BUNT HEAD, IN THE GULL STREAM. It having been ascertained that the Bunt Head, in the Gull Stream, has grown up considerably in a W. S. W. direction, notice is hereby given that the Bunt Head Buoy has been moved about 100 fathoms to the W. S. W. of its former station, and now lies in four fathoms at low water spring tides, with the following marks and compass bearings:St. Lawrence Church, in line with the north side of Ramsgate Mill, N. W. Waldershare Tower, in line with the south end of the New Terrace at Deal, W. S. North Foreland Light-house, N. by E. Gull Stream Light Vessel, N. N. E. Fork Buoy, S. W. E. South Sand Head Light Vessel, S. S. W. South Brake Buoy, W. THE PACIFIC FROM MONTEREY TO CAPE SAN LUCAS. The error in the charts which locate the coasts and islands in the Pacific from Monterey to Cape San Lucas a number of miles too far to the eastward (and by which the whale ship Hope was recently lost) had been detected by Mr. Fremont. It is corrected in his map of Oregon and Upper California. As ascertained by Col. Fremont, the coast and islands of Upper California are ten miles further west than has heretofore been set down. RAILROAD, CANAL, AND STEAMBOAT STATISTICS. PHILADELPHIA AND READING RAILROAD. WE received, some time since, the annual report of the President and Managers of this road, and should have referred to its contents before, but have been prevented from the pressure of other matters. This road extends from Philadelphia to Pottsville, Pa., a distance of 92 miles. It cost $11,589,696. The capital stock is divided into 64,400 shares, at a par value of $50 each. Dividends are made semi-annually. The H rail, weighing 45 to 60 lbs. per yard, is used. The following is a table of the distances, rates of fare, &c. : It appears from the report of the President, John Tucker, Esq., that the liabilities of the company on the 30th of November, 1847, amounted in stock and debt to $11,802,409 54, being an increase over 1846 of $303,340 52. The very rapid increase in the shipment of coal, and the constant demand for shipping facilities, induced the managers to provide for the future wants of the company by the purchase of about twenty-two acres of land fronting the river (at an expense of $93,000) and adjoining their wharves, at Richmond on the south. This was the only property, by the ownership of which the company could provide themselves with the means of increasing the number of their wharves when required; and, if the opportunity to secure it had been neglected, a serious inconvenience would hereafter have been felt, and a limit placed upon the future capacity. The population and wealth of the Schuylkill valley are yearly augmenting with great rapidity, and the attention of the managers has been called to the necessity of two passenger trains daily instead of one, as heretofore. Satisfied that the wishes of the community would be gratified, and the revenue of the company increased, this measure was adopted. The requisite cars and engines are being built at the workshops of the company, and will be placed upon the road early in the ensuing spring. BUSINESS OF THE PHILADELPHIA AND READING RAILROAD FOR THE Year Ending NOV. 30, 1847. Tonnage. Coal transported, tons of 2,240 lbs..... 1,360,681 Merchandise, 66 2,000 lbs... 71,718 Materials for use of road, including earth, gravel, timber, rails, sills, cordwood, stone, brick, iron, &c., &c., in tons of 2,000 lbs.... 165,493 Total tonnage of road for the year, including weight of passengers, in tons of 2,000 lbs........ 1,770,916 Total amount of coal transported, to date, tons of 2,240 lbs... 4,054,639 Total number of passengers during the year..... miles travelled by same.... Equal to, in through passengers, over whole length of road... From freight on coal.... 97,463 4,560,260 49,604 649,416 Receipts of road. $1,698,663 99 transportation of United States mail, and other sources............ Total receipts......... 136,219 92 156,201 45 11,860 26 $2,002,945 62 POINTS OF SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF COAL ON THE PHILADELPHIA AND READING RAILROAD FOR THE YEAR ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 1847. Amount of coal received from various lateral railroads in coal region: West Branch Railroad, at Schuylkill Haven.................. ..tons 555,172 Mt. Carbon and Port Carbon Railroad, at Port Carbon, from Valley and The following gentlemen compose the board of managers and officers for the current year: President.-John Tucker. Managers.-Samuel Norris, John Towne, Willian R. Lejee, John Oakman, Christopher Loeser, of Orwigsburgh, and Matthias S. Richards, of Reading. Secretary and Treasurer.