The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-26 00:00:00

THE GA UGES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUV.
(From the limes.)
SIR, —W.111,1 you allow me, through Sour jiturnal, to
•
The vast importance of the motion, made last tight by ! cell the attention of the chairmen of the yerieus corn,
Mr. Cobden, far a Commission to inquire into the expediency t mittees'ee railways to strongly enferce, in their reperis
of an unietrm gauge on all railways may, in some degree, lie te the House, of such lines as they may think woreby of
estimated by considering the extent of lines already laid adoption. the positive necessity of compelling al I utuee
lines te have ektety flange rails, on the old-fashioned
down and preeected, the enotmous expense incurred and in-
tended, and the cerainty that the whole kingdom will in
prine)sle, thereby aveiding all possibility ce
time be striped and laced with iron. That it would he de-
sirable to avoid the initwdiments that would arise front ':ceutent by the trains getting off toe line. awl
"breaks," or changes
. notreov,..,r prevt tying most serious cons( quenee ,
from 011 C gang, to- a different one in the
~
same jouruey, we have not found any one to deity, although houl,l tw ttait:s inert or run into each other.
There has been found one to question whether the evil would I Tee preeent rate of velocity, though it may be eo wiles
'be so great as we, and most with us, think it would be. But an ly.nr. is lin, sl,:w work to what it will be, some five
we must bear in mind that gentleman speaks under a coin i- years 11,::.ce, an-1 its such sonwhing ought to be done
derable amount of bias ; he has constructed a most imports -It ; the' c )mpanies to make the lines safe, without
m the least possibility of accident--thereby ensuring cOnfl-
it his business to uphold that plane and prevent its being
deuce in the public mind and a corresponding increasing
made to give way to the plan that pteponderates, by endea- traffic for the benefit of the shareholders. It is no joke
vouring to show that the two can exist very well together.
to treed in fear, and be only at ease w hen 3 oil arrive
He says, therefore, that he could readily transfer the cargo
et
.me your. ournes end. Ada w '
of a whole train to a line of a (!iiTerrnt gauge in a jy y ill come when souse
minute and a half. Even if he could do this, it would most disastrous accident will happen to the highly
'Tee much better to be spared the trouble ; but we feel that born, and then, no doubt, amendment wi:l follio
we ere not bound implicitly to rely on all the calcula- Few—very few—are aware upon what a narrow
tions of 'the projector of the Menai tube. Independently of edge or brink the) are travelling, arid that
the principal advantage of having all carriages equally ap- a mere flanch, net mere than an inch and a quarter
plicable to all railways, and so avoiding stoppages and the deep, from the solo of the wheel, is all the stear;ty they
moving and shifting of luggage, the benefit of uniformity have of the train keeping within the rails. Moreover,
would be felt on railways in their statistics, such as the cal- the wheel, in its rapid revolution, is exerting itself with
culations of excavating them, &c. In all the mechanical all its might at every oblique movemeht of the carriage,
arts uniformity is adhered to,_ except where there are some •
to get tms narrow flanch over the rail, and were it not
strong reasons to justify a deviation. Mr. Cobden 's mourn
embraces three points,—First, as to an uniform gauge to Le for the downward pressure, it would very soon accom-
secured in all future railways ; second, as to the practice-
bility of bringing all railways already constructed or in pro- Engineers prefer edgerails' to traaarails, because they
press into one gauge ; and third, as to the mOde'of obviating look nicer to the eye, though they know full well the
the evil of the continuance of different gauges. The first tramrails may be made quite as strong— I say stronger
proposition is not. only the one of the most consequence, but th,.n the edgerails. NoN, Mr. Editor, as I cannot give
in effect it disposes of the other two ; for, if it should be you a d'ag,ram, I will explain myself thus briefly: —Take
conceded, and if all future railways should be made on a bit of piper, the length no matter, but the width must
either the bread gauge or on the narrow gauge, the one which be, say 28 inches. N ;Iv' fold the paper loneitudinaly,
would then remain as a mere case of exception would ultie
e
mately he compelled to conform. Mr. l inches from the outer edge; turn the pap '' r
over and
Cobden says either the side also 12 inches from the outer edge. Now,
broad or the narrow would do very well, either 7 feet or 4 feet fold this
8 inches and a-half ; Mr. Shaw is for the Irish medium the two folds will be back to buck, and if you open these
of 5 feet 3 incites ; possibly, 6 feet might be as good folds you %sill have a settee-like form of rail, consisting
as any. But the matter is not res integra ; a very great of a back or flange 12 inches deep, a seat or level sur-
quantity of railway has been made, of expense has been in Seco 4 inches wide, and a bottom er lower fialge 12
curred; and, therefore, if Mr. Cobden is right, in saying inches deep. .Now, if you turn the paper. over you still
either would do very well, it would follow that the adoption will have the same form preslented t a you ; thus proving
of a new system, discarding both, would sacrifice' all that that the rail possess a most everlasting wear, as,
would do very well, The question, then, naturally arisen, when the upper side is injured or worn it may be turned
how to attain uniformity with the smallest sacrifice of over, and what was underneath will in like turn be-
