in accomplishing the active and busy traffic which is continually going on in the various districts of this great commercial country, and the heavy tax which it imposes on trade and industry, the consequence of such a revolution must be in the highest degree important. The prodigious saving on the expenses of transport, together with the increased facilities of intercourse, must give rise to an immense increase of business; while the most remote districts of the country would be explored, to furnish materials for our improving trade and manufactures; for the supply of an expanding population, and a rapidly increasing consumption of all the articles of convenience, luxury, and taste. Every branch of trade would participate in the general improvement, while new sources of productive industry would arise, for the employment of the various classes of our people. In short, the whole community would feel an impulse, of which it is impossible to calculate the effects; but, should we live to see fully developed all the powers and energies of this system, we have no doubt we shall also live to see it recognized as one of the very greatest benefits which either philosophy or art has ever conferred on mankind.

The only obstacle to the immediate introduction of the plan arises from the great amount of capital which is required for such undertakings. The railway does not admit of those inequalities which so frequently occur in our ordinary roads, owing to the undulating nature of the country through which they pass. Such is the ease of draught on its smooth surface, that an ascent which would hardly be perceived on a common road would require double and triple the impelling force, to overcome it, which would be necessary on the level. Such ascents would absolutely defeat the purpose of the improvement; and the whole line, unless where it is interrupted by inclined planes, must be reduced nearly to a perfect level; which cannot be done without a lavish expenditure, in cutting through all the interposing ridges of the country, raising embankments in all the valleys, building bridges across all the rivers and streams which lie in the way, and also over many of the numerous public and private roads which already intersect every part of our cultivated districts. The purchase of land is also a material item of expense, and great difficulties occur in the extensive interference with property which must take place throughout the line. On all these accounts, a heavy expense arises, which, in general, cannot be estimated lower than five thousand pounds for each mile; and, in some cases, may rise to three times this amount. The expense of the Liverpool and Manchester railway is now estimated at upwards of twenty thousand pounds for each mile; the whole cost amounting to seven hundred thousand or eight hundred thousand

pounds.

pounds. Works of such magnitude and expense cannot be undertaken without serious consideration, and without due time to mature the different designs, to reconcile jarring interests, and to open the public mind to all their manifold advantages. It is only where there is a very considerable traffic, that such speculations can ever be of any advantage; hence it is evident that a long period must elapse before they can be extended from the crowded and populous districts of the country into its remoter parts. In all cases of this nature, we must wait the slow and spontaneous progress of improvement, which cannot be hurried artificially forward, to suit the views of projectors and the results which we have already witnessed have so far outstripped all calculations and experience, that it is, in an especial manner, necessary to guard against the delusion of visionary schemes, introduced with dazzling prospects of profit and advantage, fairly drawn out upon paper, and arithmetically correct; but which, nevertheless, may be followed by an extent of ruin to individuals, and injury to the community at large, that may, for a century to come, throw discredit on all attempts at improvement, however sober and practicable. We hope, therefore, to see this mighty improvement adopted zealously, but not rashly-and in those situations, in the first place, in which it is actually called for by such pressing inconveniences as we have been referring to at Manchester, Liverpool, and London.

To conclude though we have judged it best to adhere, in the present paper, to such immediate advantages as may be calculated in pounds, shillings, and pence, our readers are not to suppose that we are blind to other advantages of a higher order still, which, in due time and season, may be expected to result from this new application of the gigantic power of steam. The country wherein this new system of internal conveyance shall first be extensively established, will have gained a start over all others, whether we look to agriculture, to manufactures, or to commerce, which we may venture to pronounce beyond the means of human calculation; and we hail with unspeakable delight the occurrence of the first demonstration of its practicability, at a moment when the national energy has so much need of a stimulus, owing to the depressed condition of industry in almost all its branches. But we look further still: we see, in this magnificent invention, the well-spring of intellectual, moral, and political benefits, beyond all measurement and all price-the source of a better physical distribution of our population-a check to the alarming growth of cities, especially of manufacturing towns, and of this Babylon in which we write and the source, above all, of such a diffusion of intelligence over the whole country, as those statesmen who think the most worthily of human nature will be the least afraid to contemplate. ART.

ART. V.-Memoir of the Life and Public Services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, F. R. S., &c., particularly in the Government of Java, 1811-16, and of Bencoolen and its Dependencies, 1817-24. By his Widow. London. 1830. W E rise from the perusal of this Memoir' with feelings of the most gratifying nature. It is delightful to meet with such a book, concerning a part of the world from whence we are more accustomed to hear of crimes, cruelties, tyranny, and misrule, than of such disinterested philanthropy, active benevolence, and unceasing exertions for the moral and religious improvement, and consequent happiness, of the human race as are herein displayed. In this respect, we know of hardly any work worthy of being compared to the volume before us, unless it be that of Bishop Heber, recently published, by the side of which it may be placed as a fit companion. There are, in fact, many points of resemblance between the two characters, though developed under widely different circumstances. Heber was a man of brilliant genius, improved by all the advantages of learning, and embellished by a highly refined taste. Raffles, born in a humble sphere of life, received only a common education at one of those suburban schools called academies. But, unlike as they were in the circumstances of birth and education, we find in both, with very extraordinary talents, the same benevolent dispositionthe same kindliness of feeling-the same cheerfulness of temper and buoyancy of spirits-and the same unweariedness in doing good. That warmth of affection and strength of attachment, which enliven and unite the domestic circle, through all the relations of husband, father, and friend, equally distinguished both of these memorable men.

