heretofore inclosed a nation of millions, and the whole world has sent her representatives in great convention to a little spot that four years ago was known only as a resort for whalers or merchant vessels who were on the Pacific coast. No man can accurately calculate the result of this union, but its effects must be grand and lasting. The southron of Europe will return to his home, the fur-clad northerner will again visit the cold land of his childhood; the light-limbed oriental will go back to his fairy land, the long tailed child of the sun will enter again his noble wall, the bearded Turk will once more listen to the muezzim as it is sounded from the minerets, and the unsophisticated children of the sea will return to their flowery islands. But all will carry back with them a knowledge of the English language, an idea of the American institutions and liberties, a portion of the energy and ardor of the great Anglo-Saxon race, and an understanding of the blessed principles of Him whose precepts will yet spread peace among the nations, and make the "wilderness bud and blossom as the rose tree." The discovery of gold in California has done more to advance the cause of civilization and the spread of enlightened and Christian institutions, than any other one fact brought to light within the last century.-Alta California. RAILROAD, CANAL, AND STEAMBOAT STATISTICS. CANALS AND RAILROADS OF PENNSYLVANIA. The following statement of the canals and railroads of Pennsylvania is derived from the report of the Canal Commissioners. It only includes the public works owned by the State: The commonwealth of Pennsylvania has completed and in operation 6521 miles of canal and railroad, independent of feeders not navigable, as follows:— Delaware division, from Bristol to Easton..... Columbia Railroad, from Philadelphia to the basin at Columbia... Juniata division, from the junction at Duncan's Island to the basin at Holli- Portage Railroad, from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown .miles 594 82 451 1274 $6 1044 40 76 723 Western division, from Johnstown to the Monongahela River at Pittsburg... land. West Branch division, from Northumberland to Farrandsville. Bald Eagle side cut, from the pool of Dunstown Dam, on the West Branch division, to Bald Eagle Creek. Lewisburg side cut, from Lewisburg to the West Branch division Lackawanna feeder, at the termination of the North Branch division. Feeder at the mouth of the Rayston branch of the Juniata Total miles 6521 Upon the completion of the North Branch Canal, from the mouth of the Lackawanna to the New York State Line, 94 miles more of navigation will be added to the above. The Erie extension, consisting of the Beaver division, the Shenango and Conneaut lines, and the French Creek feeder, 163 miles in length, and the Wisconisco Canal, 12 miles in length, which were nearly completed, have been transferred to private companies. The receipts from tolls have been nearly doubled within the last ten years, as the following table shows: The gross receipts on the several lines of canal and railroad for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1851, amounted to $1,793,624 82, being an increase over 1850 of $25,417 36. The expenditures for the same period amounted to $1,054,893 99. Included in these expenditures are the following: For repairs of breaches..... Purchase of new locomotives.. Maintaining ferry at Duncan's Island.. Rebuilding weigh-lock at Easton... Total..... $71,249 72 58,717 00 10,000 00 13,000 00 $152,966 72 The rebuilding of the Conestoga Bridge, $17,854 50; the rebuilding of the Clark's Ferry Bridge, $21,922 30; the rebuilding of the Shamokin Shute, $4,678 50; the extraordinary repairs to the planes on the Alleghany Portage railroad, per act of 1850, $15,420 06; the building of an addition to the wharf at Bristol, $1,500; the repair of road and farm bridges, $25,000; and new depot at Parkersburg, $10,000—not being fairly chargeable to the repair account of the year, are not included in the statement of expenditures. Receipts for all purposes on the Columbia Railroad.......... Portage Railroad. Main line of canal, from Columbia to Pittsburg Delaware division of canal..... North and west branch, and Susquehanna divisions. Total.... Deduct drawbacks paid at Philadelphia..... $698,982 53 249,088 88 375,204 75 258,873 43 239,941 05 $1,817,090 64 23,465 82 $1,793,624 82 Total gross receipts on all the lines..... The amount of anthracite and bituminous coal shipped from the several offices on the line of the State improvements for the year 1851, is as follows: The main line-Philadelphia and Columbia-is 82 miles in length, extending from the city of Philadelphia to the borough of Columbia. This division of the improvements has been in successful operation during the year. The freight passed over the road in 1851 amounted to 260,860 tons, being an increase over 1850 of 6,805 tons, exclusive of the tonnage from Reading Railroad in that year. The number of cars passed over the road was 146,226, of which 17,066 were passenger cars. Increase over 1850, 9,271 cars. Number of trips made by locomotive engines, 8,280. Number of miles traveled