example—on which a boat, weighing five tons,
besides its carriage, is dragged up one height of 207
feet, another of 126 feet, and a tWrd of 120 feet,
there cannot be the least doubt as to the practica-
bility of constructing rail-roads from one end of the
kingdom to the other. _ _ .

There can be no longer any doubt, either as to
the advantages of such roads as a general means of
communication. The late trials on the Manchester
and Liverpool rail-way have satisfied the most scep-
tical of the practicability of attaining, without being
peculiarly exposed to danger or occident of any
kind, an untired speed, at least equal to twice the
rate of our present most rapid travelling. " The
rail-way," says the author of General Observations
already quoted, " not only like canals, is calculated
for the conveyance of heavy merchandize; but like
the common road, is adapted to the lightest vehicles,
travelling with the greatest possible velocity. It
may be stopped by snow, which, however, would
be easily cleared away ; but it is not subject to be
frozen in winter like canals; or to. be dried up in
summer. By establishing rail-ways, every part of
the country may be equally and cheaply supplied
with fish and all kinds of perishable articles. They
will give to the town all the advantages of the
country, except, perhaps, its pure air; but by dimi-
nishing the temptation to dwell contiguously, they
will scatter our town population more equally over
the surface of the country." Nor can we omit here
to notice the general fact, that as the country has
become populous, the facilities for moving about
have increased. Instead of men being confined to
spots, as it might be supposed they would be as they
filled the land, the means of transport have become
easy, and such a thing as a man never quitting his
native parish, or never going half a dozen miles
from London, is now nearly unexampled. By means
of rail-roads letters might be despatched and de-
livered within one-third of the time now employed
for this purpose, and all pro of this empire would
thus be placed more on an equality as to every
branch of business. The author of the work en-
titled " Observations on a General Iron Rail-way,"
already quoted, recommended a rail-way to be laid
down to the East and West India Docks, and as a
proof of his judgment, we may state that this has
lately been carried into execution.
COMMERCIAL-ROAD STONEWAY.

"In consequence (says a writer in the Mechanics'
Magazine) of the Commercial-road forming the line of
communication, between the East and West India
Docks, and the great commercial warehouses in the
eastern parts of London, the traffic of heavy goods upon
it is greater than upon any other about the metropolis.
The excessive wear and tear to which it is thus sub-
jected,
d, and the large outlay constantly required for
repairs, induced the trustees of the road, about three
years ago, to come to the resolution of laying down
a stone tram-way, after the manner," the author
says, which we apprehend to be a mistake, " of the
ancient Roman pavements, of which specimens are

still to be seen in Milan, Florence, Sienna, and
other Italian cities." As far as our recollection
serves us, the pavements here alluded to " were not
two courses of large stone blocks laid down on the
lines in which the wheels of a carriage would run,
with gravel between them," but the whole width of
the narrow street was paved, and the ears or car-
riages, running only in one track, wore the stones
half " through," as the whor says, " into ruts."
" The trustees of the Commercial-road have pre-
ferred stone to iron, as the material of which to
make their tram-roads, chiefly because, in rainy or
frosty weather, stone rail-ways are not so slippery as
those made of iron ;" this, which shows the ad-
vantage of iron as to friction, would be no objection
when locomotive carriages were the vehicles for
travelling on rail-ways. The original intention of
the Commercial-road trustees, was to lay down two
tram-wayi, a going and a returning line, one on each
side of the road; but as the heavy traffic is chiefly
from the Doeks to London, it was thought sufficient,
by way of a first experiment, to construct one tram-
way only, on the south aide of the road. This
too is limited to the space between Berner-street,
Whitechap4 and the West India Docks, a dis-
tance of two)nilets" On Saturday, March 27, last,
this road was first opened to the public. The rise
is only one foot in 274 of distance, so that it may be
called a level. The material employed is principally
granite from Aberdeen. The stones are all of one
form and size, perfectly square, and dressed so as to
fit closely to each other. The experiments already
made on this road, of which an account is contained
in the Mechanics' Magazine of April 3, give, as
a result, that, with Jones's patent cylindrical wheel,
the advantage was as ten to one on an ordinary
road; and with common dished wheels as seven
to one. Such are the advantages of stone rail-
ways, which are by no means equal to those made
of iron."

