The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-07 00:00:00

REVIEW OF CONTINENTAL

RAILWAYS.
(From the Railway I?egiter.)
The gradual but extemive adoption of the system of
railway travelling on the Continent is one of the most
important features of modern times, the powerful influ-
ence of which, both upon the social condition and the
political relations of the European world, it were now
almost premature to calculate. One fact is very obvious
in the manner in which these great enterprises are taken
up by the enlightened Governments of the Contine=nt—
namely, that they are not. merely considered in the light
of private speculations, for the profit of their immediate
projectors, and the conveniince of the travelling public,
but as important elements of national strength and civili••
sation. The French Minister of Public Works so early as

1837, declared in his address to the Chambers that "Rai;-
ways
are assuredlynext t o the invention of printing the most
powerful instrument of civilisation that the ingenuity of
man has ever devised. It is difficult, if not impossible,
to foresee and define the results which they must of
necessity, at some period, produce on the fate of na-
tions." The King of the Belgians, in taking the lead
of all other continental nations in promoting the forma-
tion of a system of railways upon a comprehensive scale
within his narrow territories, set an example which is
now being zealously followed by his larger and more
powerful neighbours. The important relations which,
thanks to a long peace, English enterprise and industry
has with the Continent, and the intimate connexion
which our capitalists have with these peculiar under-
takings, renders a calm review of continental railways ex-
tremely interesting. We therefore proceed to undertake
this important task with the best materials which the
subject affords.
When France commenced the execution of railways
there was no definitive plan settle.' upon by the Go-
vernment, and hence straggling lines here and there
were projected, constructed, and werked, as mere. expe-
riments for future guidance. As their utility became
more apparent, the Government evinced an anxious
and very natural desire to appropriate to itself a few of
the direct advantages to be derived from them ; and
hence every encouragement was held out to English
capitalists and men of science and skill to enter on
these undertakings. The first railway made by an
English company in France was the Paris and Rouen
line. Its completion within two years from its com-
mencement, was regarded as a tolerable proof of the
ability of an English company to perform its engage-
ments. The continuation of the line to the coast at
Havre, called the Rouen and Havre line, was then en-
trusted to the same parties, who hold out a promise that
it will be opened in the course of the summer of 1846,
thus completing a line of uninterrupted railway commu-
nication from llavre to Paris. The same company has
slso, a short time back, received the corcession of two
branch lines, from the Rouen and Havre line to the coast,
one of which is to run to Dieppe, and the other to
Fecamp. Ss) that from Brighton or Southampton, as the
case may be, the traveller will be able to reach Paris
in 16 hours from the latter place, and in 14 hours
from Brighton. The object of shortening the distance
between London and Paris is no unimportont one as
regards the intercourse, whether for passenger traffic
or for the transport of merchandise, between the two
greatest capitals of Europe ; and, therefore, we have no
doubt but that every thing that capital and skill can do
to effect that object will be done. The packet service,
as now performed by the boats of the German Steam
Navigation Company, between England and the coast
of Normandy, is so well organised as scarcely to be sus-
ceptible of improvement. The distance between Brighton
and Dieppe may be lessened by the construction of float
ing piers, on either coast ; a measure that has long been
in contemplation, is not yet abandoned, and no doubt
will be resumed in the course of a short time, as the best
means of securing to both those towns not only their
accustomed traffic, but a share in the increase which
must ensue on the opening of the Havre line and the
Dieppe branch. Fecamp, it will be observed, we do not
notice, for this simple reason, that we do not believe it
will be opened simultaneously with the Havre and Dieppe.
Its position on the coast, between the two latter ports,
its proximity to them, and, taken by itself; its own insig-
nificance, lead us to the conclusion that it is a branch
that can never give the slightest remuneration to the
shareholders ; and that consequently there is little ex-

pectation that the expense of equippiiig it with buildings.
stations, locomotives, carriages, and other material
for working it will ever be incurred. The Paris and
Rouen line has since its opening proved to be a bene-
ficial concern for its shareholders ; and the Rouen and
Havre presenting as great, if not greater advantages,
although not quite so prosperous from various circutn •
stances, has always kept a few figures below its pre-
decessor. The low figure of the latter line may be
attributed chiefly to the reports that have appeared,
from time to time, respecting the defective construction
of the works. Whether these reports have been well
founded or not, they have had the effect of lowering the
market. It would be unjust towards the public, and
the great mass of persons who are in the habit of in-
vesting their money in railways, if we were to with-
hold from them our opinions on this very important
branch of railway management. And, as the subject
has first arisen while we were treating of the Havre
line, we deem it apropos that our remarks should fol-
low immediately the notice of the evil.
To projectors of railways are confided, not only the
preparatory survey, but, when the cencessisn has been
obtained, the duty of selecting fit and proper persons as
contractors for the execution of the works. How
important a duty this is in every respect, whether as
regards the shareholders only, or whether as regards
the safety and comfort of the public, from whose
patronage they first are to derive their dividends, may
be inferred from the following observations :—On the
solidity and durability of the works constructed on a
line of railway depends chiefly the patronage which
that particular line shall receive from the public. If
the constructions are defective the traffic will be de-
creasedt
the
publicd and a corresponding in i n
lo
therebysa of revenue
will r createdven ine
vfveinitlilhee ththeecyonwseierluence. If the constructions are cle-
anse another loss obferevceonnuteinuawllye
needclem annodtiandgd,frtehsaht
expenses, to repair those defections, and hence will
when a public highway, such. as railways have now
become, gets into
of its loss of ch.-ecramc.ateeregareemdeanitly
disute from its defective con-
e
dn
judicial
a l Itloe nacneyi t
share list, that it is next to impossible toadlreledpiirettfthueesde
structiun or its defective conse-
quencesionontifil
wdehnecneelinetrortulmie
npuurbalpienT
currency among the public,
utshetoDtihreecttorarusths.hoofuthhi
particulari s expedient,
lie
haveth at
Ind imme-
diately
andinstitute
if an
unfounded,inquiry
contradiction ; if well founded, set
mstehoteramebaotniltl,etintrcguimv:raenvet.ira;
oismemrue--
IFetirfyeetthi
fat t
which has produced them; and
possible publicity to the contradiction or toort(
cation, as the case may be. As we
derivehal•e before said,
return
to the
aarnedholtdheerisr, pa
proportionttrhoemlgiuebliv,c,illaraelwthaeyspiblterteaxist.tealorkyldt:etro(ilairci.:itw,nhae3,ssh„
of any particular line, and how far its construction
ptchouenbrlieritc;.°rsceoaiutrildids itimhoFet'nes.fetr)rft)h,se:setins of judging of the condi-
tion
and management ire calculated to meet those public
wants which the railway s:. stein has created, and must
therefore supply. We have not yet alluded to the
danger to which the lives of passengers are subjected
when travelling on a railway whose construction and
management are confided to parties ho have nothing
more than the immediate pecuniary profit in their
eye. The recent melancholy and fatal cases of this
nature which have happened in England justify us in
calling upon all who have the control of railways to
commence at once an organisation that shall effectually
prevent such occurrences in future. Prevention is
better than cure.

The railway system is destined to become a power-
ful instrument of social revolution ; it was created to
be the servant of mankind at large, and not, as seems
to be entertained by many, to whom, by the chapter of
accidents, its management has fallen, for the gratifica-
tion of a select few ; and therefore it is that we depre-
cate the conduct of those who, either by supineness or