The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-22 00:00:00

WORKS OF THE CALEDONIAN

RAILWAY.

The progress and prospects of the new lines now under
construction has come to be a subject of great public interest
at the present moment. Befo.-e we undertake any of
the multitude of new schemes now projected, it becomes of
the very first importance that we should ascertain how far
we are in a position to complete the old, both as regards
capital and labour. We hear that already the calls are
coming in slowly, and as a consequence of this, the works
must inevitably go on slowly. We hear also that the exor-
bitant rise in the price of labour and materials is such, that
the labourers and " navies are beginning to think they
have now got railway contractors and proprietors at their
mercy ! If all this be true, then verily now is our time to
pause and count well the cost of our new enterprise ; not
certainly to fall into a f9olish panic, but to consider seriously
first, whether with the increased prices of labour and mate-
rial, arising from excessive demand, our new schemes will
be likely to pay us a remunerative dividend when made;
and, secondly, whether we shall have means at our command
so as to lie out of our money without inconvenience during
the tardy progre:s of such works as we shall resolve on
carrying through. At a time when many of the most fa-
voured lines in progress
are pinched for money, and at a sad
discount in price, it is
incumbent on every wise iran to
colvit the cost and the gain, not in vulgar panic, but in plain
prudence.
The works of the Caledonian Railway were commenced
last autumn. The contractors are Messrs. Stephenson, Bras-
soy, and Mackenzie, who, it is understood, are bound by their
contract to have the line completed in two and a hale years
from the passing of the Act of incorporation. At a late
meeting of the shareholders, the chairman of the directors
held out a hope that the line would be opened for traffic by
Midsummer of 1847, but judging from the present state of
the works there does not appear much probability of com-
pleting it for at least two years to come. In ordinary times
the chairman's prophecy, backed by the skill and persever-
ance of the contractors, might have been fulfilled, but now
when labour is in such demand, when the "navies" are dic-
tating their own terms, and when, in short, every item of
expenditure in the construction of railways is so largely
increased, contractors are less able to concentrate masses of
men on so many given points, a system of working which
has been the great secret of the wonderful progress made
in the construction of modern railways. In the first twenty
miles north of Carlisle, little or nothing has been done
except the mere staking out the line and breaking
ground. At Lockerby, 24 miles from Carlisle, the works are
commenced in earnest, and already hills have disappeared,
and high embankments rear their heads. From Lockerby to
Mid-Annandale very great progress has been made, and
many miles of the line are in a forward state. Here one is
struck with the numerous cuttings and high embankments;
being of a very undulating de-
the country, although open,
de-
scription. From Mid-Annandale to Beatock:-bridge little has
been done, but there appear to be no very difficult points.
A little distance beyond Beatock-bridge the difficult pact of
the work commences, and fur 30 miles the line traverses a
country of the most formidable arid forbidding character;
indeed, to the eye of the traveller, the attempt to make a
railway there appears almost wild and visionary. The line,
however, is most judiciously selected, and speaks highly fir
the skill and ability of the engineers, Messrs. Locke- and
Lrrington. It skirts the sides of the hills, and wends its
way through the glens and passe; in a wonderful manner, and
still it has been found necessary to make one continuous in-
cline for nearly 25 miles, in some places as steep even as one
in five, Throughout the entire length of the line the greatest
attention appears to be paid to the comfort and convenience
of the labourers.

RAILWAY NOTICES.
The following circular of statistical requirements has been
forwarded to all the railways now in operation :
" Ordered—That there be laid before this Committee a re-
turn from each railway company, showing—
" 1. The length of the main line, and the total cost of
constructing the same.
" A statement of the cost under the following heads

v::.-

" a. Cost of land, or sums paid for land.
" b. Cost of engineering, or sums paid to the engineers
employed in laying out and constructing of the line.
" c. Cost of Parliamentary expenses, including the whole
sums expended in getting the Act under which the line has
been made.

