The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-11-18 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

The line of railway between Blackburn and Preston
will be opened on the Ist of May next.
Should the various railways now pr jetted for the mid-
land counties be carried into effect, Birmingham will be-
come the centre of three-and-twenty lines.
Notwithstanding the re-action, the price of iron re-
mains firm. Scotch pig 80s., Welsh pig from 1055., rails
£ll, and bars, Wales, £9.
Southwark-bridge has been sold to the North Kent
Railway Company for £300,000, provided the company
succeeds in getting an act for the line.
The Lancaster and Carlisle held a special meeting on
Thursday, when resolutions were passed authorizing the
creation of 18,000 new shares of £l6 13s 4d., to be
offered to each registered proprietor.
For the last four months of the present half-year
£2,692,610 has been received for railway traffic, being
an increase over the corresponding period of last year of
£438,520.
REMINGTON'S MANCHESTER.—There is a row among
these parties, the late solicitors having published notices
for a bill, on their own account, in defiance of the agree-
ment with Rastrick's Company.
TRANSMISSION OF BULLION.—Last Tuesday, three
tons of bullion were transmitted in three covered vans,
accompanied by clerks, from the Bank of England, on
the Birmingham Railway, to the banking houses in Man-
chester and Liverpool.
On Friday week, a train on the York and Scarborough
line came in violent collision with a ballast train at Kirk-
ham Station. The e ngine driver has been fined £lO by
the magistrates, and in default was committed to prison
for two months. _

The Manchester and Birmingham Railway Comp; ny
have lighted their third-class carriages. It is an item of
comfort not very costly, and conducive to good behavi-
our among the third-class passengers, just as much as gas
is in the public streets.
The Manchester and Birmingham Railway Company
have purchased the Macclesfield and Lichfield line, which
has been delivered over on the following terms, viz. :—The
committee and landowners are to have 15,000 shares of
£2O each, and 55,000 to go to the proprietors of the Man-
chester and Birmingham Railway.
PARLIAMENTARY CHEAP TRAINS Will soon be at a
discount. One of the first fruits of the amalgamation of
the Birmingham and Grand Junction, says the Morning
Chronicle, is to be the conveyance of second class passen-
gers from London to Birmingham for 10s.—just a penny

a mile.
Roy AL NURTII OF SPAIN RAILWAY.—sir Joshua
Walmsley and Mr. Stephenson, C.E., having returned
from Spain, the directors if the Royal North of Spain
Railway Company have announced their intention of
shortly laying before the proprietors some account of the
affairs of the concern.

Sea-water and gas are to be supplied by means of rail-
ways. Companies have been formed to bring sea-water
from Brighton to London, and to manufacture gas in the
immediate neighbourhood of the coal-fields in various
parts of the kingdom, and convey it in tubes along the
lines of railway, for the supply of adjacent towns and
cities, &c.
RAILWAY ROBBERIES.—The directors of the Great
Western Railway have added £2O a year to the salary of
Superintendent Collard, in acknowledgment of his exer-
tions and assistance in the cases of Garratt and Maynard,
to the former of whom upwards of 30 parcels have been
traced, being losses on railways in the last six months,
and coming down to a period subsequent to the arrest of
Maynard.

A WARNING.—On Saturday last, at the High Court
of Justiciary, Edinburgh, W. Paton, superintendent of
locomotion on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, and
R. Mc Nab, engine man on the same line, were sentenced
--the former to twelve months' imprisonment, and the
latter to nine months'—having previously been found
guilty of culpable homicide, in consequence of an accident
by which a spirit and cattle dealer, named Gooley, was
killed, on the 19th of May last.
THE PREMIER AND THE RAILWAYS.—Sir Robert
Peel turned the first sod of the Trent Valley Railway,
near Tamworth, on Thursday afternoon. The Mayor
and Corporation of Tamworth gave a dejEuner to the Di-
rectors of the line and their friends on the occasion, and
Sir Robert Peel entertained a large party, in the evening,
at Drayton Manor. The spade with which the sod was
raised was of electro-silver, shaped like a shield, and
bearing the Peel heraldic emblazonments. The barrow
for removing the turf was of mahogany, richly and el,bo-
rately carved. _