-Samuel Bradford. www PROGRESS OF RAILROADS ON THE CONTINENT. It would appear, from some statistics recently published in France, that the progress of railway works throughout the continent, especially in the German States, has been more extensive than is perhaps supposed. After Germany follows France, then Holland, Belgium, Poland and Italy. Russia stands low in the scale-even Hungary and Denmark, according to this statement, showing a greater length of railway accomplished than at present exists within the territory of the Czar. Placing these statistics in the order given by the compiler, it seems that France, at the close of the year 1846, maintained in active operation 1,017 miles of railway, which, with the addition of works completed and opened for public use in the course of the following year, constituted at the end of that period, a total length of railway equal to about 1,395 miles. At the end of the year 1846, Germany possessed about 3,096 miles of railway completed and in operation, and in the course of the following year 695 miles additional were opened; so that at the close of 1847, the total extent of railway in that country amounted to 3,891 miles. Belgium, in December, 1846, possessed 466 miles of railway, and in 1847 the completed quantity of new undertakings was 90 miles-making a length of railway in active operation at the end of the last mentioned year, of 546 miles. The length of railway opened in Holland at the close of 1846 was 168 miles; in 1847 only 15 additional were completed, so that at the close of that year about 183 miles of railway were altogether in operation. Denmark, at the end of 1847, possessed 138 miles of railway in active operation. Switzerland figures for a small extent of railway; in 1846 not more than three miles of line was completed; this was increased in 1847 by the opening of about 15 miles of the Zurich and Basle Railway, making the total about 18 miles. In Italy, at the end of 1847, the length of railway in operation was 183 miles; in 1846 about 150 miles had, up to that date, been opened. Hungary possessed at the commencement of the present year 165 miles of railway in active work; at the close of 1845 about half that extent had been completed. It is stated that Russia, in 1846, had only twenty miles carried out; in 1847 this amount was increased to 50 miles. In the kingdom of Poland, 159 miles of railway were completed by the close of 1846; in 1847 a further extent of 54 miles was completed -making the total length 213 miles. MANSFIELD AND SANDUSKY RAILROAD. The Mansfield and Sandusky Railroad in Ohio, commencing at Sandusky city, on Lake Erie, and extending to Mansfield, in Richland county, Ohio, is 56 miles in length, and was opened in June, 1846. Its capital stock is divided into 9,000 shares, the par value of which is $50 the share. The flat rail is used, 2 inches wide and ths of an inch thick. The following is a table of the distances, fares, &c.: The last annual report of the directors brings down the business and affairs of the road to January 1st, 1848; from which we gather that its earnings for the first year (1846) were $49,499; expenses of running and repairs, $17,437; nett receipts, $28,061; of which $17,404 was applied to the payment of interest on the debts of the company. In 1847, the earnings were $85,403; the expenses of running and repairs, $23,997; nett receipts, $61,406; of which $18,407 was applied to the payment of interest. We omit fractions. The company has 6 locomotives, 2 first-class passenger cars, I eight-wheeled and 35 four-wheeled freight cars, 50 four-wheeled cars of the capacity of 150 bushels each. The warehouses used by the company seem to be of liberal capacity and number, but appear not to be owned by the company. The cost of the road is stated at $702,111; machinery and cars, $106,449-total, $808,560. Capital stock, $450,000; indebtedness, $387,385-total, $837, 385. Available assets, $79,363. The company is authorized, by a recent act of the legislature, to increase its capital stock to $900,000. The business of the road appears to be in a flourishing condition. The number of passengers conveyed in 1846 was 9,873; in 1847, 20,737. In 1846, bushels of wheat, 306,256; this item of transportation was increased to 504,081 bushels in 1847. In 1846, 9,502 barrels of salt; 1847, 6,613. Flour in 1846, 11,313 barrels; in 1847, 65,538. Other items, including seeds, pork, butter, lard, wood, cranberries, etc., show a large and prosperous business. The directors of the Mansfield and Sandusky Company have formed a connection with the Columbus and Lake Erie Railroad Company, and a roadway is now in process of construction from Mansfield to Newark, in Licking county, 60 miles. The grade of this road will be completed, it is thought, by August of the present year, and be ready for the iron early in 1849. The belief is expressed that this line will be extended to Columbus, by the way of Granville, at an early day, and that a road will be constructed from Newark to Zanesville, 24 miles. The following tables show the number of passengers, and the quantities of the principal articles of freight transported over the road for the years— 1846. 