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sail frequently three or six weeks from each other; and although a vessel may be going in the interval she will not take them at a freight which will make it a profitable speculation. Many of our goods are conveyed by coasting vessels, and these coasting vessels always take their departure on a Saturday; our goods arrive on a Monday, and thus we lose a week. I could amplify instances; but the general nature of our trade is, that we cannot make them till Thursday, and we do not get them till Monday.
11. Suppose the Railroad to be established, would goods arrive in time for the ships on Saturday?
Yes. We receive orders for the foreign market for peculiar patterns on Monday; we can make the glass and have it in London ready to be shipped on Saturday. We frequently lose orders because we cannot do that.
12. The great advantage of this proposed Railroad will be the rapidity of communication?
Yes.
13. Besides that advantage, is there any other?
Yes; the saving of breakage.
14. What is your breakage at present?
Our average breakage is two and a half per cent. I take it that 1050 tons made at Birmingham and conveyed by canal come to somewhere about 200,000l., on which our average breakage is two and a half; I consider that on the Railroad it would not be a half per cent.
27. If the Railroad existed, would it be necessary to keep so large a stock in London as you do now?
Not half the amount.
28. Therefore less capital would be employed? Less capital. A number of our orders are for patterns that we never keep in stock, which are of peculiar make and shape.
29. When you speak of missing the opportunities for foreign orders by delay of communication, do you speak of circumstances which occur frequently, or are they rare?
They occur almost every week; I expect it this week in