RAILWAY qaPs.—Letters from various parts of the
country describe the activity and excitement as universal,
with regard to the great engineering and mapping move-
ment ; and notice is especially taken of the class of per-.
sons who are so employed, one letter remarking that
" lads who have only just left school are permitted to take
particulars which require experience in some of the nicest
questions of real property." It may easily be anticipated
what a figure some of them will make when the time for
the grand ordeal arrives.
PRICE OP IRON IN FRANCE.—The price of white cast
metal is on the rise. The half-rock of Blaise is now sel-
ling, delivered at Saint Dizier, at £6 18s. the 100 kilos, or
2 cwts. ; those of the Mania, at £6 lls. at the furnaces;
do. ruck, £7 at the furnaces. There is great activity pre-
vailing in all the cast metal and iron furnaces; but the
prices appear too high for the trade, and it is not until
there are more extensive orders, that another rise will take
place. The greater part of the iron masters have sold
their produce at three months'. The iron masters of the
forges of the Marne have entered into contracts for de-
livering their half-rock iron at the rate of £l4 15s. to £l5,
at St Dizier, six months' credit, and 3 per cent. discount.
CIVIL ENGINEERS.—Of the extent of occupation
which has devolved upon these professions in conseouence
of the prevailing excitement, some idea may be obtained
from the tact, mat one engineer is engaged on 11 of the
new lines, another on 14, a third on 16, a fourth on 17,
and a fifth on 21 lines. The same may be, and no doubt
are, engaged in other lines ; for many of those on the
list have no engineer's name attached to them, and it may
be safely assumed that the execution in a proper manner
of such a quantity of work is beyond human power.
This is not labour, it should be observed, which will
admit of careless or imperfect execution. The fate of
the Cambridge and Lincoln line last session, the bill for
which was lost in consequence of a mere clerical error
connected with the surveys, shows how important it is
to the success of a new line that they should be made with
the utmost care and accuracy.

LIE TRICKSTER REWARDED.—A few days ago, as a
Brighton tradesman was travelling to London by rail, he
was detected in the repetition of what he had previously
been heard to denominate the " artful dodge " of riding
as a first-class passenger and paying only the third-class
fare. The modus operandi was to take a third-class
ticket and ride in a corresponding carriage as fir as the

Hassocks, and then, on the stoppage of the train, to
transfer himself to a first-class vehicle, having ridden in
which to New Cross he would again alight and resume
his old quarters. On the occasion alluded to, however,
the biter was bitten ; for on attempting to execute the last
part of this scheme, one of the guards, who had observed
the first part of the manceuvre, and consequently been on
the look-out, touched him on the shoulder and delicately
hinted that the gentleman had forgotten his carriage.
To the great amusement of the third-class passengers,
the " artful dodger" was bowed into the quarters which
he had just vacated in the first-class carriage, and, on
arriving at the terminus, was obliged to pay the difference
between the first and the third-class ticket.
IMPORTANT PROJECT.—A letter from St. Petersburgh
states, that the government is actively occupied with a
project of making a railway from that city to Odessa, and,
if it be possible, that project will be carried into effect.
The construction of this railway would be of immense
importance, not only to Russia, but to the whole of
Europe and Asia; for it would join the Baltic and Black
Seas, and, doubtless, it would not be long before branches
were made to the Caspian Sea, and to Ispahan, in Persia.
It is even probable that, ultimately, it will be extended as
far as the East Indies, and perhaps even to China. The
railway from St. Petersburgh to Odessa would be 770
French leagues in length, and would, consequently, be
the longest in a straight line which has ever been con-
ceived. It would traverse three zones of different tem-
perature, and, by means of the railway, the whole of the
distance might be accomplished at the most in seventy
hours. By such a railway a traveller quitt'ng St. Peters-
burgh in the depth of winter, would find himself trans-
ported in a remarkably short space of time into a country
of intense heat.—Morning Chronicle.
TRAFFIC RETutzNs.—This part of the kingdom is lite-
rally inundated with railway employes, and the amusing
expedients to which that portion of them known as
" traffic-takers" have recourse, for the purpose of giving
their employers a favourable report of the remunerating
capabilities of the projected lines, would fill a goodly-
sized volume. We select one instance by way of illus-
tration. An old farmer, living near Sedbergh, had a
flock of sheep pasturing about two miles from that place,
and, being of a very careful turn, was in the habit of
visiting them twice a day, Sunday included, to see that
none had strayed, or met with any accident. To do this,
it was necessary to pass a road-side inn, where the
" traffic-takers" of three rival companies had taken up
their quarters; and no sooner did these zealous officials
obtain a glimpse of the worthy agriculturist, than he was
popped down in their memorandum-books as an indivi-
dual who would undoubtedly patronise the " rail " when
it was established through that district. As their occu-
pation lasted a month, farmer T. would figure, by this
ingenious process of multiplication, at least fifty-six times
in each of the " probable-amount-of-passenger-traffic "
statements of the opposing companies.—Lancaster Guar.
THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE V. THE LIGHT-FINGERED
FRATERNITY.—A traveller by the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow Railway, on lately leaving the station in the former
city, missed his pocket-book containing £7OO, and im-
mediately returned to the train to make inquiries. The
stoker told him that a fellow-traveller, whom he had sup-
posed to be his servant, followed him from the station,
and afterwards returned—took his place in a train that
was starting for Glasgow—and was now on his way west-
ward. The gentleman ordered an express train ; but there
was little hope of overtaking the other, for some time was
lost in getting up the steam. However, off he went, the
stoker accompanying him ; and when they were approach-
ing the inclined plane which leads into Glasgow, they saw
the train a-head. The whistle of the " express" engine
was violently blown; and the conductor of the passenger
train, inferring danger, removed to the other line of
The "express" shot past, and got to the station in time
to admit of arrangements for apprehending the pickpocket.
The train then came in—the suspected person was seen
and identified by the stoker—and the pocket-book and
money were found upon his person. The owner, over-
joyed at recovering his property, offered a handsome
reward to the stoker, which was resolutely refused; and
the gentleman therefore enclosed £lOO to the directors,
requesting them to take pay for the express—to reward
their servant ad libitum—and to return the change (if any).
The directors returned the whole, stating that they would
make no charge for the engine, and would themselves re-
ward the stoker..—Scodch paper.

