The defect in these guns, from which inade- | of the discharge, viz., an uniform-sized powder | reach them its whole power was expended upon quate capacity for resisting the explosion comes, is not want of perfection in forging, neither is it want of attachments of the movable parts. These are very perfect; but a weight of metal is required in these movable parts, which receive the concussion behind the powder, so that the weight and inertia of these movable parts will considerably surpass the weight and inertia of the shot in front of the powder. There is no way (no practical way) of making safe and durable breech-loading guns of large calibre, without making the inertia of the breech parts greater than the inertia of the shot. The mere weight of inertia of any given quantity of iron and steel presents resistance in and of itself to the blow from the explosion of gunpowder, superior to the resistance which can be obtained from the same quantity of metal from its tensile strength, no matter how perfect the means for its attachment to another substance may be. The resistance of inertia is, however, but temporary and momentary; time finally renders it nugatory, while the resistance from the attachments or the tensile restraint is perfect and throughout efficient, whether the force acts instantly or during a period of time. Now neither of these resisting properties can be dispensed with in great breech-loading guns. To illustrate the relative resistance which the inertia and the tensile properties of metal present to the force of gunpowder, I point to a simple experiment. If a penny is suspended in the air by a string, and a bullet composed of iron or other substance harder than the copper, so that it will not flatten on striking, be shot from a rifle against the centre of the penny, a piece the size of the bullet will be punched ont, and a ring of copper will remain behind. Why was the piece torn out? Why was its tenacity overcome with only the air to restrain its free submission and yielding to the force of the ball? Simply because the inertia of the metal of the ring resisted the blow so successfully as to tear a hole through the penny. The inertia of the ring was then superior in resistance to the cohesion of the parts torn. Had the inertia been inferior to the tenacity, the latter would have first given way, and the ring would have remained with the centre. If the ring of copper left behind is forged to any convenient form, say a cylinder, with a diameter equal to its length, the circumference of the cylinder with the most ingenious devices for its mechanical attachment to a surrounding substance will present inferior strength to that presented by the cohesion of the solid copper before it was torn. No effect can be greater than its cause. The velocity of the bullet-the quickness of its blow when out of a gun-cannot be greater than the velocity of the explosive force in the gun. The power may be accumulated in the gun from length of time, allowing a greater quantity of powder to be consumed. The action of gunpowder explosion in the gun, except as it is accumulated and maintained by increased combustion up to the time the shot leaves the muzzle, is necessarily more rapid than the bullet. Inertia resists in proportion to its quantity, and increases its resisting power in proportion to the square of the velocity of attack. As the velocity of gunpowder is thus higher in the gun than the velocity of the bullet, so is the resistance of inertia greater at the breech in the proportion of this high increasing ratio. Tensile and cohesive resistance remain substantially the same, whether the velocity of attack be fast or slow. It is generally conceded that the greatest strain is exerted, and the highest resistance required, at the instant the shot commences moving. When the inertia of the projectile has been overcome and its movement commenced, although there is an accumulation of power from increased combustion afterwards, it is yet an inferior force to that exerted before the projectile commenced its flight in the chase. Indeed, this can be clearly demonstrated, if we assume what has hitherto been, and in all probability will continue to be, conditions chamber, presenting an uniform surface of powder for combustion, and resistance to the flight of the projectile through the bore from friction and rotation inferior to the resistance of the partially-overcome inertia on the velocity. It may be sufficient to demonstrate the superiority of the explosive force at the instant of first moving the shot, to simply assert that while the increase of powder combustion, and consequently of power, is proportioned to the time allowed for combustion, the velocity of the projectile after once starting is in an immensely greater ratio of increase. The velocity of the projectile increases with an uniform power according to the square of the time the power acts, while combustion increases simply in proportion to the time, not the square of the time. With these two facts before us-1st, That the mere inertia of metal will resist the action of gunpowder, better than the greatest strength of the metal when applied in affixing or attaching it to another piece of