The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-10-06

anu certainty OF WHICH no example exists III
The ancient modes of continental travelling,
which used to be proveibial for its dilatoriue-
IS ana lncerIltude. The great difficulties
which George the Fourth had to encounter
during his progress through Germany when
the peasantry were frequently called upon 10
drag bis carriage brough the deep mud holes
Of the road,) are doubtless familiar to the
reader, and present curious contrast between
the ancient and modern modes Of travelling.
Formerly, not even royalty could be exempt
ent time not the humblesi plebain sIsubj, c.
10 obstruction or annoyance, but at a moder-
ate cost is enabled TO travel not only liom
town TO town, but from one country TO anoih-
err, with ease, certainty and dispatch.
When all these advantages are taken into
consideration, il will be matter Of little sur
prise, if we should find every class of society
and every important interest becoming sub
servient to railway transit; for it is certain
that eventually all the ancient modes Of con
veyance must be abolished, and as far as To-
conceive powers extend, the prince and the
peer. the citizen and the peasant, will be re-
,uced to the same level. With truth, then,
might Judge Williams exclaim, that that
the railways had become the masters Of al
most all the trade. and everything else in
the country and that even majesty itself
had TO submit to their arrangements Thus
truly prophetic were the words of Mr.. Thorn
as Gray, (whOse early exertions in the cause
Of railways, above quarter OF century
ago, have been already noticed in these es
says,) that the system would extend over
all countries thar 'emperors. kings and gov
ernmenrs would he its defnders.' that all
distances would disappear and that it would
be the handspring ofIhe civilization of the
worldi'
As predicted by Gray, and admitted by
Mr. Justice Williams, the railway system is
assuming an all paramount importance in
every department Of political and social life.
tcwhich the kings and governments must
alike submit. In war, If such calamity
should unhappily supervene, it, with the AS
ronishins powers Of the magnetic telegraph.
will form the most powerful instrument in
repeling the invader by the rapid concenrra-
ton of military force. In times of political
convulsion or national anarchy, popular out
rage by the same means will he Immediately
suppressed. In the calm Of peace and the
reign Of the social arts. which the railway
system must necessarily tend TO consolidate,
it will form more powerful agent in pro-
noting the domestic trade of the country
than even the most sano uiLe imagination
could ever have contemplated. Wherever
the railways penetrate purely agricultural
district, much as they were DEPRECATED by
the landed interest when in their infancy,
they effect a complete revolution. not ohly 10
he mode Of transit, hut in the price of arti
| cles, and soon established a certain and regu-
lar course of exchange between the agricul-
fural and the mining and manufacturing
| productions Of the respective districts and
this without regard TO The distance which
separates them-the question never being en-
rertaiued as to the distance. but simply
whether there is continuous railway
line.
Formerly. where iron and coal vera dear.
| grain and meat were cheap OF otherwise.
where the materials were sheap. agricultural
| produce was dcar-those inconvenent results
arising from the want of markets. or from
the absence of rneans for effecfinga ready
| exchange Of the surplus commodities Of one
district for those of another. When the
Bristol and Exeter railway penetrated De-
vonshre, il opened 10 the farmers all the
arkets of the town population up 10 Lon
don; and the price Of butter, poultry, eggs
lnd vegetables Immediately rose in the Ex-
eter market. The farmers and peasantry. in
return, could buy coal (as vel as many for
rign products which they never before en
| ioyed) a, considerably reduced price; while
The demand for wooden faggOis, which lin
the absence OF coal) were previously an ar
tice in great demand, almost entirely
ceased. In the evidence before tie gauge
commissioners, it was stated BY CAPT. Laws,
that from l2 10 Is tons Of cucunhers arrived
at Manchester in one day from the nrigh-
borhood of Rugby alone-rhus atiortling
great source o. profit TO poor rural district,
from the disposal nj an article which I Il its
great abundance in that district, would have
been comparatively valuIcss without the
means of that cheap and rapid conveyance
which railway transit presents. At the pres
ent time there are vast quantities, amount
! ing 10 many tons, Of salmon. soles, cod, lob
sters and other fish, sent daily by railway
| from the London markets 10 the different III
land towns and districts which formerly new
er had the opportunity of enjoying these lux
uries, because the time consumed in their
conveyance by coach or wagon would have
rendered them useless before they arrived NJ
their destination.
If such be the advantages resulting from
the facilities Of domestic interchange, how
much greater mustthey be when the railway
communication extends 10 all the neighbor-
ing countries of Europe, and affords US the
means of exchanging the products Of our ma
tive industry for those Of the most distant
soils? The same benefits which are Afforded
10 internal or domestic traffic will necessar-
lily be extended 10 foreign commerce; and
considering the amazing facilities OF inter
course on the continent. which the various
lines will afford, can we arrive at any other
conclusion than that they are calculated not
only 10 promote the physical comforts and
enjoyments fall the great human family,
but ultimately 10 insure the highest state Of
social felicity TO which people can attain,
by constantly supplying the means of inter-
communication and thus, by stimulating the
intercourse Of nations, to knit together the
race Of beings who occupy the most distant
portions of the globe, by The kindliest bonds
ofreciprocal benevolence p Railway Rec
ord.
NEW ENGLAND RAILR DADS;