The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-19 00:00:00

return from India, by Lieutenant-General Sir John
Fi•zg. K.C.B.
Captai:, E li_.gton, Coldstream tytiarct3, on appointment
as Adjutant, by Col. Walton.
Captain Ki• Illand, Coldstream Guards, on promotion, by
Col. W:iltbn.
Captain Hamilton, Adjutant Royal East Middlesex
Militia, on his appointment, by Col. Wood, M.P.
Captain IL Bridges, 47th Regiment, on his return from
foreign service, by Gen. Sir Wm. Anson, K.C.B.
Captain George Ponsorby Hume, 58th Regiment, by
Gas. Maitland.
Captain R. H. S. Jackson, on appointment to the Adju-
taney of the Durham Militia, by the Earl of Had-
dington.
Captain Arnold Rawson Wilson, 14th Regiment, Bom-
bay Native Infantry, by Sir Henry Willock, Chairman
of the Court of Directors.
Captain Lumley, Bth Regiment, by Gen. Sir H. Bayley.
Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. Percy Evans Freke, on promo-
tion by Viscount Hawarden.
Major Creagh, 81st Regiment, by Gen. Sir .Tames
Kempt, G.C.B.
Major John Gordon, 47th Regiment, by Gen. Sir Wm.
Anson, Bart.
Major Carvick, Royal East Middlesex Militia, on ap-
pointment, by Colonel Wood, M.P.
Major Mills, 3d West India Regiment, on promotion, by
Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Maxwell.
Lieutenant Colonel P. Dundas, 47th Regiment, by
General Sir W. Anson, Bart.
Col. Austen, M.P. for Kent, by the Earl of Delawarr.
Lieutenant-Colonel W. Wyllie, on receiving the Honour
of C.B , by Viscount Palmerston.
Lieutenant-Colonel Brandling, 2d West York Militia, on
promotion, by the Earl of Harewood.
Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis, Grenadier Guards, on pro-
motion, by Colonel Home.
Lieutenant-Colonel Matheson, on promotion, by General
Sir Willoughby Gordon.
Captain Christie, 13th Prince Albert's Light Infantry,
on promotion, by his father, Colonel Sir Archibald
Christie,
Captain Carlton, South Notts Yeomanry Cavalry, by
Lord J. Manners.
Lieutenant Frederick Campbell, Royal Navy, by the
Hon. Edmund Phipps.
Commander William Loring, on appointment to her
Majeoty's ship Scout, by his father, Rear-Admiral Sir
J. Wentworth Loring.
Cornet R. R Wilford Brett, Bombay Cavalry, by Lieut.-
General Sir Robert Arbuthnot, K.C.B.
Ensign E. B. Hart, 65th Regt., on appointment, by
Lieut.-General Sir Jonn Browne, K.C.H.
Ensign King, 3d Food, by his father, Major-General Sir
Henry
Ensign C. P. Bengne, on appointment to the 84th Regt.,
by the Earl of Haddington.
Ensign Edward A. Lynch, 13th or Prince Albert's
Light Infantry, on appointment, by Lieut.-Colonel
Squire.
Lieut. Henry Landor Thuillier, Bengal Artillery, by
Lord Charles Beauclerk.
Colonel, the Hon. George Cathcart, Deputy-Lieutenant
of the Tower, by the Duke of Wellington.
Captain Hinde and Lieut. W. P. Snell, by Colonel
Wood.
Rear-Admiral Roes, Captain Buckle, on his promotion
and return from foreign service, and Lieut. G. Great-
head, by Sir G. Cockburn.
Cornets E. A. Breedon, Lord 0. Fitz-Gerald, and W.
J. aambier' by Colonel Bodverie.
Lieuts. C. H, Nugent, S. St. John, Armit, Phillpots, E.
Belfield, and C. Chesny, by Sir J. Burgoyne.
Majors Hatfield, P. Cauntly, and D. Swart, Captains
W. Lower, J. H. Rudd, Lieuts. Jones, G. Striven,
Kinkead, and H. Hammond, and Doctors H. Falconer,
and Peterkin, by Lord Ripen.
Lieut. Colonel Crawford, on return from Mauritius ;
Captains Riddell and Boyce, on their promotion,
Lieuts. J. Lugg, S. Singleton, G. Fraser, W. Hardy
and J. Bolton, Doctor W. Mackictosh, on return from.
foreign service, and Mr. Gilborne, by Sir G. Murray.
Lieut.-Colonel Brough, by Sir J. Kemp.
Lieut. Henderson, on his return from Canada, by J. Bur-

