Excerpt from Letter to the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M. P: President of the Board of Trade, &C. &C. On the Importance in a National Point of View of Railway Extension, and the Encouragement Which Should Be Afforded by Government to Such Undertakings

I am aware you must be much better acquainted than I am, with the position of foreign Railways, and the encourage ment they receive from all the Continental Governments; but, addressing you on the subject I now do, I h0pe I may be pardoned for taking a very imperfect glance at a few of these undertakings.

In Belgium the Railway system may be regarded as nearly complete. The whole country is embraced in one comprehensive scheme, and each town of the smallest note is placed in direct railway communication with every other town and district of that kingdom. The whole of the Rail ways belong to Government; I believe many of the lines do little more than pay the expense of working, but that viewed as a whole they pay about three per cent. On the capital expended. The Belgian Government, however, do not re gard Railways as a direct subject of revenue; the fares are fixed at the lowest remunerating point; no tax is levied on Railway communication and Government with a wise policy look for a return in the increased prosperity of the country.

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