The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-11 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING

THE BROAD AND NARROW
GAUGES.
TO THE PROPRIETORS OF THE GREAT
WESTERN RAILWAY.
Brother Shareholders,—The uncertainty and jeopardy
in which our interests are placed by the report of the
Gauge Commissioners induce me to submit a few words
of peaceful caution to you, which, I believe, it is for our
common interest to ponder well upon.
And, first, I would revive a question which has been
often mooted among us—whether, as Great Western
proprietors, we have been benefited by adopting the
broad guage ; whether, in fact, the gratification of being
singular among railways has not cost us, at least two
per cent. per annum for some years past ? Narrow
gauge lines of a corresponding age and amount of traffic
to our own, have long divided ten per cent. among their
proprietors ; they have been enabled even to accelerate
the march of their prosperity by making reductions in
their fares in a greater ratio than ourselves.
We Great Western shareholders, notwithstanding the
increase of our traffic, seem to have made a halt both at
5 an eight per cent. dividend, and at a reduction of fares.
•
ss It is the belief, I know, of not a few of us, that we
made a great mistake for our own interests in humour.
ing our engineer with his eccentric hobby. In making
_ this sacrifice, we have likewise failed to secure any com-
et tpensating public good. As matters stand, the public is
2 3 against us: Ido not mean the great public, who, Ido
13 4 not believe, interest themselves about the matter, but
4 A the official public who hare been sitting in judgment on
our case.
A time now appears to have arrived when we are
enabled to correct our mistake; and I would state some
reasons why I think it is for our interest, as sharehol-
ders, to retrace our steps, and rather swim with the cur-
rent than against it.
If our system were as superior as Mr. Brunel boasts it
to be, why has it not spread more The gauge has
been surely a perfect free-trade questione were its ex-
cellencies so immensely superior, like all superlative
things, it would have made greater way. How is it to
be explained, that there are existing at the present mo-
ment in this country, so many as 1,901 miles of narrow
and so few as 274 miles of broad gauge; and that out of
projected lines in 1845 8,000 miles were to be narrow
and only 651 broad? And how is it, that in America
and the continent of Europe, whence engineers have con.
tinually come to ascertain the results of our experience,
not one mile of broad or seven-feet gauge has been laid?
Surely, if our own dividends did not convince us, these
facts ought, of the mercantile absurdity of our eccentric
gauge.
We adopted it with our eyes open, and against the
warnings of others. Our line has cost us more to make
and work than it would have done had it been like other
railways. We ourselves have paid for our whim dearly
indeed, and are likely to continue to do so, at the rate,
at least, of two per cent. per annum, as far as we can see
into futurity. It is needless to go into figures to prove
this. It is not to be denied that we are receiving only
an annual 8 per cent. and that only on a little more
than half our capital expended, instead of a 10 per cent.
dividend, which we should receive, if the Great Western
had been like the other railways of the country.
We are losers not only by the superior cost of the
construction and working of our line, but have been cut
off from that profit which, in all probability, would have
flowed upon our line from other lines. They have been
deterred from approaching us. Mr. Brunel told us
years ago, it was our business and interest to
have nothing to do with other lines ; that our course
was insulation. Certainly his broad gauge has fulfilled
his prophecy—and to our loss. But now he cannot
maintain that position. Our insulation is to end. We
are to be united on all sides with other lines; but it is to
be a union not of harmony but of disagreement. Our