metal: and 2nd, That the greatest strain upon the breech is just at the instant the inertia of the projectile is first overcome,-let us observe the effects of a discharge in the Armstrong gun. them; and the tensile strength of metal depends, not upon the length of time the force operates, but the amount of the power at any one instant. Let us now discharge a gun with the movable parts of double the weight of the projectile. For convenient illustration, suppose an Armstrong cannon is charged, the plug put in its place, and a solid instead of a hollow cylinder be screwed into the breech of twice the weight of the shot. We have now a solid mass of metal behind the powder. Here, again, the explosion exerts equal power in front and rear, because it is the same force acting against equal surfaces. The inertia of the projectile being less than the inertia of the breech piece, the projectile must move first, independent of any restraint to the breech piece from the screw attaching it to the gun. In this case the inertia of the breech piece not being overcome when the shot commenced its flight, the highest force of the explosion was resisted by the mere inertia of the solid cylinder. There was absolutely no strain upon the screw attaching it to the gun at the instant of greatest explosive force. When the explosive force reached the attachments it was inferior, because the flight of the In this cannon "the breech end of the gun reshot had relieved the pressure. It requires time ceives the breech screw, which presses against a for a force to counteract inertia, and this time is movable plug or stopper for closing the bore. prolonged in proportion to the quantity of matter it has to resist. If the breech-piece is lighter This screw was hollow, and when the stopper was removed the passage through the screw might be than the shot, the latter will not move until such This time has elapsed as to allow its inertia to be overregarded as a prolongation of the bore." come, but before that the inertia of the breech description, by the inventor, of a 12-pounder, we are informed, applies to the 100-pounders now will have been dissipated. Therefore, when the The movable stopper is rebreech is heavier than the shot, the former cannot being constructed. strained at the rear by the end of this hollow move until the latter has commenced its flight. screw forming a circular rim or ring, against In proportion to the excess of the weight of the which the stopper presses during the explosion, breech will be the distance the shot will have leaving in rear of this stopper the open air-the travelled before there is any strain upon the orifice of the screw, so that the central area of the attachments, and consequent decrease of the strain. I am not aware that this property of inertia as stopper, equal to the bore of the gun, and first a resisting agent has been recognised in the manucorresponding to the surface of the stopper in front which receives the blow, is wholly unpro- facture of guns. tected behind. Sir Wm. Armstrong, Mr. Whitworth, Mr. Clay, of the Mersey Works-indeed, no manufacturer that I am aware of has taken cognizance of this property, as an element of strength. Sir Wm. Armstrong's breech seems mechanically least adapted for its application, and I venture to assert, that for great guns it must be superseded by a mechanical arrangement of the parts which will admit of its full application. London, Jan. 1, 1861. F. The construction of the tube, a hollow cylinder with a screw on the outside, and the stopper dropping through a hole cut in the top of the gun so as to fall in front of the tube and thus close the orifice, are ingenious and highly-perfected means for obtaining a large amount of tensile strength from a small quantity of metal. Indeed, the great object arrived at in this mechanical arrangement seems to have been to reduce the quantity of metal in the movable and attached parts to a minimum, while the true principles of REMARKS ON GREENLAND AND ITS ICE construction should be to make these movable parts with the largest quantity of metal compatible with convenient use. With a practically-open bar behind the powder, which is not to be filled, but closed by a transverse sliding disc, a relatively small amount of metal in the movable parts becomes an unavoidable necessity. Now, with a weight of metal in the tube and stopper below the weight of projectile, which is substantially the case with these guns, the explosion striking equal surfaces in front and in rear-the surface of the projectile and the surface of the stopper receiving the explosion being alike, an equal power is exerted against both. The inferior inertia of the lighter breech pieces must be overcome before the greater inertia of the projectile yields. The result is, the lighter breech parts will, and do, independent of the attachments which restrain them, commence, or seek to move, before it is possible for the shot to be disturbed. If the inertia of these parts is overcome first, and in advance of the projectiles moving, it follows that the resistance from their inertia is practically worthless, for the greatest strain occurs at the instant of the projectile's flight. The whole of this greatest