moderate amount of legislation concerning railroads. In 1848, the number of acts was 83; this fell to 85 in 1849, and to 86 in 1850, while in 1851 there was a rising tendency, the number being 59. Of these, 86 were in England, 9 in Scotland, 8 in Ireland, 5 in Wales, and 1 in Canada. Of the whole number, however, only about 20 gave authority for the continuation of new lines. The balance were principally amendatory acts.
On the 80th of June, 1850, there were 6,808 miles of railroads open for traffic in the United Kingdom, having 2,080 stations, and employing 60,825 persons, giving 1 station and 28 officials and servants to every three miles. There were at the same time 864 miles in progress of construction, on which 58,884 persons were employed. During the year 625 miles were opened, and the total length completed at the beginning of 1851, was 6,621 miles, of which 5,132 were in England and Wales, 951 in Scotland, and 588 in Ireland. The following table exhibits the number of miles opened during the years named:
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1843 (and earlier) . . 2,036 miles. 1844 . . 202 miles.“ 1845 . . 296 miles.“ 1846 . . 606 miles.“ 1847 . . 803 miles.“ 1848 . . 1,182 miles.“ 1849 . . 869 miles.“ 1850 . . 625 miles.“ 1851 . . 864 miles.“
Added to this there were 4,881 miles not commenced, but which had been authorized by acts of Parliament.
The total amount of capital down to 1851, was about £355,000,000, excluding abandoned schemes.
The total receipts of all the railroads in the United Kingdom, for the years named, were as follows:
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Total.
Weekly av. pr. mile.
1842 . . £4,341,781 £60
1843 . . 4,842,625 . . 59
1844 . . 5,610,982 . . 63
1845 . . 6,669,224. . 66
1846 . . 7,689,874 . . 62
1847 . . 8,975,871 . . 55
1848 . . 10,659,006 . . 49
1849. . 11,013,817 . . 44
1850 . . 12,755,235 . . 43
The average cost per mile of all the railroads constructed in Great Britain, is £35,000, or about $175,000.