hand, like Ishmael's, is to be against everybody, and
everybody's against us. The contest may be very ex-
citing to Mr. Brunel and the lawyers; but I think the
piping will be rather costly to us, the paymasters. The
progress of our 8 per cent. dividend, instead of being
forward, will, I fear, be like that of the crab—back-
wards. On whose behalf are we to fight this game ?
The public? So far as the public is represented by the
Government, it will be a contest against the public. The
Board of Trade condemns our eccentric system. Her
Majesty's Commissioners recommend its positive con-
traction—even its annihilation. Who will dare to say
that we shareholders are to gain by maintaining it under
these hostile circumstances? No one. It can be only
for the satisfaction of our engineer: and it is too pre-
posterous to suppose that we are to sustain the battle for
his sake—even if we assume that he wishes us to do so,
of which I am by no means sure.
Our peculiar system has already brought us to a
positive difficulty. We are authoratively told we are
not to extend it. We must either bow to authority or
contend against it ? Has the experience of the past,
without contention, been so very encouraging that we
have really anything worth fighting for? If it could be
shown that we made greater profits than the narrow
guage companies—and it would require much greater
profits to make a man belligerent—the question might
he worth entertaining. On the contrary the facts, perhaps,
show that we are worse off than narrow gnage lines in
corresponding circumstances. Our worse will become
worst, if, besides managing our own line, we have to con-
tend with others, and thus encourage rivals to run side by
side of us, who, if they chose to adopt the atmospheric
system, on the general gauge of the country, will beat us
hollow on our chief point of strength—speed.
Shall we then acquiesce in the recommendations of
the Commissioners ? Most decidedly, say I.
The Commissioners estimate that the cost of changing
the broad into narrow gauge lines would not much
exceed 1,400 000/. ; and recommended that some equit-
able means should be found of producing uniformity of
gauge It is quite clear that we have now an opportu
nity offered us of redeeming the error we first commit-
ted. Let us meet and tell Sir Robert Peel that we are
willing to aid in carrying out the Commissioners' report
—that if equitable means aro found, we will become a
narrow gauge line. Let us petition Parliament to fur.
nish these equitable means. There would be no diffi-
culty in effecting an arrangement, which would greatly
improve our position, agree with official advice, and not
cost the public one shilling.
We cannot be blind to the apathy of our rivals, the
London and Birmingham and South Western Railways,
on this question. The best thing for their interests, de-
cidedly, is that we remain a broad gauge line. To avoid
the evils of breaks of gauge, they will just come side by
side with us and carry off our traffic. And think you
the Legislature will listen to our remonstrances ? The
answer will be, " You were offered uniformity once on
reasonable terms—you preferred your insulated position
and its consequences. The public have complained of
these consequences, and here are other Companies ready
to obviate them." Our answer, then, must be ad mise-
ricordiam, and we shall have to beseech for leave to lay
down narrow gauge at our own cost.
If we are obstinate in our first folly, and now delay to
reject the terms held out, the worse our prospects will
become. A million is a sum within possible realization ;
but increase it to three or four, and the offer is less
likely to be made, and we shall be compelled to provide
a remedy for ourselves.
Brother Shareholders, let us meet and discuss this
question. Our affairs are now at a critical juncture.
Shall we work for our eccentric gauge, and the evils of
a break of gauge, for discord with other companies, and
decreasing dividends ? or for a national uniformity of
gauge, concord, with other companies, and increasing
dividends ?

