,transcribed from the #ahca ,effingham ,wilson edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,,remarks ,,on ,,the ,,proposed ,,railway ,,between ,,birmingham ,,and ,,london4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,,london3 ,,published ,,by ,,effingham ,,wilson1 ,,royal ,,exchange3 ,,sold ,,also ,,by ,r4 ,,wrightson1 ,,birmingham2 ,,ebenezer ,,thompson ,,sons1 ,,manchester2 ,,and ,g4 ,j4 ,,robinson1 ,,liverpool4 #ahca4 ,price ,one ,shilling4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,,printed ,,by ,,richard ,,taylor1 ,,red ,,lion ,,court1 ,,fleet-,,street4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,,remarks1 c4 ,,without minutely inquiring into the origin of the different modes of conveyance at present existing in this country and others for passengers and goods1 ,i shall content myself with asking1 ,why were canals first established8 and ,what was the great benefit arising from them1 which caused so much as fifteen hundred miles in extent to be executed in less than a quarter of a century1 at a cost of nearly twenty millions of money1 and for the most part during a time of war1 when the highest rate of taxation prevailed8 ,previously to the establishment of canals1--roads1 waggons and horses were the means employed for the conveyance of goods2 and the speed which they accomplished was greater than the average speed afterwards obtained by canals4 ,but notwithstanding this advantage1 it was found1 that to carry a ton weight of grain1 coal1 or merchandize one hundred miles cost upwards of #fl4 ,hence materials and goods1 whose weight bore a great proportion to their value1 could only be conveyed a few miles from the spot where they were raised or manufactured2 and thus1 sources of wealth that have since been highly productive and profitable were shut up and useless4 ,baron ,dupin in his excellent work on the ,commercial ,power of ,great ,britain1 published #ahbe1 states1 8,up to #agef ,england had not a single line of artificial navigation2 she possessed for communication by land1 only a small number of roads injudiciously cut and ill kept up4 ,of a sudden an individual conceives the idea to profit by the general impulsion which industry had received1 by cutting a canal to carry to ,manchester the product of his mines4 ,shortly afterwards1 a town which thrives1 and of which the exuberant wealth seeks everywhere productive outlets1--,liverpool1--aspires to still higher designs4 ,she is the first to form and realize the project of opening a navigable channel between the ,irish ,sea and the ,german ,ocean4 ,other channels even more extended are opened by degrees3 thus1 within the short space of half a century1 a double row of canals is formed1 both for great and small navigation1 for the purpose of uniting together opposite seas2 basins separated by numberless chains of hills and mountains2 opulent ports2 industrious towns2 fertile plains2 and inexhaustible mines2--and this presents a development of more than a thousand leagues in length1 upon a portion of territory not equal to one-fourth of ,france6 ,the roads which already existed are enlarged1 are reconstructed with more art1 and kept up with more care4 ,new channels are thrown open to commerce1 and a system of roads is now being formed1 of which the total length is at present 7#ahbe7 more than #df1jjj leagues in ,england alone4 ,thanks to these works1 at this moment1 in the three kingdoms1 #bb1cjj merchant-vessels1 manned by #afj1jjj men1 and capable of carrying two millions of tons of merchandize1 are scarcely sufficient for the exportation of the superfluity of interior circulation1 for the trade along the coast1 and for the importation of those foreign products necessary to keep up a circulation so immense40 ,as further instances of the effect produced by the same causes1--in #agdj1 before the establishment of canals1 the iron manufactured in ,england and ,scotland employed #ei furnaces1 which produced annually #ag1jjj tons4 ,in #ahbg there were upwards of #bhj furnaces1 with an annual produce of #fij1jjj tons2 during the intervening period canals were cut1 connecting the iron districts with large towns and the ports4 ,in #agej there was but one smelting furnace in ,staffordshire1 making less than #b1jjj tons of iron per annum4 ,in #ahbg there were #ig furnaces in that district only1 making #baf1jjj tons per annum4 ,the population of ,staffordshire in #agej was #afj1jjj2 it is now upwards of #cej1jjj4 ,in ,england in #agej it was #f1jag1jjj2 it is now upwards of #ac1jjj1jjj4 ,the total amount of the exports in #agej was #g1ggb1jcil42 in #ahbd it was #ef1bcd1ffcl4 ,in #agfj the number of ships assessed in ,liverpool was #a1bde2 in #ahbd1 it was #aj1jja4 ,these statements are sufficient to show the changes consequent upon the introduction of canals4 ,it was found1 that one horse upon a canal could convey twenty times what he could upon a road2 and that what formerly cost six pounds to send a hundred miles1 could by canals be sent for little more than one pound4 ,such is the traffic upon the ,birmingham ,canal alone1 that at some periods there is a weight of goods and materials brought by #aej horses and boats1 in one day1 which by the roads would require #c1jjj horses and #a1jjj waggons4 ,we find again that the population has more than doubled itself in three principal inland towns1 viz4 ,birmingham1 ,manchester1 and ,leeds1 since the establishment of canals4 ,but notwithstanding the advantages that have attended upon the introduction of canals1 there are limits within which their utility is confined1 and1 as regards despatch1 much confined4 ,the canals as they are now constructed are adapted only to horse power1 and are subject to the inconvenience of that slowness of travelling which arises from the great increased resistance of fluids to bodies moving in them1 with only a very slight increase of velocity4 ,two horses may take a loaded boat of twenty-five tons at the rate of four miles per hour2 but to obtain a velocity of twelve miles per hour1 it would require twenty-seven horses4 ,it is found that with a velocity of six miles per hour so great a surge or swell is produced