two perches, one at each end; but instead of resting on two wheels, each of them rests on four. The vehicle has therefore the facility of changing the direction of its motion at each end; and in moving through a curve, one of the trucks will be in one part of the curve while the other is at another, the length of the body of the carriage forming the cord of the intermediate arc ! For the purposes they are designed to answer, these carriages present many advantages. The simplicity of the structure renders the expense of their construction incomparably less than that of any class of carriage on an European railway. But a still greater source of saving is apparent in their operation. The proportion of the dead weight, to the profitable weight, is far less than in the first or second class carriages on the English railways, or even than the third class. It is quite true that these carriages do not offer to the wealthy passenger all the luxurious accommodation which he finds in the best first-class carriages on the English railways; but they afford every necessary convenience and comfort, and are decidedly preferable to any second-class carriages on European lines.. In several of the principal American cities, the railways are continued to the very centre of the town, following the windings of the streets, and turning without difficulty the sharpest corners. The locomotive station is, however, always in the suburbs. Having arrived there, the engine is detached from the train, and horses are yoked to the carriages, by which they are drawn to the passenger depot, usually established at some central situation. Four horses are attached to each of these oblong carriages. The sharp curves at the corners of the streets are turned, by causing the outer wheels of the trucks to run upon their flanges, so that they become (while passing round the curve) virtually larger wheels than the inner ones. We have seen, by this means, the longest railway carriages enter the depots in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New York, with as much precision and facility as is exhibited by the coaches that enter the gateway of the Golden Cross or the Saracen's Head. The cost of construction of the American railways has varied between very wide limits, as the traffic upon them has been greater or less. The average cost of the passenger lines may be taken at about L.9000 per mile. Of all the European states, after Great Britain, that which first and most energetically directed its efforts to the establishment of improved means of intercommunication, was Belgium. The revolution of 1830 having separated this country from Holland, it lost the mouths of the Scheldt as an issue for its commerce. The communications with the German states could not be continued by sea, and were attended with expenses by land, on the common roads, which rendered them impracticable. The coal-producing province of Liege, which before the revolution supplied the Dutch markets, was now isolated, while those of Hainault communicated with all the chief cities. Pressed by these difficulties, the new government decided on constructing an effectual and economical communication between the ocean and the point of the frontier nearest to the Rhine, crossing the kingdom from east to west. A canal was first suggested, but MM. Lebeau and Rogier had the sagacity to perceive that an extensive system of railways would conduce much more effectually to the national prosperity; and the project was presented to the Chambers, and passed into a Law, on the first of May 1834; in virtue of which the railways which now overspread Belgium were constructed at the charge of the state. The works were commenced on the 1st June 1834, and were completed, and successively brought into operation, in the following years. In 1843, ten years after the project was adopted, the following system of lines was completed and in full work: EASTERN LINE-from Malines to Cologne by Louvaine, Tirlemont, Landen, Waremme, Liege and Verviers, with a branch to St Trond, WESTERN LINE-from Malines to the sea on the north, by Total, Miles. 91 126 16 115 348 The earlier of these lines were opened in 1837, and the others followed in quick succession. The result of the first year fully justified the government in the policy which dictated this measure. Before the establishment of these lines of communication, the number of passengers between Brussels and Antwerp per annum was 75,000. In the first eight months after the opening of the railway, the number was 541,129; and afterwards the annual intercourse between these cities amounted to a million! The profits, on the capital expended on the line between Brussels and Malines, amounted in the first year to 8 per cent; and those on the line between Brussels and Antwerp to 16 per cent. A secondary system of lines, (about 200 miles,) to communicate with the inferior order of towns, has been undertaken, with the authority of the State, by private companies. Considered relatively to the population and territory of Belgium, this is the greatest work of public utility which any European State has executed in our times. The general character of the country was favourable to the construction of railways, but this facility was not without some qualification. In the parts of the country through which the lines first constructed, passed, the surface is generally flat, and no earthworks or great works of art were necessary. It was, however, intersected by numerous and important rivers and canals, over or under which the lines were conducted by means of bridges and aqueducts. On the eastern line, a series of deep valleys were crossed by embankments from fifty to seventy-five feet in height, alternated with cuttings from thirty to forty-five feet deep, and a tunnel of nearly three-quarters of a mile in length. In crossing these valleys, the railway is carried over and