strain has to be resisted by the tensile strength of the screw threads and stopper after their inertia is exhausted. The inertia of these parts, I repeat, is of no practicable service, for although this inertia delayed for an instant the action of the force reaching the mechanical restraints, when the force did IN REFERENCE TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC By J. W. TAYLER, Esq., F.G.S. [In a recent number we mentioned a paper which had been drawn up by Mr. Tayler, on Greenland and its ice, in reference to the Atlantic Telegraph. As this paper contains much novel information of a very interesting character, we have determined to lay it complete before our readers. And in order that we may do so to the greatest advantage we have been fortunate enough to obtain from the author a series of illustrative sketches, which we have had engraved, and now publish.] Having been requested to state my opinion as to the suitability of the coast of Greenland for the landing of the Atlantic Telegraph Cable, and also to give some information relative to the physical characteristics of the region, more particularly in reference to the ice, the difficulties it will offer, and the best means of avoiding them by the proper choice of a landing place for the cable, I will, before proceeding, state that in offering the few following remarks, I am actuated solely by a sincere desire to assist, so far as may be in my power, the success of such a beneficial and brilliant project as the connection of the two hemispheres, and that beyond this I have not the honour of being in anywise connected with this noble undertaking. The facts and remarks which I am about to offer do not proceed from few or hasty observations, but are the results of nearly seven years' experience, that being the time during which I have actually resided in Greenland in the winter as well as the summer-the whole of this period, with the exception of the first six months, having been passed in South Greenland and near the district in which the cable can be landed with the greatest advantage. I may there fore affirm that the facts I offer are by no means exceptional cases which may be seen on one voyage and not on another, but that they will present to my readers a fair idea of the average state of the ice around and upon the coast of Greenland, as observed in my explorations of South Greenland. These explorations were carried on in boats along Mountainous land, having an average elevation, of about 1,500 feet for the more elevated parts, and an average of about 500 feet for the lower. The land is intersected in a north-easterly and southwesterly direction by deep valleys forming navigable fiords (except when filled up by glaciers now extinct), and varying in length from 5 to 50 or more miles, and in breadth from one to eight miles." [Mr. Tayler has kindly explained to us "As it would not perhaps be deemed advisable that by the term "extinct glacier" he means a to land, the wires to the north of Julianshaab, glacier the outlet of which has become choked I will confine my remarks to the fiords of that by masses of rock and boulders, which the moving colony and the district to the south of it. The phy-ice has for long periods of time carried down withi sical characteristics of this region are as follows:- it from the rocks that it has passed over.] "The mountains on either side of these fiords are generally very steep, and in some places quite perpendicular and inaccessible. Other valleys above the level of the sea, and sloping upwards, intersect these in cross directions, thus dividing the land into a number of semi-isolated mountains, and affording a means of penetrating into the interior. At the extremity of these fiords the land generally disappears under the ice, which covers, so far as we know, the whole of the interior of Greenland; this ice in many of the fiords runs out into the water, constituting the glaciers, which produce icebergs." [A plan view illustrating the manner in which the continental ice forces its way, in the shape of glaciers, into the fiords, whence it floats out to sea, is shown in Fig. 1 of the annexed engravings.] "The lower lands and flatter slopes of the mountains are for the most part covered with vegetation consisting principally of moss, small shrubs, and occasionally grass; small streams run through the valleys, fed in some places by springs, but more generally resulting STEVENS from the melted snow and ice. Fresh-water lakes are also very frequently met with in the hollows between the mountains. The higher lands show less vegetation, and the surface of the rocks composing them are for the most part split and fractured by the alternate action of frost and thaw. Great quantities of loose blocks of stone thus detached cover the slopes of the mountains and encumber the valleys. "As might be expected from the great height of the land, the water around the coast of Greenland is in general of very great depth, even close up to the rocks-so much so that vessels can only anchor close to the rocks in small coves. The coast is studded with islands, some of which have an altitude exceeding 1,200 feet. There are, as might be expected, some few