in the water as to hazard the sinking of any boats that are passing4 ,the stoppages arising at the locks is very considerable4 ,in the canals between ,birmingham and ,london1 every means are used to effect despatch2 but still the quickest passage for the fly-boats is sixty hours4 ,the distance is #aec miles1 and there are #adb locks2 nearly one-third of the time is lost in passing them2 and while this is being done1 one horse and four men are comparatively idle2 the expenses of wages and keep however are going on4 ,these expenses are incurred more particularly by the haulage2 but in addition to them the tonnages are very high1 and of necessity so1 since the repairs of so many locks1 cleaning and repairing canal1 and above all1 the raising of water to the summit-levels by steam-engines1 must incur a great expense4 ,the cost of this last operation may be guessed at1 when it is known that for every boat that passes from ,london to ,birmingham1 a body of water of #abj tons weight has to pass through a difference of level of #a1adj feet4 ,and yet in dry summers1 notwithstanding the pains thus bestowed1 the boats are frequently detained1 for want of water1 twelve1 eighteen1 and twenty-four hours in one trip4 ,much1 then1 as the canals surpass the common roads1 it appears that much remains to be done1 if their peculiar disadvantages can be got rid of4 ,the economy of steam compared with horse power is too well established to need many comments4 ,the expense of working a twenty-horse power steam-engine is known to be less than one-sixth of the cost of twenty horses and men to attend them4 ,i appeal to the proprietors of the thousands of steam-engines now in use for the truth of this statement4 ,does not1 then1 a question at once arise1 ,whether it is not possible to construct a road of some kind upon which this great and cheap power may be made to act1 instead of horses1 and with as great a degree of profit8 ,we rejoice that the question has suggested itself1 and that it has received an answer4 ,the application of steam to the purpose of locomotion has been proved upon a rail-road between ,manchester and ,liverpool4 ,moreover1 the economy of steam power when applied to rapid progression is found to be much greater than when it is employed to supersede the horse-mill4 ,in this the animal is not driven beyond his speed1 but is allowed to move at a rate of two miles and a half per hour1--a speed which he can continue to perform for eight or ten hours per day4 ,a horse is found to perform the greatest quantum of work when moving at this rate1 and to be employed most economically4 ,but even compared with this1 we have seen that an equal effect may be produced by steam power at one-sixth the cost4 ,with how much greater advantage and profit1 then1 can steam be applied1 where it is made to supersede the use of horses in rapid motion1 of eight or ten miles per hour6 at which work it is known they can continue but one hour per day1 and even then they do not live to half the age of the horse employed at the slower speed4 ,it is a fact1 that horses employed in the fast coaches and for the fly-boats require renewing every four years4 ,can steam power1 then1 be used to produce this rapid motion8 ,one hundred thousand persons that have passed from ,liverpool to ,manchester in less than two hours since ,september last1 can answer this question in the affirmative4 ,another great advantage of the railway over the common road is the much greater safety that it offers4 ,the above number of passengers have been conveyed with scarcely an accident4 ,is there a line of turnpike-road in the kingdom that can make the same boast1 where an equal number of passengers have travelled8 ,the general causes of accident upon a common road1 such for instance as the horses taking fright1 the coachman losing command over them1 the coach running against some obstacle in the road1 or upsetting1 cannot happen upon a railway4 ,the engine can exert no additional force without the consent of the man who superintends it2 one carriage cannot meet another1 as there is a separate line for carriages travelling in the opposite direction2 and even if a wheel breaks1 the carriage is so low that it would not upset4 ,the only objection that is started on this head1 is the bursting of the boiler3 this is now constructed with a number of small tubes1 through which the fire passes1 and which are all inclosed in a strong iron case2 so that if one of these small tubes burst1 it immediately acts as a safety-valve1 discharging the steam of the boiler into the chimney1 and removing the apprehended danger4 ,here then we have safety and despatch1 and we may next consider economy in travelling4 ,in this respect the public have also found an advantage4 ,the charges by the ,liverpool and ,manchester railway are not half what the coaches formerly charged1 the fares being but #cs4 #f;d4 and #es4 each4 ,and the effect produced is1 that the average number of passengers by the railway is upwards of #a1jjj per day4 ,the average number by the coaches the preceding year was only about #ejj per day1 paying #gs4 outside and #abs4 inside4 ,goods are now taken in three hours1 and at a charge of #aas4 per ton2 they were before thirty-six hours on the water-conveyance1 at a charge of #aes4 per ton4 ,having then referred to what has been done upon a line of railway from ,liverpool to ,manchester1 with a profit to the proprietors and great benefit to the public1 let us inquire whether there is the same want of an improved conveyance from ,birmingham to ,london4 ,we will first consider the amount that is now paid1 and the time that is now required for conveying both goods and passengers4 ,the amount paid for the conveyance of passengers and goods between ,birmingham and ,london is upwards of #hjj1jjjl4 per annum2 more than half of which is comparatively at a high rate1 as will be seen by the following statements4 ,the charges by coaches for passengers are #dbs4 inside1 and #bas4 outside1 and for parcels #a;d4 per pound4 ,by waggon1 the charge is #es4 per cwt4 ,by fly-boat1 for packages and general merchandise1 #fjs4 per ton2 and for iron-castings in boat-loads1 #cbs42 for pig-iron1 #bes4 per ton4 ,thus the coach charge for luggage1 at ten miles per hour1 is #as4 #i;d4 per ton per mile2 waggon charge1 for a rate of three miles and a half per hour1 is #aj;d4 per ton per mile2 and goods by fly-boat1 at two miles per hour1 #f;d4 per ton per mile2 and the lowest rate for pig-iron #b;d4 per ton per mile4 ,these charges are calculated upon a distance of #aaj miles4 ,twenty-two coaches pass daily each way1 which1 at #bbg1fjj #ael4 per coach 7the expense of working it71 cost per annum ,goods per van and waggon #cf1cjj ,goods per canal1 paying from #djs4 to #fjs4 per ton1 #adf1jjj about #ahj tons per day ,making a total annual amount of #dji1ijj for only a portion of the business2 as in the above statement none of the coaching or posting that falls upon the ,holyhead road1 at ,coventry1 ,northampton1 and many of the towns nearer ,london1 is taken into the account4 ,the above amount is calculated from what passes through ,birmingham only1 and that exclusive of posting4 ,in addition to the above traffic1 there are upwards of #b1jjj tons that pass daily through ,birmingham1 besides an equal amount upon the ,grand ,junction ,canal4 ,there is also the whole of the business that arrives at the different towns upon the line2 and it is ascertained that the passengers by stage-coaches only that pass through the towns near ,london1 are upwards of four times the number that pass through ,birmingham4 ,but if it appears that a considerable profit would arise from conveying but a portion of the business by a railway1 it will be much more satisfactory than if it were dependent upon the whole for an adequate return4 ,and yet1 as it appears that passengers are taken by this mode of conveyance in half the time in which they can be taken by any other1 and at half the cost1 and that goods are conveyed in one-sixth of the time and at a lower charge1 the great probability is that a considerable portion will immediately be sent by it4 ,we will now inquire what would be the cost of conveying by a railway between ,birmingham and ,london1 the passengers and goods which are now paying by the roads and canals #dji1ijjl4 per annum4 ,it has been ascertained upon the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway1 that the whole expenses of one engine1 capable of conveying twenty-five tons of goods #aje miles per day1 at a rate of from ten to fifteen miles per hour1 including fuel1 attendance1 repairs1 oil1 grease1 c41 is #ejjl4 per annum4 ,its eight waggons 7the number required for #be tons7 at #cjl4 per annum each1 involve a yearly expense of #bdjl4 ,this1 with the #ejjl41 makes a total cost of #gdjl4 ,we will take it at #hjjl4 per annum1 which gives the following cost1 on the supposition that each engine takes but twenty tons3 ,for conveying #ahj tons per day it would require ten #h1jjj engines1 which1 with the waggons1 cost #hjjl4 each per annum ,supposing the present coaches to carry two tons each of #d1jjj passengers and parcels1 or a whole weight daily of forty-four tons1 which we will suppose requires four engines2 and taking the repairs of the coaches to be double that of the waggons1 or #fjl4 per annum each2 it will make a total amount of #ihjl41 or say #ajjjl4 per annum1 for the four engines and four sets of coaches ,goods per van and waggon twenty-six tons per day1 which #a1fjj we will also suppose require two engines #ac1fjj ,supposing they are but two-thirds loaded1 we will add to #d1djj the expenses #ah1jjj ,we then have a total cost of only #ah1jjjl41 exclusive of railway dues1 for conveying that by steam power which the public are now paying #dji1ijjl4 for conveying by horses upon roads and canals in one district only4 ,this1 as before stated1 is only a portion of the business4 ,supposing #b1jjj tons of goods to be conveyed daily at #bjs4 per ton1 which is less than two-thirds of the present average charge2 and taking #cjj days per annum1 we have #fjj1jjjl42 that might be taken by #bjj engines1 which with the waggons would cost1 at the rate of #hjjl4 each1 #afj1jjjl4 per annum4 ,nothing is calculated here for the conveyance of cattle1 which may be reckoned upon1 when it is known that the present cost of conveying an ox from ,daventry or ,leicester to ,london1 including the loss of weight by driving1 is #cjs42 and when it is also known that a weight equal to an ox may be taken that distance in five hours for #gs4 ,sheep may also be taken at a proportionately low rate4 ,another great source of income and profit will arise from the conveyance of carriages and horses1 as both will be taken with ease and safety in vehicles constructed for the purpose4 ,the question we will next consider is the amount of capital required for making such a road4 ,the ,london and ,birmingham ,railway is stated at #c1jjj1jjjl4 ,this is taken from the most accurate estimates2 but for the satisfaction of those who would like to have corroborative statements1 we will compare it with the cost of the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway4 ,this undertaking1 it is stated1 may cost1 including its carrying department and engines1 carriages1 c41 #a1jjj1jjjl42 and the railway is thirty-two miles in length4 7,for particulars see ,appendix1 ,no4 ,i47 ,the ,london and ,birmingham ,railway will be #aje miles in length2 and therefore1 constructed on the same scale1 and its cost calculated at the same rate per mile1 it would require1 including every expense1 rather more than #c1jjj1jjjl4 ,but it must be recollected that materials and wages are at least twenty per cent4 lower now than at the time the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway was constructing4 ,the cost of the rails for the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway was #abl4 #ajs4 per ton2 they may now be purchased for #hl4 #ajs4 per ton4 ,the considerable reduction that has taken place in the wages of labour must be taken into account1 particularly as three-fourths of the whole cost will be in an expenditure of this nature upon the line4 ,the great reduction that has taken place in all kinds of ironwork will tend to reduce the cost of the engines1 and the machinery