The number of steamboats running at the present time upon the Western lakes and rivers, is now reckoned at about 1400. Their tonnage is over twice as much as the entire steamboat tonnage of Great Britain, and probably fully equal to the steamboat tonnage of all other parts of the world. The total value annually afloat on all Western waters, is estimated at about $550,000,000.

The progress of railroads in our country has been a subject we have frequently discussed in the pages of the Review, and have furnished all the statistics and information it has been in our power to obtain. No one need be told that this branch of enterprise is but in its infancy among us, whatever its present stature and importance. The great West is an exhaustless field for future developments, though it is now able to show but little. We extract from the work of Dr. Lardner the following pages, which sketch in bold and clear colors the great lines of railway communication which connect the Atlantic states together, or reach backwards from them to the Western valley. It is impossible to do justice to the subject in any less concise description.

"Of the total length of railways which overspread the territory of the Union, more than the half are constructed in the States of Pennsylvania, New York, and those of New-England. The principal centres from which these lines of communication diverge are Boston, New-York, and Philadelphia.

"A considerable extent, though of less importance, diverges from Baltimore; and recently lines of communication of great length have been constructed, from Charleston in South Carolina, and from Savannah in Georgia.

"From Boston three trunk lines issue; the chief of which passes through the State of Massachusetts to Albany, on the Hudson. This line of railway is two hundred miles in length, and appears destined to carry a considerable traffic. Its ramifications southward, through the smaller states of New-England, are numerous, chiefly leading to the ports upon Long Island Sound, which communicate by steamboats with New-York. The first branch is carried from Worcester, in Massachusetts, to New-London on the Sound, where it meets a short steam ferry which communicates with Greenport, at the eastern extremity of Long Island, from which another railway, nearly 100 miles long, is carried to Brooklyn, which occupies the shore of that island immediately opposite New-York, and communicates with the latter city by a steam ferry.

"Thus there is a continued railway communication from Boston to NewYork, interrupted only by two ferries.

"Another branch of the great Massachusetts line is carried south from Springfield through Hartford to New-Haven; and a third from Pittsfield to Bridgeport, both the latter places being on the Sound, and communicating with New-York by steamboats.

The second trunk line from Boston proceeds southward to Providence, and thence to Stonington, from which it communicates by a ferry with the Long Island Railway. This trunk line throws off a branch from Foxburgh to New-Bedford, where it communicates by ferries with the group of islands and promontories clustered round Cape Cod.

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"A third trunk line proceeds from Boston through the State of Maine. Notwithstanding the speed and perfection of the steam navigation of the Hudson, a railway is now being constructed on the east side of that

river to Albany, which will be opened in the course of 1850. The section terminating at New-York is already in operation.

"From Albany an extensive line of railway communication, 323 miles in length, is carried across the entire State of New-York to Buffalo, at the head of Lake Erie, with branches to some important places on the one side and on the other. This line forms the continuation of the western railway, carried from Boston to Albany, and, combined with this latter, completes the continuous railway communication from the harbor of Boston to that of Buffalo on Lake Erie, making an entire length of railway communication from Boston to Buffalo, of 523 miles.

The branches constructed from this trunk line are not numerous. There is one from Schenectady to Troy, on the Hudson, and another from Schenectady to Saratoga; another from Syracuse to Oswego, on Lake Ontario; and another from Buffalo to the Falls of Niagara, and from thence to Lockport.

"Not content with this fine line of communication to the Western Lakes, the commercial interests of New-York have projected, and in part constructed, a more direct route from New-York to Buffalo, independent of the Hudson.

"The disadvantage of this river as a sole means of communication is, that, during a certain portion of the winter, all traffic upon it is suspended by frost. In this case, the line of railway communicating already from Bridgeport and New-Haven to Albany, has been resorted to by travelers. However, it may be regarded as certain, that the intermediate traffic of the State of New-York along the direct line of railway now in progress from that city to Buffalo, will very speedily be sufficient for the support of an independent line of railway.

The immediate environs of New-York are served by several short railways, as is usual, indeed, in all great capitals where the railway system of transport prevails.