reefs, which, though not common, render necessary great caution and acquaintance with the coast on the part of those whose duty it may be to determine the spot most adapted to the landing of the Telegraph Cable. I know that places do exist in Greenland at which the cable can be brought to land from depths of water so great as to preclude the possibility of icebergs grounding upon it. Such places may be found between Lat. 60° N. and 60° 20'; for example, Tessermiut's Fiord, the large island of Sermisok, remarkable for the perpendicular cliff's at its southern extremity, and several other places where the rocks are nearly perpendicular, and frequented by the birds in the breeding season. "Three kinds of ice may be seen in Greenland. "1st. The comparatively thin ice formed in the fiords of W. Greenland during the winter. As the cable could be sunk into a groove in the rock, either natural or artificial, and filled in with strong cement, no danger is to be apprehended from this kind of ice. It only forms in calm weather, during, at the most, four months of the year generally, but in January and February some fiords are open to the sea and seldom or never freeze. "2nd. The Floe or Spitzbergen ice, which is formed around the coasts of Spitzbergen and North East Greenland, during the winter. This ice attains a thickness which allows it to float above the water about 2 to 6 feet. From its great quantity and size of its flat masses it causes the principal impediment to navigation, but as it draws at most but about 20 feet, it can never injure the cable when once laid at the bottom of the sea. "3rd. The icebergs-majestic floating islands of ice, as extraordinary in their vast size, as they are picturesque in their shapes and appearance. This ice differs from the two former in being produced on land, whilst the others are products of the sea. They are in fact portions of the continental ice, which owes its origin solely to the snow and rain falling upon the country. The icebergs are formed by the continental ice shooting out arms or glaciers into the fiords. The ice, owing to some cause not yet properly understood, has a very slow motion from the interior outwards, towards the sea coast, when therefore it projects itself by these arms or glaciers into the sea it breaks off either by its own weight," [as illustrated in the section Fig. 2] "or owing to the rifts which may be seen in the glacier, and with a noise equalling sometimes the discharge of a broadside, the iceberg is launched. After rolling and plunging, it at last recovers its equilibrium, and floats away with its brethren out of the fiord and up the Straits of Davis." [A view of a large glacier is shown at Fig. 3. Some idea of the enormous proportions of this glacier may be formed, on observing the men upon it, and the dimensions of the boat and men rowing past it.] "The greater portion, and the largest, of these icebergs owe their origin to the glaciers of Spitzbergen and the north-eastern part of Greenland, those formed on the S. W. of Greenland being icebergs of smaller dimensions, and comparatively few in number; the reason of which may be seen by inspecting a map of the country, showing the limits of the continental ice, which will show that this continental ice is there much more distant from the sea, and that the width of the fiords at their junction with that ice is not sufficiently great to admit of icebergs of large dimensions being produced in the S. W. portions of Greenland. The icebergs therefore which are formed in the fiords of S. W. Greenland do not ground, except in the shallower parts of the fiords, and in the deeper parts there is no possibility of icebergs grounding in the depth of water in which the cable would be laid. "It is well known that icebergs occasionally | Greenland, but, on the contrary, would be taken contain large boulders and earthy matter, and from thence to Iceland, round Cape Farewell on some anxiety may be perhaps felt as to the effect the one side, and to Labrador on the other. I upon the cable of large boulders separated from should propose that the cables, coiled in powerful the iceberg by thawing or breaking up of the steamers, should be sent to Greenland early in berg, and sinking upon the cable. In the first the season (May), making Frederickshaab first if place, not one berg in a thousand is seen to con- much ice should be seen at the south. They tain boulders; in the second place, the tempe- should be accompanied by a steam tender and rature of the water is so near the freezing point, transports with coal; having reached Frederickthat but little of the bergs are melted in their shaab they could make their way southward bepassage round South Greenland; and in the third tween the land and the ice (which is sometimes place, should such a thing occur, and a large several miles distant), until they reached the boulder sink and fall upon the wire, I do not harbour, near the spot to be previously examined imagine that it would produce the least ill effect, and chosen as the landing place, or rather starting since its specific gravity is but about 2.5, and all place, of the cable. They could there await the who have sounded in deep water know how slowly