The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3145, 19 March 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1873.

When, some two or three years back, we expressed the opinion that before many years tramways or railways would supersede the use of common metalled roads, the idea was looked upon as chimerical. Several, even well-informed persons, regarded it as visionary, and concluded that it merely arose through an exaggerated idea of the value of the railway system. Yet it seems likely to be rapidly realised. In the “English Mechanic and World of Science,” No. 397, November 1, 1872, there is an interesting paper on this subject, headed, “ Hollow iron permanent way,” in which the writer says, “ there is little doubt that, sooner or later, light railways and tramways will hud their way to nearly every village in England. Various plans, patented and otherwise, have been put forward to meet this recognised want, and one or two large landholders have actually constructed alight railway through their estates, in order to facilitate the transport of produce to the main line.” This is precisely what the railway system will ultimately lead to ; but in the colonies, where there are few landlords owning princely estates, the branch lines will have to bo formed through co-operation. In cither case the result is pretty much the same, so far as the effect on the value of landed property is concerned. If formed by a large landed proprietor he is recouped by increased rent, through the superior facilities for working the farms economically ; and if formed by a number of landowners farming their own lands, each is recouped his outlay in the saving of cost of working his farm, and in the cheapness of transport of produce to a market compared with present appliances. The paper to which we draw attention lays down the con-

ditions on which success depends. It

begins with the proposition that before railways can bo made to bring every village into direct communication with main lines, “ an economical and easily laid permanent way is an essential requisite.” Reviewing a pamphlet by Mr Haiidy Wells, 0.E., in which he explains the advantages of a patent for “ an improved form of iron permanent way,” his proposed system for the construction of light railways and tramways on common roads is brought under notice. The merit is claimed for it that it is peculiarly applicable for railways in India and other countries, where rainfall and periodical Hoods operate in a most destructive manner on embankments and bridges. Mr Wells points out that, “although no system of narrow gauge cheap railways or tramways lias yet been proposed in England, the day is not far distant when hundreds of miles of them will be made, ” and that “ should the Government take the management of the railways, which is not at all unlikely, the agricultural interest would soon compel them to accord equal facilities for the transport of the produce of the farms, as is now by the force of circumstances accorded to manufacturers,” The purpose of Mr ells’s pamphlet is, however, to advocate the adoption of hollow wrought-iron sleepers invented by him ; drawings illustrative of which are given id, the paper. His

attention appears to have been drawn to this subject through the expense and perishable nature of the wooden sleepers of India ; and one striking instance of the superior economy of the use of iron, as compared with wood, is given from the experience of a portion of the Madras line, “laid with iron,” where the cost of maintenance was “ only £C9, as compared with £ll3 per mile on the wooden sleeper parts.” Mr WELLS, b} r the adoption of a tubular form of sleeper, also supplies “a ready means of carrying oft’ the water,” and thus provides a means of preventing the washing away of embankments or bridges through floods, “ where the side drains and culverts ” have been found inadequate. Other advantages are claimed; such as a ready means of adjustment of the rails, and for street tramways and railways on common roads, a “ less displacement of the present state of the roadway than any system yet introduced.” We do not presume to offer any opinion on the merits of this invention ; but as the object of our railway system is to economise time and labor, it is of importance that the best and cheapest plans should be adopted. Tliis, for aught we know, may be that plan; and, therefore, we commend it to the notice of those entrusted with carrying out our Public Works scheme. Mr "Wells calculates that even in England, with all the advantage of good roads and markets at short distances, “agricultural produce pays three times more than it ought for carriage, and he hopes to see every farmer have his tramway waggon, and every little town or village its tram car to the market town and railway station.” “ The first thing required,” he says, “ is a safe, cheap, strong, and elastic railway for common roads, to supersede the present road system, which has been proved, after only eighteen months’ trial, to have no pretensions to durability.” If this is the desideratum in England, how much more needful is it here, where, in order to find a profitable market for produce, days are now required for its carriage to a market where hours only are necessary at Home.