Page:Inland Transit - Cundy - 1834.djvu/25

 railroads had already shared from 15 to 20 per cent, upon their extensive outlay and experiments, and that their business has been increasing every week. It cannot admit of doubt that great advantage would accrue to landowners, cultivators, breeders, and dealers in grain, cattle, &c, in the countries through which this railroad would pass, by the facility they would find in transmitting their timber, coals, stone, iron, lime, bricks, grain, hay, straw, flour, cattle, sheep, calves, pigs, butter, butcher's meat, and all other landed produce to the London markets, at the rate of 20 miles an hour, without loss or damage, and at a third of the former expense. This railroad will prove of incalculable advantage to the manufacturers of Norwich, Bury, Peterborough, Ely, Stamford, Nottingham, Newark, Lincoln, Sheffield, Barnsley, Wakefield, Bradford, Leeds, Hull, and Glasgow, and the other northern districts, by enabling them to send their goods by a rapid transit to the metropolis at a small expense, and receive by back carriage the raw materials necessary for their respective trades.

By official returns, it appears that about one half of the home produce of grain, flour, malt, cattle, sheep, calves, pigs, meat, poultry, and butter sent to the London markets, arrives from the counties of Hertford. Essex, Cambridge, Suffolk, Norfolk, Huntingdon, Northampton, Rutland, Lincoln, Nottingham and York; and that the average number of sheep travelling this road weekly exceeds 11,000, with other live stock in proportion; besides which, woollen and other piece goods, Sheffield hardware, and other manufactures, are to be taken into account.

The proposed railway will also considerably benefit the London merchants, brewers, distillers, hop factors,