By far the greater portion of this volume consists of letters from Sir S. Raffles to various friends; the originals having been collected, by his widow, from those to whom they were addressed; but all his own papers, of every description, relating to his government in Sumatra, were destroyed when the ship was burnt in which he was returning to England. Those collected as above, Lady Raffles has placed in order, and connected by short explanatory notices and observations, in the manner and style of which modesty and ability are equally visible. On the whole, then, Sir Stamford Raffles is his own biographer. There is this disadvantage, that these familiar letters had most of them been written on the spur of the moment, as opportunities occurred, and evidently were never intended to meet the public eye. They are, therefore, not to be looked at in the light of studied compositions, in which words are weighed and sentences measured. The com

pensation

pensation is that, in the full and free scope of familiar correspondence, we have all the freshness and warmth of friendship, expressed in sentiments poured forth directly from the heart. We much regret that the letters of love and affection addressed by Sir Stamford to his lady, during their occasional separations, have not been preserved like those of that kind which charm the reader of Heber's correspondence-these all perished in the same catastrophe with the whole of their property.

We are fully convinced, that no individual, before or since his time, has possessed so extensive a knowledge of the commerce, resources, laws, language, and customs, of the varied population of the great Eastern Archipelago, and more particularly of the two magnificent islands of Java and Sumatra, as did Sir Stamford Raffles. All his views and conceptions with regard to them appear to be sound and statesman-like; indeed, his talents and acquirements were evidently such as constitute a great man;-but how useless, comparatively, would these have been had he not also happened to be a good one! The ease with which he was accessible to all classes, his placid temper and persuasive manners, appear to have gained all hearts, and to have enabled him to mould them to his own measures. Such, indeed, was evidently the influence he possessed over all ranks, that, with the aid of missionaries of enlightened minds, whom he eagerly sought after, we have very little doubt he would have succeeded in bringing the four million inhabitants of Sumatra, half Mahomedan half pagan, within the pale of Christianity, in the space of a very few years

Yet the kindliness of his nature, his active beneficence, and constant efforts to improve the minds and morals of the people, were not sufficient to secure him against the hostility of certain persons, both in public and private life; there were not a few among the servants of the Bengal establishment, who could never forgive his being put over their heads-and there were persons of higher influence, whom he had galled by daring to act occasionally on his own responsibility. It would appear, indeed, that his ardent mind urged him on irresistibly to the speedy accomplishment of whatever he had once convinced himself ought to be done for the public good, and the improvement and prosperity of the country and people committed to his management. His zeal in such cases far outstripped the tardy acquiescence or disapproval of the authorities at home; so that his plans were sometimes carried into full operation long before he could receive any kind of answer to what he submitted. But this has been the case in all the great and important events and transactions in our Indian empire. The Court of Directors have complained, but taken no effectual steps to remedy

the

the evil-if it be one, of which, considering the superior knowledge of their servants, and the necessity of acting on that knowledge, we are by no means convinced. The delay in receiving communications, on account of the distance the delay of the directors in coming to a decision-that arising from the consultations with the Board of Control-the necessity of this Board obtaining the sanction of the cabinet-and the difficulty, at certain periods of the year, of assembling a cabinet-and, after all this, the long passage out to India-these delays might render the suspension of a measure dangerous to the safety of the country.*

We cannot but rejoice that Lady Raffles has been able to collect and publish, from the wreck of her deceased husband's papers, a "Memoir' that redounds so greatly to his fame and honour. His meritorious conduct and services, as therein exemplified, cannot fail to operate forcibly on the minds of those placed in similar situations, and induce them, while pursuing their exertions for the good of the public service, not to lose sight of the welfare and happiness of the millions entrusted to their charge; while his successful career, from a very humble to a high station in life, holds out an example to friendless young men like himself, how much may be gained by a steady and zealous attention to their respective duties, by devoting their leisure hours to the acquirement of useful knowledge, and by so conducting themselves in the various relations and situations of life, as to attract the notice and merit the approbation of their employers. How many generous minds are likely to be stimulated and sustained by the contemplation of such a career as is here depicted! We must add, that it is, indeed, a proud thing for the much-calumniated East India Company, that two such books as this and the Life of Sir Thomas Munro should come out at the same time. Raffles had, in some instances, not a little to complain of; but, on the whole, nobler encouragement was certainly never held out to zeal and talent than in that service.

Thomas Stamford Raffles was 1781. He was the only surviving

born at sea on the 5th of July, son of Benjamin Raffles, one

*The time, probably, is not very distant, when a more speedy communication with India will become essentially necessary. When steam-packets are established, as we believe is intended, to carry the public mails to Malta, the East India Company may take up the conveyance from that island to Egypt, across the Desert to Suez, down the Red Sea, and thence to Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta. From Falmouth to Bombay, at five or six miles per hour, (exclusive of stoppages,) the time would not exceed fortyeight days; at seven miles an hour, thirty-eight days. To Madras, at five or six miles, fifty-five days; at seven miles an hour, forty-four days. To Calcutta, at five or six miles an hour, sixty-two days; at seven miles an hour, forty-eight days. From Falmouth to Latakia or Iskanderoon, by Aleppo to the Euphrates and the Persian Gulph, the time would be pretty much the same, but less certain, on account of the half-savage Arabs between Aleppo and the river.

of