required in the construction of the road4 ,it must not be forgotten1 that the ,liverpool and ,manchester being the first line of the same magnitude that had ever been constructed1 many expenses occurred1 which are always attendant upon works of a new kind1 and which are much reduced when the same kind of work has to be executed again4 ,it was formerly the opinion of those who are best acquainted with these subjects1 that railways might be constructed at as little expense as canals3 and when we consider that a canal requires a perfect level2 occupies an equal width of land with a railway2 must have its embankments made of materials impervious to water2--and when1 again1 it is known that an expensive lock is required at almost every mile1 as well as numerous drains and reservoirs to collect the water from the surrounding country1 and powerful engines to raise the water from the lower to the summit levels2--it does appear a natural supposition1 that such a work must require a greater outlay than a road1 which1 to a degree1 has the inclination suited to the level of the country over which it passes2 whose embankments1 instead of being washed by a river1 have only to carry two or four bars of iron2 and1 moreover1 in whose banks no injury from leakage can arise to the country lying below it2 which invariably happens to land at the foot of canal embankments4 ,that funds will be provided for the ,london and ,birmingham ,railway far beyond any amount expended in canals1 will be seen by the following statement3--,in #ahbe1 it is stated1 there were in ,england ninety-seven canals1 the total extent of which was #b1dga miles1 and the cost of which was #cj1jjj1jjjl42 giving an average cost of about #ab1ejjl4 per mile4 ,the railway from ,london to ,birmingham will be #aje miles in length1 and capital to the amount of #c1jjj1jjjl4 will be provided for it3 this gives an average of upwards of #bh1jjjl4 per mile4 ,that the land in this direction is more favourable to works of this kind than that in many other parts of the country1 is known by the canals that run in this district costing less per mile than the average rate of others4 ,but even if the ,railway costs twice or three times as much as a canal1 the advantages that it has over a canal in its amount of traffic1 and the economy attending it1 are in a much greater proportion than the increase of its cost4 ,there are very few canals of any extent that can pass more than two hundred tons of goods per hour4 ,the locks in general admit of but one boat passing at a time1 carrying from twenty to twenty-five tons4 ,where the greatest despatch is used1 the average is not more than eight boats passed per hour4 ,here at once is a limit to the despatch of canal conveyance4 ,eight boats per hour1 at an average load of twenty tons1 gives only #afj tons per hour as the greatest quantity that can be passed4 ,the average load of a fly-boat is but sixteen tons4 ,let us now inquire what might be conveyed along a single line of railway1 on the supposition that a speed of ten miles per hour only may be performed upon it4 ,the number of yards in a mile 7#a1gfj7 multiplied by the speed1 gives #ag1fjj4 ,a carriage for three tons of goods occupies a space of four yards and a half2 but we will suppose a space of six yards is required1 which gives two yards for each ton4 ,then #ag1fjj 7the number of yards per mile multiplied by the velocity7 divided by #b yards1 gives #h1hjj tons per hour1 on the supposition that the carriages moved in a continuous train2 but with a space between each train of carriages equal in length to the train1 we have half that amount1 or #d1djj tons1 that might if necessary be conveyed upon a single line of railway3 or1 what requires twenty-four hours to pass through the canal locks at ,birmingham1 might be sent along a railway in one hour4 ,thus it appears1 that canals are limited1 in respect of the quantity of goods that can be conveyed upon them1 to less than #bjj tons per hour2 their greatest average speed is less than three miles per hour1 and for the slow boats one mile and a half per hour2 the general expense of haulage is #a;d4 per ton per mile2 they are subject to stoppages averaging five weeks per annum1 from frost1 drought1 and repairs4 ,a railway1 on the contrary1 may convey #d1jjj tons per hour1 at a velocity of fifteen miles3 steam propelling power costs only one farthing per ton per mile1 exclusive of the waggons2 and the stoppage that would arise from the breaking of a rail1 would not be more than one of half an hour4 ,does not this show1 then1 that an infinitely superior conveyance is now offered to the public1 both for themselves and their goods8 ,an instance of the support which the public give to quick conveyance1 is afforded by the facts1 that in #ahjj there were seven coaches from ,birmingham to ,london1 and the average time was eighteen and twenty hours2 that at present there are twenty-two coaches1 and the average time is twelve hours4 ,last year the number of passengers from ,liverpool to ,manchester was #ejj per day1 and the time occupied by the journey four hours4 ,since the opening of the ,railway in ,september last1 the average number has been nearly #a1jjj per day1 and the time two hours4 ,the increase of passing between the towns that have had steam communication has been in a much greater proportion than the above4 ,between ,london and ,margate1 ,dover and ,calais1 ,liverpool and ,dublin1 ,liverpool and ,greenock1 ,stockton and ,darlington1 the passing has increased nearly ten-fold since the establishment of such improved conveyance4 ,it is calculated that the whole number of passengers by steam-boats is one million and a quarter per annum4 ,can it then be expected that a steam communication from ,birmingham to ,london will be an exception8 for there is not a line to be found of equal extent in the kingdom on which the population is so great1 or on which the commercial and agricultural transactions are so important4 ,as the utility of railroads may be considered established by the one now in operation1 it must be evident how desirable it is to connect ,liverpool1 ,manchester1 and ,birmingham1 and