The Stockton and Darlington rail-way is thus
described in the last number of the Quarterly Re-
view :—" The adaptation of rail-ways to speed was
never, we believe, thought of till the opening, in
September, 1825, of the celebrated Stockton and
Darlington rail-road, a work which will for ever re-
flect honour on its authors, for the new and striking
manner in which it practically demonstrated all the
advantages of the invention. Since that time
coaches have been regularly plying between the two
towns on the rail-way. Each is drawn by a single
horse, and yet carries, in ordinary cases, six passen-
gers inside and from fifteen to twenty outside, with
a due proportion of luggage. In fact, with respect
to number of passengers, they do not seem to be at
ail particular; for, in cases of urgency, they are seen
crowding the coach on the top, sides, or any other
part where they can get a footing ; and they are
frequently so numerous, that when they descend
from the coach and begin to separate, it seems as if
some petty assembly of the inhabitants were dis-
missing. The general speed is at the rate of
ten miles an hour. The above seems an enor-
mous load for one horse to run with, and at
such speed, and yet the animal appears to make
scarcely any exertion, certainly not so much as a
horse in a common gig. We ourselves have re-
peatedly travelled in one of these coaches, and it
would be difficult to convey an idea of the interest
excited by this extraordinary conveyance, and the
novelty of the whole scene. Nothing appeared
more surprising than the rapidity and smoothness of
the motion, and the ease with which the animal
drew its load. It was only occasionally that he ap-
peared to give the traces a pull ; at other times,
even in the way from Stockton to Darlington where
there is a slight ascent, the traces seemed often to
hang quite loose, and ley far the greatest exertion
the animal appeared to make was, in keeping up its
own motion. The coach had no springs of any
kind, and yet the motion was fully easier than any
coach on the road—so easy that a passenger might
read a newspaper with perfect comfort. The coach
never turns in the rail-way, but can be drawn either
backwards or for wards with equal facility, the horse
being merely unyoked from one side and yoked to
the other which is done in less than half a minute.
Such is the extreme mobility of the whole ve-
hicle and its load along the railway, that when once
it is set a-going it is not easy to stop it ; it requires
an apparatus for the purpose— a species of drag on
the wheels called a brake—the operations of which
it is unnecessary to describe in detail. On some oc-
casions it happens, through inadvertence or other-
wise, that both coaches meat in a place between
two passings, and where neither of them can get
out of the way; thus things seem approaching to a
complete stand, when one of the coachmen unyokes
his horse, re-yokes him in an instant to the oppo-
site end, and draws his carriage back to one side of
the passing places, which he enters, allows the other
coach to enter, and then resumes his course. The
whole affair is managed with surprising facility, and
it is wonderful how little these obstacles which ap-
pear at first sight very serious, really obstruct the
progress of the traffic; although, undoubtedly, the
true remedy is to have a double line of rails the
whole length of the way. The cheapness of the
mode of travelling is also an additional recommenda-
tion. The fare for outside passengers is only one
shilling between Stockton and Darlington, a distance
of twelve miles, and at shorter distances at the rate
of one penny for each mile."

PRACTICABILITY OF FORMING A GENERAL

RAIL-WAY.

