The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-19 00:00:00

DO WNING-STREET, FEB. 15.

Tho Queen has been pleased to appoint John Gardiner
Austin, Esq., to ha Colonial Secretary for the colony of
Hong Kong.

ADMIRALTY, FEB. 17.
Mr. Henry Laughrin has this day been promoted to the
rank of First Class Assistant Engineer in her Majesty's
Fleet, with seniority of 13th February, 1868.
BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEaALL, FEB. 17.
The Right Hon. the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade have receivod, through the Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs, a despatch from her Majesty's
Minister iu Japan, reporting that th 3 foreign repros nta-
tives in that country have given their assent to an arrange-
ment with the Government of the Tycoon, by which
the opening to foreign trade of the city of Yedo and the part
of Neegata is deferred till the let April next, instead of
taking place on the Ist January last, on which date the
five years' postponement allowed by the London agreemen t
of June, 1662, expired.

THE UNITED STATES RAILROAD SCREW

SPIKE.

The importance of obtaining security in railway travel-
ling is a subject every one can appreciate, and every in-
vention which renders accidents less frequent cannot fail
to interest. The Iron Age of Jan. 30 devotes much of its
space to an explanation of a new description of screw
spike for railroads, intended to supersede the common
driving spike. A company has recently been formed in
New York for its manufacture, and are at present engaged
in preparing tools for putting in the screws with ease and
rapidity, which it is believed will reduce the cost to below
that of driving the ordinary spike. The Iron Age gives a
cut which clearly shows that the contrivance is simply a
wood screw with a double-hooked head. "It is designed
to hold the rail more firmly to the tie, and to avoid work-
ing loose as the present description of spike does, and in
this way to prevent the starting of the rails, which is the
cause of so many accidents.

"That a screw is a more secure fastening than a nail, it is
of course unnecessary to argue—the extent to which the
one has displaced the other where strain or traction is in-
volved is the eviience of this, and it only seems strange
that a principle so simple and so obvious should have been
overlooked in fastening down iron rails ou wooden ties or
sleepers.

"In urder to remove the rail it will only be necessary to
reverse tho screw one quarter; and when replacing it,
turn the screw back to its original position, when the rail
will be held as firmly as before. The ties will thus be
saved from the injury of splits, checks, an I the numerous
holes made in them by repeatedly drawing and replacing
spikes in which water will collect, causing their rapid
decay. By the use of the screws, therefore, the durability
of the ties will be greatly increased and equalized. Be-
side; when the rails are loose the ties are cut by the re-
peated blows made on them by the rails, and are thereby
materially damaged ; on the contrary, where the screw is
used the rails are held so firmly in their place that this in-
jury is prevented. The saving to railway companies in
ties alone, it is estimated, will more than pay the whole
cost of the screws. Where none but soft wood can be
obtained for ties, the screw manifestly possesses a still
greater advantage over the spike.
" It is also calculated that in consequence of the screws
holding the rails to the ties so firmly, a lass number will
be required than of ordinary spikes, also a very great
saving will be realised in the wear of the rolling stock
and rails. The considerable losearising from loose, bent,
broken, and missing spikes, will be almost entirely pre-
vented. Besides, where the screw is in use, in addition to
the saving of time in relaying ►ails, a much less number
of men are required to watch the track and keep it in re-
pair, thereby causing a great saving."
Mr. Hilliard, trackmaster of the Erie Railroad, writes
that the new spike will prove cheaper, not only from the
greater cheapness in relaying iron, but from the much
longer endurance of the ties where screws are used. He
gives, in addition to the reasons already cited for advo-
cating the use of the screw spike in preference to all
others that be has seen in use for twenty-four years on
railroad tracks, the following: —" In relaying iron it will
be done much quicker. Yon simply give the screw one-
fourth turn back, lift the old rail, replace it with a now
one, then turn the screw back as before ; while the old-
fashioned spikes must be drawn from the ties, and now
holes made every time a nail is replaced—and every spike
driven in a tie is, as we trackmen term it, death to the
tie.' I think the ties will last at least four years longer
where the screws are in use, as they keep the ties up
firm to the base of the rail, thereby preventing pounding ;
whereas the common spikes draw out as the ties settle,
allowing the rail to bend and cut in the tie."
Mr. Featherby, trackmaster of the New York Central
Railroad, says : " I know they ars safer than the com-
mon spikes, and a great saving of both lifesa
and
duodeophf property—
at least spikes
—saying
fifntyothpeinrgcoonfte.cionntoiemsy, ainndlqabuoituer
firm-
ness of the rail, obviating the immense jarring which
caus
that a
ed
by l
oCossy and
e spi
ke
sa rails—and
spring
yetso
gcuivtisotgho ties—caused
track connected
long desired."

Another source of economy in the use of these screws
is that they can be drawn and re-used frequently, while
spikes are necessarily crooked in drawing them from the
wooden ties, and aro commonly cast aside as scrap.
If it be true, as we suppose is unquestionably the fact,
that accidents involving great loss of property, and heavy
damages for injury and death to individuals, have been
caused by the defective fastening of rails, then an !Javan-.
tion which avoids such danger may well be paid for
as a premium on a policy of insurance against such losses,
and, therefore, on the very lowest ground pecuniary _
interest., the use of these spikes will be wise and eno
nomica