ultimately other towns in the ,north1 with the ,metropolis4 ,supposing a railroad connecting these important towns to exist1 which might be considered as the chief line of communication from the ,north to the ,south1 there is a reasonable hope1 that shortly other roads would be proposed and executed1 connecting the remaining influential towns4 ,an expeditious1 cheap1 and secure conveyance would thus be established throughout the country2 so that in all probability1 the business that would be brought upon the main line by these side channels would increase the whole traffic beyond what can now be calculated upon4 ,it may be objected1 that railroads would throw out of employment a great number of people1 who are now actively engaged1 as coachmen1 guards1 horse-keepers1 boatmen1 waggoners1 c43 but as all improvements which tend to reduce the price of travelling and quick communication have led to a different result1 we may infer that the number of cross coaches and short conveyances of all kinds that would be established to bring up passengers and goods to the railway1 would at once give employment to these men4 ,we may take as a proof the present posting and travelling upon the road from ,london to ,dover1 which was greater in #ahbi than ever it was known to be before1 although in the same year upwards of #a1jjj passengers were conveyed weekly from ,london to ,calais by steam4 ,if indeed there are some persons that will be thrown out of employment for a short time1 we must set against this the vast increase of labour that will be given to mechanics and others employed in manufacturing the engines and machines used on railways2 for if these works go forward1 there will be immediate employment for tens of thousands of labourers1 and constant occupation in the workshop for double the number of hands that for a time may be thrown out of work upon the roads or canals4 ,and ,i would ask1 ,which is the more important member of the community1 the ingenious mechanic or the wandering boatman8 ,let us again consider1 that we are generating a new power1 with the consumption only of a mineral drawn from the bowels of the earth1 while we are saving the surface land to produce that sustenance which our increasing population requires4 ,every horse that is dispensed with1 saves the produce that would support six men2 and it is calculated that one-third of the grain consumed1 is by horses #ba4 ,the immense surface that is now required for the support of cattle may be conjectured1 when it is known that in ,england and ,wales alone we have upwards of thirty millions of acres in tillage1 and that one acre may grow as much corn as is consumed by three men in a year4 ,and yet we are in the habit of importing a considerable quantity of grain6 ,it is unnecessary to establish by reasoning what is borne out by facts2 and ,i refer again to the railroad between ,liverpool and ,manchester1 on which goods and merchandise are now taken in one-tenth of the time and at two-thirds of the former cost1 and passengers in half the time and at half the former charges by coach4 ,may not the same support be looked for between ,london1 and ,birmingham1 when the same advantages are offered8 ,may not also the support of ,government be expected1 when its sanction only is asked to establish such a communication from one side of the kingdom to the other1 not a farthing to defray expenses being required from it2 at the same time that the capability is offered it1 of sending despatches from ,london to ,liverpool in seven hours1 or of transporting twenty thousand troops the same distance within twelve hours1 in case of need8 ,though the capital required is considerable1 yet ,i think the public may be trusted in seeking out their own means of investment2 they are in fact only carrying that principle to the establishment of an improved conveyance at the cost of an old one1 7an improvement in which many of them are deeply interested17 upon which in their manufactories they constantly act1 when a machine that costs #ajjl4 is supplanted by one that may cost #ejjl41 but which is found to perform ten times the work4 ,why1 ,i ask1 may not #c1jjj individuals associate themselves together to apply to a public undertaking the mechanical power which they have found so advantageous in their private establishments8 ,why not extend to the purpose of locomotion the power which has raised the manufactures of ,great ,britain and ,ireland to their present high state of improvement8 ,i would ask those who oppose its extension to this new purpose1 whether the mechanical agencies of this kingdom1 now amounting to the physical force of ten times the population of ,england1 would ever have been called into action if the application of known powers and principles to fresh purposes and uses had not at all times met with the fullest support of the ,legislature and the ,public8 ,i would ask again1 ,whether the steam power that has been generated within the last fifteen years1 for propelling vessels exceeding the whole physical force of the ,british navy1 would have had birth1 had the principle been acted upon1 of things remaining as they are8 99 99 99 99 99 ,march #dth1 #ahca4 ,,appendix4 ,no4 ,i4 ,general ,abstract of ,expenditure of the ,liverpool and ,manchester ,railway1 to the #cast of ,may #ahcj1 from ,mr4 ,booth's ,pamphlet4 s4 d4 s4 d4 ,advertising ,account #ccb #a #d ,brick-making ,account #i1gbd #d #d ,bridge ,account ,bridges in number #fc #ii1jfe #aa #i ,charge for ,direction #a1iaa #j #j ,charge for ,fencing #aj1bjb #af #e ,cart ,establishment #dfa #f #c ,chat ,moss ,account #bg1gai #aa #aj ,cuttings and ,embankments #aii1gfc #h #j ,carrying ,department1 #ce1ech #j #j comprising--,amount expended in ,land and ,buildings for ,stations and ,depts1 ,warehouses1 ,offices1 c4 at the ,liverpool end ,expended at the #f1aei #j #j ,manchester ,station ,side ,tunnel1 being the #b1dhe #j #j approach to the ,crown-street ,station ,gas-light ,account1 #a1jdf #j #j including cost of ,pipes1 ,gasometer1 c4 ,engines1 ,coaches1 #aj1iia #aa #d ,machines1 c4 #ef1bai #aa #d ,formation of ,road #bj1efh #ae #e ,iron ,rail ,account #fg1iab #j #b ,interest ,account 