22 AUGUST 1874, Page 3

A. correspondent of the Times argues that no reduction of

fares will make the Metropolitan District Railway pay well while the Directors continue to use such heavy engines aud. carriages. Mr. Fairlie showed, in 1868, when the Metropolitan Railway was paying heavy dividends, that they could not continue, as the Company were using thirty ton-weight of rolling-stock to carry one ton-weight of passengers, while the Omnibus Com- panies employed, only two ton-weight to convey the same amount. Such heavy engines and carriages batter the steel rails to pieces, compelling the Companies to renew them five times as frequently as they ought to do. It was Mr. Fairlie's opinion that with light engines and light cars these Underground lines might still pay well ; but at present, says the correspondent, if the trains were continuous and the carriages all full; the profit would be small. That sounds sensible, but it is no answer to Mr. Glad- stone's suggestion. Even if full carriages do not pay well, they must still pay better than half-empty ones, and carriages are filled by low fares.