much technical interest in Europe and America, and which
threatens to revolutionize both the method and velocity of traveling,
if only the initial expense of laying the line can be brought within
moderate limits. A short line of railway has been laid in Paris, and
we have there examined it, and traveled over the line more than once;
so that we can testify to the smoothness and ease of the motion. Sir
Edward Watkin examined the railway recently, and we understand that a
line two miles long is to be laid in London, under his auspices. He
seems to think it might be used for the Channel tunnel, being both
smokeless and noiseless. It might also, if it could be laid at a
sufficiently low price, be useful for the underground railways in
London, of one of which he is chairman. We are favorably impressed by
the experiments we have witnessed; our misgivings are as to the cost.
The railway is the invention of the well known hydraulic engineer,
Monsieur Girard, who, as early as 1852, endeavored to replace the
ordinary steam traction on railways by hydraulic propulsion, and in
1854 sought to diminish the resistance to the movement of the wagons
by removing the wheels, and causing them to slide on broad rails. In
order to test the invention, Mons. Girard demanded, and at the end of
1869 obtained, a concession for a short line from Paris to Argenteuil,
starting in front of the Palais de l'Industrie, passing by Le Champ de
Courses de Longchamps, and crossing the Seine at Suresnes.
Unfortunately, the war of 1870-71 intervened, during which the works
were destroyed and Mons. Girard was killed. After his death the
invention was neglected for some years. A short time ago, however, one
of his former colleagues, Mons. Barre, purchased the plans and
drawings of Mons. Girard from his family, and having developed the
invention, and taken out new patents, formed a company to work them.
The invention may be divided into two parts, which are distinct, the
first relating to the mode of supporting the carriages and the second
to their propulsion. Each carriage is carried by four or six shoes,
shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5; and these shoes slide on a broad, flat
rail, 8 in. or 10 in. wide. The rail and shoe are shown in section in
Fig. 1. The rail is bolted to longitudinal wooden sleepers, and the
shoe is held on the rail by four pieces of metal, A, two on each side,
which project slightly below the top of the rail. The bottom of the
shoe which is in con