goyne.
Lieut. Cox, on return from India, by Sir J. Macdonald.
Lieut. Cubitt, by Lord Bloomfield.
Lieut -Colonel E. W. Bray, on promotion and return
from India ; Cal:rains G. Falcon, on appointment to the
Royal Sovereign Yacht; Sir T. Herbert, on appoint-
ment to her Majesty's ship Raleigh, and Robb, on ap-
pointment to her Majesty's ship Gladiator; Com-
manders J. Ellman, W. Crooke, Sir W. Wiseman, and
C. Beddoes, on their promotion; W. Maitland, on ap-
pointment; W. Johnstone, on return from experimental
squadron; and R. Hewlett, on promotion and ap-
pointment; Lieutenants W. Perceval, Tonge, W. Her-
bert, and E. Bray, by Lord Ellenborough.
At the Levee, the Earl of Egmont presented an Ad.
dress from the county of Surrey; and the Earl of Strad-
broke 137 petitions from Suffolk praying for coLtinued
protection to British Agriculture.
After the Levee, Earl Granville had an audience of
the Queen, and delivered to her Majesty the Ensigns of
a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, worn
by his late father.
Viscount Canning had an audience of her Majesty,
and delivered to the Sovereign the Ensigns of a Knight
Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, worn by the late
Lord Stuart de Rothesay.

Tne queen gave audience to Sir Robert Peel.
The severe and continued illness of the American
Minister prevented his attendance at the Levee yes-
terday.
_ _

Ile-r Majesty and Prince Albert, attended by the
Royal Suite, returned to Buckingham Palace after the
Levee.

Mr. Shephard, with Mr. Miller, had the honour of an
audience of his Royal Highness Price Albert, by com-
mand, at Buckingham Palace, yesterday morning, for
the purpose of exhibiting a model of a self-locking gate,
adapted to palaces, country seats, fortifications, rail-
ways, &c. His Royal Highness was pleased to express
his approbation.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her
Majesty yesterday. The Queen had a dinner party yes-
terday evening at Buckingham Palace. The invitations
included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the
Duchess of Buccleuch, the Archbishop of Canterbury
and Mrs. Howley, his Excellency Count Pollen, the
Marquis of Abercorn, Lord John Russell, Earl Cawdor,
Earl of Morley, Lady Fanny Howard, Colonel the Right
Hon. G. L. Dawson Darner, Hon. Bingham Baring,
Baroness de Speth, and the Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie
Courtenay.
The band of the Coldstream Guards, led by Hr. God-
frey, was in attendance at the palace during dinner, and
performed the following pieces:—
Overture, " Maritana, —W. V. Wallace.
Valse, " Fleur de Marie,"—Barrett.
Grand Selection from Don Carlos,—Costa.
Original Polonaise,—Jullien.
Vaudalia, " Mecklenburgisches Volkshid,"—Oertzen.
Marsch,—Von Scharda.

The Chevalier de Ribeiro, presented by his Excel-
lency the B iron de Moncorvo yesterday at the Queen's
Levee as Secretary of Legation, held the same appoint-
ment, as also that of Portuguese Charge d'Affaires, in
this country a few years ago.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a
general meeting yesterday, at the office in W hitehall-
place. There were present the Archbishop of Canter-
bury, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Carlisle, the
Bishop of Chichester, the Bishop of Ely, the Bishop of
Oxford, the Bishop of Rochester, the Earl of Bess-
borough, and the Right Hon. Sir George Grey.

REPORT OF THE GAUGE COM.

MTSSIONERS.
[PRESENTED TO BOTII BOtTSi2B OF PARLIAAIENT BY CON

MANI) Ot' HER MAJESTY.]

THE ROYAL POLYTECHNIC
INSTITUTION.

