The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-11 00:00:00

STATISTICAL.

We now come to the question of statistical infor-
mation. The committee on railways considered it in-
dispensable that the department intrusted with the sup.‘r-
vision of raik-ays should have;the means of obtzining, lLral
information on all points connected with the working of
the railway system, and they reported the following
resolution to the House :

" That it is the opinion of the Committee that this
department should have the power to cell for any re-
turns, financial or statistical, which in the judgment of
this department may be necessary for the performance
of its duties."

By the 3d and 4th of Victoria, cap. 97, sec. 3, the
power of calling for returns is limited to certain returns
therein enumerated, viz., " Returns of the aggregate
traffic in passengers, according to the several classes,
and of the aggregate traffic in cattle and goods re•
spectirely, as well as of all accidents attended with
personal injury ; and also a table of all tolls, rates,
and charges from time to time levied on each
class of passengers, and on cattle and goods conveyed
on the railway." And it is further provided, " that
such returns shall be required in like manner, and
at the same time, from all railway companies, unless
the Board shall specially exempt any company, and
shall enter the ground of such exemption in the minutes
of their proceedings."

The information which would be furnished by these
returns, if literally complied with, is extremely
and comprises nothing which is not already voluntarily
given to newspapers, and published for the information
of shareholders at every half-yearly meeting.
The subjoined forms of returns which we have issued
contain several particulars, such as the average charge
per mile on passengers and goods of different classes,
distinguishing toll from charge for locomotive power,
which will furnish the groundwork of much valuable sta
tistical information.

(The forms follow in the report.)
Independently of the doubt which may exist whether
all the particulars hi the above forms arc warranted by
a strict construction of the Act, it is evident that much
more is require 3. in order to make the railway depart
ment of the Board of Trade such a register of statistical
information as was contemplated by the Select Com-
mittee on Railways.

Among the principal objects of statistical inquiry
may be enumerated :

1. The methods of construction adopted upon diEr-
ent railways.

'lle cost of construction, analysed into its diff,:r-
cnt clemcnts.

3. The cc,st of keeping the permanent works in
repair.

4. The methods of working adopted upon different
tines, especially with reference to the nature of the en-
&es, carriages, wheels, axles, and other important par-
ticulars, respecting which difference of opinion exists
among practical men.
5. The cost of working analysed into its diff,Tcnt
elements, and especially every particular calculated to
throw light upon the cost of locomotive power.
• 6. Tile amount and nature of the accommodation
afforded to the public, including, as an important item,
the r.!te, of speed, the degree of regularity, and the ar-
raegcments with other lines for forwarding passengers
and goods.

7. The re_7ult of experiments tried upon different !jags.
It is for the Legislature to decide whether the ac-
quisition of accurate information upon these and the
various other topics of statistical inquiry necessary in
order to throw light upon the railway system consti-
tutes an object of suffiLient national importance to jus-
tify their adoption of the resolution of the Committee
above referred to. Our duty is discharged in
pointing out the limited nature of the po.vers coaf•;r-
red by the present Act, and the nsccssity of giving the.
railway department the more extensive power recom-
mended by the Committee, if it is wished to render it
efficient for the purpose of collecting and registering
statistical information.