ceasing of the ice stream, or, as sometimes occurs, a body (even lead) sinks in very deep water; it a partial clearance favourable to the exit of the therefore appears that no boulders detached from steamers; when this has occurred, and the sea icebergs can ever injure the cables. appears open, the tenders should be immediately sent out to a distance of 200 miles from the coast, for the purpose of ascertaining if any other stream of ice exists out to sea, as occasionally happens. If clear, they would return, and the steamers bearing the cables could then come out and lay the wires with perfect safety, since after making that distance from the coast all danger from the ice ceases. "It is well known that a current exists, whose course is down the east coast of Greenland to the southward, round Cape Farewell, and running northward up its western coast. It is to this current that West Greenland owes its ice, for the bergs launched into the sea from the western fiords are but comparatively few, and would never of themselves suffice to impede the navigation, or hinder the approach of vessels at any time to this coast; but this current brings with it the floe ice and the icebergs of Spitzbergen and the east coast, which, uniting with the ice of the west coast, produce that vast quantity of drifting ice, which at certain periods of the year oppose such impediments to navigation, and which with westerly winds, enter and sometimes fill the fiords." [In Fig. 4 is shown a sketch of H.M.S. Bulldog passing through the Floe ice on the East coast of Greenland, on the 8th of October, 1860.] Fortunately, this stream of ice is not generally capricious in its arrival or its departure, although in some seasons its quantity is increased, and its presence on the coast protracted over longer periods: such was the case in the summer of the present year, 1860-it was, in fact, quite an exceptional season in regard to the quantity and long continuance of the ice upon the West coast of Greenland. During my residence of seven years, I have not seen the ice in such quantity, nor continue so long upon the coast; several intelligent Danish inhabitants of the colonies informed me, that more than 30 years had elapsed since there had been so much ice seen there and remaining so long. It is to this fact that the account of the state of the ice on the coast of Greenland, as given last year by Colonel Shaffner, appeared to the expedition, per Bulldog, to differ so much from their own observations made this summer. It is during the early part of the year, and the summer, that the drifting ice makes its appearance on the west coast of Greenland, usually coming slowly round Cape Farewell in the end of January or beginning of February, reaching Julianshaab in that month, and continuing to pass that place until the middle of September, when the ice stream gradually diminishes, until in the month of October the sea becomes free from ice-so much so, that but one or two straggling bergs can be seen from the highest mountains, whereas, when the ice is at the worst, no open water can be seen from the same height. These are the general conditions of the ice on the West coast of Greenland, and all others are exceptional cases. "It is not my intention to deny the dangers of the ice; I admit them to the fullest extent. I admit that vast quantities of ice are to be met with on the coast of Greenland, but there is also a time when the sea is perfectly free from ice. I admit that icebergs draw much water, but I know that the water is very much deeper, and that they cannot ground in the track of the cable; in fact, I maintain that as regards the land and ice of Greenland there will be experienced no greater difficulties than in laying a cable of equal length in any other part of the globe, provided of course that every prudent precaution be taken in the choice of the proper season and locality for landing the cable in Greenland." [It is supposed by many persons, and not unfrequently stated confidently, that icebergs are of a much softer nature beneath than above the In conclu LIST OF NEW SCIENTIFIC BOOKS. Inman's New Theory and Practice of Medicine, new edit., Hunt's Yachting Magazine, vol. 1860, 14s. 6d. 103. Laxton's Builder's Price Book for 1861, 4s. "The ice stream after reaching to about the latitude of Fiskernaes, keeps further off from the land, and scatters and opens, so that about Goodhaab, Holsteinberg, and the district to the north, the coast is almost always accessible, even when the more southern parts are quite blocked up with ice. Goodhaab and Frederickshaab are also generally easy of access, and were it not desirable to render the length of the cable between Iceland and Greenland as short as possible, the neighbouring of this apparatus published in our last number, hood of Goodhaab would offer great advantages the engraver introduced a covering to the periphery in being so free from ice during the summer. "It is however unnecessary to fear any impediments as regards the ice to laying the cable, for the reason that the cable would not be laid to NASMYTH'S VENTILATING FAN.