We arc glad to find that the spirited directors of this
most excellent establishment have determined upon try-
ing,.on a very large scale, the merits of Coleman's loco-
motivesscend ing
erected
t edescendingthe
l oinclined-
planes. e n
Theygine
hfoavre
therefore,
le ry of the institution a railway with a gradient of one
in ten, and extending the whole length of the building.
This is, in our opinion, a very judicious step, as it will
enable engineers and others to form a better estimate of
the merits of the invention; we are glad to learn, also,
that the building is to be very much increased iu magni-
tude, so as to enable the directors to pay more attention
than hitherto they have done to the subject of steam
locomotion.
The lectures on general chemistry, by the chemical
lecturer, Dr. Ryan, are at this season of the year ex-
tremely attractive and various, drawing, as usual, crowded
audiences both at the day and nightly exhibitions. Dr.
Bachhoffner also continues to attract crowds of admirers
to his beautiful lectures on natural philosophy. Nor
must we neglect to refer to the school of Steam Navi-
gation under Dr. Ryan, attended at this moment by
great number of our naval officers of the highest rank,
The school also for railway engine-drivers is numerously
attended. This is certainly a class worthy of all com-
mendation, as it enables us to obtain as drivers men of
good education and sound practical knowledge.

May it please your tlie Commissioner Appointed by
writ, under your Majasty's privy seal, hearing date the Ilth of July,
in the ninth year of your 'Majesty's reign, to inquire whether, in
tureprivate Acts of Parliament for the construction of railways, pre-
vision ought to be made for securing an iinifo:m gatige, and whether
it would be expedient and practicable to take measures to bring the
railways already constructed, or in progress of construction, in Great
Britain, into unitbrtnity of gauge, and to inquire whether any other
mode could be adopted of obviating or mitigating the evil apprehended
as likely to arise from the break that will oceur in railway cothitunl-
cations from the want of an uniform gauge, beg dutifully to submit
that we have culled before us such persons as we have judged to be,
by reason of their situation, knowledge, or experience, the most com-
petent to afford us correct infcrmation on the subject of this inqury,
and we have required the production of such books and documents,
from the various railway companies, as appear to us to be the best
calculated to aid our researches.

We have personally examined into the usual course of pro-
ceeding on various railways both at home and abroad, espe-
cially those which are incident to a break, or interreption of
gauge; and we have personally inspected several locomotive engines,
as well as mechanical contrivances invented, either for the general
use of railways, or for obviating the special difficulties presumed to
arise from the break of gauge, or otherwise connected with the sub-
ject of our inquiry ; and as we believe we have now carried our in-
vestigation to the utmost useful limits, we feel in a position dutifully
to oiler to your Majesty the following report:—
I. Our attention was first directed to ascertain whether the break
of gauge could be justly considered as an inconvenience of so much
importance as to demand the interference of the Legislature.
Gloucester is the only place where a break of gauge actually exists
at the present time. It is caused by the meeting at that place of
the broad or 7 feet gauge with the narrow or 4 feet 834 -inch gauge.
There are other points, however, where a transfer of goods occurs
similar to that which must result from a break of gauge, and per-
sons well acquainted with railway traffic have no difficulty in fore-
seeing the nature of the ineonvenieuce that would arise from any
further intermixture of gauge ; and we humbly submit the obser-
vations that occur to us as to the whole of Ms important part of
the question.
We will divide the subject of the break of gauge under the follow-
ing heads :-
Ist, As applying to fast or express trains;
2dly, To ordinary or mixed trains ;
idly, To goods trains ; and
4thly, To the conveyance of your Majesty's forces.
1. Fast or express trains.
We believe that the inconvenience produced by a break of gauge
will, in some respects, be less felt in these than in other trains, be-
cause the passengers travelling by fast trains are usually of a class

who readily submit to many inconveniences for the sake of increased
speed on the journey, and who are, perhaps, generally less encum-
bered with luggage than persons travelling by the slower trains ; and

as it is understood to be the general practice that no private carriages
or horses are conveyed by these trains, the inconveniences of a break
or gauge are reduced lu this instance to the removal of the passengers
and a moderate quantity of luggage; and although such removal
must create delay and some confusion, as well as personal discom-
fort, especially at night and in the winter season, besides the risk of
a loss of luggage, yet we de not consider the break of gauge in this
instance as being an inconvenience of so grave a nature as to call for
any legislative measures, either for its removal or for its mitigation.
2. Ordinary or mixed trains.

