Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-03-11
RAILROADS AND LOCOMOTIVES ENGINE.
EcnLl The LnLan., C,....ri..

From the London Courier.
The public generally are but very little aware of
the uses to which railroads about to be appIied
the following information therefore, will we trust
be acceptable 10 readers:-
ilitherto railroads have been used for very loi-
ted purposes, and whenever they are spoken of il is
IN connection with Coal Pits and Stone Quarries:
but they are now about to be applied for the mr.
pose of conveying merchandise over very ext.nf.d
lines of country; and thus they are becoming oh
Ject of great national interest.
Railroads, as hitherto worked by horses uossese
very iitue' any advantage over Canals; but rnil-
roads, worked by the locomotive steam ouciro
have so decided superiority, both as regards In,
and expense, that there be no question brt thew
will DE generally adopted wherever a new limo 81
conveyance has bccome necessary, either from an
Increased trade, from the exhorbitaut demand ,r
canal proprietors.
BY the locomotive engine fifty tons of goods MAY,
lie conveyed by ten horse power Engiue on lev
ei !"au' DIT 'he rate oil SIX miles an hour, and lighter
weights at proponioned increase of speed Car
Fages for the conveyance of passengers at the rate
OF IL or Id miles per hour For CanaIsit is neces
sary to have dead level but not so for railroads.
an engine VIII work goods over elevation of ono
eighth of an inch 10 the yard. Where the ,.cou, ne
descent Is rapid, aud cannot be counteractcd bv
cutting on entertainments, recourse mus, ne had ~
per nanent engines aud inclined plains, lust as re-
course Is had to locks for canals; bur here arar h
railroad system has the advantage; the inclined
plane causes no delay, while locking creates =
great deal.
Two Acts of Parlia nent have alrcaf,, boo,, oh,
famed namely, the Stockton and Darlington Act
and the Moreton Act. On these lines which .vc,oI
thirty miles each, it is intended to adont tbr i,c,
motive engine and they will both be vcry soon rea
dy for the conveyance of goods
There are also three or four other ra lro, do NO,
Jected. Two years ago several gentlemen in ,yer
pool and Manchester subscribed to obtain - s,,,,,,,
0f line between those two tohns II was accom-
plished and found practicable. From various cn,,ss
the prosecution OF the plan delayed, but a few
mouths Since IT was undertaken with great sDirit
"A deputation from both towns was appoiutcd 70
inspect the railroads and loco motive engines nf
tn. north; they inspected the Stockton and DIR
Hngton line, and inquired minute into its cost; they
witnessed the engines working on the HoIton rail
road near Sunderland, and made most favourabIr
Report. The Committee Immediately apno;n,ed
MIR. George Stephenson, of New-C astle-uoon-Tvn
their engineer, who has since surveyed md adopted
q new line. Its length is 30 1-16th miles and tho
greatest ascent descent is only 116th of an inch
to the yard. The distance by the high road is 36
miles, and by the canals and rive so miles The
shares appropriated to Liverpool and Manchester
have all been disposed of, but the Committee ha 20
small number placed in their hands, to be distri-
outeh asthey may deem proper. Application for an
Act will be made next Session of Parliament: t,e
cost Is estimated at about .E3OO,OOO. Mr. Ste
phenson has also laid down line between Biru,iur-
ham and Liverpool of which report speaks most IA
vourabyi and the Birmingham Committee will also
60 TO Parliament next Session.
At IS intended to meet the Peak Forrest a nd Crou
lord Canal by means of rail-road; railroad i
also spoken Of at Stroud, aud the High Sheriff of
Northumberlaudb has convened County Meeting IN
invite The expediency of establishing one between
New Castle and Carlisle
The attempt on the part of Canal Propricto,s to
prevent their adoption is utterly hopeless Tho dis
eoyey of he locomotive engine viii be- almost &C
important to the trade and commerce Of this country
as the discovery oftbe stcam-cngne itself In fact
It IS only new application Of the powers of the
steam-engne. few weeks since we witnessed |
the Prime Minister aud his coadjutor, surrounded
by men distinguished for their scientific and p,tri
otto pursuits assembled for the purpose NJ voting
to the memory of Mr. Watt. for the dis |
hnguished services ne had conferred on his counfr,,
and on mankind. Surely, then, Pa Lament will |
never refuse TO permit the country to reap the full
benefit of his discovery. by throwing out the bills in
ended TO be applied for. Whatever Parliament
nay DO they cannot stop the course Of knowledge
mo improvement; the American Government has
possessed itself through its Minister the improved
node'of constructing and working railroads. and |
nee can be no doubt Of their immediate adoption
throughout that country. The writer Of this article