The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1879-01-26
ENORMOUS PUBLIC woRKs IN FRANCE


! of a commercial depression which promises to
| be of long continuance. Frauoe though it has
It's share in the general stagnation of trade, is
occupied with gigantic projects for pn biio i'm
proveme The republic, scarcely less than
the empire adopts the pattern al theory of gov
ernment, and is setting itself to work to add
intellectually to the means of internal inter
course and the facilities for commerce while
providing mploy meut for its lsborers.
This theory of government is certainly
false one, bat it is only our present purpose to
show in brief What is to be done under IT in
the direction of public improvements. NJ. de
Freycinet, the Minister of Pablc Works, has
utlned q scheme of railway. canal. and har.
Dor extension, for 1879. which will cost the
| enormous sum of $500 900 600, and will proba-
bly, havo Legislative sanction for 1t in it's en-
tirety, If we accept the authority of the London
Economist The money for these unparalleled
works he proposes to raise by an issue of three
per cent, bonds, redeemsble in seventy-five
years and that he can get the whole amount
without trouble, the experience of all recent
French loans affords abundant proof. The
new chance for investment is eagerly awaited
by capitalists, large and small; for enormous
sums are now lying idle in bankers hSnds.
One of the main features of the plan, and
that which will consume the greater part of
the vast appropriation, 10 the OK 1tension of the
railroad sy stem of France. The rest of the money
will mainly 60 to the construction of new har-
bors and the Improvement of the old ones.
Another great public work which is urgently
demanded by several of the departments is
canal from Crell- sor Disc to BeAuyais Amiens,
and Albert, with two important branches. IL
10 averred that this extensive canal wonld be
of the greatest value to the north of France;
and it would certainly be the most oonsidera-
BILE of all the nsvigAble French waterways,
and would have the effect Of reducing by one
half the present freight charges from English
ports to Amiens, Paris, and beyond.
a scheme for the construction of O network
of metropolitan railways in Paris was hardly
perfected before III. de Freyoinet stepped in
and claimed the projected lines as belonging
fvf fha nf of int
Their concession has therefore been trans
ferred from the Municipal Council to the gen.
eral Government. The cost of their oonstruc-
tion ia estimated at hard on q million dollars q
mile The Minister of Public Works has also
obtained the appointment of q supreme COM |
mission on the treatment and utilization of |
French rivers composed in equal thirds of
officials, and manufacturers or |
agricultursts. 1t will consider irrig alton, mo-
tive power, inundation, water supply, sewage,
and similar questions.
Add to all this his vast prnj.c of harbor
Improvement, and we see that NJ. de Freyoinet
has laid out scheme of public works for
France which will occupy the republic for
many years to come, constituting system of
Internal improvements of extraordinary mag
nitude, which, if it is successfully completed,
will itself mako the new repuhlic memorable
or generations.
One Of the most interesting features of the
'lan is the construction Of what are known as
light railways, or narrow. gauge railways,
Argely as feeders to the main lines, on the most
xtersive scale. com mission was appointed
ast January to examine into this class of rail
7ays, both at home and abroad and report on
Is value and feasibility; and the result of
heir Inquiries has determined III, de. Freycinet
0 build the parrow-gsuge railways through
ut France. The English engineering journals
nd fault with the conclusions of this commits
on, bnt they are very interesting.
They recommend q reduction of the gauge ,
} 3 feet 81 inches aud in some instances even
2 feet incheP; whereas in England q ) foot
auge is preferred. They advise the dispens- ,
lg with fences except at especially dangerous :
onts and near dwellings; that the etations
,ould consist merely of a waiting room, ticket
q &c and station nj Aster's lodgings that the !
.rs should be of two classes, with possibly an
pper story that they should be without USE
as ornamentation; and that the rolling stock
Iould be at q minmurl-iu fact, that every
ling should be arranged with view to strict
onomy. Under these conditions they esti-
ate the coast of the roads, per mile, at an
-ersge Of about $22 600. They put tt aver p
,e speed at from 3 to II miles an hour. 7,
le English engineers basug their estimateS =
lies an hour, according to the weight of the Il
ad, cipher the cost Of tho road at $50 900 q
lie.
The subject of narrow gauge raitways is now 10 10
e Of the most Interesting in the whole range II
railway questions, and it is well worth care.
thought and study. During the last few
ars they have been built more or less ex ten E
rely here and abroad, and they are likely to
me into still greater use, as being cheaper in
Instruction and n working, especially in new
1ntries.
rurScs TuAT NEvRR FATI-New inveptiona "a