CORRESPONDENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 291, 15 August 1855, Page 5

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sir,—l do not pretend to guess who the correspondent of the Canterbury Standard "Old Navvy "really maybe; but to me his letter smacks more of the theorist than of the practical master of the pick and shovel, and the unquestioning faith he places in the pamphlets of a certain Mr. Croskill, known chiefly to farmers in England as an eminent and persevering advertiser, justifies ray assertion that he is not a professional man. On his calculations, therefore, I cannot place great value. Yet " Old Navvy's " scheme, unlike the thousand and one for a road to the plains which have preceded it, is not one to be simply " pooh-pooh-ed" as visionary and unpructicable. It is one, however, that I should be unwilling to entertain if unsupported by the opinions of engineers residing in the Province, such as Mr. Bray, Mr. Dobson, and others whose names aie not so familiar to the public, but whose professional experience should carry weight. I hope the Provincial Government will consult these gentlemen, about the plan. I demur entirely to " Old Navvy's " reasoning about the Sumner navigation, and his summary disposal of that line of communication. For all he may say, the fact remains: that "for five years" boats have conveyed all the goods that have reached the plains, or been shipped from them. As boats have worked profitably for freights considerably lower than they do now, the fair conclusion is, not that " boats ivo'nt do,' but that there is lack of enterprise in boat building. In the same way " tons of potatoes are rotting at Christchurch Quay which cannot be shipped in time to save them,' 1 because there is tvant of cnterprize to erect the commonest shed for their protection against frost and svet. Euterprize enough among the producers to erect a temporary shed at the Heathcote Ferry, and cart goods that far, would have resulted in the shipment long ago of all this year's harvest. The Wellington people if we do not stir ourselves--3 little, will snap up all the coasting trade of the Plains; another 50 ton schooner has arrived, bound for the Avon. ■ When the road is open to Sumner, proper depots established, and a wharf run out there, boats will run in and out again the same day, whereas now a passag-e averages three uays. The tonnage from Lyttelton to Christchurch Quay, in 1854, was about 1,500 tons each way. The same boats running; to Sumner only would do at least three lime the work, or some 4,500 tons each way per annum. Were the boats not greatly delayed in loading and discharging at the jetty at Lyltclton, they would do twice that work—so the boatmen say—that is to say, they would carry 8,000 tons a year either way, with ordinary wharfage accommodation at both ends. Of course they would then be able to lesseu the price of freight considerably. The jetty is not equal now, by two thirds, to the demand on it, for accommodation. Had it been extended and improved last year this harvest would not now have been rotting on the plains. Wautof capital and of enterprise is the cause of heavy losses in the trade of the Province. The sailing boats on an average all through the year, could make two trips a week to Sumner, so a practical ' Navvy' of the seas has stated to me. It is not too much to assert that a 40 ton steamer, such as^Caytain Dairy asserts, can safely and successfully trade to Sumner, would make two trips to a sailing boat's one. She would thus carry some <5,400 tons ayear. A vessel of the build and description required for the Sumner and Peninsula trade may cost from £3,000 to £4,000, duplicate machinery included. £8,000 for two such vessels, would I imagine, with a gross annual income of £6,000, not he nnprofitably invested ; and in this calculation I omit entirely the very profitable employment of the spare vessel in the wool season to Ainuri, Tim am, and places so far off; sheep owners would give ample freight, rather than drag their bales overland at great expense. It should be remarked that produce shipped at Sumner, hi/ stea'ner, would go at once alongside thts ve-ss'el loading in Port, thus saving, us compared with tbe present boat traffic, delay and heavy expense in storage, wharfage, cartage, lighterage, twice told. Professional men will put their own value on these estimates, which I do not profess to put forward except as rough guesses. There is one conclusion J hope the public will not adopt of " Navvy V'—that because Govern-

ment has offered £1,000 as a steam bonus, and ho steamer appears, therefore, none is likely to come. By the same rule, the tunnel should never be completed ; because for months no contractor has even so much as sent in a tender; notwithstanding the "bonus" the Government must suppose any contractor will expect to make out of it. I dismiss "Navvy's" plan of laying a tramway to Chris tchurch, as one altogether beyond our means; and that for loading-trucks at the tunnel mouth as impracticable, for the same reason, and because the natural features of the ground afford no room for shed or terminus ; because also the heaviest of our colonial expenses, loading and unloading, would then fall upon the carrier. I assume then that the tramway cannot stop short of Sumner, to be of real use for cheap conveyance. At Summer, the business of the producer should end, and that of the merchant begin. Four miles of rail would be required. A gentleman who has lived long in the land of trucks and tramways affirms that a rail for two ton loads (equal to three tons, truck included),'at three feet gauge, should weigh 36 lbs. to the yard, which is probably Mr. Croskill's allowance ; but that for this colony 561b. rails are necessary, to cover all defects of laying, extra strain, &c. Of iron alone, this gives nearly 2 3rd's more than Croskill. Four miles of rail, double, gives 14,000 yards, at 55., £,3500 ; say 2-3rd's on Croskill's price—£6,soo cost of the material. But, since the war, iron has risen enormously in price, and so have artizan's wages ; thus £6,500 cannot be a large over estimate. Now, Croskill specially excepts the carriage of his materials from the contract at 55., (I speak from memory). What the difference would be to bring them here, or ." per Pickfbrd" to the furthest extremity of England, mast form no inconsiderable item for our consideration. Much stress seems to be laid upon the diminution in the dimensions of the tunnel, if we adopt a tramway. Many persons deny the possibility of lessening them, if btuky, but valuable produce like hay, is to be broughuinto Lyttelton. Again, a good sized winnowing" machine (encasedy would take up the best part of 12 feet of width, and out of that width full passing room must be allowed. I observe that the curves on the Lyttelton side must be very sharp ; extra expense, greater ■wear and,tear, and diminished speed arising from this, are all matters of money cost. With a. gradient of I in 10 (on the Sumner side, I believe), we must considerably lower our estimate of a horse's power to draw a'heavy load even on a tramway. On a level railway, the same power draws a weight 7 to 10 times greater than on an ordinary road ; " but a very moderate ascent, I in 50, hardly perceptible in an ordinary road, requires a great increase of power on a railroad." This of course is all matter for calculation according to well-known rulesamonfengineers. I do not think many passengers will care to travel two miles an hour on a tramway, not men of business, assuredly. That sort of profit, I think, "Navvy" over estimates; while he will certaiuly not get really valuable men to manage the road at £200 a-year, or an efficient clerk at £150, when a warehouseman's wages are at £120 to £130. The cost of management, I think, is understated. Were a tramway made into Lyttelton I should consider it as almost valueless if it iid not reach out into 1" feet at low water. An essential feature in this scheme ought to be • the extension of the jetty into water for 200 ton vessels to come and load at it, and the laying down ot heavy mooring to warp off to in S W gales To do all this effectively at least £1,500 should be phiced on the estimate. I hope " Navvy" will not think I have a desire to "throw cold water" on his scheme. I rather offer hasty and somewhat carelessly considered- calculations ("open, I am aware, to attack), with the hope of eliciting further information from him, and from engineers, who will doubtless look closely into the question he has raised, if, to their experienced minds, it affords at farst sight any promise of an easy solution. I a^Sir, yours obediently, Rough Guess.