and which, we are sensible, we have but very faintly described. But, besides the amount of business above mentioned, daily transacted in each of the Agents' great "receiving-sheds," there are nine other sheds, in which, throughout the day, and especially at night, the same process on a smaller scale is going on. Close to these stores there is also a water-dock, for iron and heavy goods to be shipped for the Thames. The carting establishments of Messrs. Pickford and Chaplin for the collection and delivery of their share only of the goodstraffic-for the Company have establishments of their own for loading and unloading at every station except London-would appear to any foreigner unacquainted with the powers with which the mercantile business of England is quietly transacted, to be incomprehensible and almost incredible. For instance

Messrs. Pickford's establishment on account of the London and North-Western Railway, is as follows::Horses. Vans. Waggons. Drays.

Clerks. Porters.

The weights carted by Messrs. Pickford, on account of

the Company, for the year ending the 30th of June last,

amounted to

Collected

Delivered

Tons. cwts. qrs. lbs.

133,437 18 0 15

139,898 19 0 5

Making a gross total of 273,336 17 0 20

Or rather more than 841 tons per day.

As soon as the two Agents, at their respective receiving-sheds, have loaded and securely covered their

trucks with water-proof and fire-proof tarpaulins, they turn them out, labelled, into the open air, from which moment they are considered to be in the hands of the Company's Superintendent of the goods department. Accordingly, under his direction, they are immediately drawn by horses, first over a weighbridge to receive their weighbills, and thence to a series of ten turn-tables, by which they are scattered among thirteen sets of rails, where they are marshalled into trains for their respective destinations. In this operation, it is alarming to see the Superintendent's horses dragging the various luggage-vans; for not only are the rails, as well as the pavement between them, exceedingly slippery, but as the carriages have no shafts, the poor horse has not power to stop his load; and accordingly, affixed to it by his traces, he trots away before it, until it appears as if he must inevitably be smashed to a sandwich between it and the carriage at rest, which he is approaching; however, just before the collision between the buffers of each vehicle takes place, the dull-looking animal jumps aside, and very dexterously saves himself from annihilation. The luggage-trains thus formed are composed sometimes of ninety or a hundred waggons, weighing when empty about three tons each, and averaging when laden about six tons. At the rear of each of these trains sits a guard. The Company's goods-waggons, of all descriptions, amount in number to 6236.

ENGINE STABLE.

In order to prevent the locomotive engines which

draw these luggage-trains from crossing, or otherwise perilling the main passenger-line at Camden Station, there has been constructed an immense rotunda, one hundred and sixty feet in diameter, lighted from the top by plates of glass nine feet in length by half an inch thick, and capable of containing twenty-four of the largest-class engines. In the centre of this great brick building there is a turn-table forty feet in diameter, from whence the engines radiate to their twenty-four stalls, which on a large scale much resemble those constructed in a stable for hunters. The majority of these locomotives are capable of drawing 600 tons at the rate of twelve miles an hour. Each, when supplied with coke and water, with steam up, ready for its journey, weighs about fifty tons. At the entrance of this building is a pit into which, after their journey, they drop their fire; and between the rails, in each of the twenty-four stalls, we observed a smaller pit, to enable artificers to work beneath any engine that may require reparation. The drivers of these huge locomotives, after every journey, inspect and report in a book, as in the passenger-trains, any repairs that may be required; and the engines are thoroughly cleaned every time they come in.

At a short distance from this rotunda we observed a platform about three hundred yards long, constructed for the landing of cattle, which arrive there generally on Thursdays and Saturdays from two P.M. till midnight. Fifty waggon-loads of bullocks, sheep, or pigs, can here be unloaded at a time, and then driven into strong pens or pounds, constructed in the rear. The Company's

cattle and merchandise-waggons are usually painted blue, their sheep-waggons green. On the arrival of a train of cattle it is interesting to see such a quantity of polished horns, bright eyes, streams of white breath, and healthy, black, wet noses, projecting above the upper rail of their respective waggons; and fatal as is the object of their visit to John Bull's Metropolis, it is some consolation to reflect that-poor things-they are, at all events, in ignorance of the fate that awaits them. In disembarking the cattle, in spite of every precaution, an infuriated wild Irish bullock, will occasionally escape from this platform, and by roaring, jumping, and galloping, with depressed head and upstretched tail

Hereditary bondsmen ! know ye not,

Who would be free, himself must strike the blow!"

creates no small consternation as well as confusion among the green-coated pointsmen, porters, and policemen, in charge of the various sets of tributary rails which flow from the waggon department into the main line. Instead, however, of attempting, as in the case of Mr. Smith O'Brien, to capture the fugitive by force, this object is effected by the simple stratagem of instantly turning loose several other black-nosed bullocks, which he no sooner sees, than running and galloping towards the herd, he is quietly driven with them into a pen, where he appears quite to enjoy "the Union" which a few minutes ago he had so violently and so vociferously attempted to "repale."

WAGGON HOSPITAL.

Among the large establishments at Camden Station. is one for the maintenance and repair of the luggagetrucks and goods-carriages of the Southern District; namely, from London to Birmingham-in which alone there are 2000 luggage-waggons, with a proportionate number of trucks. The construction-shop for this department, in which 129 men were at work, is 437 feet in length by 64 in breadth. With its sideways it is capable of containing and of repairing, at one time, a hundred carriages; the average number in hospital being, however, from sixty to seventy. In the smiths' shop we observed, working at once, fourteen common forges, blown by steam; also four portable ones. In locked-up vaulted stores adjoining were lying, besides deals and Memel planks, £4000 worth of oak timber in scantlings of the various sizes required, each lot ticketed with its dimensions. It is surprising to observe the quantity of iron and oak timber used in the construction of the Company's luggage-trucks. Nevertheless, although they are built infinitely stronger in proportion than any ship (for their oak stanchions, being straight instead of curved, when they come in collision strike end foremost), yet we witnessed results of accidents which were really appalling; in many cases the largest of these timbers had been splintered: indeed, in a railway smash the British oak usually either stands the shock without flinching, or, if it does give, shivers into atoms. Barring, how