The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-17 00:00:00

greater regularity and economy, and the of the
locomotive engine, as compared with horse traction, became
more apparent. And it is a fact worthy of notice, that the
identical engines constructed by Mr. Stephenson are to be
seen in regular useful work upon the Killingworth Rail-
way, conveying heavy coal trains at the speed of between
five or six miles an hour, probably as economically as any
of the more perfect locomotives now in use.
" George Stephenson's idea was indeed at that time
(1825) regarded as but the dream of a chimerical projector.
It stood before the public friendless, struggling hard to gain
a footing, but scarcely daring to lift itself into notice for
fear of ridicule. The civil engineers generally rejected the
notion of a locomotive railway;- and when no leading man
of the day could be found to stand forward in support of
the Killingworth mechanic, its chances of success must
have been pronounced small. But, like all great truths,
the time was surely to come when it was to prevail.
" When such was the hostility of the civil engineers, no
wonder the reviewers were puzzled. The Quarterly, in an
able article in support of the projected Liverpool and Man-
chester Railway—while admitting its absolute necessity,
and insisting that there was no choice left but a railroad,
on which the journey between Liverpool and Manchester,
whether performed by horses or engines, would always be
accomplished within the day'—nevertheless scouted the
idea of travelling at a greater speed than oight or nine miles
an hair. Adverting to a project for forming a railway to
Woolwich, by which passengers were to be drawn by loco-
motive engines, moving with twice the velocity of ordinary
coaches, the reviewer observed What can be more pal-
pably absurd and ridiculous than the prospect held out
of locomotives travelling twice as fast as stage
coaches 1 We should as soon expect the people of
Woolwich to suffer themselves to be fired off upon one
of Congreve's ricochet rockets, as trust themselves to the
mercy of such a machine going at such a rate. We will
back Old Father Thames against the Woolwich Railway
for any sum. We trust that Parliament will, in all rail-
ways it may sanction, limit the speed to eight or nine miles
an hour, which we entirely agree with Mr. Sylvester is as
great as can be ventured on with safety.'
" By the end of 1828 the directors of the Liverpool and
Manchester Railway found they had expended £460,000
on the works, and that they were still far from comple-
tion. They looked at the loss of interest on this large
investment, and began to grumble at the delay. They
desired to see their capital becoming productive ; and
in the spring of 1829 they urged their engineer to push
on the' works with increased vigour. Mr. Cropper, one
of the directors, who took an • active interest in their pro-
gress, said to him one day, Now, George, thou must get
on with the railway, and have it finished without further
delay ; thou must really have it ready for opening by
the first day of January next.' Consider the heavy
character of the works, sir, and how much we have been
delayed by the want of money, not to speak of the wetness
of the weather :it is impossible.' Impossible 1' rejoined
Cropper; I wish I could get Napoleon to thee—he would
tell thee there is no such word as " impossible" in the vo-
cabulary.'Tush!' exclaimed Stephenson, with warmth;
' don't speak to me about Napoleon 1 Give me men, money,
and materials, and I will do what Napoleon couldn't do—
drive a railroad from Liverpool to Manchester over Chat
Moss I' And truly the formation of a high road over that
bottomless bog was, apparently, a far more difficult task
han the hewing even of• Napoleon's far-famed road across
he Simplon."

Rifle Volunteers. By Hans Busk, M.A.
Routledge.
This author has before written on the subject of
the rifle, but he now treats more particularly of the
Organisation of Volunteers and Volunteer Regi-
ments, their exercise in platoons, and all other
minutia ; and their availability to co-operate with
regular troops.

Rifle Clubs and Volunteer Corps. By W. H•
Russell. Routledge, Warne, and Routledge.
This is a small treatise on Rifle Clubs and Volun-
teers, with hints as to equipment, &c., and en-
deavours to show that with the present long
range rifle, yeomanry cavalry must be of little ser-
vice, and our national defence must be the rifle ill
case of invasion.

THE NEW COMMERCIAL POLICY 01

F. 12 AISTC.N.

(From the Manchester Examiner.)
It has been within our knowledge for some tilts
past that negotiations were going forward at Paris
for the purpose of arranging certain modifications
in the tariffs of the two countries with a view to
the extension of the commerce between thou,
though, till preliminary obstacles were overcome,
and the object was in a fair way of being realised
it was obviously undesirable, by a prematuril
discussion, to excite hopes which might after so
be disappointed. The necessity for such reserie
is now removed, and we may, therefore, state
that the Emperor's letter represents the complru
tion of an understanding between the Engles
and French Governments on this most important
subject, and that we are indebted for this row'
to the energetic and unwearied services of the hot
member for Rochdale. It is unnecessary to a",
whether Mr. Cobden went to Paris in a techniesl,l
official capacity; it is sufficient to say that, to tPt
best of our belief, he has been entrusted through°l34
with the entire confidence of the Government, an
that Parliament will soon be asked to sanction th64e
alterations in our own tariff which may be con,'
dered the counterpart of the Emperor's letter. j
• The most important of the meditafr.
changes are dismissed in briefer, but not less 17
phatic, terms. " Our foreign commerce
be developed by the exchange of prodov;11
How is this to be done ? In the first place, 0
" primary articles indispensable to industry" 64
to be admitted duty free. In this catego
must be placed cotton, wool, timber, ir°;
coal, and other kinds of raw produce. TM"' 14
preciEely the course adopted by Sir Rebe,e9,
Peel in 1842. Then the duties on sugar, 0134'
and other kinds of colonial produce are to be
duced. More important still is the entire suppr,4
sion of prohibitive duties, thereby offering to 00%
kinds of British goods a chance of getting into tPo
French market on terms which have hitherto btte
considered incompatible with the prosperity of Pie
French manufacturers. This intimation will a,
hailed as good news in Bradford, Leeds, and 11,110,
dersfield, even more, perhaps, than in Manches'ej
The precise nature and extent of the proPoo
changes will only be ascertained when the blot!
sanctioning them have passed the legislatuie,,flor
when the " commercial treaties" to which the
peror refers have been finally arranged. 011,`V
whole, we have never had a more delightful 00.
to discharge than has now devolved upon us in to
nouncing to our readers a policy so full of pro;0
for both nations. We accept it as an act of oblirod
for past bickerings, and as an augury of peace
prosperity for the future.