The line connecting that city with Harlem is analogous in many respects to the Greenwich and Blackwall lines at London, and the Versailles and St. Germain lines at Paris. It is supported by a like description of traffic. The New-York line, however, has this peculiarity, that it is conducted through the streets of the capital upon their natural level, without either cutting, tunnel, or embankment. The carriages, on entering the town, are drawn by horses, four horses being allowed to each coach; each coach carrying from sixty to eighty persons, and being constructed like the railway coaches in general in the United States.

The rails along the streets are laid down in a manner similar to that which is customary at places where lines of railway in England cross turnpike roads on a level. The surface of the rail is flush with the pavement, and a cavity is left for the flange to sink in.

"Other short railways, from New-York to Patterson, Morristown, and Somerville, require no particular note.

"The great liue of railway already described, from Boston to NewYork, is continued southward from that capital to Philadelphia. There are here two rival lines; one of which, commencing from Jersey City on the Hudson, opposite to the southern part of New-York, is carried to Bordentown, on the left bank of the Delaware, whence the traffic is carried by steamboats a few miles further to Philadelphia. The rival line commences from South Amboy in New-Jersey, to which the traffic is brought from New-York by steamers plying on the Raritan river, which separates New-Jersey from Staten Island. From Amboy the railway is continued to Camden, on the left bank of the Delaware opposite Philadelphia. By far the greater part of the traffic between New-York and Philadelphia is carried by the former line.

"Philadelphia is the next great centre from which railways diverge. One line is carried westward through the State of Pennsylvania, passing through Reading, and terminating at Pottsville, in the midst of the great Pennsylvanian coal-field. There it connects with a network of small railways, serving the coal and iron mines of this locality. This line of railway is a descending line towards Philadelphia, and serves the purposes of the mining districts better than a level. The loaded trains descend usually with but little effort to the moving power, while the empty wagons are drawn back.

The passenger traffic is chiefly between Reading and Philadelphia. "Another line of railway is carried westward through the State of Pennsylvania, passing through Lancaster, Harrisburg, the seat of the legislature, Carlisle, and Chambersburg, where it approaches the Baltimore and Ohio Railway. The length of this railway from Philadelphia to Chambersburg is 154 miles. The former, to Pottsville and Mount Carbon, is 108 miles, the section to Reading being 64.

"A great line of communication is established 400 miles in length, between Philadelphia and Pittsburg, on the left bank of the Ohio, composed partly of railway and partly of canal. The section from Philadelphia to Columbia, 82 miles, is railway. The line is then continued by canal, for 172 miles, to Holidaysburg. It is then carried by railway 37 miles to Johnstown, from whence it is continued 104 miles further to Pittsburg by canal.

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The traffic on this mixed line of transport is conducted so as to avoid the expense and inconvenience of transhipment of goods and passengers at the successive points where the railways and canals unite. The merchandise is loaded, and the passengers accommodated in the boats adapted to the canals at the dépôt in Market-street, Philadelphia. These boats, which are of considerable magnitude and length, are divided into segments, by partitions made transversely and at right angles to their length, so that each boat can be, as it were, broken into three or more pieces. These several pieces are placed each on two railway trucks adapted to the form of the bottom and keel of the boat. In this manner the boat is carried in pieces, with its load, along the railways. On arriving at the canal, the pieces are united so as to form a continuous boat, which, being launched, the transport is continued on the water.

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On arriving again at the railway, the boat is once more resolved into its segments, which, as before, are transferred to the railway trucks, and transported to the next canal station by locomotive engines.

"Between the dépôt in Market-street and the locomotive station, which is situated in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the segments of the boats are drawn by horses, on railways conducted through the streets. At the locomotive station the trucks are formed into a continuous train, and delivered over to the locomotive engine.

"As the body of the trucks rest upon a pivot, under which it is supported by the wheels, it is capable of revolving, and no difficulty is found in turning the shortest curves; and these enormous vehicles, with their contents of merchandise and passengers, are seer daily issuing from the gates of the dépôt in Market-street, and turning without difficulty the corners at the entrance of each successive street.

"The southern line of railway communication is continued from Philadelphia to Baltimore, interrupted only by a steam ferry over the Susque

hanna.

