The industrial resources of Ireland / By Robert Kane.

  • Kane, Robert, 1809-1890.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The industrial resources of Ireland / By Robert Kane. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    radius, so that on this short line there are actually so many obstacles, that its success may be considered as decisive, so far as the application of the power is concerned. The engine at Dalkey is of 100 horse power; this is, for ulterior objects, much greater than that required. The usual average velo- city of the trains ascending the line is thirty miles, but a ve- locity of sixty miles per hour is easily attainable. The trains descend the line from Dalkey by the force of gravity. They occupy usually about three minutes and a half in the ascent, and about four minutes in the descent of the mile and three- quarters. The pipe used on this line is fifteen inches diameter, It is in ten feet lengths, which weigh each twelve cwt. There should be, therefore, per mile 528 lengths, weighing 317 tons, and the iron in the screws and valves‘might amount to about sixteen tons, making a total of 333 tons of iron per mile of sin- gle way, which is the only point in which this mode is more ex- pensive than the ordinary railway. The Dalkey atmospheric line will probably be extended to Wicklow, or even farther south along the coast, and thereby satisfactorily bring into play the full powers of this remark- able mechanism of locomotion. The influence of the railway system on the industrial and social circumstances of the country, is so great, as to demand, upon the part of the Government, the most careful super- ways were first proposed, their results were not foreseen, nor their vast power understood, even by their advocates, still less by the Government, and hence, being looked upon as individual speculations, into which every capitalist should be at liberty to enter, when and where he liked, and to realize as much pro- fit as he could, there was only required a parliamentary pro- cedure, similar to that necessary for obtaining permission to open anew line or branch of common road. The railway, when once opened, took possession necessarily of the entire intercourse between its terminations. It instantly abolished the usual and previous modes of travelling, and this once ef- fected, all fear of competition was removed, and the cost of the transport was rendered such as the managers thought would