Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-12-14

che proud u u DHn'noo'' viii dwnils into star OF
the third or fourth rate msvniius. Bat the difficulty
S>-sisss In Knowing LIST, hat cork il b,s 10 be done
and 2ndiy. How The funds best (, be raised The
knowiedGs OF Civil Engineering Is, Of almost all sub
i.ets. the rareat the time. tina, an crros
committed 10 the moot expensive and Injurious Where
a. mott h-r sehsmss require the pnnditure of few
shou.and dollars, 'oas OF these project, viii sb orb
Hundreds Of thousani. and millions We rnder-
take work; spsnd x'ea, deal Of money M i,-a
then TO ind that the work 10 not half good
% one that nigh; have great deal les.-sni that
while at work, science has been discov ring f,r
better ways OF accomplishing thu object. While w.
digging the canal, the railroad system L. opened
snd would have superseded the Canal. IL Il not now
believed. that OF tbs greatest canals In thi. Safe
does not answer the purpose so well a. railroad
would do, under the present improved 'y.tem Care
and skill are therefore, very necessary In our
work.; exclusively Of tho consideration. what 1. the
best wsy Of raising the money, and what te:ts
bur means are most competent to accomplish.
For the purpose OF shedding .ome light upon ttis
great problem, took the liberty OF addressing lew
dayssSo. sons Queries 70 Moncurs Robinson, E.q -
Who'll. 80 advADtAE ousy known to the Public as one
OF the most dis nguished Engineers employed by the
State Of Pennsylv and the present Engineer Of
the Manchester Rail- Road and of he Peter sburg and
Roanoke Rail. Road-We take the liberty Of laying hi.
Interesting reply before our reajers.
We repeat, that much IL expected from the presen,
legisa Many quarters OF the looking with
intense solieitude to their Proceedings. The Commit
tee Of Roads and Internal alton, have the impor
tAn duty before them Of die estnx preliminary or
prac'cahie Es em.-B.,t is time to be up aud do.
ing. The lights Of the able Engineer OF the State wal,
their bidding The Public credit 10 bgh-Pivate Pur.
sss arc ready 10 co-operate-The Back. have idle mo-
n.y enough 10 seek this drec,ion-The only diff Guilty
is to select the best works aud the be, way OF doing
them Keeping in view, that the citizens Of tho
county, who are Ia crsseiin the wo k, pay at least
the g. 5hs, Of the expense, and san ling n ud to
that amo.n' for the value OF the undertaking and
ver undertake work OF which you have not well con
sidsrd the snd. nigh, be the Iuscrip over the Door
Of the Board Of Public Works:
TO THElEDIToR OF THE ENQUIRER.
PErERsBU0 AND RoANoKr
Rail Road. Dee. sth, 1880.
DsAR SIR: ~ await myself OF short interval Of lei
reply to the QuGrss OF your letter Of the 4th
Inst.
Tire are three In which Rail. Ro ads seem to
present advantages Canals Lock and Dam ,vi-
CATION In Rvers-1. Where quick mAnsportaoni Is i'm.
portant; where the profile of a country. which
projected mprovem Is TO be tsksn corresponds to
lie trade where considerable differences OF level
to be encountered.
will endsasort to illustrate tho above positions in
brief and simple manner:
1 Where qiick transportation IL desirable. Rail.
Roads cBteris pdribus, avail able than Canals
because the latter in order to gain any increase
velocity beyond the slow motion usual them, much
more than proportionate increase OF power requisite
In other words, waste OF power must be sustained
The amount Of this last has been vaiously estimate
In consequences Of tho different circumstances under
which experiments have been made. The idea most
usually adopted by writers the subj IL, that the
power required TO prope boat different veociies,
as the square 81 those veloces-'hat Is to say,
wo desire 10 increase the velocity Of boat from
miles per hour must expend four times the
power to ehectit, or sustain waste OF power 10 ira
yelling any given distance, OF one half This estimate
however, Is certainly erroneous would be any rule
given without reference to the widh, draught and
shape OF the boat, and ecion Of the Canal I'm
60 effect an increase OF velocity much than pro-
portonae TO such increaseand. of course, of
power. to considerable extent even canals Of the
greatest cross section, must be sustained.
On a Railroad, however, whatever it's graduation
we iesve out Of consideration the resistance Of air.
Cat moderate velocities OF blu, little moment) have
only to increase power automatically attain any
desirable speed. Thus. II wish to travel six miles
instead Of three miles per hour have to ex
pend twice the power previously required 10 given
time and no more: Of course, trip Is effected in
one half the time, the whole amount of power expend
cd in transporting ton Of goods Rail- Road be-
tween any two given points. is precisely the same.
The above view OF the subject applies to a canal on
which high veloctes would bo admissible On a ca
mall of which the banks secured against abra
sion by pavements or vertical waling, velocity ex
ceedng three four miles per hour ought not 10 be
admitted at all, in consequence OF the injury they
would sustain.
Il lie 10 the great facilities IL afford. for speedv
Sit OF goods between Manchester and LIVERPOOL that
the proptieors OF the magnificent Rail- Wav lately con.
sttu.ted between those iowns, mainly look for REIN.
bursemert o. the heavy expenses incurred in its
struction Their work has 20 sustain tho connection
Of the Duke Of Brdgewaer's & Leigh & wigan ca.
mails, and Of the Mersey and IrwelI navigation There
il, not wi'hstanding every believe that il will
prove extremely proftabIs. Merchants, incurring
charges for their and paving heavy dockage du
ties in the port Of Liverpool will generally prefer has
d'TNa " RooUs even dt handsome advance
In the price OF carriage to awaiting their more tedious
transit by water: and the manufacturers Of Manches
ter having large numbers Of workmcn employed would
OF course, prefer paying exorbiant price for sspo
taon, to slight delay important crisis the re-
ceipt Of their staples.
The second case most favorable TO il where
the prohe OF the country, which the projected i'm
Provement is to be taken corresponds TO its trade
On we'll. constructed ieueI Rail. Road bors. will,
draw about ten tons IL the Rail Road ascends a. much
ss eighteen feet per mile, his fair load will not exceed
elk tons But II the horse descends instes al of
Ing on Railroad Of this inc na,on he will draw with
equal ease twenty four tons, four times his ascend
log load Now Ii trade about equal in each dire ion
TO be accommodated, IL is evident that the best nro.
hie which can be had level and ,his, the USE
fu effect OF horse (beiDg only ten tons) would not
exceed the third OF what would il he on canal But
II the business OF the read be altogether desce nJinr
usde or consist OF the transportation of coal ores or
metslf 10 landings when the empty wagons only 10
be returned, then the useu effect of horse in trim
on R,ii.R approaches nearly to iha. OF canal
even at q slow motion.
10 This case, the TALL IN the line which m . re,.i
would cause serious accession Vt pepsc in the item
oil ockage,is the source of Bcr. ased expense and
Of important ficiles in on Rail Road
Is owing to ihis particular feature In Rail roads
st though they have been only very lately
IN England LOT IN" purposes OF general commerce thew
have been long known and extensively resorte 10 in
the mining disricts Of that prosperous country Re-
tween the coal aud iron min -. and canals and he fr
naces, AMI orgas OF those Districts Rail. road. have
been generally obtained OF graduation favorable to
descending business which presented The do
um oil the proportion a profile oppro1imafing 10 The
trade. ~ ~
The third above cited in which Railroads an
pear more applicable than canals is when considerable
differences OF level are to be surrounded The expense