Mr. Henry Booth, Treasurer of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.—p. 3.
1. Are you acquainted with the Manchester and Liverpool Railway?
I am treasurer.
9. What is the total number of passengers carried within the last twenty-one months?
780,000.
11. What is the average per day?
About 1200.
12. What is the distance of the Railroad from Liverpool to Manchester?
The Railway is thirty miles long, as near as may be.
13. What is the time the first class of the carriages perform that distance?
An hour and a half.
14. The second class?
Two hours.
15. You say upwards of 700,000 were conveyed within the last twenty-one months; pray has any more than one fatal accident occurred during that time?
Only one.
16. How did that occur?
It was a man in the second class of carriages, who insisted on jumping out, against the remonstrance of those who were near it: he jumped out, and was lamed, and died.
17. Against the remonstrance of those who conducted it?
Yes.
18. How many accidents altogether have occurred with the number of passengers that have been conveyed?
Three or four, altogether.
19. Three or four, and only one fatal?
Yes.
20. What is the price of the conveyance of persons by the first class of conveyance?
Five shillings; there is one coach, the mail, which is extra,
21. What is the price of the conveyance of each by the second?
3s. 6d. each.
23. At any time during the severe weather (1830-1831) were carriages prevented from passing on the Railroad by means of the weather?
No, not once.
24. How many regular coaches were there on the road previous to the establishment of the Railroad between Liverpool and Manchester?
About twenty-two coaches; regular coaches.
27. Have you made a calculation of the number of passengers conveyed by them per day, backwards and forwards?
The greatest number they would hold was about 700; the average might be 450, perhaps.
29. The number of passengers conveyed by these coaches amount to about one third the number conveyed by the Railroad?
Something more than that; the 1200 I have spoken of included road passengers.
30. Nearly one third, or somewhat more than one third, of the number conveyed by the Railroad?
Yes.
31. What is the inside fare by these coaches?
It varied a good deal; but it was about ten shillings inside and six shillings out.
34. What time did it take to convey them?
Four hours in the best description of weather, and four and a half in others.
38. Now to what do you attribute the increased number of passengers on the Railroad, compared with the coaches?
From the cheapness and great expedition and ease of conveyance; for really there is no fatigue in travelling by the Railroad.
42. Then if there were a Railroad established between two such towns as London and Birmingham, have you any reason to doubt an equal increase of travelling by passengers would take place?
I think most probably it would?
62. Has the value of land increased or decreased since the Railroad has been open?
It is a matter of notoriety that it has increased.
63. Do you know any instance in which land has been depreciated in value?
No. I do not know of one.
72. Do you know an instance of troops being transmitted with great facility along the Manchester and Liverpool Railroad?
Yes; we carried troops: we took a whole regiment at the beginning of the year; there were 800, with a large quantity of baggage, which was necessary to be shipped to Ireland.
73. What was the time occupied, from the time they embarked in the carriages till they embarked at the ships at Liverpool?
Little more than three hours; they were about two hours on the way, and went down to the ship's side.
74. And embarked immediately?
Yes.
78. How many persons are constantly in employ on the Manchester and Liverpool Railway?
Between 700 and 800.
83. What were the receipts of the Railroad up to the end of last year; the 31st of December 1831?
The gross receipts for the twelvemonth ending the 31st of December were 155,502l., the disbursements 84,405l.
84. What was the balance of clear profit?
71,097l.
85. What was the amount of the last dividend paid to the subscribers?
Four and a half per share.
86. That is the half-yearly dividends?
Yes.
87. Then nine per cent, is the yearly dividend?
In that proportion.
88. Is that on the 100l, share?
Yes.
89. Do you know at what price the 100l, shares sell in the market?
About 200l.
90. Now, in consequence of the novelty of the Liverpool and Manchester Railroad, were the expenses that were incurred increased?
Yes; they were heavier than they would have been if we had had more experience.
91. Do you think that a company undertaking a Railroad of the same kind, with the advantage of your experience before them, would be justified in calculating it at less expense than you incurred?
Yes. I think they would.
99. Do you know the amount contributed in poor's rates by the company to the parishes through which it passes?
About 4,000l, per annum.
71. What description of goods are there, besides cottons, carried along the Railway?
Sugar, coffee, rum, corn, and flour in very considerable quantities, and bacon, and almost every description of merchandise.