The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-09
The Railways of the World.

The Prussan Bureau OF Statistics has
lately published some interesting data re-
gardng the railway system Of Europe dur
ing the decade ending with 1876. The facts
brought out in this report are worth COM
pairing with the record of our American
railroads.
1t appears that at the close OF 1876 the ag-
gregate length OF European railways in or
Grafton was $4,000 miles. against 1900 in
1865. For the last named year the total
length OF iron road in the United States
was computed at $4,000 miles; but eleven
years later these figures had more than
doubled, this country being credited in 1876
with 1880 miles, an amount nearly equal
to the combined exhibit OF all the European
States. II we look at the ratio Of track to
area, we find for each district of thirty
nine square miles an average length
of one mile Of rail in Europe, against
nlnc-tenths Of mile in the United
States. On the other hand the railway ia
cilites Of no country In the world approach
the proportion OF track 10 population pre-
scented by the United States II we take
10000 inhabitants as q unit OF measurement,
the average amount of rail provided for their
use in Europe is only about three miles and
in the most favored parts, namely Sweden.
Switzerland. or Great Britain ana ireland,
is about six, five and half and five miles
respectively, against the astonishing quota
Of seventeen and half in the United States
In n word, the railway advantages Of this
country are, relatively to our population,
more than three times greater than those of
the opulcnt British islands, and more than
four times more extensive than those OF Bel
gium the most dcnsely peoplcd section of
| the Continent.
As for the capital represented in railways,
we observe the total amount invested in
Europe is computed for 1865 at five billion
nine hundred million dollars, which sum
mad risen decade later 10 ten billion eight
hundred millions. At the latter date ISIS
the whole capital expended upon railroads
in the United States was estimated at four
billion six hundred and fifty million dollars.
These figures indicate an average cost Of
about $4,000 per mile in Europe and nearly
100000 in the United States. We may here
mention that, as regards the expense Of
railway building, British India seems to
stand midway between Europe and Ameri-
ca. In 1865 Indostan had some two hun
drcd and fifty million dollars invested In
$3.50 miles OF track IAN average cost Of some
$4,000 to the mile, while in 1877 $500 miles
had been constructed with an aggregate
outlay Of five hundred and forty million
dollars, showing slightly increased mean
disbursement.
If we turn now to rolling stock and bust
ness. we find the comparison, as might be
| expected, extremely unfavorablc to this
| country. Thus the whole number Of loco
motives in 1875 on European roads was
1851, against $500 In the United States
At the same date there We're nearly 5000
passenger cars in Europe while less than
l4,OOO were run ON American roads. 1t may
be said these figures are delusivc because
our coaches are more caDacious, but the
fact is that the number Of persons trans
ported by rail in 1875 was one billion twenty
three millions in Europe, as against one
hundred and sixty-eight millions in the
United States. We remark like dispropor-
ton in the freight account. At the same
period the whole number OF freight cars on
the European lines was $4,000, transporting
upward Of five hundred million tons of mer-
chandisc while the American returns show
but $4,000 cars, and movement Of less
than one hundred and sixty-oght million
tons.
The gross receipts of European railways
In 1865 were nearly five hundred million dol
lars, and this income was almost exactly
doubled ten years afterward -. passenger
traffic at that time being credited with
thirty-four per cent, and freight business
with sixty-two per cent OF the whole rcve
nue.. At the same epoch Os75 the gross
earnings Of railroads In the United States
were about five hundred million dollars, tC
which total freight contributed seventy
two per cent. II is a curious fact thai
working expenses have increased il
Europe and diminished in the Unite,
States during the decade under review
Thus. in 1865 ii cost on an average forty-si'
per cent TO run European road, and ter
; years later nearly lilty-iive por cent while
the amount absorbed by the same disbursc
ments III this country has dropped from
6S 40 per cont. TO 63 40 In 1875. III. from
4 the data previously cited, we deduct tn
A running expenses, we find the not earnings
Of European roads in the last named yea
t were four hundred and fifty million dollars
, while American lines showed an aggrcgat
y profit of one hundred and eighty-ilyc mil
+ lions, In other words the revenue avail
3. able for interest on the capital employed II
. construction was $40 per cent for Europ
e and lilo for the United States o.
- the other hand, in 1867 while Euro
Il pcan lines earned very little more thai
. at present, American railroads returnc
= a net profit Of $40 pei cent. Even the rail
:, ways of British India now Darn 34-l0 pc
If cent, or little less than our own roads
j. whereas ten years ago the ratio was nearl
= as one to four. Finally. we may state tina
= the largest gross receipts furnished to tn
r. mile Of track in 1875 were $500. 900. credited
II Great Britain and ireland, wtilc the lowest
|. $4,000, are assigned to Norway. In propoi