RAILWAY GAUGES.
IT has been recently intimated that the Railway Gauge Com- missioners have closed the evidence bearing on what is called the "narrow gauge," and availed themselves of Mr. Brunel's return from the Continent to open the evidence on the "broad gauge." This intimation—indicating that the investigation is actually making progress—has revived the interest in the question of "the gauges," which flagged for a time. A good deal of anxiety appears to exist in certain quarters—whether owing to the ex- clusively scientllic composition of the Commission, or to some in- dications of their views—lest the mercantile element of the ques- tion may not be sufficiently regarded. The broad gauge" was introduced experimentally on the Great Western Railway, about seven years ago, at the recom- mendation of the engineer, Mr. Brunel. Some scientific men were of opinion that a greater breadth of gauge, by allowing more space for the engines, would be conducive to increased speed, and by lowering the centre of gravity would diminish the risk of accidents. On the other hand it was argued, that the augmented length of the axles would add to the hazard of acci- dents from their being twisted or broken, while the augmented surface of the waggons would increase the resistance of the atmo- sphere, and neutralize the attempt to accelerate travelling by the use of more powerful engines. The abstract arguments of the partisans of the two gauges were so nearly balanced, that experi- ment, it was soon felt, could alone decide between them. And the experience of seven years has left the question almost as doubtful as ever. The gain or loss by the adoption of either gauge has been so minute in practice—the gain in one respect has so often been found counterbalanced by loss in another—that the minds of most practical engineers remain still undecided. An intermediate gauge has been suggested by some speculative observers, as likely to combine the advantages of both : but, where the difference between the two extremes has been found almost inappreciable in working, practical men see little induce- ment to try the experiment. Though the advantages possessed by one gauge over the other are not easily ascertained, the disadvantages of having railways constructed with different gauges in the same country are suffi- ciently obvious. Whenever two gauges meet, the passengers are obliged, by night or by day, to shift from one set of carriages to another, with all their luggage and other accompaniments; pri- vate carriages and horses have to be transferred from the trucks of one line to those of the other ; goods in varying but sometimes enormous quantities, must be unpacked, examined package by package, an inventory taken of the whole, and reloaded. Great delay and frequent loss and damage are thus occasioned. Owing to the uncertainty as to the number and quantity of passengers and goods that may arrive by any train, either the company must keep in readiness a large body of supernumeraries in every de- partment, at great expense, or indefinite delays must be of con- stant recurrence. Mercantile men can easily appreciate the risk to which goods are exposed by "transhipment," and still more by delay. If they form part of the stores or cargo of a ship, it may miss the tide or wind in consequence of their detention ; if they are the material of manufacture for a mill, it may be stopped and all hands thrown idle for want of them. In the possible case of an invasion, the impediments presented by the necessity of shifting battering or pontoon trains, camp-equipage, ammuni- tion sick and wounded, &c., from one gauge to another, would be found almost to neutralize the anticipated advantages of railways as a means of military communication. The extent to which our internal traffic is likely to be impeded by the existing difference in the gauges of railways, is thus summarily presented in an able pamphlet by Mr. Wyndham Harding—" The break of Fauge will separate the Southern maritime coast of England, with its numerous ports and its packet-stations between Portsmouth and the Land's End, from the Central, Northern, and Eastern coun- ties of England, including the principal manufacturing and mi- neral districts and a population of more than ten millions." The remedies or palliatives that have been proposed may be reduced to two,—the introduction of a uniform gauge ; or the adoption of new vehicles, so constructed that, either upon the same axles and wheels, capable of adjustment to different gauges, or upon others to which they may be shifted at the junction of the gauges, they shall be capable of running upon either class of railways. Hitherto, mechanical ingenuity -has failed to invent vehicles of this kind, which can be regarded as safe at the rapid velocities of railway travelling. This is an obstacle which time and skill may overcome, but railway travelling cannot be arrested till then. Besides, the expense would be enormous : the whole carrying stock of most companies would require to be changed. Merely to introduce a class of "shifting waggons" in addition to the old, would not do, since the demand for that class must alter and vary with every turn of the market. The introduction ol two ttifferent kinds of carrying stock would also embarrass the
already sufficiently intricate arrangements of a "goods-station."
There remains, therefore, no help but in the adoption of a uni- form gauge. In considering the means by which this is _to he effected, the proposal to adopt an intermediate between the broad and the narrow gauge may be left out of view. The idea of in- curring the expense of altering the construction of all the railways in Great Britain, and replacing the whole of their carrying stock, for the shadowy and intangible advantages that might result from such a measure, is too unpractical to be entertained. It re- mains to be decided whether the "narrow gauge" railways should be widened or the "broad gauge" railways narrowed. Consider- ing the little difference that has yet been detected in the working. of the two systems, the question is in a great measure mercantile —a question of expense. The number of miles of narrow gauge completed is 1,844, in progress 614; of broad gauge, completed 278, in progress 52. The transformation of the broad gauge rail- ways into narrow requires much less extensive operations. But this is not the only circumstance that will render the alteration of the broad gauge railways the more economical process. In very few instances could rails on the broad gauge be safely laid down upon narrow lines without increasing their breadth. This would occasion a great expense in the widening of bridges and tunnels, and the alteration of stations. Narrowing the gauge on the broad lines is, on the contrary, a simple and comparatively inex- pensive operation. It must be also taken into account, that the alteration of the narrow lines would be a tedious process, inter- rupting materially, while it lasted, the whole commerce of the country. The broad gauge lines, on the contrary, may be con- verted into narrow guage lines without at all obstructing the traffic : this was actually accomplished by the Eastern Counties and Northern and Eastern Railways, where a line of eighty miles, with a terminal station in London, was altered from 5 feet to 4 feet 8i inches without losing the use of one station for a single day or stopping one passenger-train. Mr. Harding estimates the expense of purchasing the existing broad gauge railways, altering their gauge, and providing them with new carrying stock, at 17,231,9591-; the annual interest on which sum, at 3 per cent, is 516,958/. The net annual earnings of these railways he estimates at 615,773/. And he argues, that these estimates show a sufficient margin to justify Government in raising the purchase-money by loan, acquiring the property of these railways, making the requisite alterations, and kasing them for a term of years on the most favourable conditions for the public. If Mr. Harding's calculations are correct, Government might establish free and uninterrupted railway communication throughout Great Britain without costing the country anything ; but even should his estimates prove too favourable, the attain- ment of so important an object would warrant some expenditure.
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