The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-03 00:00:00

MANUAL POWER V. HORSE AND
STEAM POWER.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
ESTEEMED FRIEND,—Startling as it may appear to
some unacquainted with the subject, to assert that,
under certain circumstances, manual power might be
availed, of as more economical than horse or even
steam power, which I will proceed in the endeavour
to prove. Let it be supposed that in a level, fenny,
marshy, or peat district—say ten or twelve miles in
length—on which there are no natural obstacles be-
yond streams or drains of from ten to twelve feet
wide on the surface of such a district, I am prepared
to prove (by a plan patented) that a firm and durable
railway might be constructed without the aid of
ballasting, or of requiring ballasting repairs, and
thereby avoiding the heavy annual expense in raising
and adjusting, as all the present systems require, of
sufficient strength to sustain loads not exceeding five
to six tons on four wheels, that such railway would
continue firm and effective until time and use produce
the natural decay, at a cost, exclusive of fencing and
land, not exceeding from 7001. to 8001. per mile, in-
cluding requisite stations, &c. Now, let us
imagine such a railway made through or upon
the kind of land I have mentioned, the land
I apprehend walk' be increased in value-far more
than the expense. On some districts, for want
of a good road, large tracts of land are not worth more
than from 10/. to 201. per acre, where, if such a road
was made, hundreds, nay thousands, of acres would,
probably, be doubled or trebled in value, provided
this cheap and convenient mode to convey the produce
to a market be made, especially in the colonies. The
expensive modes hitherto adopted for branch railways
through agricultural districts experience has amply
proved will not remunerate for the cost, and, there-
fore, attention should now be directed to more econo-
mical modes—so as to afford agricultural and mineral
districts the desirable advantage and convenience of
railways, made so as to be mutually advantageous to
the public and the proprietors. It is time that the
talented and eminent engineers should begin to study
economy and real utility, instead of adopting costly
methods, whereby to prove how they can make art
overcome nature, by making costly tunnels, cuttings,
and embankments,
_which might have been advan-
tageously avoided, or constructing bridges and
viaducts at two or three times the needful expense for
obtaining the desired object, in order, one would think,
that their mighty deeds might tend to their advantage,
or be handed down to posterity as proofs of what bold
talent and a reckless use of money can accomplish.
I will now proceed to show under what circum-
stances manual power will, or may be, more economi•
cal than either horse or steam power. It will not be
disputed that six able-bodied men at a windlass are
equal for power to a good horse. Now, it is well
known that, formerly on the Edinburgh and Dal-
keith Railway, one horse drew 40 to 50 passengers at
the rate of ten miles per hour; and it is demonstrable
*at the united efforts of eight men, even allowing 2l
5
per cent. off for friction of machinery, would prype,
or draw, the same amount by each man exerting a
power equal to lifting 351bs. 3} ft. high per second,
which it is allowed a man can exert for ten hours per
day ; the same proportion of power exerted by eight
men will propel, or draw, five to six tons at the rate
cf (say) twelve miles per hour, or double that load at
half or four times at a quarter of that speed. It is,
therefore, not unreasonable to suppose that a gang of
eight men would accomplish 96 miles in one day,
which is equal to the power of eight good horses; and
the reason is obvious—because the men do not tire
themselves by having to carry their own weight like
the horse. The utmost disadvantage they labour
under is the friction of four or five lbs., occasioned
by their own weight on the engine or carriage.
Having stated thus much, I will proceed to detail
the advantages and disadvantages of the several sys-
tems. To make a railway adapted for horse-power,
a firm road must be made for the horse track, which
would make an extra expense of about 250/. per mile;
so that a horse railway even constructed on the plan
I propose would cost from 1,0001. to 1,1001. per mile.;
and to keep the same in good repair would, I imagine
not be less than 151. per annum per mile. To work
the same by steam, although it would not require the
horse track, yet the extra cost of the engine, extra
wages to the enginemen, and the well-known expense
in wear and tear of the engine, I apprehend, would
be fully equal to the disadvantages of the horse track,
so that I think they may be put upon a par in that
respect. Now, let us imagine a road of this kind
made through a district of (say) 12 miles, having a
surrounding population of from 15,000 to 20,000, re-
siding within the compass of 6 to 8 miles of its loca-
lity ; I think it is reasonable to suppose that the
traffic. would amount to 150 each way per day, pro-
vu. led the charge does not exceed id. and ld. per
which would be 300 per day over 12 miles.
Now, if the united efforts of eight men would convey
40 passengers the distance in one hour, then, by mak-
ing eight journeys in a day, 40 passengers each time
would be 320. Let us now suppose that the twelve
miles of manual railway cost, including all expenses,
10,0001., and the horse railway 12,5001., the com-
parison may be thus stated :
Capital Account.
Cost of construction of manual road ... £lO,OOO 0 0
Ditto of engine ... •.• 100 0 0
Ditto of c irriage (for passengers) ... 250 0 0

£10,350 0 0

Dr. Working Account.
To interest on capital ... . .
Wear and tear on stock, 3501., at 25
per cent ...
Eight men at 24. per thy
Balance, or profit ...

£517 10 0

87 10 0

273 15 0
1,858 15 0

Total