The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-30 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE NARROW AND WIDE GAUGES CON.
SIDERED; also, Effects of Competition and Go.

vei nment Supervision.

Among the primary conditions of effective railway
economy, the width of the gauge—the distance from
one another at which the rails themselves are, on a
given line, put down—occupies a primary place. It
is almost the very first object to which the engineer
must now direct his attention, because, since the in-
troduction of the broad gauge, he must consider what
are all the probabilities, remote or contingent, of his
new line being intersected by, or communicating
through branches with others, the gauge of which is
different from that he proposes to adopt. The diffi-
culties are found to be so serious, occasioned by a
change from the wide to the narrow gauge, or rice
versa, in the continuation of a line—that there can
be no doubt they would never have been permitted to
arise, had the whole scheme of railway projections
been originally under the supervision of Government.
The uniformity of the gauge, and the consequent
saving in the expense of alterations—whether con-
tractions or expansions—in cuttings, embankments,
&c., and in the construction of new carriages to meet
the exigencies of such changes in the gauge, would
have been, in that case, obviated. It seems, from
this little tract, that—
" The 4-8 k gauge, or 5 feet from centre to centre, was
originally fixed upon as assimilating with that of car-
riages on the common road. It existed in the mineral
districts previous to the introduction of passenger rail-
ways. In the earlier passenger railway Acts, the 4-8 i
gauge was rendered imperative ; why the clause was
afterwards discontinued does not appear. No incon-
venience has ever been experienced from, nor has any ac-
cident ever been attributed to the use of that gauge.
Mr. Brunel, in forming the Great Western Railway,
made a deviation from the 4-8 i gauge to one of 7 feet.
But for this deviation, the probability is, that no question
would ever have arisen whether the .1-81 (or narrow
gauge, as it is called), or what other gauge, is the best
for locomotive purposes. Of the two gauges de se, the
general opinion among engineers seems to be that the
one is about equally good with the other ' • not one
among them, not even the originator himself, presumes
to say that a gauge of 7 feet is preferable to all others.'
It may amuse the reader to consider some of the
" Reasons assigned for the use of the Wide Gauge :"
" The chief reasons assigned by Mr. Brunel for a de-
parture from the common width of gauge, were-1. At-
tainment of higher rate of speed. 2. Increased lateral
steadiness to the carriages and engines ; and 3. Greater
space afforded for the works of the engine. I. The
Great Western Company have, at present, by far the
most powerful engines for speed on any railway (unless,
perhaps, we except the Northern and Eastern), the atten-
tion of their engineer having been particularly turned
thereto. In a little time there will be equally powerful
ei.q,Tines on the narro,v gauge lines. There are, at the
present time, more powerful goods' engines on the
narrow gauge railways than on the Great Western, or
wide gauge."
Perhaps our author manifests a little too much of
the partisan. There seems to us to be too decided a
tendency to disparage the merits of Mr. Brunel ; and
too palpable a purpose to lower the claims of the
" Great Western" Railway in the public favour, in
order to exalt that of the " London and Birmingham."
We have no doubt that these two magnificent works
will continue to recommend themselves, by the main-
tenance of the same spirited and generous emulation
to merit the public favour, of which they receive
every week such substantial proofs, in return for their
unwearied efforts to deserve it. This little paper is a
valuable memoir, in the shape of a critical review of
the most recent improvements in railway construction
and management. The following statistics, too, are
important, and may be novel to some of our readers :
" The traffic receipts for the six months ended 31st
December last, as shown by the Companies' published
accounts, were as follows:

On the London and Birmingham Line, £450,478 16 5
Great Western
Cost of locomotive power for the same
period, to earn the above amount 36,145 16 9
Great Western
"By the accounts of the Companies above referred to,
for the same period, it appears that the carrying stock,
that is, the locomotives engines and carriages of the two
Companies, has cost as follows :

Great Western £534,088 11 4
Interest for half-year at 5 per cent 13,352 0 0
London and Birmingham
Interest for half-year, at 5 pr. ct. pr. an 6,461 0 0"
The writer has a decided partiality for the " narrow
gauge," and makes out a good case for them. lie
shows, in a curious table, that of railways, in progress,
for which Acts have been obtained, or which are
before Parliament this session, there are (including
894 complete miles) 5,597 miles narrow gauge ; of
wide gauge (including 261 miles completed) 881
miles only. Excluding London, the population pro-
posed to be supplied by each is thus estimated :
narrow gauge, 12,000,000 ; wide ditto, 3,000,000.
" Taking the lines completed at 35,0001. per mile,—
those in progress, or for which an Act has been obtained,
at 20,000/. per mile, there will be
Completed—
Narrow gauge, 31 millions—wide gauge, 9 millions.
In progress, ditto, 33i do. ditto 11 do.

64i 10}"
The remarks on " Competition" and " Government
Supervision" display much sound sense, and may be
consulted with advantage.

INTRODUCTORY LECTURE delivered to the
Mechanics' Institution, Ashford. By John Dalton
M.A., 6-c.
A little tract, honourable to the benevolent zeal of
its reverend author, to give a practically beneficial
character to the operations of the Institute it was
addressed to, and the studies ofits members.

ME. BURKE'S PEERAGE AND BARONETAGE FOR
1845.—we are requested to state that Mr. Colburn, of Great
Marlborough-street, has this day published Mr. Burke's
" PEERAGE AND BARONETAGE FOR 1845," AN ENTIRELY
NEW roirioN, materially improved throughout, from the per-
sonal communications of the Nobility, &c., and containing ALL
Tna NEW CREATIONS, in 1 vol. Bvo. (comprising as much
matter as twenty ordinary volumes), price 38s. bound, which
can now be had of all Booksellers throughout the kingdom.
Mr. Colburn has also just published the FIRST THREE PARTS,
price 10s. 6d. each, of Mr. Burke's " HISTORY OF THE.
LANDED GENTRY," a Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary
of the who'e of the Untitled Aristocracy of England, Scotland,
and Ireland; and the Foul an and Concluding Part is now
in the Press.