The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-29 00:00:00

RAILWAYS IN _FRANCE.

The nomination by the Minister of Public Works of a
commission to inquire into the various matters connected
with the construction and working of railways in France, is
considered by the Paris journals as a measure of great pub-
lic utility. The Constitution/id traces out in the following
manner the duties which must devolve on the body so ap-
pointed :—" On Jan. 1 last the network of the French rail-
ways aomprised a general extent of 16,940 kilometres (5-Bths
of a mile each), of which 9,448 were at work, and 7,942
either constructed or to be so. In consequence of the laws
voted during the last session, the total extent of the net-
work has been increased to 18,265 kilometres, of which
16,570 are conceded to different companies, and 1,695
are provisionally undertaken by the State. Zhe
16,570 kilometres conceded to the different com-
panies include all the first and second class lines
which correspond exactly to the rank which the Imperial
and departmental roads hold among the public highways.
The 1,695 kilometeres undertaken by the State, and to which
will be added in the next sessions at least 2000 more, which
are energetically called for by the populations, form a great
part of what is called the third net-work, corresponding to
the vicinal roads. This third network is indispensable, but
all competent judges admit that it will only give a small
yield. If constructed and worked on the same conditions as
the first two, the third would be attended with ruinous con-
sequences, or, in other words, would be impossible. The
moment has therefore come for studying a system of con-
struction less complicated, perhaps less perfect, but less
costly, such, in short, as would suit for lines which will not
be run over either by express trains or by heavy goods

trains, like those of the principal lines which have a vast
amount of traffic. The working, like the construction, mus
be simplified. The present system makes the annual ex-
penses amount to from 7,000 fr. to B,ooofr. for every kilo-
metre worked, but they may perhaps be brought down to
3,000 fr. by the introduction on those small lines of a plan
of working similar to that adopted on the Swiss and on
some of the German railways. The seqond part of the
programme relates to the working of railways
already open to circulation. Complaints are made
generally that the speed on most of tho great French

lines is insufficient—not, in fact, exceeding on an average
45 kilometres for express trains and 30 for ordinary ones.
The question brought before the Legislative Body at the
sitting of the 25th June last, by M. Auguste Chevalier, be •
came the object of a discussion which then led to no result,
but which will not have been fruitless, since the govern-
ment has thought proper to have it examined into. Lastly,
the economical working of the third network, as well as the
accelerated working of the two others, involves another
most serious question, and which, under its multiple form,
fills the third and fourth articles of M. Routher's programme.
We allude to the security of the passengers, which justly
holds a prominent place in the pre-occupations of the Era.
peror's Government. It is a real inquiry that is about to be
opened, and which cannot but be advantageous to the public,
as well as to the interest •f the companies themselves. The
composition of the commission furnishes a guarantee for a
useful work and for a practical result. The directors of
the two principal companies—the Orleans and Lyons—
have been appointed on it, as well as other competent
men selected from among the great bodies of the
State, and the principal chiefs of the Administra-
tive Service. The discussion will, therefore, be serious and
complete, and cannot fail to lead to satisfactory solutions,
the opportuneness, not to say the urgency, of which is uni•
versally admitted."

COUNTRY 111ARKL 2 S.

BIRMINGHAM—Nov. 28.

At to-day's market there was a less supply of English
wheat from the farmers, which found buyers at the rates
of this day week. Foreign descriptions lower. arley
again Gd cheaper. Oats, beans, and peas all dull, and
tending downwards.

MANCHESTER—Nov. 28.
Thero was an inactive market; sellers were unwilling to
give way in prices, and quotations nominally unaltered, but
in some cases the turn was in buyers' favour.