The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-16
airs. oeee72, or 2l.9O per mile, against 211l

In 1875.
One OF the most important Of tho new
roads about to be built I'm Europe s the
Bcira Alta Railway, Portuguese line,
which, forming a junction with the Northern
Railway at Pompilhosa, will cross tho
lBusacs range, pass through the valley OF
the Mondcgo to Guarda, and terminate Mt
Nilar Formoso, on the Spanish frontier. The
total length Of the road will be only las
miles, but the line will be important because
it will open up fertile and wcll-popuated
district, at present without railway facilities,
and also form the missing link Of the direct
or international route between Lisbon and
Paris by the north of Spain. Thcprcsent rail
way COMMUNICATIVE the two capitals
Is 40 miles In length while by the Bcira
Alta line 1t will be only LII miles, or 273
miles less. The contract for its construc-
tion and working has just been given TO the
SociGtG Financcrc OF Paris. which binds
itself to open the road In four years. Tho
Portuguese Government grants n cash sub
sidy OF Sll, l2j per mile, the total estimated
cost being sjS, 50j per mile For this and
other aid, in the way of lands and buildings,
and exemptions from duties and imposts, it
will exact transit duty" of five per cent.
va "A'' W. ii'ik III Niib l'hNN'lk'iNs
The protcctorate established by England
over the Turkish possessions. and especially
the accession OF Cyprus have resulted I'm the
formation of many companies in London to
develop and utilize the resources of the
new territory and strengthen England5
hold on India. The most recent Of these is
the cyprus and Asiatic Turkey Invest
mcnt and Land Mortgage Company" with
capital of SloOO00o0, in $50 shares. 1t
proposes to lend money on real and other
property in Cyprus and Asiatic Turkey, to
buy and sell lands and merchandise, and to
execute public works. Fortnightly steam
communication has already been established
between Liverpool and Cyprus, and the
steamers are sailing with full cargocs Of
hardware. building materials, and manuiac-
turcd goods the English feeling I'm a hurry
to take advantage OF the new territory.
But the largest project Is hat of the Eu-
pirates Railway. II is reported that Com
mander CAMERON il about to start from
England 20 survey the route, and at last ac-
count the Duke Of SUTHERLANps scheme
for an Asiatic ro;d was 7till under examina-
tion at Constuntnople. The Canadian Cow
eminent has advertised for proposals for
''ilNNA h'AliiS anu fi'lbNAhE wv N"'''''h".A
Pacific Railroad from near Lake Nipissing,
where Ii 'Sill conLect with the Canada Cen
trei from Ottawa, westward about 1000
/ miles TO the Pacific coast. In Australia the
progress in railroad construction has been
remarkable. There are now open 80 miles
| in New South Wales, 600 in Victoria. 800 I'm
South australia. 27O in Queensland $50 In
| New Zealand, $50 In Tasmania, and 40 In
! West Australia. Plans for railway oN-
| tensions are also in progress IN the island.
A caucus ~ the members If the Mexican
Congress was lately held to devise means
for the encouragement Of railways and
similar enterprises generally
In England a company with capital Of
sj,O0o0o0 was registered last month 10 make.
equip. work. aud maintain tramways or
street railroads. at home and abroad; but
though it, Use il persstently urged in some
quarters. there T. opposition in Parliament
to steam power on these roads. 4 tram
| way. 1850 yards long. connecting the town
~ Lausanne with its harbpr Ouchy. In tho
Lake Of Geneva. in Switzerland, las been
built, and consists of two lines Of rail, and
the two q Tins On which are connected by
"a wire rope passing over winding drum,
So that the one Is drawn up while the other
T. let down. The Metropolitan District
Railway of London is about 90 begin an cx-
tension 90 Tulham and putney.a length of
one mile and five flrlongs, the estimated
cost Of which will be about sl,loo,o0o. 4
tunnel UNDER the Solcnt, to connect the l-lc
# Wight with the mainland, is proposed ia
virvoi the fast Increase Of traffic there. The
distance would Doe about five ml.,, and the
tive ease; but il H. doubtful whether thu
Investment would pay.
One Of tho most interesting Of recent
railway events In this country has been the
starting II the now train between New York
and Philadelphia, which runs IN" distance
~ ninety miles in two hours. This Is some
thing remarkable for the United Statc-, but
fast as the time is, 1t 10 not yet up 10 that o
the Great Northern Scotch express or tn,
Great Western Flying Dutchman" OF Eng
land which make their fifty and sixty miles
an hour Another noteworthy undertaking
Is the new bridge of the Chicago and Alton
Railroad over the Missouri River at Glas
, gov This bridge is to be truss, and IL
material entirely Of steel, the first cX
ample in the country 1t will be Of five
spans Of 3lj feet each. \ train of l9l cmpt!
coal cars the longest that ever passed Over
the road, was recently drawn over thu
D Reading Railroad by one OF the new coal
, lirt burning locomotives
The problem OF ear Lighting is engaging
= tho attention OF railway inventors, aud TN
p hc.t opinion seems t. be that 1t will ID
/. solved by the adaptation Of tho elcctrl
. candle to railroad use. Already the electri
light has been successfully tri"l In Franc
for the illumination of dcp1ts, and it onl
remains t. cantrive a small engine, 10 b
n run by the boiler Of the locomotive, an
90 which viii generate electricity enough t
10 light every pa--on@,r car To the brilllanc
i of day, to finally settle tho question: Tn
D. only trouble to the train men would he IA
y cn-y and simple connecting Of wire on tw'
d, when the car was coupled on. An ol"cirl
i, brake is on snow at the Paris Exhibition
n but it is condemned by experts a. compl
,..f.J ft.ni,iauf and tNuOu-lvo