that which will do very web ; and here the narrow gauge
c the future rail. Upon the 4-inch level surface
has many advantages over its rival, and many arguments in - ome
its favour. In the first place, it already, in length of line, or ledge the soles of • the wheel will rest or travel,
exceeds the broad gauge four fold. Then, it.is less ekpensive having a high flange facing their outer side, and a cor-
in its construction throughout, especially in tryingeituations, responding one downward inside. These tails may be
such as tunnels and bridges. The fact of its -being so much either fixed in chairs, or else fastened to the sleepers by
inure employed is a proof how much this consideration screw bolts. There must be on the outer side of the
operates. Moreover, as the great dog could go through the upper flange brackets or stays, fastened at their upper
great hole only, but the little dog could go through the great part to the flange, and at their lower part to a cross
hole and the little hole both, the narrow gauge could be laid sleeper ; and thus we shall have, as it were, a trunk or
down on lines constructed for the- broad gauge, but the
channel railway, with an utter impossibility of the train
broad gauge could not be applied to lines made only for
the narrow gauge without new embanking, new
ever getting or running eft the line, as it will be .kept
.
cutting, new bridges, new tunnels. Why Sir G. from swerving to the right or left by the upper flange.
Clerk should declare it to ba absolutely impracticable and The outer edge of the sole of the wheel need nut touch
impossible to alter the gauge we =met guess, and he does the upper flange, thereby avoiding friction, but
not say. The argument offered on behalf of the broad gauge,.. • the upper flange will present to the wheel,
to show that, if uniformity is to be insisted on, the preference should it be inclined to swerve by its rapid progress, a
should be given to the width of seven feet, is that it is safer. butt, or throw-off, which the wheel would merelt play,
The return of accidents, however, does not confirm this view; as it were, against, but over which it could not go, for
and, moreover of the accidents that have occurred a great the want of a direct bite. These high flanges may be
majority have arisen from causes unconnected with. the either erect or outwardly inclined a little. This chan-
brtadtt; of gauge, such as the fulling in of embankments,
elrailway, as I shall call it, is not intended to sit er the running of one train or engine against another. On n
all these points the attention of the Com Mission will be be- sede the fling° of the wheels, but they might to be made
stowed, we doubt not, as " laboriously" as Mr. Shaw can de- a ; their present depth is quite inadequate
sire, and we rejoice that Mt. Cobden asked'for, and that the to their purpose, viz, keeping the train on the line. Now,
Government agreed 'to, a Commission out of the House, should this channel railway be not approved of, then let
rather than a Committee of Members in the House. Much the present flitney rails remain ; but, for the safety of
will depend on the judicious selection of this body, which all, let there be flanges bolted on to the inner side of each
should comprise men of science and philosophy a 3 well as wheel, full 12 to 14 inches in depth. • Never mind the
practical engineers; for this is not like a mere question of look, so we, the travellers, are safe. These bang. s may
section or of gradient, it is one on which Herschell or Bab-
be slightly tapering to their outer ediF, so as to
bage might assist Cubitt or Stephenson,
avoid einecessery trletion,
With these remarks we will hive done, except to draw
the following conclusions :—First—That with these
alteratiens there will bean utter impossibility o the trait
leaving the line, either by jumping, jolting, hopping, or
bounding, or oscillating. Or should two trains !nee?,
their headlont, butt will be in a straight line, not as it is
at preient, sidlways ; but one thing will happen with
these alterations, through the present imperfect mode of
placing the buffer-sptinzs. The two engines, the mo-
ment they meet, will rear up, ranr•like, both by their ow n
impetus, and that of the hinder carriages pressing hard
upon them ; but if the baffer4springe were placed high, r
up, say two-thirds Celli the ground, t hey not enly wou'd
not trip or rear up, but could not run into or over each
other, but emli carriage would receive no more than the
amount of shock due to that carriage, nem ding to its•
distance from the point of collision, as it will be no more.
than a very sevtie thrust, and not an overturning shock.
This part dese,ves very great attention, as the buffers,
which. are intended to ease, if not avoid, a casualty,
are the very things, through their being misplaced,
that cause the overthrow -of the carriages.
Again, I do not see why there should not
be eight buffer springs to each carriage, four
in front and fear behind, placed thus—two in front,
one m each' side, one-third from the ground, the other
two front ones, one on each side, one-third from the top,
but these top ones ought to be a little longer than the
b atom, so that they may receive the shock first. Now
the hinder ones aro to be placed in the same manner,
and if these buffers are furnished with a plug and key
sort of adjustment, they may when a severe shook takes
place breome firmly keyed or locked into each other, and
thus the whole line of carriages, at least those who are
in the vicinity of' the shock, will become as one body im-
movable ; no running over each other or overtuning, as
they are as one carriage firmly united with the buffers,
but a hil:11 may be instantly disconnected by suitable