Nov. 18, 1844

Tiffammorstown.
----------- iOng
YORK AND CARLISLE.—After numerous solicitat
rated
his Grace, the Duke of Cleveland, has at length consein.'_
to allow railway surveying for the 'above line on his est.'_.!:
Mr. Harris has commenced the survey for a branch 1111`
from the Auckland coal field, to pass near 1-laggerle!e!!
through Langleydale, and to cross the river Tees, a u
hall
distance from the fine old ruin of Barnard's Cast
.le, an
to join the main line between Bowes and Gretaridge.
CAPITAL OF RAILWAYS COMPLETED AND IN P"..f
GREs.—From the r turns recently compiled by order
ho
Parliament from documents in the possession of t e
Board of Trade, and other public departments, it ears
that the total amount of capital that has been expend" 1:11
the construction of railways, in different countries, stood
as follows, at the close of 1843 :
Miles.
Amount. Avrg./• per mile
2,0691.... £64,238,630.... £31,048
343 .... 5,872,160.. • • 17,120
552 .. .. 10 976,000.... 18,617
1,9971.... 15,500,000...• 7,500
3,688 .• • . 17,702X0.. • • 4
.....----
00

Great Britain
Belgium .....
France ......

Germany

America

• -
Total
8,650.... £113,589,160.. • •
For railways in actual progress, in Great Britain, an
estimated capital of £74,407,520 was raising, in order,°
construct 3,543 miles of lines sanctioned by Acts of 17.
and 1845. In France. £44,866,970, for new lines, exten r
64'
ing over 2,410 miles. In Germany, £18,000,000, f,,°,
2,3471 miles; and in America, £26,995,200, for 5,
miles. The calculation shows, that England contributes
£138,646,150, out of the whole capital of £277,858,8.0
expended and expending, or exactly 50 per cent., the
country, out of the gland total of 22,574 k miles,
length of the projected railways being 5,6121 miles in this
upon 25 per cent. of their united lengths. er close

A RAILWAY RACE. THE LOCOMOTIVE BEA-
TEN BY THE ATMOSPHERIC.

The Railway Chronicle of Saturday, whilst
c
very flattering account of the working of the atmnsPhe'_l.
pti
principle, upon the line laid down by the side of the Lir_
on
don and Croydon railway, gives the following descri
of a race between a train upon each :
ing event ; but it is rarely witnessed, and scarcely ever
0,
perfect safety. Between a pair of well-matched loco
e°
" A railway race is a sufficiently exciting and interes.ti;
tives it would be sufficiently exciting ; but between a 12 w
system, like the atmospheric, and its rival, the loconautvlee.:
the character and reputation of both systems for speed "..f
pending on the issue, a well-matched contest would be Lt.!
no common interest. In this case we were lucky enour_
to see such a race • and we believe any of our readers sco°
leave London Bridge station at twenty minutes past t",
and take an atmospheric ticket, may any day see the san3!:
We were standing at the Forest Hill station, preparing 13"
start, when it was announced that the Dover Expel!:
Train was in sight! Immediately we (the atinospherlu,
train) made preparation to start, and were just in the ac,:
of starting from rest when the locomotive train " whi,ked.
past us at, probably, some 35 miles an hour. We started,
but before we got into motion at any velocity, the
train was a mile ahead of us, and was evidently gaining
rapidly in speed. However, on we went like a whirlvrindt
and it soon became evident that we were gaining on our
rival. Three or four minutes decided the race. We Paisc.
sed the express train at a rate exceeding her own by
or 20 miles an hour. Our velocity could not then be ltss
than 60 miles an hour. It was easily and steadily wain"
tained, and we were over the Brighton viaduct and coast'
derably beyond it before the Dover reached it. But con;
siderably before this time the brakes were put on, and
the vacuum destroyed by the valve, to avoid danger in run;
ning in upon the workmen round the sharp curves; ana,
when we reached Croydon, in 61 minutes, it was fowl,'
that the journey as a whole, had occupied more time than
it has frequently been performed in. Dover