" d. Sums expended on the construction of the works, dis-
tinguishing the costs of rails from the other expenses.
" e. Cost of the machinery, such as locomotive engines,
carriages, trucks, &c., employed in working the line, as well
for the conveyance of goods as of passengers.
" 2. A statement setting forth the Acts of Parliament or
authority under which, and the mode in which the capital
laid out on the main line, anti on the machinery for working
the same, has been raised ; specifying the sums received
at different times by the sale or allocation of shares, by
loans, and otherwi,e; and specifying the rates of interest
annually paid on the loans, the dates when the loans were
contracted, and the periods for which they were contracted.
" 3. A statement of the rates of tolls per mile authorised
in the Act establishing the company to be levied on the p.;s-
sengers, and on the various descriptions of animals and goods
conveyed along the line or any part thereof.
" A statement showing the rates of charge per mile that
have actually been levied on passengers, and on the various
descriptions of animals and goods conveyed by the line since
its opening, specifying the exact periods when any altera-
tions (if any) have been made in such rates of charge, and
the extent of such alteration.
"4 A statement of the entire expense of working the line
in each year, since opening, so far as is practicable; also the
legal and Parliamentary expenses incurred by the company,
specifying how much of the latter in each year has been in-
curred in opposing other lines.
" 5. A statement of the annual expense incurred in main-
tenance of way, showing whether the same has been per-
formed under contract, and if so, specifying the duration of
such contract ; and showing also whether any portion of that
expense, and if any, how much, has been added to the capital
of the company.
"6. A statement of the revenue annually derived from the
line, distinguishing the amount received for the conveyance
of passengers from that received for the conveyance of goods,
and specifying the number of each class of p issengers car-
ried, the rates at which they were carried, and the revenue
annually derived from each class; and specifying also the
number of each description of animals, and the number of
tons of goods annually conveyed along the line.
"7. A statement showing the number of trains per diem
that carry third-class passengers, the hours at which such
trains depart from each terminus, the rate of speed per hour
at which they travel, and whether the carriages are covered
and provided with seats.
"8. A statement showing whether the Company has car-
ried coal; and if it has done so, showing the quantity car-
ried each year since the opening of the line; and whether
the company has carried it in their own trucks, or allowed it
to be carried by other parties, charging them with toll ; arid
the average distance to which coal has been conveyed along
the line.
" 9. A statement showing the average expense per mile
of working each train (meaning by train a greater or less
number of carriages, vans, and trucks, drawn or impelled by
a whichsin thegleloeomotiveengine), and the different rates of speed
at different trains travel along the line ;
talniedo of the wear and tear of
otherria items of expense.
whether the charges for the
egaulirs
oigi.tegsAtahsnetdacteo:silltgi
lifet
sc ofrkoem,
showing
conveyance of goods on the line are uniform to all parties
specifying the exact nature and
" 11. A statement showing the total amount of the public
euxsitnegntt the
tsiajem(eii;fre andre uc if
es trot,
charge.
and parochial taxes annually paid by the company.
" 12. A statement showing whether the company's main
line has any branches or subsidiary lines attached to it; and
if so, stating the name and length of each, the cost of con-
structing, arid how the money for the same was raised, so far
as is practicable.
" 13. A statement showing whether the company's main
or any of its branch or subordinate lines have been extended;
and, if such has been the case, showing the length and cost
of each such extension, and the date when it was opened.
" JAMES MORRISON, Chairman."

NEW POST-OFFICE ARRANGEMENTS WITH
BADEN.
The following notice was on Saturday issued from the
General Post-office:—
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC AND INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL POST-
KASTERS, SUB-VOSTIIASTERS, AND LETTER RECEIVERS.
" General Post-otrice, April, 181(3.
" On and after the Ist of May next, the rates of plstage
due to France and Bade❑ on letters sent through France,
between tha United Kingdom and Baden, will be reduced
from 8,1. to ,td. on each single later. No alteration will
take place in the present British rates of postage on these
letters.