In these trains the passengers considerably exceed in number those
who travel by the fast trains, and they have generally a much
greater quantity of luggage. To such travellers a change of carriage
is really a serious inconvenience, and it is a well-known fact that
persons travelling by railways in communication with each other,
but under different managements, endeavour to make such arrange-
ments as to admit of their travelling by those trains which afford
them the accommodation of occupying the same carriage from the
beginning to the end of the journey.
The managers and directors of railways are well aware of this
feeling, and in some instances where they do not allow their car-
riages to run through, yet with a view of diminishing the incon-
venience to which this exposes their passengers, they send a luggage
van from terminus to terminus, to prevent the evil of a removal of
the passengers' luggage; and some railway companies incur con-
siderable expense in running trains of return empty carriages, in
order to accommodate the public by enabling travellers to avoid a
change of carriage on the journey.
It is by the ordinary or mixed trains that private carriages and
horses are conveyed, and the removal of either from one truck or
horse-box to another, at any part of the journey, would be attended
with inconvenience and delay; and with regard to the horses, it
would involve considerable risk.

We arrive, therefore, at the conclusion, that the break of gauge
would inflict considerable inconvenience on travellers by the trains
non under consideration; and that this inconvenience would be much
increased at points of convergence of more than two lines.
The change of carriages, horse-boxes, and trucks, and the trans-
ference of luggage of an entire train of much extent, must, even in
the day-time, be an inconvenience of a very serious nature; but at
night, it would be au intolerable evil; and we think legislative inter-
ference is called for to remove or mitigate such an evil.
3. Goods trains.

From the statements made to us by carriers on railways, and from
our own observatit.n, we are induced to believe that not only a con-
siderable degree of care, judgment, and experience are necessary in
the stowage of merchandise in railway waggons, but also that it is
desirable that, when properly packed, the articles should, generally
speaking, not be disturbed until the journey is completed. We find
that in the arrangement of merchandise the heavier goods are placed
at the bottom, and the lighter at the top of the load, and so secured
as to prevent friction, as far as practicable, from the jolting of the
waggons : and it is considered very desirable, with a view to prevent
loss by pilfering, that the sheeting which is placed over the load
should not be removed till the completion of the journey. Indeed,
acting upon this principle, carriers find it profitable to send their
waggons partially filled from various stations on the line, thereby in-
creasing their toll to the railway company, rather than incur the risk
of loss by theft, to which they would be exposed by uncovering the
waggons on the journey, to fill up with intermediate local goods
wogg ns that may have started with light loads from one of the
termini.

The stations for re-arranging the goods trains are therefore as few
as possible; thus, between Leeds and London, the points for un-
sheeting the goods waggon are only Derby and Leicester, and be-
tween Liverpool and London, the re-arrangement is confined to
Birmingham and Rugby, and even at those stations the proportion of
waggons which are uncovered is very small ; indeed it is stated that
at the important town of Birmingham five-sixths of the waggons
pass without arrangement.
In the conveyance of machinery and articles of a similar class,
which are both heavy and delicate, it Is of the utmost consequence
that the load should not be disturbed between the beginning and the
end of the journey ; a change of carriage, such as would result in
all probability from a break of the gauge, would altogether prevent
the transport of such articles by this mode of conveyance.
We believe that the traffic upon the line of railway between Bir-
mingham and Bristol has been greatly restricted by the interruption
of the gauge at Gloucester.

