The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

458 RAILWAY SYSTEM AND ITS KESULTS.
of time, throughout the year, 4 tons of coals are consumed, and 20 tons
of water are flashed into steam of high elasticity. What does this rep-
resent ? The water would afford a supply to the population of Liver-
pool at the rate of 22 gallons per head per dieni, and the steam evolved
is adequate to the maintenance of stationary engines of more than
130,000 horse power. The consumption of fuel is almost equal to the
amount of coal exported from Great Britain to foreign countries, and
is more than one half the whole consumption of the Metropolis. If to
this be added the amount that must be used in producing the rails and
other iron required for the whole system, the value of railways to the
coal-owner must be evident.
Ten years ago, in 1845, the entire number of passengers carried
upon railways was 33,791,000 in the year. The railway system was,
at that time, thought to be pretty well developed, at least as regarded
the main channels of communication. Five years afterwards, in 1850,
the number of passengers conveyed was 72,854,000, and in 1854, the
number conveyed was 111,206,000. Thus the number of passengers
has been more than trebled in ten years ; and assuming an average of
14 persons to a ton, there would be a gross weight of upwards of
8,000,000 tons of passengers conveyed annually.
The average distance which these passengers are conveyed appears
to be about 12 miles. The average number carried per day is about
300,000. Under the old coach system it was assumed, that on an
average 10 passengers could be carried by each coach ; therefore, to
carry 300,000 passengers a day, 12 miles each, at least 10,000 coaches
and 120,000 horses would be necessary. The national saving will be
forcibly illustrated, if you consider the cost of running these coaches
and maintaining these horses, against the fact that locomotive expenses
on railways do not, on an average, exceed 9^d. per mile.
The railway receipts for passengers have been in the following pro-
portions :
—
In 1845 - £3,976,000
1850 6,827,000
1854 - 9,174,000
The total receipts for goods, passengers, and from all other sources,
were for the same years :
—
In 1845 - - £6,209,000
1850 18,204,000
1854 .... 20,215,000
There has been no instance in the annals of any railway, where