Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-05-21
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Il All.lID

The British Parliament has, IN the session ust
menced, taken the first step towards bringing the gee
lines of railway in that country under legislative
troll II is difficult, by any analogy supplied by our
ways for American to estimate the conditions uat
which these great arteries of British intercourse a.,
formed and maintained in operation. The capital nyfs
ed in the first constructions the floating capital nrccssa,
to work them, the quantity of traffic transported
them, and the speed with which that transport effect
Cd are scycrally elements different from what
are accustomed 10 contemplate, that the mere sa-
mcnt of a few of them must excite both interest 30
surprise.
The railway connecting Liverpool and hlaachr>.i
involved an outlay of capital amounting 10 about =
millions of dollars 1t is thirty zone miles in engl
and cost therefore at the rate of above two hunt'-
thousand dollars per mile. The current traffic On IL
line is very nearly as follows: OF passenger trans
there are renty daily, and from fifteen TO twenty raH
of merchandise. The average number Of pnssense:
carried daily from terminus 10 terminus, is 1000, sr.
the number of of merchandise daily is about l
To afford space and time for the passenger trains mo-.
Of the merchandise is carried ut night. The iae.
passenger trains have recently made the trip in II:
average time Of seventy minutes including s,oPgas.
of about four minutes half way. The rate when
ing on level parts of the line generally above tui
miles an hour
The railway between Liverpool and Londonls aIo.,
2l0 miles in length and exclusive Of the s,opPage a
way, at Birmingham, the trip is performed by Tue Fl
class passenger trains in ten hours. This lnclnts'
vast number of stoppages al intermediate stations =
less probably than twenty-five in the above JouFfs
The speed when moving is generally about thirty ME,
an hour.
The railway between Birmingham and Londar Il
not yet completed, though the rails are all LAID auc
line throughout has been for some time at worn ).
computed that this line, when the dePots have Yea
completed, will cost about thirty millions Of do.i
and its total length being one hundred end ,"r'e
miles, the cost will be nearly 100000 dollars per mix
The daily receipts for traffic at present upon the Ia
amount 10 above 5000 dollurs. The depot OF this a
at London, is not yet completed, but lis estimated =:
was above million Of dollars.
The railway connecting London with Bristol Is
vet completed. The expenditure Of capital upon I
ready has been so lavish, and The methods q Il:
structure have been subjected to such capne Il
changes that it is difficult TO say what viii be IL
mate cost. lis length is about the same az that esi
to Birmingham, and its cost per mile Will protaJy /
much more. The width of the rails on this Inc >
ven feet, the common standard being four feet !. l
inches This augmented guage necessarily mir;
proportionally increased scale in oil the works, az
proportionably increased expense.
The numerous accidents and great loss OF liie W I
on the English railways, are owing TO the II
amount of the traffic carried on upon them, 'nd
enormous speed al which il is transported. These Il
cidents do not arise from the explosion OF engines
from any other cause Immediately connected with s'e
power, but are due, almost exclusively, to the g
sion of trains The railways being all, without ei1l
ton, double lines, trains never move in contfary
rectons on the same rails, and consequently, coils
never occurs from trains unexpectedly mtdnS /"
other. Such accidents always arise IRON one Y
overlooking and running into another When ih'
ours, the most terrific consequences ensur, the
riages being generally smashed TO pieces, and ,he
fortunate occuplers manned or killed
One of the most curious and interesting resa'; 1
the establishment OF railways in Europe, IS The a.
nous increase Of intercourse they have produced.
compared with the intercourse which PrcSio.'
maintained between the same places on common F2i
This increase has never been less than three tolG
has in same cases, been seren eight fold In :
localities, the intercourse has attained amount
borders on the incredible. Since the completion q
railway between Paris and St German, the daily
tercourse between these places is said 10 amount
above 5000 persons per day; and it appears BY eSGs
given before the House of Commons, that the na
course between the city Of Dublin population w.
So,O0O) and the town of Kingstown, amounts TO -
day-Phiddeiphia Gazette.