Directors. If they consider 30 miles an hour as much as can be permitted with safety they can have it, or 40, 50, or more. It is one of those cases in which velocity, almost ad libitum, and at a very trifling expense, may be attained. Taking the whole length of the line, an average of 20 miles an hour it is very likely may be had.

With respect to the tunnel, our opinion has been given so decidedly on that subject in our 2d No., that we cannot add anything to it here, and we see no reason whatever to alter or modify it. Two miles are a great length of tunnel. Nor will the lighting it with gas be, in our opinion, of any ser vice except in case of accident; it will rather add to the annoyance.

THE CITY AND RICHMOND RAILWAY.*

"IF EVERY THING WHICH WE CANNOT COMPREHEND IS TO BE CALLED AN IMPOSSIBILITY, HOW MANY ARE DAILY PRESENTED TO OUR EYES; AND IN CONTEMNING AS FALSE THAT WHICH WE CONSIDER TO BE IMPOSSIBLE, MAY WE NOT BE DEPRECATING A GIANT'S EFFORT ΤΟ GIVE AN IMPORTANCE TO OUR OWN WEAKNESS."-Montaigne.

Ir the application of this axiom be true in its reference to the arts, and particularly to those of them the better understood, and more generally cultivated, with how much more truth does it apply to the subject before us, which demands in the artist and the rare combination of the science of construction, the genius for design, and a taste and commercial knowledge of such varied character, and so indispensably necessary in its successful applica

tions.

These observations seemed called for from us by the singular circumstances which induced the first consideration of the subject by its enterprising projectors, and secondly, the complete success which the undertaking promised, and indeed realized for them as a reward for the anxiety, labour, and perseverance, which attended their perfect organisation of the scheme now actively progressing towards Parliament as the City and Richmond Railway. To pro

We wish our correspondents had given us the statistics of this line; it would afford some curious matter.-ED.

ceed, therefore, to a descriptive account of this undertaking. It should be stated, that it is essentially a Metropolitan Junction Railway, centralizing in the very heart of the capital, and forming a common terminus for the extraordinary number of eight of the certainly most important railways directed towards the metropolis,-the Birmingham, the Great Western, the Southampton, the Portsmouth, the South-Eastern, the proposed Brighton, the South-Western, and the Richmond Railways, without taking into consideration the tributary undertakings which regard these national and magnificent works as the great arteries of communication with the metropolis. Looking, therefore, at the enterprise before us as effecting a COMPLETION to any ONE only of these Railway undertakings, it bears the stamp of usefulness and the promise of success; but regarded in its real and compound character as effecting successfully the same object FOR THEM ALL, it must remain an inexplicable mystery why the Railway before us has never been proposed by any one of the Companies it purposes to complete, seeing that their respective Companies, without a single exception, have had no metropolitan terminus, either proposed or contemplated in their Bills, and respectively incapable of effectively approaching the Metropolis otherwise than by a fresh application to Parliament for extended powers. The more successfully and satisfactorily to point out the merits and capabilities of the line before us, is briefly to state the termini of the various Railways it brings to the Metropolis and the port of London. In the order, therefore, in which they are enumerated above, the termini of the Birmingham Railway is at Holsden Green, Somers Town, and at Camden Town, to arrive at which place, even three miles from the Bank, the wearied traveller is subjected to the danger, difficulty, and annoyance of two tunnels, which we believe are thus: the first of one mile and a quarter, and the second of one mile in length, and were there, in our opinion, no other practical difficulty in such termini, the tunnels themselves, so immediately following each other, offer so valid and serious objection, that in practice it will be found, that he who is perhaps suffering from sickness, exhaustion, and fatigue, will prefer to arrive at his journey's end through the open air and in safety, than volunteer a forlorn hope as regards his health, through the condemned cells of the London and Birmingham Railway. These observations regard only the passengers on this line. The goods are proposed to be deposited at Camden Town on the banks of the

Regent's Canal. Disturbed from their original consignment to an uncertain water-carriage, on a tortuous and almost impracticable canal, with the uniform loss of six hours in their delivery-a period, it will be observed, only occupied on the Railway from Birmingham itself, and delivered at last at the mouth of the canal, instead of being warehoused or shipped for exportation as proposed by the City Railway Company, out of the very trains, without disturbance or the risk of injury, which brought them from the north. The next important railway without a terminus, or the means of approaching London is the Great Western, who originally contemplated a junction with the Birmingham Railway at Holsden Green. This project being abandoned, a terminus is proposed in the neighbourhood of Notting Hill and Bayswater, equally distant and inefficient to the purposes and wants of the metropolis. Having explained the present condition of these works, we shall proceed to the proposed City Railway. Its commencement may be said to be at either end of the line. However, we shall follow its course as laid down by the accompanying map, from its junction with the railways above described. At Holsden Green, therefore, it takes up the Birmingham line, one mile short of the first tunnel from that place, and proceeding southward through Wormwood Scrubs to a point of intersection with the Great Western line, near East Acton, it proceeds through Shepherd's Bush to the Uxbridge Road, and from this road through Brook Green to the Hammersmith Road, running nearly parallel to the Kensington Canal through Walham Green to the Thames; where the Company propose their viaduct or bridge, and crossing the river, the railway proceeds to the junction of their Richmond branch at Battersea, and proceeding for a short distance parallel to the Southampton Railway, which it necessarily must do to obtain the proper level, takes up that railway about a mile from its terminus at Nine Elms, it thus joins with the City Railway upon the same level, and enables it to pass by a viaduct over the streets into the metropolis from Nine Elms, and consequently from this undertaking takes all the other South-West and South-Eastern Brighton and Portsmouth Railways, which at present regard the Southampton line as their termini. From which place the line of the City and Richmond Railway proceeds through Lambeth, crossing the Westminster Road, the Waterloo Road, and the Blackfriars Road, to the terminus of the line at the Company's wharfs and warehouses at the foot of Southwark Bridge; a portion of the line will be on a viaduct