ONE OF YOURSELVES.
London, March 30, 1846.

INSTITUTION OF CIVIL
ENGINEERS.
,TITESDAY.—Sir John Rennie, president, in the chair.
rho conversation upon the Estuary of the River
Severn being renewed, led to an interesting discussion
upon the River Clyde, and the capability of improve-
ments of that river, which will be continued at the next
meeting.
The paper read was a short notice by Mr. G. Bu-
chanan, explanatory of a plan and sections of the Mid-
Lothian coal-fields.
bEedTi
stillnhbeu cadrgoh l
veryhfiaefaahl. ntfnrr eogamtbeebdeenionfagn ispe xptihhliaadut
tabenyd•
biwhichtuwt at
hat
ahat et
aactietvdy of
to
alargenn portion
n ntnr othef
vastthe coalvol seams w
n In e n waterere renderedwhich,
percolating
nogn
through the old working pervaded the freestone strata
above the coal, and poured down in such quantities that
the pumping engines were barely sufficient to keep open
the present workings - it thanerefore became the object. of
the proprietors to obtain'
field 2.extensiveßsystem of drain-
age throughout the coal- a
report
oritidodnlet,h of New-
castle, was requestaefdra(r)tmeoddthrtahewact
iurtPchuemgsrtPeaante
e difficultythat the
a subject,n too ehn
encountered u tewhichred it
arose app
water communication. existed throughout the district, and
a pumping-engine placed in any one spot would draw
the water from every part around, which would render
it" an operation involving great labour and expense,
which ought to be borne equally by all the mine proprie-
tors. The paper then described the situation of the great
dyke by which the coal was intersected and thrown
eighty fathoms upwards; the north-east boundary, where
the seams are standing on edge ; and then gavo the dif-
ferent seams of coal and their qualities. These were:—
Splint coal, 3 feet thick, good quality; rough coal, 3 feet
thick, good quality; bufie coal, 4 feet thick, inferior qua-
lity, not much worked; diamond coal, 4 feet thick, valu-
able when found; jewel coal, 4 feet thick, most valuable.
At the monthly ballot for members, the following can-
didates were elected:—William Froude, John Taylor,
jun., and Edward Woods, as members; Charles Frods-
ham, J. B. Huntington, and the Rev. S. J. Rigaud, as
associates.

The following paper was announced to be road at the
meeting of April 21:—
No. 737. On the combustion of fuel under steam-
boilers, with a description of Bodmer's fire grate. By
J. G. Bodmer, M. Inst. C.E.

[ADVERTISE3IENT.]—THE EARL OF A LDBORMTGIT
AND HOLLOWAY'S PILLS.—An astounding cure by this miraculous
medicine, after every other means had failed. See extract of his
lordship's letter, dated Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1645 :
To Professor Holloway,—Sir, I beg to acquaint you that your
pills have effected a cure of a disorder in my liver and stomach,
Which all the most eminent of the faculty, at home and all over the
Continent, had not beau able to'rifect—nay, not even the waters of
Carlsoad or Alarienbad.—(Agned) Aldborough." These wonderful
Pills will cure any disease of the liver or stomach, Sold (also Hol-
loway's Ointment) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 944,
Otnuld, eud by 611 medicine Tenders throughout the elYilleed world,

PRICE SD.

a probability that a few hours will set us to right u,galste
It was not, however, the river Idle altogether, that
flooded Retford; to the east of the town, Scores of acres
were under water, which poured dotth from the Grove-
hills, and which in its course to the river lail part of
Moorgate under water, and doing great damage to the
forward gardens, most of which were fully set for a.
crop. The scene from the top of the tower at lietford
church was most singular; indeed Raiford itself seemed
an island, being nearly surrounded with water.' The
damages dune in Bassetlaw must be immense—large
tracts of fine corn land will be entirely ruined, it, is to
be feared, for the present season altogether. With re-
spect to the loss of life, we have heard of several pigs
and some horses and cattle being drowned, but not to
any serious extent. A man was found drowned yester-
day morning at Gainsborough-bridge; and we regret to
hear that a boat used for passing the Trent to an, ezier
holt, not far from Gainsborough, was earsz.,.,d about the
same time; and the whole or those on h'.-,aril, arampting
to thirty penons, instantly met a watny ;.,,rave.

We have been visited in thisBEVERLEY part of the couuntry by
_one.of the heayiest 'floods ever remetaloi•ed. Th 4 rain
began to descend hist Frijuy, and continued tdm-,st
without intermissitn fir upwards of eighty hours. The
consequence is, that thousan.ls of acres of land an! now
under water, a great number of lambs have been drowned,
and the spring corn, but recently sown, must nearly all
perish. The weather,(Wednesday) is still gloomy, and
gives indications of more ruin. '1 he high tides are just
commencing, and the river and drains,- already- 4111 to
overflowing, will, it is feared, burst through their em-
bankments, and the consequences which must then ensue
none can calculate. Occurring at this particular season
the year, the visitation is most ealamitons and %%ill be
very %idely Advertiser.