"The British and Foreign rates must be combined and
taken on the sames principle as that adopted for letters ad-
dressed to France, as shown as follows:
COMBINED BRITISH AND FOREIGN RATES OF A LISTTER.
"Weighing under a quarter of an ounce—British, 5d.;
Foreign, 4d.; total to destination; 9d.
" Weighing a quarter of an wince, and not exceeding half
An ounce—British, 5d.; Foreign, Bd.; total to destination,
is. Id.

"Exceeding half an ounce, and under three-quarters of
an ounce—British, 10d.; Foreign, Is.; total to destination,
Is. 10d.

" Weighing three-quarters of an ounce,
.and not exceeding ;
one ounce—British, 10d.; Foreign, ls. 4d total to destina-
tion, 2s. 2d.

" Exceeding one ounce, and under one ounce and a quar-
ter—British, Is. Bd.; Foreign, Is. BJ. ; tutal to destination,
3s. 4d.

"The payment of postage on these letters is optional, but
the letters must be either forwarded unpaid, or the whoki
postage to destination, both British Lnd Foreign, must be
paid in advance. . .

"By command of the Postmaster-General,
" NV. L. MABERLY, Secretary."

ANOTHER COAL-MINE EXPLO-

BILSTO:s1 SION.
morning a secone. explosion took place in the mine of Messrs.
, STA....''ORDSIIIRE, MONDAY EVENING. This
Benton and Pemberton, where the five men lost their lives
last week.
It appears that about six o'clock this morning three men
went down the pit, and that one of; them, a man named
Dyke, took the safety-lamp, and proceeded all round the
candlesa fe, the
workings of the pit ; everything appeared safe. After some
necessary preparations had been made for the purpose of
forcing air into a part of the mine which had been worked
took
through the solid coal into a gate-road at the back, a man
named Roberta proceeded into the opening for the purpose of
showing Dyke some work to be executed. The latter per-
suaded him not to go, but the former assuring him all was
ttrieoyplrziceeded up the mine, Robertscarbryekr:rgeaannaekxed.
plosion
by which both
place, not proceeded many yardswere very seriously in-
jured, so much so, that doubts are entertained as to whether
Roberts will recover.
The purpose of the men going into the mine was to pre-
pare it for work, by forcing air into an excavation, in order
that the combustible matter might be driven out. Hence
this second catastrophe.

A CANDIDATE. FoR MATRIMONY. —lt is wonderful
where dreams of ambition will sometimes operate. A country youth,
of rather rustic features, and of shape and dimensions to correspond,
called at our office the other day, and with becoming sincerity ex-
pressed his wish to obtain the addresses of the beautiful and wealthy
Parisian widows, who were lately noticed in our columns as drival
to the sad resource of having to advertise for husbands. We infer
French metropolis
that his intention was to offer himself to the notice of these sighing
"nth matrons, but as they had not advertised their wishes in our
Pages. we (evidently to his chagrin) could not give our vision-che-
rishing swain the information lie desid. rated. We do not suppose
that he will be, in reality, much of a loser on this account ; but un-
llg the impassioned confessions of their bumble, but undaunted ad-
mirer, the ladies have lost an excellent apprae d Tire by miss-
mirer, whose dreams of connubial bliss and elevated station in the
rage.-3fanchester Eeunti
for use in a few month.,
THE ELECTRIC I'ELEc RAPLI--This astonishing means
of rapid communication is to be applied not only to the whole of the
Midland Rahway, but
have inspired him with more than ordinary cou-
to the York and Scarborough line, and the
time. T
whole line from York to New castle. The necessary apparatus is
now in the course of erection, and we believe the whole will be ready
and York w 11 he apparatus from London to Leeds
probably be pie e com td in the course of a few weeks.—
Ledo ItOciiPnrer.