in Scotland, originally on the gauge of 5 ft. 3 in., are about to be altered to 4 ft. 8 in. for the

same reason.

Whatever might be the preferable course were the question now to be discussed of the gauge for an entire system of railways, where none previously existed to clash with the decision, yet, under the present state of things, we see no sufficient reason to suggest or recommend the adoption of any gauge intermediate between the narrow gauge of 4 ft. 8 in. and the broad gauge of 7 ft., and we are peculiarly struck by the circumstance, that almost all the Continental railways have been formed upon the 4 ft. 8 in. gauge, the greater number having been undertaken after a long experience of both the broad and the narrow gauge in this country; nor must the fact be lost sight of, that some of these railways have been constructed as well as planned by English engineers, and amongst that number we find Mr. Brunel, the original projector of the broad gauge. Mr. Brunel was also the engineer of the Merthyr Tydvil and Cardiff line, which is on the 4 ft. 8 in. gauge; and we think that the motives which led to his adoption of the narrow gauge in that instance would equally apply to many English lines.

We are sensible of the importance, in ordinary circumstances, of leaving commercial enterprise as well as the genius of scientific men unfettered; we therefore feel that the restriction of the gauge is a measure that should not be lightly entertained; and we are willing to admit, were it not for the great evil that must inevitably be experienced when lines of unequal gauges come into contact, that

and

varying gradients, curves, traffic might justify some difference in the breadth of gauge. This appears to be the view which Mr. Brunel originally took of the subject; for the Great Western proper is a line of unusually good gradients, on which a larger passenger traffic was anticipated, and, as it touched but slightly on any mineral district, it embraced all the conveniences and advantages of the broad gauge system, and was comparatively free from the influence of those defects on which we have commented; but such a breadth of gauge, however suitable and applicable it may have originally been considered to its particular district, appears wholly inapplicable, or at least very ill suited to the requirements of many of our northern and midland lines.

In reference to the branches already in connection with the Great Western railway, we may observe, that the greatest average train on the Oxford branch, for two weeks in July and October, was only 48 tons; on the Cheltenham branch, it did not exceed 46; between Bristol and Exeter, 53; and between Swindon and Bristol it was under 60 tons. With such a limited traffic the power of the broad gauge engines seems beyond the requirements of these districts.

We find from an estimate furnished to us, and the general grounds of which we see no reason to dispute, that the expense of altering the existing broad gauge to narrow gauge lines, including the alteration or substitution of locomotives and carrying stock, would not much exceed 1,000,000l. ; yet we neither feel that we can recommend the Legislature to sanction such an expense from the public monies, nor do we think that the

Kumbe v vich the broad peg alvars bewny es be

a mr sui si ex

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ames, a sme nermediate

The may n disease Je very much more cen社ㄨˇ ㄇve TOILU DAI: LAÌ the evil incomvalence, ani inger the 13valve, ki the invernicon to the wicie zafie af de vanny fie a einsovers le periai, sai s'most at soe and the same time, will be such, that this change cannot be sengusir entertained.

Guled by the forging en siderations, we most draft, y submt u ya Vijesty the following

1. Tour the gaze of 4 feet Sinches be declared by the Legislature to be the gazze to be used in all pable railways now under construction, or hereafter to be constructed, in Great Britain.

2. That, mess by the consent of the Legislature, it should not be permitted to the directors of any

railway company to alter the gauge of such railway.

3. That in order to complete the general chain of narrow gauge communication from the north of England to the southern coast, any suitable measure should be promoted to form a narrow gauge lk from Oxford to Reading, and thence to Basingstoke, or by any shorter route connecting the proposed Rugby and Oxford line with the South Western railway.

4. That as any junction to

be formed with a broad gauge line would involve a break of gauge, provided our first recommendation be adopted, great commercial inconvenience would be obtained by reducing the gauge of the present broad gauge lines to the narrow gauge of 4 feet 8 inches; and we, therefore, think it desirable that some equitable means should be found of producing such entire uniformity of gauge, or of adopting such other course as would admit of the narrow gauge carriages passing, without interruption or danger, along the broad gauge lines.