The management of these steam ferries is deserving of notice. It is generally so arranged, that the time of crossing them corresponds with a meal of the passengers. A platform is constructed, level with the line of

rails, and carried to the water's edge. Upon this platform rails are laid, on which the wagons which bear the passengers' luggage, and other matters of light and rapid transport, are rolled directly upon the upper deck of the ferry-boat, the passengers meanwhile passing under a covered way to the lower deck.

"The whole operation is accomplished in five minutes. While the boat is crossing the spacious river, the passengers are supplied with their breakfast. dinner, lunch, or supper, as the case may be. On arriving at the opposite bank, the upper deck comes into contact with a like platform. bearing a railway upon which the luggage wagons are rolled. The passengers ascend by a covered way, and, resuming their places in the railway carriages, the train proceeds.

Baltimore is the next centre of railway movement. One line issues northward to Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, where it unites with the Philadelphia and Chambersburg line. A great line of western railway is projected to be carried from Baltimore to the left bank of the Ohio, to some point near Wheeling. This line, however, is as yet finished only so far as Cumberland, 153 miles. This place is at the foot of the Alleghany range, which is crossed by the great national, an excellent Macadamized roadway, which continues the communication 126 miles further, to Wheeling, on the Ohio. The ascent is gradual, and constructed on good engineering principles.

"The railway, when completed, will cross this ascent by a series of inclined planes, all of which but one will be worked by locomotive engines. This will probably be worked by means of a stationary engine. Nothing, however, is done as yet toward the realization of this part of the project.

"Baltimore is connected with Washington, the seat of the federal legislature, by an excellent line of railway nearly forty miles in length. From this point the great southern line of communication is continued by steamboats on the Potomac to the left bank of that river near Fredericksburg, in Virginia, a distance of about fifty miles. Here the line of railway communication is resumed and continued through the State of Virginia, passing through Richmond and Petersburg, being continued southward to Halifax, on the frontiers of North Carolina.

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Another line of communication southward is formed by steamboats on the Chesapeake, which ply between Baltimore and Norfolk, from which place a line of railway is carried to the frontiers of North Carolina, near Halifax, running into the great artery just mentioned, at Weldon. From Halifax the Great Southern Railway is continued through North Carolina to Wilmington, a seaport near the southern limits of that state.

"Thus is completed so far a continuous line of railway communication running North and South through the Atlantic states, commencing at Portland in the State of Maine, passing successively through Boston, Providence, New-York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond, and terminating at Wilmington, the total length of which is nearly 1,000 miles. From Wilmington the communication with Charleston is maintained by steamboats, which ply along the coast.

"Charleston, in South Carolina, and Savannah, in Georgia, are the points from which other great lines of railway communication issue westward. That which proceeds from Charleston is carried across South Carolina to Augusta, on the confines of Georgia, throwing off a branch northward to Columbia, the capital of the state.

The length of the main line to Augusta is 134 miles.

"From Augusta the line of railway is continued westward through Georgia, passing through Madison and Decatur, to the left bank of the

Tennessee river, throwing off a branch to Athens, the seat of the University.

From Savannah the line of railway passes through Georgia and Macon, and unites with the former line at Decatur.

"These lines of railway communication are continued westward to the left bank of the Alabama river, on which the transport is continued by steamboats to Mobile, and thence to New-Orleans, and by another line to the Tennessee, by which the navigation is continued through the Mississippi valley to the left bank of its great tributary, the Ohio."

We conclude this hasty paper with some statistics, showing the comparative railroad economy of the different nations of the world. TABLE, showing the Population, extent of Territory, and extent of Railway in operation and in progress, in the several countries of the World where Railways have been constructed.

Totals and averages. 231,312,256 4,453,350 52.0. 18,656 7,829 368,567,000 146,750,000

Comparison of the extent of Railways in operation, and the amount of Railway capital, with the Population and Territorial extent of the Countries which possess them.

United Kingdom...185 00..41-3. 7-400..1-652-00.. 26-80.. 54-10..57.50 68-16

Thus in the proportion which length of railway bears to population, we have-1. United States; 2. Great Britain; 3. Belgium; 4. Germany; 5. France.

In the proportion of length of railway to territory-1st Great Britain and 5th United States. In proportion of railway capital to population, the United States stands 2d; and in relation to the capital expended upon railways, 3d. In regard to length of railways actu