under the roads and canals by means of innumerable bridges, aqueducts, and viaducts. From Ans to Liege, the declivity leading to the valley of the Meuse is worked by an inclined. plane; on which the trains are drawn by a pair of stationary engines of 360 horse power. From Liege to the frontier of Prussia, the imaginary difficulties have been as considerable as on any of the English railways. The cost of construction and other statistical particulars connected with the Belgian railways, for the years 1842, 1843, and 1844, are given in this table: L.110,049 219,064 142,192 230,617 218,603 L.3,454,804 2,724,104 L.187,372 L.111,090 L.298,462 L.188,013 Hence it appears, that the average cost of establishing the system of Belgian lines, has been L.16,600 per mile. This sum consists of the following items: The expense of working has, from increased attention to eco VOL, LXXXIV. NO. CLXX. 2 K nomy, and from exciting, by promotion and rewards, the good conduct and efficiency of engineers and other persons employed, gradually diminished from year to year. In 1844 it amounted to L.660 per mile; being fifty-one per cent of the gross receipts. A net profit of forty-nine per cent of the receipts remained, which amounted to nearly four per cent on the capital. The Belgian railways have been constructed and worked by her government, not with a view to revenue, but solely with reference to the advancement of the general prosperity and well-being of the population. The tariff for passengers and goods has, therefore, been so regulated that the profits shall not exceed the interest of the capital sunk. The present fares for passengers are as follows: By the returns given above, we find that the average receipts per head per annum from passengers was 191d.; and, since the average fare per head per mile is seven and a half tenths of a penny, it follows, that the average distance travelled by the passengers is twenty-five miles. By comparing this with the results of the traffic on the British lines, the effect of the lower fares is apparent. The second and third class on the latter, travel, on an average, distances of only twelve miles; on the Belgian lines, they move twice that distance. On the Belgian lines merchandise supplies forty per cent of the gross revenue; on the British lines it supplies thirty-seven per cent. The chief part of the revenue derived from passengers on the Belgian, as well as on the British lines, arises from short traffic. This, in effect, will be found to prevail generally, wherever railways are brought into operation. It follows from what we have proved above, that the great majority of travellers on the Belgian lines, are those whose excursions are under twenty-five miles. The gross annual revenue per mile, on the Belgian railways, is only L.1290, being less than half the amount received on the British lines. Yet the net profit on the capital is but little less. By a system of most judicious and liberal management, these railways have been rendered eminently serviceable to the country in the transport of every description of merchandise. Admirable arrangements are made for the safe, expeditious, and cheap delivery of every package and parcel at the address of the consignee, who is subject to no additional or arbitrary expense whatever, beyond the amount of the tariff, which varies, of course, according to the nature of the goods; but in all cases is on the lowest scale. The effect of these measures has been conspicuously apparent in the rapid augmentation of this department of transport. In 1841, before they were matured, the total receipts for merchandise was L.19,000. In 1844 its amount was L.177,800! Before the establishment of the Eastern branch of the railway, the highest amount of heavy goods sent to the German frontiers, by the old conveyances, was twelve thousand tons : in 1844 the amount transported was sixty-seven thousand five hundred tons! In 1842, before the railway took the traffic, the amount of light goods was one hundred and ninety-four thousand tons in 1844 it exceeded five hundred thousand tons. Although this general cheapness of transit necessarily entails on the passenger trains a diminished speed, compared with that which British railway travellers are accustomed to enjoy, considerable expedition is nevertheless effected. The mean speed of the passenger trains, while in full motion, is estimated at twenty miles an hour, and the rate, including stoppages, at seventeen and a half miles an hour. The progress of this new instrument of social and national advancement in France, has not hitherto been commensurate with the position and pretensions of that great country. How far this backwardness is ascribable to the genius of her institutions; or to the distractions to which her Government has been exposed, and the engrossing nature of the political questions which have occupied her Chambers since the Revolution of July; or, in fine, to a salutary foresight and enlightened caution, which prompted the policy of waiting to profit by the errors, and reap the harvest of the dearly-paid-for experience, of Great Britain, we shall not stop to enquire. Whatever may have been the cause, she has unquestionably before her advantages of no ordinary magnitude and importance, arising from it. -Previously to 1830 a few railways had been constructed and worked in some of the mining districts of France similar to those which had long been used in the northern counties of England. It was not, however, till about the year 1836, that the true character which steam transport on railways was destined to assume, began to reveal itself to her government. The wonders of the Liverpool and Manchester line had been noised abroad. Its expedition and cheapness were the theme of general conversation. It was, however, regarded as in some measure an exceptional case, and few believed in its capability of general |