In respect to the conveyance of minerals, the Inconvenience of a
break of gauge would be very serious; the transfer being attended
with an expense which would be sensibly felt in consequence of the
low rate of tolls charged on such articles; moreover, many descrip-
itons of coal, such as a considerable proportion of that of the midland
counties, are subject to great deterioration by breakage.
In regard to various articles of agricultural produce, the loss by re-
moval would be less than on other classes of goods ; much incon-
venience, nowever, would be found in the traasfcr of timber ; and the
difficulty in shifting cattle would be so great as to present an insur-
mountable obstacle to such an arrangement, from the excited state
of the animals after travelling by railway, and the reatztanee they in
consequence offer when it is attempted to force them a second time
into a railway waggon.
4. Conveyance of troops.
There is another use of railways which we have deemed it neces-
sary to consider; we allude to the transport of your Majesty's troops,
with their military stores, &c., either in the ordinary movements of
corps through the country, in the time of peace, or in the more
pressing and urgent case of their movements for the defence of the
coast, or of the interior of the country.
We have carefully weighed the important information given to us
by the Quarter-Mastei-General of your Majesty's Forces, as well as
by the Inspector-General of Fortifications, both officers of great ex-
perience ; and we deduce from their opinions, that although a break
of gauge, on the line of route, would product both delay and con-
fusion, yet, that min time of peace it is usually practicable to give
notice of the intended movements of a body of troops, the Inconve-
nience of the break of gauge might be so reduced as not to be an evil
of great importance; but in the event of operations for defensive
objects against au enemy, the inconvenience would assume a serious
character.

It would appear, that for the defence of the coast, the proper
course would be to retain the great mass of troops in the interior of
the country to wait until the point selected by the enemy for his
attack should be ascertained with certainty, and then to move upon
that point such au overwhelming lorce as should be adequate to the
emergency. _ _

It is obvious that the success of such a system of defence must
depend upon the means of conveying the troops with great diipatch,
and without interruption on the journey.
The troops should be carried with their equipments complete in
all their details, and with their artillery and ammunition ; and it
therefore appears indispensably necessary, in order to insure the re •
quisite supply of carriages, where perhaps little or no notice can be
given, that the whole should he conveyed in the same vehicles from
the beginning to the end of the journey.
The effect of a break of gauge might, in this view of the case, ex-
pose the country to serious danger.
To all classes of merchandise, as well as to all military operations
connected with railways, one general remark will apply—that, in
starting from any one point, it is usually practicable to obtain a suf-
ficient number of waggons for whatever may be required to leave
that point, however irregular the traffic may be; but the conver-
gence of several lines, where the greater number might be of a gauge
not corresponding to the gauge of the other lines, if it happened that
all were unusually loaded at the same time, it would probably be
impossible to provide on the latter an adequate number of waggons
to carry eff all the loads thus brought ; the alternative would be, on
the ono hand, to submit to great confusion, delay, and inconveni-
ence, on all the converging lines having the majority on the same
gauge • or, on the other hand, to maintain on the lines being In the
minority a very extensive stock of carriages, which in general would
be totally useless.
There is one point which forcibly presses on our attention, and the

OFFICIAL TRAVELLING.—It being considered, with
reference to the great reduction which has taken place in
the expense of travelling in the United Kingdom, conse-
quent upon the introduction of steam vessels and the forma-
tion of railways, that the existing regulations under which
mileage allowances have been granted, both to superior and
inferior officers of the revenue, are no longer applicable, it
has been determined that such allowances shall be in future
discontinued, and ordered that in lieu thereof tie actual
and necessary expenses only be allowed ; and that in cases
where the officers proceed by railroad or steam vessels, which
they arc to do in all cases when practicable, superior offi-
cers are to be allowed first-class cabin and railroad carriage
fares and their day pay; and inferior officers, second-class
accommodation by such conveyances. It has not at present
been deemed expedient to disturb the existing rates of tra-
vellit g allowances to officers of the coast- gard, other than
to direct that the half-mileage allowances to officers of that
branch of the service, travelling by water, be extended to
conveyances by railroad.
A memorial, numerously signed by the tenant•farmers
of East, West, and Mid Lothian, has been addressed to Sir
Robert Peel, with a view to obtaining the power of con-
verting money-rents into grain-rents.— Cialedonian Mercury.
lloyErt CLIFFS.—The late heavy rains having de-
tached small portions of the cliff overhanging the bottom of
Snargate-street and the Admiralty-yard, a memorial, signed
by several of the inhabitants, was sent to Captain Mercer,
R N., who forwarded the same with a representation to the
Admiralty. The cliff has been surveyed by the Board of
Ordnance, and we understand it is proposed to scrape off
about 40,000 tons of chalk.--Maidstone Journal.
Sia ROGER DE COVERLEY.—Among the celebrated
characters who have rendered the reign of the Merry Mo-
narch so brilliant for wit and gallantry, the famous
" Beauties" of the Court figure prominently in the ani-
mated narrative now before the public, under the title of
" Sir Roger de Coverlcy, a Tale of the Court of Charles II."
By the author of the much-admired work, " Maids of
Honour." The amiable, yet amusing, Queen Catherine, of
Braganza, of course, heads the list, which boasts of the
names of the Duchesses of Cleveland, Portsmouth, Rich-
mond, Mazarin, and Buckingham; the Countesses of Dor-
set, Southesk, Ossory, Rochester, and Falmouth ; the La-
dies Bellasis and Sunderland ; and the equally celebrated
Nell Gwynne, Moll Davis, Venetia Digby, Arabella
Churchill, and La Belle Jenninge.

