American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-05-09

and other parts OF England. The consequence
was that from this increased demand at the mness
the greatest inconvenience accrued in con.
veylng the coal thence to he ships, as we'll i'm
mense expense for the horses and laborers employ
ed tor this purpose, to remove which wagon roads
were at first made consisting of wooden rails or
Lodges, fitted TO allow the wheels OF the wagons 10
| run upon them. BY this improvement il was found
that single horse could easily draw wagon on
these rails which had previously required three or
more horses. In 1888 further Improvement was
made by substituting cast iron rails instead of the
old wooden ones. The old fashioned wagons how
ever, being still employed, were found inc convenient.
These were dispensed with about the year ITO,
and instead OF one great wagon, number of snlaI.
Ter wagons each capable of containing one or two
tons were used, being linked together wi h chains.
BY thus dffusing the weight over larger portion
OF the railway, the principal OF the failure in
the FIRST instance was removed. From this time
cast iron Railways began to be constructed branch
es TO canals, and in some places roads Of traffic
from ore place TO another. The iron rails cast
In pieces from thee to six feet in length h, and
laid few inches above the surface of the ground to
prevent the g. avei from washing upon them. The
end Df ca h piece o, the rail upon stones 16
or IL inches square. firmly bedded in the ground.
Where horses are used, the ahway is level
common road, and the iron rails are laid upon
each aide of the path IN the ordinary place of the
ruts.
The friction 10 be overcome or he power re-
CURED 10 draw load upon the level railway is
rlously estmaled the average is held at to 150th
OF the load, or that pound in weight over pully
will move $50 lbs. on the rail way whereas on the
best roads in England force oil traction OF pound
will moe weight of bur 80 pounds and on COM
mon roads only Is or 90 pounds On rail way of
the best construction. horse travelling at the rate
Of two miles hour may draw ten tons including
The weight of the vehicles, or about $4,000 lbs.
Upon canal horse draws about as tons including
he boat at the same rate OF speed The resistance
however of water increases as the squares of the We
loctes. A boat sailing miles per hour requiring
only fourth of the power to propel It that is re-
quied to the boat at double of that rate of
locty, or four miles per hour. From the above
statements it would appear that horse is capabls
OF drawing on canal as much as nearly fofty can
draw on common road or four or FIVE on rail
road making the proportionate power as one on the
rail road, to or on the common road AT
speed Of Ave miles an hour, it is calculated that
horse cen draw much on rail road as on canal
| In using locomotive engines the powsr was in tha
first instance applied to turning the wheels upon
which the steam engine rested with its weight upon
the rails, to urge the engine forward with the
| CONS attached to it. The smooth surface of the
iron however afforded so little resistance to the
motion Of the wheels, that they often turned round
without starring forward the engine. In ordei 10
obtain proper resistance for the engine to exert
its full power, cog wheel connected with the en-
CINE was made to play into line of cogs cast upon
he side of the rail. 1t is necessary TO make ths
rail ways very level in order to obtain the benefit
of this mode Of conveyance; consequently great
expense is incurred in some places in making deep
cuts through hills, or in filling up causeways across
vaies. Where the hills too hill to admit Of
being levelled, stationary steam engines are used
to draw the wagons up from one level 20 another.
In descending inclined planes small pieces of iron
f,to re1 ppIAr bHelc nj
CONS retard their descent by friction. is usual
on common roads,
There are in England several rail roads fifteen or
twenty miles in length, upon which mere handze
we'll as Goals are conveyed. In no part OF England
however, have steam carriages been employed In
regular established lines for the transportation of
passengers or of the mail. Unless track OF rails
be calculated expressly for swiftly moving steam
carriages by excluding the slowly moving loaded
wagons of commerce, to pass which on the rail
roads would require delay and difficulty, steam car
riaEes for passengers could not probably be employ
ed to advantage, unless indeed they move no faster
than the wagons. speed OF twelve or htteen miles
an hour might easily be maintained over these iron
roads by the aid of steam power applied to properly
constructed carriages.
Feeling a curiosity to see the coal mine from
whence so much coal is brought upon this rail road.
walked along the whole extent Of il, distance OF
about three miles, to the mouth of the mine situated
upon the side of lofty hill. The mouth
trance appeared to be neatly arched with brick, with
continuation of the rail way into it, sloping at an
angle Of about five degrees with the horizon, into
the dark passage beneath the side of the hill There
are two iron railways tracks laid, one OF them for
the wagons ascending, laden with coal, and the
other for the empty wagons returning. In one Of
the latter wagons placed myself, without inquiry
calculations relative TO the extent OF the mine.
As stretched myself out upon the bottom Of the
wagon amongst the coal dust, It was just passing