-In the engrav of the fan at the back of the sectional view. This was an error. "The blades of the fan-wheel have no covering at the outer edge or circumference," as Mr. Nasmyth remarked in his letter. PROPOSED NEW RAILWAYS. (at Barnet) with the North and South Western | Alcester, and Henley-in-Arden. The Cheshire Midland, it seems, is to be extended from its WE seem likely to make enormous progress with Northwich terminus to Chester, giving a second our railway system during the present year, as is line thence to Manchester. A line is proposed shown by the following remarks, which we take from the Midland at Mansfield, and also from near from the Times, and which most of our readers Chesterfield, to Shireoaks, on the Sheffield line, will probably desire to have recorded here :near Worksop. The Great Northern again perThe first metropolitan railway bridge across the severes in asking to be extended from Doncaster Thames has been opened, the works for a second to Wakefield; the South Yorkshire seeks to cross at Charing-cross have been begun, and Parliament But if we pass into the country we shall find has passed an Act for a third at Blackfriars. The many changes in progress and in prospect. In the Trent at Keadby; a line is proposed for Metropolitan line, which is here to meet and join the south the direct line from London to Exeter shortening the route from Hull to Doncaster, another connecting the Sheffield line with the the Chatham and Dover, and with it constitute has at last been opened, and apparently with no the first railroad entirely through the heart of irreparable damage to the older line, and in a few Whaley-bridge, and lines to Otley and Ilkley. London, has at length set to work in real earnest, months there is to be a second line to Dover also. The Great Northern and the Sheffield companies and is likely to be opened in the spring of next In anticipation of it the South Eastern is setting are, it is said, to have their desired line from Garsyear. When we add, that many railways have its house in order, and proposing to improve its ton into Liverpool, giving the Sheffield a road been paying larger dividends than at any time access to Folkestone harbour, in the hope of makacross the kingdom from Grimsby to the Mersey. since the great break-down ten years ago, and ing that all its own. The Andover and RedThe London and North-Western propose a line have risen greatly in value as investments, and bridge again asks leave to enter Southampton, from Edgehill, Liverpool, across to Bootle, on the that the overcrowding of the streets has been and there are Bills also for lines to that prosperous the other hand from the Lancashire and Yorkshire other side of the town; and a line is proposed on getting more and more intolerable, there need be town from Petersfield and from Fareham, and no wonder that the ice once broken, and London also for a line from Southampton to Netley. at Walton, near Liverpool, to join the Edgehill and Garston line. Both the great companies just opened to the iron king after long denial, scheme Several branches are proposed to places at preupon scheme is now pouring in. First of all, this sent without railways-Seaford, Bognor, Marl-named ask for several new branches in the manuMetropolitan line just mentioned, which will borough, Sherborne, St. Ives, Fowey; and there facturing districts; the North Western company come from Paddington by Euston-square and are projects for filling up gaps in railroad commupropose a line from Eccles to Wigan, and a line King's-cross, and bring the traffic of the Northern nication, shortening routes, or supplying local crossing the Mersey at Runcorn, and there is a lines to Farringdon-street, has a Bill for an exbranches-Alton to Winchester, Uckfield to Tun- Bill for a branch to Batley. An important link tension to a more thoroughly "city station" in bridge Wells, Newport to Ryde, Salisbury to is being constructed, and must now be approachFinsbury-circus, to which point also it is proposed Poole, Axminster to the coast, Wells to Bristol. ing completion, joining the (Little) North Western at a point near Settle to the Lancaster to bring the Eastern Counties line-measures In the extreme west it is proposed to construct a which would certainly tend to relieve the streets railway from the North Devon line to Okehamp- and Carlisle near Tebay, shortening the route to and give an unbroken communication through ton and Tavistock (with a branch to Launceston), Glasgow. A scheme for a line from Penrith to London from the east to the west side of the completing an inland route between Plymouth Cockermouth proposes to take Keswick in its kingdom, as well as from north to south. Whether and Portsmouth. Passing over to Wales, which route, making another inroad upon the Lake disFinsbury-circus will be able to hold its own is gradually filling up with railroads, we find trict. On the opposite side of the country the against the invader is very doubtful: but if that schemes for supplying links in the communication Cleveland seeks extension to the Tees, and various spot is too central to be spared for open space, between Manchester and Milford, and between small local lines are proposed in the Newcastle the Thames embankment may compensate for its the manufacturing districts and the South Welsh