After all these proofs of the utility of rail-ways,
there can be no doubt, we apprehend, of the practi-
cability of establishing rail-ways in place of turn-
pike roads through every part of the kingdom. Such
a suggestion was thrown out several years ago, by
the Author of the work entitled " Observations on
a General Iron Rail-way," already quoted, the fourth
edition of which was published so long ago as 1823,
and of which the object then was to recommend the
making such a general rail-way, as a profitable means
of employing the distressed labourers. The author
then suggested that the first essay should be made
between Manchester and Liverpool, which would
employ many thousands of the distressed population
of that part of England; and though we do not be-
lieve that the merit of first suggesting the plan belongs
to him, for a rail-wav between these places was pro-
jected by Mr. Will;am James, a civil engineer, as
early as 1822, his sagacity was displayed in select-
ing, for the first experiment, a very populous,
wealthy, and commercial neighbourhood. Whatever
reasons, on the score of public
.distress and want of
employment, then existed for recommending such a
great national work as a general system of commu-
nication by rail-ways to extend through the whole
country, have at present, we apprehend, tenfold
force. The people who most want employment are
nut weavers, but men accustomed to dig, and at pre-
sent the price of labour generally, and of other
things, is more advantageous for such .an under-
taking than at any former period. The author's
plan was to have one iron rail-way frem Lon-
don to Edinburgh, passing near the manufacturing
and commercial . towns of Leicester, Notting-
ham, Sheffield, Wakefield, &c. with branch railway's
to all the great towns that lie to the north ; another
to Falmouth, having in like manner branches to all
the towns in the west; another in hke manner to
Dover, and so on. Such rail-xays will, no doubt,
be ultimately laid down ; but, lookiNg at the gra-
dual manner in which all such improvements have
been effected in times past ; seeing the necessity
there is that to make such things turn out to the
general advantage, -they must be executed by indi-

viduals, or under their eye, and for their own profit,
no royal or national line of road or lariat having, we
believe, ever yet been profitable; being convinced,
tiro, that all such great alterations must, for the
advantage of all, be effected bit by bit, so that the
owners and possessors of old-fashioned tontrivances,
or those who get theic bread by a trade, which is
destined to die out—looking at these circumstances,
we cannot advocate a plcu for at once directing into
a new channel such an immense portion of labour
and capital of the country as would be necessary to
make even one continuous line of rail-way from Lo! -
don to Edinburgh. The whole active monied part
of the community, every enterprising capitalist, is
eagerly looking out for a means of employing 1-,is
capital to advantege ; and it is not because he or
any other man doubts the ultimate national ben&fit
of rail-ways that he hesitates to embark in such u
concern, hut because he cannot live without imme-
diate profit, and such a scheme could not possibly
yield any return for some years. In this case, what-
ever might be the ultimate consequence, immediate
individual interest does not coincide with the au-
thor's plan for insuring national prosperity.
We shall conclude this long article with a little
account, borrowed from the work already so often
quoted, of the origin and history of Rail-roads :
" The origin of rail-roads may be traced back to the
year 1680. About that period coal ease to be .si•ii-
stituted for wood as fuel in London, the eonsquet ce
was, that at the mines the greatest inconveniern e
accrued in conveying the coal from them t 3 the
ships as well as the immense expense is horses ,s;;r1
machinery for the purpose; to remove which, wag-
gon-roads were made, consisting of wooden :ails or
ledges, which the waggons were made to move
upon, and from which improvement it was .found
that one horse could. easily draw a waggon on these
rails, which previously employed three or more
horses to effect it on the common roads; atel the
load was also drawn more quickly, arising frem lay-
ing down the frames upon an easy descent, whieb
was always done. In 1738 this invention was still
farther improved, by substituting cast-iron rails
instead of the old wooden ones; but owing
to the old-fashioned waggons continuing to be
employed, which were of too much weight
for the cast-iron, they did not completely
succeed in the first attempt. However, about the
year 1768, a simple contrivance was attempted,
which was to make a number of small waggons, and
link them together, and thus, by diffusing the weight
of one large waggon over many, the cause of the
failure in the first instance was removed. In 17l
these roads having arrested the attention of many
intelligent men as of great importance, numerous e.-
says appeared, setting forth their utility, and as many
plans for rendering them of permanent construction.
Hence cast-iron rail-roads became a second deside-
ratum to canals, excepting only that the invention
is due to Englishmen. After this time can'-iron
rail-ways began to be constructed as branches cif ca-
nals, and,in some places as roads of traffic hot:: one
place to another, established upon permanent prir-
ciples, so as to produce a permanent revenue to the
undertakers." Their present state, and the great pro-
bability there now is that they will speedily be made
throughout the kingdom, has been already noticed.
" Such, however," says the writer in the Quarterly
Review, " is the perfection to which the art is now
arrived, that on a level line a single horse will draw
with ease a load of ten tons, besides the weight of
all its carriages : and the ktilways that are now in
progress in the different parts of England and Scot-
land are so remarkably improved, that we may anti-
cipate a still greater increase in the powers of traction.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

NOUSIII OF LORDS--(LAST NIGHT).

