The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-07 00:00:00

GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

The following report on the management of the Grand
Trunk Railway has been drawn up for the informa'ion of
the Liverpool shareholders:
On the opening of the spring trade of this year it came to
the knowledge of some of the Liverpool shareholders that
3,800 tons of railway iron were going out to Hamilton.
Shipowners were desirous of fixing at low rates to Quebec,
rather titan their vessels should proceed in ballast.
The attention of the London board was called to the high
railway rates fixed in Canada by the general manager, at
32,. 6 l. per ton ; but all the London board appeared to have
authority to do was to lower theta 59. per ton, viz., to
275. 61. per ton.
The letters of remonstrance on the subject were sent out
to Canada, and the general manager, who is also chief
engineer, reported that it was not worth taking at 275. 6(1.,
and, if engaged he must send it by water.
The gradients on the Grand Trunk are reported to be
very favourable, ruling about 1 in 160; the goods engines
should therefore haul, on a 5 feet 6 inch guage, 300 tons.
Hence the earnings per train mile would (at 275. 6,1. per
ton) be 155., while in England Bs. is the highest obtained,
and even that is not averaged.
The new general manager, moreover, pleadee, as an
excuse, that the iron would have to be forwarded in open
waggons, for which there was no back freight, although the
staple products exist in immense quantities, consisting of
flour, provisions, ashes, wheat, lumber, firewood, &e. Tar-
paulins do not appear to be used.
This extraordinary report necessarily led to an inquiry
into the antecedents of the new general manager, and the
efficiency of the plant, as well as the terminal accommoda-
tion at Quebec, the chief seaport of et.aatla. •
The present general manager is by profession a civil en-
gineer, and, in addition to his duties of chief engineer, he
has had delegated to him those also of general manager of a
line of 900 miles—duties totally incompatible with each
other.

A report on the efficiency of the plant was asked for, viz.,
the power of the engines, and the weight and capacity of
the goods waggons; also traffic retinas from each station.
This information has been promised, and is weekly expected.
At Qoebec no accommodation for shipping in connection
with the railway had been provided beyond a small wharf
for the passenger ferry boat, at Point Levi, consequently
this section of the line remains comparatively useless for
merchandise.

Further examination into the details of management
led to the discovery of an agreement entered into with
the Ocean Steam Company, which actually reversed the
order of charging by the usual railway classification, taking
measurement goods in winter from Portland at the rate of
123. Gd. per ton of4o cubic feet, while "weight" was charged
at 20s. per ton of 2,240 lbs.
This agreement also enter?, into terms for through rates
during open navigation, purporting to be via Quebec, but
in reality ignoring Quebec as the ocean terminus, and com-
mencing at Montreal, by carting measurement goods from
the wharf to the Point Charles station, and charging from
thence to Toronto, only 12s. Gd. on measurement goods, but
keeping up 255. on dead weight—here again reversing the
order of commercial usage.
The steamers charge 603. f►r measurement goods, the
value of which varies from ,tl5O to V. 90 per ton, requir-
ing. as is well known to all, an extra freight on railways,
on account of bulk and extra waggons, as well as liability
to damage; while common iron, of the value of £8 to £l2
per ton, does not require extra waggons, and is not liable
to damage. The ocean freight of iron to Quebec varies
from Es. to 155., and to Montreal from 15s. to 30s. pa. ton.
The inquiry was then extended to the general rates to the
public from Montreal to Toronto, and those, according to
advertisement, were equal to 38s. fur first class, 325. Gd. for
second class, and 275. 61. for third class, rates double those
charged by river steamers, and of course prohibitory.
In the classification of goods tLe following, among many
incongruities, appear :-
Ist Class.—Nuts, feathers, machinery, fars, atcl wrapping
paper, are all charged alike.
2d Class.—Axes, cassis, brimstone, tea, printing paper,
kc., are all charged alike.
31 Class.—Gas-pipes and manufactured tobacco are both
charged alike. _

