springs, the line of railway would become converted into a river to Brighton, and that the uplands would be drained of their waters, by tapping the springs below.
These waters pass through veins in the earth, both on high ground and low levels, like the construction of the veins in the human body; and all practical men know, that if a vein or artery is opened in the foot, it will let out all the blood in the head; and if there were no other reason, the tunneling for so long a distance, with the obstruction of the air in the tunnel, and the combustion of gas, steam, smoke, and sulphur, renders, in my opinion, this design impracticable. The expense is estimated at 850,000l., and the revenue about 130,000l. per annum. It also appears by the law of gravity and propelling power of a movable steam engine, the rise, and long progressive inclined planes here designed, no travelling engine would exceed the speed of the present Brighton coaches; and questionable, from the experiments made on the Manchester and Liverpool railroad, that an engine, with travelling machinery, could be constructed to go up hill, twenty-five feet per mile, at the speed of five miles an hour, as I shall hereafter refer to the respective experiments tried on a railroad, and the comparative speed on the level, the progressive rise, or up hill and down hill, with its several effects, loads, delays, and advantages.
I feel no doubt but Messrs. Rennie have, long since, reflected upon all the above consequences; but I, with great respect, venture, for the public good, to differ in opinion with them on the line and construction of their projected railway; and more particularly so, when they know that there is a line of country about the same distance with practicable levels, and that a railroad can be constructed from London, to Shoreham
