Mr.  Wood  puts  the  further  question:  "Are  systems  of  so  complicated  a  nature  as
that  of  the  system  Hi  If,  in  which,  for  instance,  an  exaggerated  stress  is  laid  on  the
construction  of  a  probably  entirely  unnecessary  extension  of  the  gauge  in  curves,
adapted  for  transatlantic  countries,  and  especially  for  India  t"  I  think,  gentlemen,
that  I  must  s:iy  in  reply  that  those  longitudinal  systems  In  which,  as  above,  a  consid-
erable number  of  separately  rolled  pieces  have  to  be  joined  to  a  whole  are  doubtless
to  a  certain  extent  complicated,  and  it  is  flirt  her  true  that  a  certain  degree  of  intelli-
gence is  required  in  setting  up  as  well  as  in  displacing  siifch  systems,  and  that  in
Germany  the  direction  and  inspection  of  such  works  is  generally  only  confided  to  per-
sons of  the  requisite  technical  education.  Whether  or  not  these  demands  exceed  the
conditions  with  which  the  English  engineer  has  to  reckon  in  the  colonies — a  question
which  I  will  not  attempt  to  decide — they  should  in  no  case  attain  a  measure  detri-
mental to  the  further  introduction  of  the  iron  permanent  way  into  England  herself.
In  my  opinion,  we  mu»t  decidedly  accustom  ourselves  to  apply  to  the  construction
of  the  permanent  way  of  railways  a  share  of  that  intelligence  which,  for  instance,  is
already  assumed  as  necessary  in  the  building  of  bridges,  in  order  that  we  may  place
the  construction  and  maintenance  of  the  permanent  way  on  a  higher  level  than  nith-
erto,  to  the  furtherance  of  economy  and  of  safety  in  working.