7balance7 #c1fbi #af #g ,land ,account #ie1cje #h #h ,office ,establishment #d1ibi #h #e ,parliamentary and ,law ,expenditure #bh1dfe #f #aa ,stone ,blocks and ,sleepers #bj1ebj #ad #e ,surveying ,account #ai1hbi #h #g ,travelling ,expenses #a1dbc #a #e ,tunnel ,account #cd1gia #d #i ,tunnel ,compensation ,account #i1igg #e #g ,waggon ,account #bd1ahe #e #g ,sundry ,payments for ,timber1 ,iron1 ,petty #b1bbg #ag #c ,disbursements1 c4 not included in the foregoing ,accounts #gci1afe #e #j ,extracts from the 8,observations0 of ,mr4 ,booth4 8,,cuttings ,,and ,,embankments4--,the ,excavations consist of about #gbb1jjj cubic yards of rock and shale1 and about #b1jjf1jjj cubic yards of marle1 earth1 and sand4 ,this aggregate mass has been removed to various distances1 from a few furlongs to between three and four miles2 and no inconsiderable portion of it has been hoisted up by machinery1 from a depth of thirty to fifty feet1 to be deposited on the surface above1 either to remain in permanent spoil banks1 as at ,kenyon1 or to be afterwards carried to the next embankment1 as at the deep rock cutting through ,olive ,mount2 the process in this latter case being rendered expedient from considerations of increased expedition4 ,where land for the deposit of spoil banks has been purchased1 the cost of the land forms part of the expenditure under this head1 and a good deal of substantial and lofty walling in the deep cuttings is also included40 8,,iron ,,rail ,,account4--,this expenditure comprises the following items3-- 4 s4 d4 ,rails for a double way from ,liverpool to #dh1jjj #j #j ,manchester1 with occasional lines of communication1 and additional side lines at the different ,depts1 being about thirty-five miles of double way1#chdg tons1 at prices averaging something less than #abl4 #ajs4 per ton ,cast-iron ,chairs1 #adbh tons1 at an #ae1jjj #j #j average of #ajl4 #ajs4 ,cost of ,spikes and ,keys to fasten the #c1hcj #j #j ,chairs to the ,blocks1 and the ,rails to the ,chair ,cost of ,oak ,plugs for the ,blocks #fae #j #j ,sundry ,freights1 ,cartages1 c4 c4 #dfg #j #b #fg1iab #j #b ,,land4--,this is a heavy item of expenditure4 ,the price of land in the vicinity of large towns is usually high2 and the outlay was further enhanced by numerous claims for compensation1 owing to the prejudice which a few years since existed against ,railways1 and especially against what now appears their peculiar recommendation--the ,locomotive ,engine4 ,a great change has taken place in this respect4 ,at the close of #ahbh1 the charge under this head was nearly #ajb1jjjl41 but a portion of this amount being for the depts1 has been transferred to the carrying department40 8,the ,directors1 in their ,report1 dated the #beth of ,march last1 estimated the total expenditure1 including ,warehouses1 ,machinery and ,carriages1 at #hbj1jjjl41 which may be apportioned as follows3-- 4 s4 d4 ,expenditure1 as above1 in actual #gci1afe #e #j payments1 to the #cast of ,may #ahcj ,outstanding engagements to the same #g1ejj #j #j date ,for ,walling the ,slopes in sundry #f1gej #j #j places1 and completing permanent ,road ,for completing the ,bridges1 including #i1ejj #j #j the ,irwell1 #fjjjl41 and ,parapets of the ,sankey ,viaduct #adjjl41 and compensation in lieu of ,bridges ,additional ,engines1 ,waggons1 and #ag1jjj #j #j ,machinery1 part under contract for delivery ,completing ,stations1 ,wharfs1 #be1jjj #j #j ,warehouses1 ,offices1 c4 ,fencing at sundry places #c1jjj #j #j ,contingencies #ab1jhd #ae #j ,making total cost of ,railway #hbj1jjj #j #j ,no4 ,,ii4 ,the ,speech of the ,rev4 ,,john ,,corrie1 ,f4,r4,s41 taken from the ,report of the ,town's ,meeting1 held in ,birmingham1 ,march #dth1 #ahca1 in support of ,railways4 ,the ,rev4 ,j4 ,corrie said1 that having been desired to introduce the business of the ,meeting1 he had undertaken the task1 from a conviction that it would be no difficult thing to show the superiority of railways to all the established modes of communication1 and the benefits which the town of ,birmingham in particular would derive from that great national line1 which this ,meeting had assembled to support4 ,it was quite unnecessary to dwell upon the importance of safe1 easy1 and especially cheap means of intercourse4 ,the whole history of human civilization attested it4 ,why did population first spread along the banks of great rivers8 ,why were the banks of the ,euphrates and the ,nile the seats of the earliest civilization8 the cradles of science and the arts of life8 ,principally1 if not entirely1 from the facilities they afforded of cheap and easy communication4 ,what raised ,phnicia to such high celebrity among ancient nations8 ,not a narrow strip of rocky territory1 but its position on the sea shore2 not its abundant harvests1 but its memorable ports1 its ,tyre and ,sidon4 ,the name and language of the ,greeks were most widely diffused2 their numbers1 their civilization1 their progress in the sciences1 in the elegant and useful arts1 were most marked1 when in the days of the ,ptolemies they possessed the first mercantile city of the world--,alexandria1--and had colonies on every little island and rocky promontory in the whole circuit of the ,mediterranean4 ,or if we descend to modern times1 ,what raised ,italy to its early commercial eminence but the length of its indented coast8 ,what raised great cities on the banks of the ,elbe1 or the ,rhine1 and carried manufactures into the heart of ,germany1 but those great rivers8 ,what raised ,flanders1--especially what raised ,holland1 but its canals and sea-ports8 ,what in more recent times has occasioned the rapid extension of people1 wealth1 and property through the wide circuit of the ,united ,states1 but the extent of its navigable rivers2 those rivers on which the transcendent utility of steam navigation was fully established8 ,or to come nearer home1 ,what would ,england be without her extent of coast1 without her facility of carriage8 ,there are many still in the vigour of their faculties who have witnessed the progress of this country during the memorable reign of ,george ,,iii4--a period of rapid progress in numbers1 in wealth1 