American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1825-11-29
Fon THE wATcHHAN.

say on 1anais and Kali Roads, by Bailimorean,
and confess that was not little dispeased that
any person should attempt by Misrepresentation, il
not by direct falsehood, to lead the public mind
astray on subject Of great national improvement.
II The writer had merely cautioned his fellow citi
zens to examine The subjects of canals and rail- roads
carefully before they determined absolutely their
relative merits, should have commended him
but TO assert what is contradcted by the experience
and practice OF the best engineers in gland, and
still further TO excite prejudice against what am
OF the mind will prove one of the greatest improve
ments that the world has known in relation to in
ternal communica'ion-by mentioning trivial and
unfounded objec,ions-prove him at once to be
either an ignorant or prejudiced opponent.
80 Tar from railroads being recent and untried
matter in Great Britain, refer him to a work pub
shed more than 90 years since in London, entitled
" Anderson's Agricultural Amusements," wherein
they are very highly ommended-though but lately
introduced into that country. The writer was a
man of sound sense and deep research and such he
was believed to be by our beloved George Wash
ngton-of which we have proofs from letters con-
tanned 10 that work, to which refer the Batmo-
rean. AS there several octave volumes of
Aderson's work, would point out the particular
one in which the essay above alluded TO, is to be
found, but that have not the books by me. How
ever, whoever may choose to look over the whole Of
those volumes, will be we'll paid for his labor. But
the better to satisfy the public on this subject l
shall make some references to Tredgolds ian En-
glish Engineer) work on the subject of canals and
rail roads-as we'll as to recent publication in the
National Gazette in relation to rail way lately
opened in England, Of 25 miles in length as well
as to the declaration contained in your paper in
which this essay Of the Bal,imorean appeared show
ing that railroad had lately been opened, on the
continent, of $50 German miles of uninterrupted
length" This surely IS proof that they are
highly estimated there, or road OF 500 American
miles would not have been made.
The account published in the National Gazette,
mentions, think, railroad having been lately es
tablished in England, Of 25 miles long, and that
proof made of in the presence Of 40 to $4,000
spectators, with great satisfaction. That the said
| road passed over much varied country TO The
inequality Of the surface, and that with great facili
~ and with speed OF above eight miles an hour.
drawing by locomotive engine train of lS wag
gons and "a tons Of COAL in addition TO several hun
dred passengers on the Wagons. | cannot refer
to the particular paper, but it was published within
two weeks last passed.
Tredgod's work on rail roads and canals now lies
before me, and extract from il the following in.
formation in concise way, merely to disproye the
assertion Of The Baltimorean hat such roads OF
recent origin in England and have not the confidence
oil the public.
Tredgold says, page 1 / % The first rail road that
neighborhood Of New Castle upon Tyne, in $780,"
The writer mentions great number OF rail ways in
use amounting TO 100 miles. OF the Hetton
railway he remarks, that its length is 58 miles
that on it was drawn train of IS TO IL Wagons
The train OF Wagons, when loaded with their usual
weight Of Goals, will be about sixty four tons-the
whole mpelled by one locomotive engine, called by
the people Of the country, an Iron Horse"
| "Ths rail way, though but SO miles IN length
| mas nye Ueru np eyen hR fofa
variation of the level from the pits TO the staihs is
8l2 feet" He says, further, that ",he carriages
impelled by these engines are at velocity of 81 TO
miles per hour.'' "The immense advantage of
even the wooden railways in the Durham and
Northumberland coal.6elds, soon caused them to be
initiated in other parts Of England, named. He
further adds I" that the coal works near Leeds and
| Wakefield are connected with the neighboring
canals by numerous railways and that " In Wales
the railroads communicating between the Iron
works and coal mines and branching from the canals
and principal mining districts, rery numerous
and have proved very beneficial Undertakings"
The following passage from the same work, page
10, will meet the assertion of the Baltimorean with
respect to the difficulty Of carrying rail road over
a billy country.
"The peculiar advantages Of railways for great
changes of teret, is no where more fully exempi-
fed than in the inclined planes Of the Shropshire
canal, where the changes Of surface are 207 feet
rise in $50 yards, the second is oil 20 feet fall in
Goo yards--asd $50 yards in length with the same
difference of elevation SO that it is pretty evident
that there is nothing in the nature OF railroads that
will prevent their being used in country in pre-
ference to canals, even in very hly DISTRICTS and
indeed this is the very kind OF country in which they
prove themselves greatly superior to canals, in a
variety of respects. AS to the trivial objections
made by the Baltimorean to railroads, they are in
deed of very little consequence-as spade would
in short tine do !eniold evil to canal or a
reservoir, than sedge stone could do to railway.
The day has passed by in this country, hope,