The House met to-day pursuant to adjournment.

At half-past three these wee Commission to give
the Royal assent to the East Retford Wituessee
Indemnity Bill, and three private Bills. The Com-
missioners were the Archbishop of CANTERBURY,
the LORD CHANCELLOR, and the Earl of SHAFTES-
BURY.

At five o'clock there was a full attendance of
Peers, among whom were the Dukes of SUSSEX and
CUMBERLAND.

The Earl of DERRY presented a petition from
the borough of Preston, in favour of a free trade
in India and China.

Some private Bills on the table were read a third
time and passed.

The Duke of BEAUFORT presented two peti-
tions, the subject of which was not heard below the
bar.

The Earl of CASSILIS presented tw•o petitions
from the borough of Ayr, for throwing open the
trade of India and China. _ . _

The Earl of ELDON presented a petition from
Haverford-wept and Monmouth, against any altera-
tion in the Welsh Judicature (as was understood.)
The Earl of ESSEX presented a petition from
the Irish Mining Company, praying for a bounty on
lead.

The Earl of HAREWOOD presented a petition
from • Hull against the renewal of the East India.
Company's Charter. The Noble Earl likewise pre-
sented several petitions from places in the West
Riding of Yorkshire, praying the removal of the
Assizes to Wakefield fur that riding.
The Duke of NORFOLK presented a similar
petition from a place in the West Riding of York-
shire.

Lord NAPIER presented a petition from Dum-
fries (as was understood), prayng for a free trade to
India and China.

Lord NIELVELLE presented a petition from
Edinburgh against the additional duty on spirits.

The Earl of MALMESBURY moved f'r a
series of returns of spirits distilled from corn and
sugar, for the four years preceding the sth January,
1826, and the four years preceding the sth January,
1830, showing the average of those two periods.
The Noble Earl was aware of the great dierzis
which pressed upon the West India . iutr e.,;---
(Hear)—and was desirons of seeing it alleviated,. if
it could be done without injury to °thar cla,st.. of
his Majesty's subjects. Now the proposed duty of
a shilling a gallon on British eorn spirits was one, he
conceived, which was likely to prove injarii;u, to
distillers; and he was not sure whether it would not
tend to increase smuggling. The increased duty was
at the rate of fourteen per cent. He wished, if that
duty were to be imposed. that a similar one should
be put upon rum ; that both might be placed on the
same footing.

Lord HOLLAND observed that it was not the
desire of the West India proprietors to have the
duty imposed on British spirits; and he much doubted
whether the revenue would be benefitted in the
manner anticipated.

After a few farther observations from the Earl of
MALMESBURY, the returns were ordered.
Mr. BURRELL, and other Members of the House
of Commons, brought up three private Bills.
Mr. Bull, from the journal Office of the House cf
Commons, presented at the bar a copy of the tninutts
of evidence, and ether papers, relative to the East
Retford Disfranchisement Bill.

Mr. Crafer, from the Treasury, presemed at the
bar certain returns of silks and Ores imported and
exported.
Mr. Preston, from the India House, prc,cwed at
the bar an aecount of the charges incurred at Canton
on account of shipping, Sm.

Lord DURHAM, when presenting a petition
from Neweastle•upon-Tyne, in favour of a free trade
to India and China said, as far as we could collect,
he understood it was the intention of his Majesty's
Ministers to renew the East India Company's Charter.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH denied that such an
inference as that drawn by the Noble Baton could
be entertained in consequence of what had falitn,
from him (Lord Ellenborough) or any of his Ma-
jesty's Ministers.
Lord DURHAM was glad to hear such a di -
elevation, and hoped it'Would be borne ow by ti :e
fact. The Noble Lard then presented i-
tions from Darlington and another place.

The Earl of ‘MOUNTCASUEL pre-wed a