in power1 and in all the arts1 with which no other period will bear one moment's comparison4 ,how much of this was owing to our turnpike-roads--to our canals8 ,what would ,birmingham1 in particular1 be without them8 ,what would be the value of the mines of ,staffordshire1 in the very centre of the island1 and without a navigable river8 ,but the art and industry of man has surmounted every difficulty4 ,birmingham is not only connected with all the kingdom by a system of excellent roads1 but has a water-communication with ,london1 with ,liverpool1 with ,bristol1 with ,hull2 and it is from the opening of these canals that you must date its great prosperity4 ,in #agfj1 ,birmingham had less than #cj1jjj inhabitants3 by the last census it had #ajf1jjj2 it has now probably #acj1jjj4 ,connected with the ocean1 it is connected with the world2 its name is known wherever the name of ,england is known2 its useful and ingenious productions are spread over the civilized and the uncivilized regions of the globe4 ,but how is it that roads1--how is it that canals1 have produced such wonderful effects8 ,solely by affording the means of easy1 of safe1 of regular1 of rapid1 of economical communication4 ,which of your productions could have been sent over ,europe1 which to ,america1 to ,india1 to ,china1 loaded with the weight of land-carriage from hence to the nearest of our ports8 ,at least how few could have been either sent or sold6 ,but how superior in all the particulars ,i have mentioned are railways to canals or turnpike roads6 ,the ease1 the smoothness1 is that of one smooth bar of iron revolving on another2 the motion of the best built carriage1 on the best constructed road1 is comparatively rough and jarring4 ,you move with no more fatigue than from sitting in your chamber4 ,then for regularity1--here are no interruptions from drought1 none from frost1 none from snow1 none from tedious periodical repairs4 ,in safety1--inquire1 and you find in the last six months upwards of #ajj1jjj persons have passed between ,liverpool and ,manchester without an accident4 ,can you say the same of any equal length of turnpike-road8 ,as for rapidity1 this is truly astonishing1--this sets all competition at defiance2 this almost realises the extravagant demand of the poet1 that the gods would annihilate both space and time4 ,it will condense the whole population of the kingdom1 as to all purposes of intercourse for business or amusement2 while it spreads it over the whole surface for purposes of healthful air and beautiful country scenery2 and we know not yet its maximum rapidity2 but our gardens1 our farms1 above all1 our mines and manufactories1 will be placed as near the great sea-ports and the sea as if ,birmingham was only #cj or #dj miles from ,liverpool or ,london4 ,but the great point of all is the economy3 and here1 while we claim the right to assert a great economy1 we may readily allow that there may not have been sufficient time to estimate all the expenses with which railways and engines of rapid motion may be attended4 ,but would the low prices have been fixed between ,liverpool and ,manchester if the managers of this interesting establishment had not found they could with justice to the proprietors take those reduced prices8 ,the repair of engines appears great3 average this on the quantity of work performed1 and you find the charge per passenger or per ton is a mere trifle1--a fraction of a farthing4 ,we will however admit that more time is necessary to ascertain the exact expense4 ,but we must not forget that no great improvement is ever perfected at once3 whatever be the expense at first1 may we not justly expect it will be reduced8--,a curious paper has been published on the power1 or what is called the duty1 of the steam-engine in ,cornwall4 ,you know that instrument is there used most extensively to drain the deep and valuable mines4 ,at the earliest record in the document to which ,i am referring1 the quantity of water raised by a bushel of coals is denoted by the number #e4 ,the attention of the greatest engineers was drawn to this county4 ,the celebrated ,smeaton made considerable improvements2 the memorable discovery which placed our late illustrious neighbour ,mr4 ,watt in the very first rank of benefactors to his country and mankind1 raised the efficiency of a single bushel to #be2 subsequently1 ,i believe1 still higher4 ,but since his time1 merely by a patient attention to every minute circumstance in the construction and the working of the engine1 without any new discovery1 the duty has been raised from #be to #he or #ie4 ,here is a progress1 during no very long period3 and even were the expense of the locomotive engine ten or twenty times greater than it is1 there would be no reason to despair of its economy4 ,am ,i not justified then in contending that this town is most deeply interested in the establishment of a railway to ,liverpool and to ,london8 ,it never was more deeply interested in any contrivance to diminish the expense of carriage than at this moment4 ,what is the state of the iron trade of ,staffordshire8 ,what the prospect of that industrious population which depends upon it8 ,a reduction of one half in the expense of carriage1 which the railways appear justly to promise1 would convert a bad trade into a good one2 would give ,staffordshire a superiority over all competitors4 ,at this moment the remission of the duty on sea-borne coals will narrow the market of the ,staffordshire coal trade4 ,the railway may not only restore the balance1 but incline it in favour of ,staffordshire1 whose mines lie nearest of any to the metropolis4 ,but the superiority of railways is a question of fact2 it must be decided by actual experiment2 and it has been decided by experiment between ,manchester and ,liverpool4 ,but it is said1 the railway may be a good thing for the country2 but what will it be for those who consume their capitals in forming it2 what does it promise to its proprietors8 ,in the first place1 ,i would observe that the common expression1--it may be good for the country and bad for the proprietors1--expresses what never can be true3 it never can be for the