4th Class.—Chalk, coffee, clay, rice, pig iron, and wool,
are all charged alike.
From the above it will be seen that common wrapping
paper is charged higher that the expensive printing paper
it covers, while nuts, feathers, and fare are classed with
machinery.
Such are the facts ascertained from doenmentary evidence,
and from them the shareholders need scarcely he surprised
at the results of the traffic, or the fixed expenditure esta-
blished, affording, as they do, sefficient evidence that a re-
organisation of the whole s)stern is required by a general
manager practically conversant with the details of railway
traffic and the commercial value of goods.
It is suggested that no person shall be eligible fora seat
at the board of directors who has any avocations which may
be antagonistic to the interests of the company; such as
being connected with contractore or proprietors of steam-
boats.

rmT..l2t..arwzik
flzyoorecitsutrrna
traffic
e soefnteaferohmstCatainonadsae,pashrzotwolyn,gatnhde
all other necessarily intorm..ven,,,s
ected with the programs
of the works and the develops, _
It is also suggested that a CAligiftstErtemmie..-,.x.e,
should be appointed, to confer the London directors
from time to time, and assist in organising a sounder system
of management than has hitherto prevailed:
That this is a suggestion worthy of grave considera-
tion will be at once evident, on referring to the last kelt-
yearly statement of accounts, wherein the large expen-
diture of £7,772 is recorded for agencies for through
booking, without any apparent result but a loss to the
company, as already shown, for the advantage of the
favoured parties, while no encouragement is given to the
shipowners and merchants at large to work with the
railway by according equal facilities to -4til who offer
train loads of goods at glebee and Portland. It will also
be ob,erved that the enormous sum of L 88,366 appears as a
balance due for outstanding freights, and a sum of £15,947
for damages caused by the explosion of the ferry steamboat
at Longue!. These are the results of the management under
civil engineers.
It is not usual for bankers and merchants, who employ
engineers and architects to construct works or buildings, to
employ them In conducting their business ; and experience
has conclusively proved that the deferria.; to the opinions
of engineers and lawyers has brought railway property into
disrepute.
Tue secretaries to the board of directors in London
and Montreal also should be duly qualified from pre-
vious servitude in the various traffic departments of a
railway, capable of stating to the board at once bow
many tons of iron the sp ings of a goods waggon are
calculated to carry, and how many waggons would be re-
quired to carry a ton of feathers, hats, bonnets, millinery,
and wool, &c., and who should be held liable for any act of
omission or commission in the perfsrmance of their duties.
It should net be forgotten that the Canadian Legislature
has contributed no less than L:3,111,000 sterling to the rail-
way as deferred stock, and also granted a subsidy of E 50,000
per annum far a weekly line of steamers. These contribu-
tions towards benefiting the railway and the province ren-
ders it doubly incumbent on tile executive to use their ut-
most exertions to establish the most perfect system of ma-
nagement for the benefit of all corium-red.
When the explanations from Canada are received, a meet-
ing of the shareholders will he convened to consider the
same, with the view to appointing a committee to confer
with the London direeters.
The directors have expressed their willingness not only to
receive, but to give the utmoet consideration to any sugges-
tions for the hater manesereeat of the road; hut from the
views generaily entertained by the public, it is esidetit that
a sound policy and system can only be obtained by a change
of officials. This proposition, it is feared, witbe denounced,
according to railway precedent, as a personal attack on the
the usual excuse for evading in-
officers of the company—
quiry an getting rid of what are termed troublesome share-
holders. It will therefore be satisfactory to find that the
directors of the Grand Trunk of Canada prove an exception
to vie general rule, especially as the shareholders have every
reason to be satisfied with and grateful for the great and suc-
cessful exertions of the director., in having prosecuted the
works and sustained the credit of the Grand Trunk Company
under circumstances of peculiar difficulty and discourage-
ment.
Lioerpool, July 19, 1858.