DEATH OF MEL. SOAIES, M.P.

The report which prevailed last evening in the House of
Commons of the death of this extensive shipowner, we regret
to state, is unfortunately confirmed. He expired suddenly yes-
terday, at his residence in the Bow-road, Whiteehapet. His
death has caused a great sensation in the eastern part of the
metropolis, upon the river, in the City, and upon 'Change,
where it was almost the sole topic of conversation. The de-
ceased gentleman was at the head of the shipping interest of
the Part of London, and his vessels at the present time are in
all parts of the world. Mr. Somes was of humble origin, and
by his industry and perseverance aina4sed considerable wealth,
tin father was a waterman and lighterman, and he intended
his son for the same profession, and he was actually bound at
IVatermen's Hall, but sub,equently abandoned the oars and
sculls for a more lucrative business. Mr. Somes's fleet has
been a nursery for good seamen, and every captain in his ern-
ploy originally entered his service as an apprentice, and under
his fostering care gradually worked his way up to commander.
He.was a kind and benevolent master, and was universally
respected.

On Tuesday morning he left his residence for the purpose of
attending a Railway Committee of the House of Commons.
He then appeared in excellent health and spirits, and a few
minutes before he left home was transacting business with Mr.
Symons, chief clerk of the Thames Police-court. About ten
o'clock he was seized with illness in one of the committee-
rooms of the House •of Commons, and medical assistance was
called in. He was conveyed to his own residence with all
possible expedition, where he died yesterday morning. The
death of Mr. Somes has caused a vacancy in the represents.
tion of Dartmouth. Mr. Somes was also chairman of the.
New Zealand Company, whose affairs have been lately the sub -
ject of discussion in the House of Commons. It is rumoured.
that Mr. Somas has left property to the amount of two millions
sterling.

gear.

Note,—,:The accident that happened this week on the
Great Western Line to the rapid train, wai caused by
the jumping, or hopping to and fro swerve of the car-
riages through there being no stay flinch to the
rails, but merely the foolish inch flinch of the wheel,.
Many will say the flange rail will be toe expensive for
the eoiupatilea to adopt. I sty, no ; a very great saving
will arise from it, not only by no accident ever happening
of any moment, and, therefore, no expense in repairs,
but a very great increase of passengers will take place
thr,,ug'i the great confidence the people will /44Y9 in tiw
Chaiwel Railway,
and, gr. Editor, yours respectfully,
JOHN SUTTON.
14, Crown-row, Walworth, June 20, 1844.