We have not, in our inquiries on the capabilities of canals, as a mode of transport, taken into consideration the application of steam as a motive power; all the attempts, hitherto made, have been unsuccessful, and have not yet superseded the use of horse power. Until, therefore, that description of motive power has been brought into such a state of perfection, or usefulness, as to be equal to, or more beneficial than, the present mode; we did not think any inquiry into that part of the subject, in this work, could be of any practical utility.

CHAPTER XIII.

COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT MODES OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION.

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§ 1.-Railways and Turnpike Roads.

We are now enabled to compare the relative value of railways, with common turnpike roads, and other modes of internal communication. Whilst railways were in a state of infancy, and their powers scarcely developed, this was a question of great difficulty, as the conclusions were, necessarily, almost entirely speculative, dependent upon the results of improvements, which this species of transport was deemed susceptible of; but now those improvements have attained a degree of perfection, which enables us no longer to present to the reader conclusions drawn from theory, or speculative reasoning, we can appeal to practice, to shew the value of railways, as a means of inland transport. We are aware, that, in appealing to the present state of railways, we offer them to the notice of the public under disadvantageous circumstances. We can only appeal to existing railways, which have, as it were, created this species of transport, and where, it will at once strike the reader, the cost and disadvantage of doing so, must have been very considerable; subsequent establishments, profiting by what has previously been done, will be enabled to commence the traffic upon their lines, under very much more favourable circumstances, and at considerably less cost. In comparing railways with other modes of internal transport,—when we take, as a basis for estimat

ing the cost of working the former, the practical result of a few years, we do not present the comparison at the present state of improvement, which those works have attained; but we encumber that estimate with all the cost and expense, of bringing up a system, from a state of comparative insignificance, to that of its present perfection.

When the Liverpool and Manchester railway was established, it was made one of the stipulations, at the celebrated contest, that none of the engines should weigh more than five tons, and that the rate of travelling should not be less than ten miles an hour. We now find, the very engine for which the premium was obtained, discarded as useless, and doomed to drag coal along a private railway, and engines employed upon that railway weighing upwards of twelve tons, while the public are complaining when the rate of travelling is less than twenty miles an hour.

We may easily imagine the revolutions and alterations, which must have taken place, in all the arrangements and works of that concern, and that all these changes could not be effected, except at a very considerable sacrifice of capital, labour, and cost. The public, and, particularly, new railway companies, are deeply indebted to the Liverpool and Manchester railway, for the benefit which they have derived from the experience upon that great work; and for the very liberal manner in which the company have at all times communicated the result of their labours to the public, or allowed others to obtain that information, such liberality entitles them to the gratitude of all the promoters of that system of internal communication.

We deem the foregoing observations necessary to shew, that, in the comparison of other modes of transport with railways, deduced from past experience, we are

scarcely acting fairly towards the system of railways; for there cannot be the slightest doubt, that the system is capable of very great and rapid improvement, and, therefore, in charging the expense of the cost of working up the system to its present state of perfection, we take no credit for such improvements as are, almost without a doubt, likely to take place in a very short period of time, and which might be fairly brought to bear, upon a comparison with other long established and complete systems of transit.

We must not, however, conceal from ourselves, and the public, that the accomplishment of all these improvements has entailed upon the construction and establishment of railways, an increase of capital, to a very considerable amount; railways, which might be constructed at 10,000l. to 12,000l. per mile, cannot now be properly formed, including the requisite establishment for carrying on the traffic, for less than 20,000l. or 25,000l. a mile. For it is now indispensable, that all the railway companies should, likewise, become the conductors or carriers of all the traffic upon the railways; and the recent order of Parliament, that no public road shall be crossed upon a level, has, likewise, increased the cost of masonry, to a very great amount.

Art. 1.-Turnpike Roads and Railways, with

Horses.

The three descriptions of transit, which we have comprised under the head of turnpike roads, are waggons, with heavy goods, travelling at the rate of two, and two miles and a half an hour; fly-vans, or carts, with light goods, travelling at the rate of four miles an hour; and coaches, for the conveyance of passengers, at the rate of nine miles an hour.

The following Table will shew the relative quantity of work, which a horse will perform, and the comparative cost of conveying goods, upon turnpike roads and railways.

TABLE I.

Table of the comparative cost of conveyance of goods and passengers, upon turnpike roads and railways,

We see, therefore, that, for every description of traffic, whether for heavy, light, or bulky goods, or for passengers, railways present a system of transport very much cheaper than turnpike roads, even when horses are employed as the motive power; and, consequently, when the two come in competition with each other, all such traffic must be absorbed by the railway. We shall now give the relative utility, with horses on common roads, and locomotive engines on railways.