The Sun.
London, England, 1825-01-25 00:00:00

T - THE EDITOR OF' rnE SUN.

Sqn..—The immense sums of money recently proposed to be
raised for laying down rail-roads in various parts of the king-
dein amount to upwards of ten millions of money, and has ex-
cited my attention. Such a sum, artificially subscribed, must
b attended with serious consequences, should our Government
allow the numerous hills for them to be carried into a law. I
sty artificially raised, because I am certain that the majority of
subscribers have put down their names for the sole purpose
of
selling -their' shares at a premium, without entering into their
-marious merits, or considering the consequences. If acts of
Parliaments are obtained, large contracts will be made, and
heavy calls for money must be the consequence: this will na-
weeny bring shares to market all at once, and they will pro-
bably go to a (discount. The holders of scrip receipts may put
tl.aern in the fire, and the original subscribers being the only
raraans known to the Committee, will be compelled (their
natnes being in the act) to pay up their instalments. I could
quote eases, but that will be invidious, and I will content my-
•seil with the bare assertion.
In some few instances, where there have been excessive
charges for tonnage on canals, these new subscriptions have
been bcnefteial to the public, by occasioning a reduction in
their rates ; hut in a general way, • they have tended to lower
the value of canal property. without benefit to any one ; it has
easen eatended so far as to depreciate the price of some canal
• sitares, where there is no possibility of laying down a rail-road
so as to interfere with their traffic.
raat a rail-road, where it runs in opposition to a canal, can-
na; be profitable, is a self-evident fact ; because the Commit-
tees would immediately reduce their tonnage to such a low rate
as to set profitable competition out of the , question. It would
. ba similar to some of (air stage-coach proprietors, who take
passengers at such low fares, that they scarcely cover the duty
-which must be paid to Government. In such a case how can a
proprietor, who embarks his capital, expect remuneration by
way of dividend ?
It is very evident that many of the prospectuses have been
&awn up .by persons very little acquainted with rail-roads.
They propose travelling on them, by means of locomotive
engines, at the rate of 10, 15, and even 20 miles an hour. There
is no instance at present of their going at the rate of even six
titles an hour : the perfection they may attairaat any future
pasiotr is problematical, and therefore should not .be calculated-
on as data for present operations. We can -only he guided by
what has already been done—not by the supposition of what
may be done hereafter. The present locomotive engines are of
as a enormous weight : the one at Killingevorth colliery is eight
tons. Such an immense .weight, going at so great a speed,
would shatter both rail-road and engine to pieces ; besides whirls
the carriage would he in great danger of cunning off, the rails,
arid then let me ask what power it .will require to get it on
-again ? The expence of keeping the present rail-roads in re-
pair is very heavy, and must be equal to that of a canal : a
-pebble frequently occasions the,breaking ofas plate, which must
be replaced by a new one, and constant use wears the plates out.
• Canals are sometimes impassable from severe frost, floods, and
a want of water ; but are not rail-roads-subject to impediments
Mau snow and frost also ? Does not a severe winter, in some
degree, affect rail-roads, and throw them out of order by a sub-
sequent thaw, the same as it affects the paved streets of London,
which arc full of holes after a severe winter, and require to be
treah lain,? .That this must be the effect in a greater or lesser
d,wee, any one may notice., by looking at the atones in a gravel
k aftera frost.

On reading theca remarks, you will, perhaps, be surprised to
find I am an advocate for rail-reads • but my object in writing
is to draw the public attention to the subject, and of leading
them to think, before they.pursue too far many of the present
proje.cts. I have no doubt but England will, in time, be in-
tersmzted with rail-roads, and that great benefit will result to
the community from them ; and that the same vast advantages
will be derived by the country as have already arisen by the
cutting of canals; but in order to make them answer to capi-
talists, they must be laid'down in judicious situations, and this
is my leading object in writing on the subject. I have said,
that it' laid down in opposition to a canal, they will riot answer :
but I am firmly- of opinion, that. if laid down from a mine, or a
;,;iliery, or a.quarry-, .to a navigation; from a navigation to a
principal town; or ina situation required, where no navigation
or rail-road exists, tirey must answer ; and hope my observa-
tions are so far founded on common sense as to induce you to
insert them in your valuable paper for the good of the public,
and that they will tend to prevent that general delusion which
seems to exist in the minds of so many ; and that monied men
will be led to discriminate between the good projects and the
bad, before they venture to embark such large sums, by deli-
berating with their own cool judgment.
'The projected plan from Manchester to lAiverpool I highly
approve of ; it is.mucti. wanted. The traffic by land-carriage
is iram.use, and the (canals cannot convey all the goods ; from
the quantities which are constantly passing,' they are often
Choked up with bares ; therefore a rail-road in such a district,
and in many other situations such as I have pointed out, must
answer : whereas it appears utterly impossible that others can
pay even•a tdflin; dividend.'
I am, Sir, ybur obedient servant,
<Lczidon, Jan. 22. A. B. C.