Morning journal and courier., 1883-05-11

without any cloth or leather lining, similar | to those manufactured for the tramways bJ Messrs. Stephenson, of New York. The 1 wheels will be under the centre of the car riags, with 8 wheel-base of five feet. The floor of the carriages will only be nine inch. es above the rails the floors of the terminal platform being on the same level as the floor of the carriages. The centre of the carriage being occupied by the dynamo machine. each end will be devoted to passengers, one com partment being for first and the other for second class passengers, which will bs dis tinguished by different-colored lamps
 The advantages of electricity as motor in tunnels are too obvious to need e1plana- tion At one stroke all the sulphurous fumes and the stifing steam which render the underground railway so horrible are avoided. There is no shrieking, no pufing and grooming, no dirt no damp; everything is clean and dry Whether it will be equally profitable is another matter. AS we have frequently had occasion to point out, no electrical railway in existence has as yet paid @ dividend All electrical railways yet made have either been scientific toys or financial failures; or where, as at the Paris Exhibition. they paid their expenses, it was owing to ex- ceptional circumstances rendering it possible to levy extraVagant fares. The cost of working the new tunnel railway is, however, provided for by, contract with Megsra- Sic
 
 ing4stock and plant is to be laid down for eI2, 900, and the railway is to be worked by the same firm for e5, GOO per annum and one fifth the yearly gross receipts from traffic in excess of e20, 900. Messrs. Siemens know their business, but if they can carry 4,O00,- GOO persons across the Thames at cost of e5, 900, they will surprige many people, and afford the first conclusive proof that has yet been forthcoming az to the economy of cleo trical motors. The company calculate that they will be able to secure one-eighth of the traffic at present passing the Thames by the Westminster, Charing Cross and Waterloo bridges. If they get LOGO passengers day at 2d. and 5000 at Id. they will secure e24,- 900 per annum, out of which, after paying for working expenses, they hold forth hopes of 8 dividend of Is per cent. Intending shareholders will be well-advised if they moderate their expectations.
 Much, of course, will depend upon the convenience of the starting-peint of the line :; and at present 1t is in the awkward position of having no starting point It is hoped to be able to sink the shaft by which access will be had to the platform near the premises of the National Liberal club. But that at pres ent Is undecided. Their parliamentary pow CTS give them authority to begin at point distant about thirty yards to the southeast of Charles Is statue at Charing Cross; but they are applying this session for further pOW6IS to LQhh6 LII dAbouS1Ou GO h pO4Ab eighty-five yards to the west of the statue. The tunnel will be continued through an arch lined with white bricks under the avenue and the Victoria embankment. Of that arch six ty feet under the embankment constructed for another purpose will be used by the rail- way The railway will pass through iron caissons under the river Thames, and again through an arch under College street and Vine street, and terminate at Waterloo sta ton, where it will be directly connected with the platforms of the London and South western railway, with separate approach from the York road. It will come out at the loop-line station of the Waterloo terminus, at point distant about nine yards, measured in westerly direction from the front of the arch No. 255, under the loop-line station now and recently in the occupation of Messrs Goddard & Sons.
 The line must necessarily be sunk for many feet below the level of the street. The Tow CT subway is approached by dreary descent of ninety-six steps, If the new line can only be reached by a similar flight of stairs it's popularity will be seriously impaired. A hoist at each end will probably be found to be an indispensable adjunct to success. The company foreshadow in their prospectus the construction of other railways to pass under Stamford street and Bankside, under the Thames, near Southwark bridge, and under Queen street and Queen Victoria street to the
 
 for Parliamentary poRsrs to make five new railways, the first of which is 8 mere exten- sien of the line at Charing Cross and the last railway, which will land it's passengers with in eighty yards of the southwest angie of the Royal Exchange. The discussion of these projects is premature It would be well for the company if they were to wait until their first line was success before venturing on other enterprises of a similar description. But if the electrical system is once proved to be a success there are many districts where it's speedy application may be anticipated First among these will be an electrical rail way across Hyde Park, with a terminus on the site of St. George's Hospital which might be provided for elsewhere. After that an extension of the electrical railway from Waterloo and Charing Cross to the Great Northern stations would follow in due course. There is, however, no limit to the possible extension of system which provides cheap, noiseless, rapid, safe communication below