The receipts per train mile from coaching traffic are 3s. 1¾d. and 3s. 4¼d. in Belgium and Germany respectively, as against 4s. 2d. in the United Kingdom; a difference which, assuming that only the same receipts per train mile on the present train mileage were earned by the railways in this country, would involve a loss of revenue from £6,000,000 to £7,000,000 per annum. On the other hand, the receipts per train mile, from merchandise and mineral traffic, in the other countries, compare very favourably with those in the United Kingdom; they are 9s. 8½d. in France, and 9s. 10¾d. in Germany, as compared with 5s. 11d. in the United Kingdom. Even in Belgium and Holland, where rates are low, the receipts are 5s. 11½d. and 6s. 4¾d. respectively; results which, considering the low transit and other rates in the former, and the transit and special bargain rates in the latter, are satisfactory. Such figures show that, in addition to the advantages of better gradients and slower speed of trains, wagons and trains are more fully loaded than in this country; they show, too, that notwithstanding the low tariff rates in many cases, the additional charges referred to in Appendix I., page vii—over and above the tariff rates—must yield a substantial revenue. Nor should we lose sight of the fact that traffic receipts in this country include, to a much greater extent than in those countries, charges for loading and unloading.

In the passage which we have quoted it is said that “the cost of materials” on the Continent is, “generally speaking, higher.” One cannot help observing the inconsistency of maintaining that the competition of the other countries by enjoying low railway rates injures the export trade of this country, and that the railways here have the advantage of obtaining fuel and rails cheaper. Is the latter statement clearly well-founded in view of the fact that German rails have been laid on some of the English lines, and that engines have also been supplied by Continental firms competing with home makers? The truth, probably, is that for the purposes of the present comparison the prices of coal and materials at the pits and works in each country may be taken to be about the same; that here, as abroad, there is great diversity of circumstances; that in each country some companies, whose railways are near collieries and ironworks, have the benefit of the lowest prices, while others obtain their supplies by sea or rail at an enhanced cost.

The chief item of expense in the working of railways, and that which is of the greatest importance in making any comparisons intending to show that railway rates in this country should be reduced, is that of wages; an item of expenditure ignored in the above statement. Here they are generally higher, and the hours of labour are fewer, than in any of the other countries referred to. It is difficult to make an absolutely trustworthy comparison of the actual sums paid in salaries and wages. Different systems of payment exist; the allowances made to the staff on the Continental lines in the way of house rent, &c., and the amounts contributed by the companies to the superannuation and other benevolent funds ought not to be forgotten; such contributions, especially in France, amount in a year to a considerable sum. On the whole, however, we may arrive at an approximately correct estimate by taking the total amounts paid in salaries and wages and the average amount paid per man per year. The following is the percentage of wages as compared with the total working expenses.[68]

[69] England 60·33 per cent.
[70] France 46·75  ”
[71] Belgium 57·92  ”
[72] Holland 48·57  ”

The hours of labour are an element in the matter. We do not go into detail, or endeavour to make a precise comparison. But it will not be disputed that, as a rule, they are fewer here than on the Continental lines. Here, too, there is, comparatively speaking, very little Sunday duty, which is far from being the case abroad. On most of the railways in this country it is the practice to provide at the company’s own cost clothing for such of their staff as wear uniform. The Dutch companies also supply some members of their staff with clothing. But in France, Belgium, and, generally, in Germany, the cost of clothing supplied to the uniform staff, which has been omitted in the comparisons, is deducted from their wages by instalments.

For the reasons already stated, there is no small difficulty in comparing the rate of wages per day or per week. Although in this country annual allowances such as bonuses for good conduct are known, wages are, as a general rule, fixed sums per day or per week, increasing according to the importance of duties and service. On some of the Continental railways the allowances are in some instances a considerable percentage of the fixed wages.[73]

The following table has been prepared from the best information that could be obtained on the subject, and it may fairly be taken as an approximate estimate of the average wages paid:—[74]

Grade.England.France.  Germany.  Belgium. Holland.
Engine Drivers per day5/0 to 7/6 4/0 to 4/83/3 to 5/0 3/3 to 3/73/4 to 4/2
Firemen     ”3/0 to 4/6 3/0 to 3/42/6 to 3/3 2/0 to 2/52/2 to 2/11
Guards, Passenger per week 21/0 to 40/0 } 20/0 to 38/615/0 to 26/0 18/6 to 34/013/0 to 21/0
}
Guards, Goods   ”22/0 to 32/6 }
Signalmen     ”18/0 to 30/0 18/6 to 32/016/0 to 23/0 12/0 to 17/614/0 to 22/0
Porters, Passenger  ”15/0 to 17/6 } 14/0 to 17/016/0 to 20/0 13/0 to 17/614/0 to 17/6
}
Porters, Goods   ”18/0 to 24/0 }
Shunters      ”16/0 to 26/0 14/0 to 17/0[75]15/0 to 29/0[76]15/0 to 23/0
Platelayers     ”15/0 to 23/0 12/8 to 20/012/8 to 14/6 12/0 to 17/612/0 to 14/0

Passing over the fact that in this country porters to attend to passengers’ luggage are provided by the companies, that the class goods rates here include loading and unloading, which they frequently do not abroad, and that, generally speaking, a greater number of men are employed on the railways in this country, there remains the fact, that the difference between the percentage of wages paid on foreign railways, as compared with the total cost of working the railways, and the percentage of wages paid in the United Kingdom is upwards of £4,000,000. There is, moreover, a great difference in the amount paid per person in England, as is shown by the returns of the twelve companies who have supplied the information, viz.:—[77]

£ s. d.
England  62 10  0
France   47 12  0
Belgium  41  2  3
Holland   34  3 10