good of the country that any capital should be so invested as not to make an adequate return4 ,this is a matter of calculation4 ,numberless railways have been constructed1 7though the application of the locomotive engine is a comparatively recent improvement72 and it must be possible to form some judgment of the capital required4 ,it is true that in all great works this is difficult1 and we are often reminded of the original estimate and ultimate expense of the ,liverpool and ,manchester railway4 ,but are railways the only works in which estimates have been erroneous8 ,has it never happened in buildings1 in roads1 in bridges1 in canals8 ,and is it impossible for any care1 and any caution1 to avoid gross mistakes8 ,be assured that no care will be spared on this subject by those who are inviting the public to invest a capital of three millions2 their calculations are founded1 not on the estimate1 but on the actual expenditure of the ,liverpool and ,manchester railway3 they suppose theirs will cost as much as the other actually has cost4 ,is that an objectionable basis to build upon8 ,they pledge themselves to ascertain the probable expense1 and will not rest on the judgment of any one man1 however superior they may justly and confidently think him4 ,but a suspicion is whispered abroad1 that the public are ill informed respecting the actual expenses1 the profits1 and the prospects of that railway1 on which we ground all our plans and expectations2 the statements circulated are said not to be open1 candid1 and above-board4 ,sir1 ,i should be ashamed to enter on a justification of men so well known to the world1 of such high honour1 such unsullied integrity as those gentlemen1 who are best known among the projectors and supporters of the ,liverpool and ,manchester railway4 ,but if any one should still cherish his suspicions1--what has been their conduct8 ,if they have deceived the public1 why did they continue to hold their shares after they had reached #ajjl4 per cent4 premium8 ,when they began to decline1--and they have declined1--why did they still hold them8 ,why are they among the first to encourage similar undertakings in favourable situations8 ,why were they among the earliest1 why are they among the greatest shareholders in those railways1 which are the object of our present meeting8 ,but they are enthusiasts2 they are blinded by their pre-conceived opinions1 or by some feeling of honour4 ,but are there not men at ,liverpool1 not connected with them1 and able to expose their misstatements1 to unmask their artifices8 ,many2--and how are these disclosing their sentiments respecting railways8 ,by embarking in a new railway1 carried very nearly through the same line of country with that now at work2 for such is that projected between ,liverpool and ,leeds4 ,with regard to the traffic on the lines connected with ,birmingham1 ,i am not prepared on this occasion to go into detail2 other persons well informed on this subject will address you4 ,but look for a moment at the canals between ,liverpool and ,london1 the ,duke of ,bridgewater's1 the ,trent and ,mersey1 the ,staffordshire and ,worcestershire1 the great ,birmingham canal1 the ,warwick1 the ,napton1 the ,coventry1 the ,oxford1 the ,grand ,junction1--all of which have paid the proprietors amply1 some enormously4 ,they sufficiently indicate the extent of traffic4 ,add to this the land-conveyance by coaches1 chaises1 private carriages1 waggons1 vans1 amounting at least to #cjj1jjjl4 per annum1 between ,birmingham and ,london2--add the cattle sent from ,leicestershire1 ,northamptonshire1 c4 to the ,london markets1 and which the railways will convey for less than the value of the flesh lost in driving2--add those kinds of agricultural produce which require a smooth and rapid transport4 ,in short1 statements have been made out by persons of no mean capacity1 which show a profit so ample as to render the reader incredulous from its magnitude4 ,there probably may be error1 but after rigid correction the return must be ample4 ,railways will no doubt be extended2 and if they are what they profess to be1 the sooner the better3 they will be extended wherever the traffic and intercourse are great2 and if we were to attempt to estimate the sum now paid for carriage on all those great lines1--,i know not what it is1 what it is supposed to be2--but be it a million1 be it a million and a half1 or two millions1 if we are rejoiced at the remission of a tax of four or five hundred thousand per annum1--will the country derive no benefit from being relieved from a tax of half a million or a million on the expenses of conveyance8 ,the railways1 which we are now considering1 resting with one extremity on the metropolis1 extending thence by way of ,birmingham1 through ,staffordshire to ,liverpool1 and by ,liverpool connected with all the north of ,ireland and west of ,scotland1 to the north of ,birmingham sending off a branch through ,manchester to ,leeds and the ,west ,riding of ,yorkshire1--will connect all the greatest towns1 all the greatest manufacturing districts with each other and with the metropolis2 and on the other hand1 will thus connect the metropolis with them2 they will serve as the means of intercourse among a population1 which was of ,,four ,,millions1 when the whole kingdom contained less than ,,twelve1 and this without any wide deviation from the most direct course4 ,the distance by ,birmingham is not more than three miles more than the distance in a straight line from ,london to ,liverpool1 not more than nine miles more than the direct distance between ,manchester and ,london4 ,he had much more to say1 but had already trespassed so long upon their patience1 that he would leave other topics to the many other well-informed gentlemen who were prepared to address them4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,end4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,printed by ,,richard ,,taylor1 ,red ,lion ,court1 ,fleet ,street4 ,,footnotes4 #ba ,grain consumed in #ahad3-- ,quarters4 ,man #ah1gej1jjj ,animals #aa1hbi1jjj ,beer and spirits #d1bej1jjj ,manufacturing purposes #aga1jjj ,making a total of #ce1jjj1jjj