tastefully converted into dwellings, shops, markets, &c., forming a handsome and leading thoroughfare from Southwark Bridge to Vauxhall, which is so much desired by the inhabitants; the Bridge Roads will be traversed by arches of uniform character and materials with the several bridges to which they belong. Having stated thus much of the proposed junctions of this undertaking, and pointed out the important relationship it possesses with the great works now in progress, we shall close this article, after explaining another equally, if not more, lucrative character it will bear from its singular and advantageous position as regards many divisions of the metropolis. As AN OMNIBUS RAILWAY, therefore, to the following places, or their immediate neighbourhoods, this undertaking possesses singular advantages. From Southwark to Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster, and Vauxhall Bridges, to Lambeth, Vauxhall, Battersea, Wandsworth, Putney, Barnes, Mortlake, Richmond, Kew, Petersham, Ham, Kingston, Hampton, Teddington, Twickenham, Hounslow, Isleworth, Brentford, Ealing, Acton, Chiswick, Hammersmith, Kensington, Chelsea, Brompton, Fulham, Uxbridge Road, Harrow Road, Walham Green, and the other adjacent places in those neighbourhoods, to which there is a continual stream of passenger traffic of great extent, and these places are only to be approached by tortuous and indifferent roads, great loss of time from crowded thoroughfares, with the most insufficient and expensive coach and omnibus conveyance. Another great feature of this undertaking is the circumstance of its being the only practicable North and South Junction near the Metropolis which can be effected, giving to the various railways now in progress the invaluable addition of a connecting link throughout the kingdom. In conclusion, it affords us great satisfaction to be able personally to speak of the talent and energy exhibited in the plans, &c. in active preparation by the engineers to the Company, many of which have been exhibited to us by favour of the Directors, together with a most elaborate and complete survey of the line, and we heartily congratulate the shareholders on the circumstance, in the firm conviction that if the undertaking continues to be advanced with the same spirit, high character, and professional skill it has already received at their hands, it cannot fail to be received by Parliament with great favour, and, as it deserves, to be crowned with complete success.

J. A. and T. F.

THE EVIDENCE OF GEORGE WALTER, ESQ. RESIDENT DIRECTOR OF THE LONDON AND GREENWICH RAILWAY, BEFORE A COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS, JULY, 1836, ON THE DIRECT BRIGHTON RAILWAY BILL: IN WHICH THE CAPABILITIES AND IMPORTANCE OF THE GREENWICH RAILWAY ARE SHOWN.

[CONSIDERING the importance of the Greenwich line as the trunk of others from the east, and the interest of the public being much excited by its approaching opening, we have, in compliance with the wishes of several friends, given Mr. Walter's late evidence before the Lords, freed from the numerous questions of counsel. -ED.]

Am resident director and superintendent. Have had experience in other railways. Seen the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and passed over it several times. Am aware of the capabilities of the Greenwich Railway for traffic by passengers. It is constructed on arches, with two lines of rails, and is expected now to be finished in about a fortnight or three weeks. It is twenty-five feet width, and twenty-two in the clear between the parapet. The Greenwich Company contemplated that it might become necessary hereafter to widen the railway, and purchased twenty-five feet on each side of the railway, making together seventy-five feet; whereas twenty-five only was necessary for the two lines of rails. This would allow us to construct four lines of rails, that is, two double lines of rails more. The land on the south side of the railway, at present, is merely occupied as a footpath, which produces an additional income to the Greenwich Company of about 1,000l. or 1,200l. a-year. The ground on the north side of the railway, at present, is applied for the purpose of carrying the materials necessary for finishing the works. The Company have also purchased additional ground for the enlargement of their station, if necessary, and have power to purchase considerable property, which is in the Schedule, but which is not considered necessary. At present locomotive engines are running on the railway on the part that is finished. The experience that has been given enables me to speak of its capabilities for traffic, and to say they are very considerable, and equal to any traffic we expect to have on it. The greatest number of passengers we have carried on any one day was on Easter Monday, in the afternoon. In the latter part of the day we carried 6,312. The time was principally between twelve o'clock and eight or nine, 3,000 one way and 3,000 the other, as near as possible; till three o'clock, every half-hour; after three, every twenty minutes. We had one engine and seven carriages in each train, each way. Each trip, two miles and a