1847. GREAT WESTERN (CANADA) RAILROAD. We learn from the Oswego Times that it is stated on good authority that the guarantee of a loan of $2,000,000 for the Great Western Railroad, by the provincial government, will pass at the adjourned session. The money is to be expended between Hamilton and Port Sarnia. The government favor it in the light of a military road from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron. We are glad to see that the main branch connecting the two lakes is to be constructed and brought into use first. This is wise and judicious. The distance from Hamilton to London is 85 miles; London to Sarnia, 60 miles; Port Huron to Detroit, 60 miles. It is further stated, that the banks in Montreal will take $1,000,000 of the loan. The interest on the bonds are to be payable semi-annually in London, at 6 per cent. The holders have the option to convert the amount into stock in the company, at any time within twenty years. BRITISH RAILROAD TRAFFIC. There were 32,000,000 passengers on the railways in Great Britain and Ireland in the six months ending the 31st December, 1847. The traffic for the year ending June, 1847, on 3,046 miles of railway produced above £5,150,000 from passengers, and above £3,330,000 from goods, or together £8,500,000 sterling of revenue. The passenger traffic. was in the following proportion :-First class, 16; second class, 20; third class, 7; Parliamentary class, 5; undefined, 14. The rates of fares average on the Midland lines-first class, 3d.; second class, 2d.; and third class, 1d. per mile; on the Great Western, 24d., 1d., and 1d. per mile; on the North-western, 24d. to 14d., and 9-10d. per mile. PROVIDENCE AND PLAINFIELD RAILROAD. This is a road, projected from the city of Providence to the Norwich and Worcester Railroad in Plainfield, Conn. Surveys of it have been made under the direction of Mr. James Laurie, a distinguished engineer, and from his report, which is very well drawn up, and embraces the right kind of facts, we are led to think favorably of the project. The route, as surveyed, is divided into six divisions: the first, from Providence to Natick, 9.4 miles; the 2d, from Natick to Washington Factories, 4.63 miles; the 3d, from Washinglon Factories to Summit, 7.02 miles; the 4th, from Summit to State Line, 4.79; the 5th, from State Line to Norwich Railroad, 7.46 miles; the 6th, from Stonington Railroad to Natick, 2.7 miles. In making the surveys, several lines were run in order to determine upon the best location. In going out from Providence two plans are proposed, one to take the road by an independent line, being that embraced in the first division, and the other to use the Stonington Railroad to Natick. The sixth division was surveyed as a part of the road to be constructed only in the event of using the Stonington Railroad as proposed. The estimated total cost of the road is put down at $711,728. THE WEAR OF CAST IRON RAILS. Thompson, in his Collier Inventions and Improvements, says:—— I have had an opportunity of ascertaining, in the case of a railroad over which 200,000 tons weight were conveyed annually during a period of eighteen years, (comprising the carriages and their loadings of coals in one direction, viz: 150,000 tons; and the empty wagons only in the other, viz: 50,000 tons,) that the mechanical waste from attrition was 1 lb. in every lineal foot of rail, (2 lbs. per foot of way,) or thereabouts, in the course of the time named, which is 587 lbs. per mile of road per annum, the rails being cast from coldblast pig-iron. It may not be generally known, but I believe it to be true, that there is no chemical waste going on with rails in regular use, a certain degree of heat, occasioned by the loads passing over them, preventing oxidation. The wear of hot-blast cast-iron rails will be considerably greater, and by breakage still more; it is, indeed, a very difficult matter to assign to them a competent weight and strength; one-half more metal would, I much doubt, scarcely be sufficient for the purpose. I do not think it has yet been satisfactorily shown what the loss in weight, by wear, of malleable iron rails is, but it cannot fail to be considerably less than that of cast-iron. It is, indeed, a fact well known, and supported by theory, that the more highly iron is wrought, and the purer it is rendered, by being purged of earthy dross in its transmutation from the chrystalline to the fibrous state, the stronger and more durable it will be, whether as regards its subjection to the action of fire, to attrition, or mechanical stress, in the character of engine grate bars, wagon wayrails, tye bars, &c. ENGLISH RAILROAD CALLS. The calls on railway shares, up to the end of May, 1848, amount to no less than £16,275,236, as per statement below; and those made in the month (June) amounted to £1,518,100, making the total sum of £17,793,336 for the six months ending June 30: AN ACT CONCERNING SPANISH STEAM-VESSELS. The following act passed both Houses of Congress, and was approved by the President of the United States, May 31st, 1848: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all laws now in force exacting higher duties on Spanish steam-vessels arriving in the United States than are exacted on steam-vessels of the United States arriving at Havana, or any other port in the island of Cuba, be suspended, so as to place the said steam-vessels on a footing of perfect reciprocity, the suspension to continue so long as such reciprocity shall be thereby secured, or until otherwise provided for by law. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That if any higher duties than those before mentioned shall have been, or shall be, paid by any Spanish steamer arriving in the United States on or after the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to refund the same. |