truth of which must be readily acknowledged, but of which
the importance is not at first equally obvious; it is, that the greater
part of the inconveniences to which we have alluded, are not incon-
veniences of rare occurrence, and which would affect only a small
number of persons, but, on the contrary, that many of them would
occur several times in the course of every day, to a great number of
persons, at each point at which a break of gauge might exist. The
cumulative amount of such inconvenience would of necessity be very
considerable, and we feel bound to sum up our conclusions, by stating
that we consider a break of gauge to be a very serious evil.
11. We are now brought to the second stage of our inquiry, which
is, to discover the means of obviating or mitigating the evil that we
find to result from the break of gauge.
The methods which have been laid before us, as calculated for this
purpose, are as follow:-
1. What may be termed telescopic axles; an arrangement of the
wheels and axles of carriages, permitting the wheels to slide on the
axle, so as to contract or extend the interval between them in such
a manner, that they may be adapted to either of the gauges.
2. A form of truck adapted to the broad gauge, but carrying upon
its upper surface pieces of rail 4 feet 83! inches asunder, so that a
narrow gauge carriage may be run upon these rails without any dis-
turbance of its wheels.
3. A method of shifting the bodies of carriages from a platform
and set of wheels, adapted for one gauge, to a different platform and
Set of wheels, adapted to the other gauge.

4. A proposal to carry merchandise and minerals in loose boxes,
which may be shifted fromone truck to another, and of which one
only would probably be carried upon a narrow gauge truck, while two
would be conveyed on a broad gauge truck.
flinrstifsifaiptpaldiemiatitotend,
tohfe easiestbingused
safely of
all. By the operations of detaching the wheels from one limiting
. O
andf theesxetveanrsiiovusely, methods,would the
be, ill
hold, of pushing the carriage along converging or diverging rails,
until its wheels were brought to the required width, and of then con-
necting them by another limiting hold, the transformation of the
narrow gauge carriage to the broad gauge carriage, or vice versa,
would be completed. But this construction is liable to grave ob-
jections. It is stated to us as a matter of experience (and we believe
it admits of satisfactory explanation), that a very small unsteadiness
of the wheels of a railway carriage upon the axle renders the carriage
liable to run off the rails. A far more serious objection, however, is,
that the safety of a carriage, and Om whole train with which it is
connected, would depend upon the care of the attendant, who has to
make the adjustments of the axle-slide.
It is true that there are other cases, as in the attendance on the
switches and signals, which depend upon the care of the person who
is stationed to work them ; but the circumstances differ very widely.
In these cases, the attendant has a single act to perform (or at the
utmost, two acts only), he is not hurried, and his whole attention is
concentrated on very simple duties.
In respect to the shifting axles, the attendant would have to adjust
a great many carriages in succession (as there are sometimes a hun-
dred waggons in a goods train), the adjustment must be made hur-
riedly, and often in the night; and the attendant's thoughts would
probably have been partly occupied with the loading of goods, and
other station arrangements.
On tile score of danger, therefore, we think that this construction
must be at once abandoned. But we think it proper to add, that if
even there were no such essential ground of objection, a construction
of this nature could not be adequately useful, unless it were ex-
tended to every carriage which is like'y to pass the station where the
break of gauge occurs Under the existing system of interchange
of carriages, which is adopted by all the railway companies whose
lines communicate, and of which the advantages are recognised in
special clauses of the Acts of Parliament applying to several rail-
ways, carriages belonging to distant railways will frequently be
found at the place of junction of tile two gauges. This construction,
therefore, will lose much of its utility sinless every railway carriage
were made in conformity to it, that is, unless a vast expenditure of
capitol, and a corresponding annual expense in replacing worn.out
carriages, &c., were incurred even on railways very distant from the
break of gauge.