district, besides one of more importance-the loss. Another city station scheme has also made coalfield and ports on the British Channel; plans Newcastle, Derwent, and Weardale, a line from its appearance, in the shape of a plan for bringing for access to Aberystwith and the western coast, the first named town to join the South Durham the North London line from Kingsland to Liver with lines in that direction from Rhyl in the north and Lancashire, and thus give a new route from pool-street, Broad-street, thus saving the absurd and Haverfordwest in the south; for lines from Newcastle to Liverpool. Without going further round by Bow and Stepney; and there is also a Shrewsbury to the Carnarvonshire coast, from north and counting the projects for Scotland, Bill for a line from Broad-street to Irongate- Oswestry to Whitchurch, and from Montgomery there is one which deserves to be mentioned, for wharf, on the river. But besides conveyance into to Stretford-bridge, on the Hereford-both the filling up the gap between Perth and Inverness. the very midst of London, and a railroad through last two uniting trunk lines. On the opposite It is evident that many blank places in the railLondon to save through passengers and goods the side of the kingdom, in the restless region of the way map will this year be occupied. But, of drive along the streets from station tostation, there eastern counties, there is a multitude of schemes course, several embryo schemes, after giving their is the pressing need of another line of communica-lines for new communications between Col- Parliamentary notices, will never come to the tion east and west through the town. Accord-chester and Cambridge, between London and birth. Those that do must finally, for life or for ingly, we have the "West-end and City" scheme extinction, abide the fiat of the least satisfactory for an underground line from Regent's-circus to tribunal that modern reforms have left in authority join the Metropolitan at Holborn-bridge; there is in this kingdom. also a proposition to extend the Metropolitan itself from its Paddington end to Bayswater and Kensington; and the "Charing-cross Railway (City Terminus)" offers a line from the Charingcross Railroad in St. Saviour's, Southwark, over the Thames to Cannon-street, giving a route from that street to Charing-cross, the passengers crossing the river twice. Last, but by no means least, there is the Thames embankment from Westminster-bridge to Blackfriars, with, it seems, a railroad, and, in all probability, a new street eventually from Blackfriars-bridge to the Bank. This may really become the greatest metropolitan improvement of modern times. With the river purified, the slimy mud-banks gone, the railway under cover, and a broad road and promenade planted with trees, it would, as the Commons' committee was told, almost answer the purpose of a park in the very heart of London. But these are not the only metropolitan schemes; there are others, links in the girdle round London. It is proposed to make the Regent's Canal supply a railroad from Maiden-lane, in the north, to the Thames at Limehouse, with branches to existing lines. The Kensington-station line asks leave to extend itself to Prince Albert's-road, Kensington; a line to Hammersmith is projected, and a line from Greenwich to Woolwich. Other branches are proposed, some of them uniting the great trunk lines, a line from Edgeware to King'scross and the North London line, another from Hornsey to Hendon, one from Tottenham to Hornsey, a line connecting the Great Northern Bury St. Edmund's, from this latter town to In the Midland counties there is a proposal to It is said that the projects for new lines now to come before Parliament propose to raise nearly £7,000,000 for their execution. But the existing railways require a large sum every year (not paid out of revenue) for additional rolling stock, larger stations, heavier rails, and other improvements, and apon the whole it may be taken that the capital invested in the railways of the United Kingdom increases by £10,000,000 a year. To meet this, and earn a return for it, the number of miles of railroad increases by about 400 a year. To pay 5 per cent. on the increased capital of £10,000,000 the gross receipts should increase by nearly £1,000,000 a year, or about £19,000 a week. But in 1860 the 12 chief companies alone have had an increase of traffic of considerably more than £1,000,000. There is little doubt that the gross receipts of railways for the year have exceeded the interest of the National Debt, but they have to be winnowed of nearly half for working expenses before any profits are divided on the £350,000,000 invested in the railroads of the United Kingdom. But no one will ever grudge them a fair profit for the vast service they render. Seven years ago, when they were about threefourths of what they now are, Robert Stephenson calculated that, adding together the saving of time in every railway journey taken in a single year, as compared with the time it would have occupied by coach, the aggregate amounted to no less than 38,000 years of eight hours a day; and, allowing 3s. a day as the value of labour, the annual saving to the nation was even then |