by passengers, 9,838,287-equal to 119,979 through passengers. Amount of toll received on passengers and passenger cars, $216,719 61. The motive power department is now in good condition, and fully equal to the business of the next year. Five first class locomotive engines were purchased during the past year. There are forty-six engines of all classes upon the road. Seven of these are undergoing repairs, and will be ready for service in the spring. There are twelve sets of trucks for section boats in order. As the transportation of boats over the road appears to be on the decrease, this number will be sufficient for present use. The Alleghany Portage Railroad is thirty six miles in length, and extends from Holisdaysburg to Johnstown. Transportation was resumed on this road on the 25th of February. There are twenty locomotive engines on this road; seven of these are of the first class, ten are adapted to short levels with light grades, and three are nearly worn out and of but little service. Two of the first class engines were purchased during the year. New ropes were placed on planes 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10, at a cost of $18,624 94 Miles Railroads.. Miles Railroads. Miles Railroads I Miles Railroads... Miles Railroads........ Miles 'Railroads.. Miles .... Railroads... Miles Railroads.. PROGRESS OF RAILWAYS IN THE UNITED STATES. PREPARED FOR THE MERCHANTS' MAGAZINE BY DAVID M. BALFOUR, ESQ., OF MASSACHUSETTS. The Quincy Railway was chartered March 4th, 1826, and was opened in April, 1827. Its operations are not included in the annual report to the 1828. 1829. 1830. 1831. 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. 1839. 1840. 12 12 1 12 1 12 .. 3 1 25 1 25 2 .. 82 8 52 11 39 1 34 1 34 2 77 2 212 13 311 13 318 13 1 16 1 16 1 16 1 2 39 3 74 230 12 825 12 325 14 404 128 2 128 2 181 2 181 2 181 98 3 93 4 125 4 125 4 125 4 125 3 40 1 137 1 46 1 46 1 46 1 46 Kentucky 6 1 6 1 15 1 15 1 22 1 22 1 22 1 22 1 28 Total 28 54 181 25 576 28 762 83 918 85 1,102 47 1,421 58 1,843 61 1,920 65 2,167 Miles Railroads.. Miles Railroads.... Miles Railroads.. Miles Railroads... Miles Railroads. 1841. 1849. 1850. PROGRESS OF RAILWAYS IN THE UNITED STATES-CONTINUED. 1842. 1843. 1844. 1845. 1846. 1847. 1848. 1851. 1852. 64 2 R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles. R. R. Miles, R. R. 2 64 2 64 2 64 2 64 4 87 7 175 7 224 9 Miles. 3 2 467 17 626 19 718 22 790 28 948 33 1,095 37 1,145 37 1,153 95 3,819 102 8,877 106 4,174 107 4,811 109 4,511 117 4,870 127 5,336 130 5,682 149 6,250 171 7,355 210 9,090 253 11,681 OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE HUDSON RIVER AND THE ERIE CANAL AND LAKE ERIE. Winters.. River closed. THE FOLLOWING TABLE EXHIBITS THE DATE OF THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE HUDSON RIVER, AND THE NUMBER OF DAYS OPEN-ALSO THE TIME OF COM- River opened. Opening and closing of the Hudson River. March March 3, 1824 1824-25 January 5, 1825 Days open. 809 Canal open. Canal closed. navigation. 1824, April 30 December 4 219 6, 1825 1825-26 December 13, 1825 283 1825, April 12 December 5 238 Febr❜ary 26, 1826 1826-27 December 24, 1826 302 1826, April 20 December 18 243 March 20, 1827 1827-28 November 25, 1827 251 1827, April 22 December 18 241 Febr'ary 8, 1828 1828-29 December 23, 1828 320 1828, March 27 December 20 269 April 1, 1829 1829-80 January 11, 1830 286 1829, May 2 December 17 230 1829, May 10 March 15, 1830 1830-31 December 25, 1830 283 1830, April 20 December 17 242 1820, May 5 March 15, 1831 1831-32 December 5, 1831 263 1881, April 16 December 1 230 1831, May 8 March 25, 1832 1832-33 December 21, 1832 289 1882, April 25 December 21 241 1832, April 27 March 21, 1833 1833-34 December 13, 1833 277 1833, April 19 December 12 238 1833, April 23 Febr'ary 29, 1834 1834-35 December 15, 1834 291 1884, April 17 December 12 240 1934, April March 25, 1835 1835-36 November 30, 1835 268 1835, April 15 November 30 230 1835, May April 4, 1836 1836-37 December 7, 1836 248 1836, April 25 November 26 216 1836, April 27 March 28, 1837 1837-38 December 14, 1837 285 1837, April 20 December 9 234 1837, May 16 March 19, 1838 1838-39 November 25, 1838 257 1888, April 12 November 25 228 1838, March 81 March 25, 1839 1839-40 December 18, 1839 286 1839, April 20 1840-41 December 5, 1840 285 1840, April 20 1841-42 December 19, 1841 286 1841, April 24 1842-43 November 28, 1842 808 1842, April 20 November 30 221 November 28 1841, April 14 222 1842, March 7 ... 1843-44 December 10, 1843 242 1843, May 1 November 30 214 1843, May 6 1844-45 December 17, 1844 278 1844, April 18 November 26 222 1844, March 14 1845-46 December 3, 1845 283 1845, April 15 November 29 228 1845, April 8 1846-47 December 14, 1846 275 1846, April 16 November 25 224 1846, April 11 April 7, 1847 1847-48 December 25, 1847 263 1847, May 1 November 30 214 March 22, 1848 1848-49 December 27, 1848 292 1848, May 1 December 9 223 1847, April 28 1848, April 9 March 19, 1849 1849-50 December 26, 1849 286 1849, May 1 December 5 219 1849, March 25 March 10, 1850 1850-51 December 17, 1850 282 1850, April 22 Febr'ary 25, 1851 1851-52 December 14, 1851 298 1861, April 15 |