2. The plan of placing a narrow gauge carriage upon the top of a
broad gauge truck has, on the face of it, this obvious difficulty, that
a broad gauge carriage cannot he placed in the same manner upon
a narrow gauge truck, and -therefore, unless not only the broad
gauge railway, but also all others communicating with it, be flir-
nished with trucks proper for carrying narrow gauge waggons,
and with narrow gunge waggons also, and unless the loads
travelling towards the narrow gauge be placed only in those narrow
gauge waggons, the system affects nothing as regards the passage in
one direction But even with regard to the passage from the narrow
gauge to the broad gauge, the system will not bear examination. If
the trucks are supported on springs, there is practically a difficulty in
running the waggons upon them ; and if they arc not supported on
springs, they will sustain great injury on the journeys. If they are
loaded singly there will be a great delay ; if they are ;laced in a row,
and the narrow gauge carriages are run through the whole series,
very great caution will be necessary to secure each carriage both in
front and in rear. When heavy loads are thus placed in elevated
positions, and when the security of each depends upon adjustments
hurriedly made, there will be the danger to which we have alluded
in noticing the first proposed construction. Finally, an enormous
amount of dead weight will be carried on the broad gauge line. We
reject this proposal as entirely inapplicable to the traffic of railways.
3, The System of shifting the bodies of carriages from road wheels

THE SUN, LOistDON, THITRSDAY EVENIN

to railway wheels is practised successfully in Franco, where the
diligences from Paris to distant towns, proceeding on road wheels
rroni the MesSagetio pf Paris ttt the rajtwtty.statiovi. aro. parried on
raiii4ay- thick as tar as Wuen and Orleans, and ate then
again placed on road wheels to continue their journey. At the le*
steeds of the French railways this system is safe, but we doubt
whether it would be safe with the speeds of the English railways.
Moreover, it deprives the railway system of one Of its greatest
donVenienees ; namely, its reatlinesS to febeite althoSt any number
Of passengers Without warning, and to carry them tti auk diStatice;
small or great. Carriers' carts are also conveyed (btit to ho great
amount) in the same manner. In France, as we understand, it is
not thought likely that the system will be in any degree retained
when those railways shall have been extended Anther. The same
reniarks, we conceive, would apply entirely, or in a great measure,
to similar proposals for the shifting of the bodies of railway car-
riages ; but as this plan has never been strenuously urged, it is un-
necessary to criticise it more minutely.
4. The system of conveying goods in loose boxes, carried upon
railway trucks, has been seriously discussed. It has been repeatedly
tried, and we are able therefore to give an opinion on it, founded on
experience. _ .

The result of this experience is, that is one instance of a temporary
character, where the whole operation was under the control of one
engineer, it succeeded; in other instances, although always under
the control of one engineer or one company, it has usually failed; and
these failures have occurred where, from the deterioration, caused
by hand-shifting, to the mineral conveyed, it was matter of anxiety
to avoid transference of the load, from one box or waggon to ano-
ther, and where no expense was sparedin the erection of machinery
proper for the transference of the loose boxes.
These failures, it is to be remarked, occurred in a traffic which is
comparatively regular, viz., that of coal ; in traffic of a less regular
character, the causes tending to produce failure would be very much
more numerous.
We consider that this method is totally inapplicable to remedy the
inconvenience of a break of gauge.
Some of the witnesses whom we have examined are of opinion
that there would be less difficulty in unloading the waggons of one
gauge, and placing the articles in waggons of the other gauge, by
having two rows of waggons cn the different gauges, marshalled
alongside of each other; but having witnessed this process at Glouces-
ter, we are of opinion that such a system Is totally inapplicable to an
extended traffic.
We sum up our conclusions en this head by stating our belief that
no method has been proposed to us which is calculated to remedy in
any important degree the inconveniences attending a break of gauge.
111. Considerations on the general policy of establishing an uni-
formity of gauge throughout the country.
We approach this momentous 'question with a full conviction of its
importance, and of the responsibility that rests upon it.
That an uniformity of gauge is now an object much to be de-
sired, there can, we think, be no question. In the earlier
period of the railway history of this country, the great
trunk lines vi ere so far separated .as to be independent of
each other, and, as it were, isolated in their respective dis-
tricts, and no diversity of gauge was then likely to interfere
with the personal convenience, or the commercial objects of the com-
munity; but now that railways are spreading in all directions, and
becoming interlaced with each other in numerous places, that isola-
tion is removed, that independence has ceased, and the time has ar-
rived when, if steps cannot be taken to remove the existing evil of
the diversity of gauge, at least it appears to us imperative that a
wider spread of this evil should be prevented.
If we bad to deal with a question not affecting the interests of par-
ties, who are not only unconnected, but who are opposed to each

