miles an hour, which is, we believe, at least one mile an hour greater than the average velocity constantly realized by the swift boats; at any rate, nine miles an hour, may be taken as the average velocity of the swift boats on canals. It will not, we presume, be questioned, that the rate of travelling upon railways by locomotive engines is overrated at twenty miles an hour. The distance between Liverpool and Manchester, (31 miles,) is run in an hour and ten or fifteen minutes. The distance between Birmingham, and Manchester, or Liverpool, is ninety-seven miles, the time, four hours and a half. So far, therefore, as relates to the rate of travelling, we may, in a general way, state that, at present, the rate upon railways, is more than double that by

swift boats on canals.

Having ascertained, that the rate of travelling by railway is double that by any other mode, it will not be contended, if the fares are the same, the preference will not be in favour of railways; whatever may be said of the value of time as relating to goods and merchandize; it cannot be questioned, that time is valuable as regards individuals.

The time of the common labourer cannot be taken at less than 2d. per hour, and when we come to the higher grades of mechanics, and from that to merchants, and others, engaged in trade, and other pursuits, we shall find, that the value of each hour, will pay for a considerable difference of fare, between travelling at the rate of ten and twenty miles an hour. This is amply exemplified by the canal companies themselves, otherwise, such extraordinary efforts would not have been made to attain a rate of speed with the swift boats, double that of the common fly boats; the trackage of which alone, according to Mr. Grahame, is in the one case 11d. per mile, and in the other 34d. per mile, if they did not find, that such a

rate of travelling was necessary to secure the traffic of passengers on canals.

We may, therefore, conclude, that, if the fares be the same on the railway and the canal, the rate of travelling on the former being twenty, and on the latter nine or ten, miles an hour, all the conveyance of passengers will be absorbed by the railway, the convenience of both being the same. But, we think, this may be carried further, and that greater fares may be charged by the railway, and still the traffic of passengers will be secured to that system of conveyance.

The fares on the Liverpool and Manchester railway have been often alluded to, as proving the high rate at which it is necessary to charge on railways; and the whole of the arguments of Mr. Grahame, in favour of canals, are founded upon, what he calls, the exorbitance of those charges, which are 5s. 6d. by the best coaches, and 4s. 6d. by the open carriages; or about 2d. and 14d. per mile, respectively. But it must be observed, that these are the fares which the company are enabled to charge, and yet to outstrip all competition from other modes of conveyance; not what they are obliged to charge, on account of the expenses of working the railway; and this fact, instead of telling against the system, goes to prove that such charges can be made per mile, and yet compete effectually against all other modes of We must, however, remark, that the canal, in this case, is put out of competition by its increased length, being fifty-six miles, while the railway is only thirty-one miles; still the railway is subject to the competition of the turnpike road, thirty-three miles in length.

conveyance.

It is confidently asserted, that passengers can be conveyed in the swift boats at d. per mile; if so, we have this conclusion, that the canal companies cannot

induce passengers to travel by the canal at 3s. 6d. in preference to paying 5s. 6d. and 4s. 6d. by the railway, which can only be accounted for by the saving of time by the railway.

On examining the table of the relative cost of conveyance by canal and railway, we find the cost of haulage and boat-hire by canal, at ten miles an hour, equal to 3d. per ton per mile; while, for parcels and light goods, conveyed by the railway coaches, the haulage and cost of carriages are 14d. per ton, at twenty miles an hour. In the case, therefore, of active competition betwee the two modes, we find the balance decidedly in favour of railways.

The result, therefore, of these comparisons of canal and railway communications is, with respect to heavy goods; where it becomes a question, whether a railway or a canal is to be constructed; that a railway is preferable, inasmuch as, while it affords as cheap a mode of conveyance for heavy goods, it presents a more economical and more expeditious means of transit, for all other descriptions of traffic. When the question relates to the construction of a railway, for the conveyance of heavy goods alone, to be brought into competition with an existing canal; unless there are other circumstances, in favour of the former, more than that of being a level railway, and of the same length as the canal, we find the latter will be enabled to compete with very great effect against such a railway. But when we are to determine as to the construction of a railway, for a mixed traffic of minerals, coals, or heavy goods, merchandize, and sengers, we find that a railway will be enabled to compete successfully with any existing canal; presuming that the interest of capital and amount of traffic are such, that the dues required to be charged on the railway, are not higher than those given in the cases upon which our calculations have been formed, of the

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comparative cost of working the two systems of communication.

In our comparison, however, of the two systems of transit, we must not lose sight of the very important consequences, resulting to the commerce of the country, by the rapidity of communication effected by railways, which far outweighs any trifling balance of economy in favour of canals, if such even do exist; and, therefore, we presume, whenever the balance between the two modes, in any degree approach each other, a preference will be given to railway communication.

CHAPTER XIV.

ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY, AND THE LOCOMOTIVE POWER TO BE USED THEREON.

THE Construction of this railway, being different from that of the Liverpool and Manchester, the London and Birmingham, the Grand Junction, and other great lines of railway laid down in this country; and being, in many respects, upon an entirely new system, and it being the intention of the proprietors of that railway to adopt a rate of speed much beyond that at present kept up upon the existing lines of railway; we have thought it advisable to give a short description of the mode of construction, and the plan of the locomotive engines to be used upon this railway. This should have followed the description of the plan of formation, of other lines of railway in Chapter IV., but as the Great Western railway is only at present in the course of formation, we deemed it advisable to obtain the latest information on the subject; and have, therefore, deferred obtaining it, as long as we could, previous to the work issuing from the press. Though this has caused a misplacement of this chapter, it has not been without its advantages; as it has enabled us to state the result of a trial upon a portion of the line, which, together with a description of the mode of construction, has been kindly communicated to us by Mr. Brunel the engineer.