other in a spirit of emulation, if not of rivalry ; or if we were deal-
ing with the property of the public, and not of private trading com-
panies, we should merely have to consider, whether that uniformity
of gauge which we deem to be so desirable, would be too dearly
purchased by an alteration of one gauge to suit the other, or of both
to some fresh gauge which might be considered preferable to either,

if any such there be.
Bat our position is different from this, since we have to consider
not only the relative length of the different systems, the comparative
mechanical efficiency of each, the general superiority of one above
the other, their adaptation to the wants of the country, and the pos-
sibility as well as the policy of a change, but also the pechntiary
means of effecting it. We have further to look to the consequencesef
an interruption of the traffic during the progress of an alteration.
There is still another view of the question, and that is, the expe-
diency of having, on lines of railway, additional rails, so as to afford
the facility of using engines and carriages on both gauges.
This expedient, in whatever form adopted, cannot be considered as
free from difficulties. If two rails, forming a narrow gauge way,
are placed between the two rails which form a broad gauge way, car-
riages of the different gauges may run in the same train, without
alteration even of their buffers, which in the ordinary construction
of the carriages correspond exactly on the broad and narrow gauges.
But the expense of whim insertion would probably be not lees than
that of an entire change of gauge, including, in the latter, the
change of engines and carrying stock ; and the complication which
it would introduce at the crossings might produce danger to rapid
trains, unless their speed were diminished, on approaching such
points. The difficulty of packing the rails, if longitudinal sleepers
were used, would also be much greater than if rails of only a single
single rail were inserted eccentrically in
gauge were employed. If a sin
a broad gauge way, so as to form, in conjunction with one of the
broad gauge rails, a narrow gauge way, the expense of the inser-
tion, and the danger of the crossings, as well as the difficulty of
packing the rails, would be somewhat diminished, but it would
be imprudent to run carriages of the different gauges in the
same train; and as it would probably be the policy of the railway
company to adopt for their own stock of engines only one of the two
gauges, and to Interpose those difficulties which amount to a prohibi-
tion of the use of other companies' engines, the inconveniences of a
break or gauge would exist in almost all their force at every junction
of a branch railway on a different gauge.
We consider, therefore, that the general adoption of such a system
ought not to be admitted.
We remark, however, that the difficulties to which we have al-
luded may be greatly diminished on any railway where the system
of combined gauges is cordially taken up by the company ; and we
think that great respect ought to be paid to the rights which the
companies may be supposed to possess in the systems which they
have devised or adopted. At the same time, we lay it down as the
first principle, that inter-communication of railways throughout the
country ought, if possible, to be secured. If, to obtain the last-men-
tioned object, it should be necessary to alter or make a change in
any existing railways, we think that it may be left as a matter of
ulterior consideration for the Legislature, whether in these limited
instances the combination of gauges may not be allowed.

Whatever may be the course which at the presenttime circum-
stances will permit, it will appear, from the opinion we have ex-
pressed, that we think, abstractedly, equalisation desirable ; and we
shall therefore proceed to consider what gauge would be best, in such
a system of equalisation.
We shall examine this :part of the question under the following
heads :
Ist. Safety.