ER Majesty the Queen of the

States; and the President of the

Britain and Ireland, and the United States of America, deeming it to be desirable, for the future welfare of both countries, that the state of doubt and uncertainty which has hitherto prevailed respecting the Sovereignty and Government of the Territory on the North-west coast of America, lying westward of the Rocky or Stony Mountains, should be finally terminated by an amicable compromise of the rights mutually asserted by the two parties over the said territory, have respectively named Plenipotentiaries to treat and agree concerning the terms of such settlement, that is to say :

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland has, on her part, appointed the Right Honourable Richard Pakenham, a Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and Her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United

his part, furnished with full powers James Buchanan, Secretary of State of the United States; who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following articles :

I. From the point on the fortyninth parallel of north latitude, where the boundary laid down in existing Treaties and Conventions between Great Britain and the United States terminates, the line of boundary between the territories of Her Britannic Majesty and those of the United States shall be continued westward, along the said forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver's Island; and thence southerly, through the middle of said channel, and of Fuca's Straits, to the Pacific Ocean provided, however, that the navigation of the whole of the said channel and

straits, south of the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, remain free and open to both parties.

II. From the point at which the forty-ninth parallel of north latizude shall be found to intersect the great northern branch of the Columbia River, the navigation of the said branch shall be free and open to the Hudson's Bay Compaly, and to all British subjects trading with the same, to the point where the said branch meets the main stream of the Columbia, and thenet down the said main stream to the ocean, with free access into and through the said river or rivers; it being understood, that al. the usual portages along the Ime thus described shall in like manner be free and open.

In navigating the said river or rivers, British subjects, with their goods and produce, shall be treated or the same footing as citizens of the United States; it being, however, always understood, that nothing in this article shall be construed as preventing, or intended to prevent, the government of the Cited States from making any regulations, respecting the navigation of the shit river or rivers, not inconsistent with the present treaty, 1. In the future appropriation the Reitary south of the fortyninth parabe, of north latitude, as provided, in the first article of this Pony, The possessary rights of the 2.masar's Fur Commany, and of all Rash subjects who may be al

ready in the occupation of land r other property lawfully acquired within the said territory, shill be respected.

IV. The farms, lands, and other property of every description, be longing to the Puget's Sound Agr cultural Company, on the north side of the Columbia River, shal be confirmed to the said Company. In case, however, the situation of those farms and lands should be considered by the United States to be of public and political importance, and the United States' Government should signify a desire to obtain possession of the whole or of any part thereof, the property so required shall be transferred to the said Government at a proper valua tion, to be agreed upon between the parties.

V. The present Treaty shall be ratified by Her Britannic Majesty, and by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at London at the expiration of six months from the date thereof; or sooner if possible.

In witness whereof the respect ive Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their arms.

Done at Washington, the fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-six.

RICHARD PAKENHAM. (L.S.)
JAMES BUCHANAN.
(L.S.)

N our volume for the year 1845,

discoveries (and in especial in

CHRONICLE, the reader will find briefly recorded the discovery of a new planet, by M. Henke, of Berlin. This event, sufficiently interesting in itself, and more so from the circumstance that it has verified the scientific suspicions of philosophers, that such a body (being one of the group of small planets situated between Mars and Jupiter, called Asteroids, of which Ceres, Juno, Pallas, and Vesta are the other members) must, should it really exist, in the course of its periodic revolution round the sun pass near the position in which M. Hencke's diligence finally discovered it, has now received an increased degree of importance, by the discovery in this year of another planet exterior to all similar bodies of our system. This latter discovery partakes in no degree of that character of accident which is attached to one part of the discovery of Astræa; for whereas the latter was perceived by M. Hencke while sweeping that part of the heavens with his glass, immediately known by him to be a new body, and suspected to be the planet which the reasoning of astronomers had taught was to be expected in that part of the system, this new and more wonderful discovery was the result of pure reason and calculation, and affords an admirable proof of the truth and accuracy of astronomical science. As has been the case with many other great

claimed by at least two parties, and their respective causes have been taken up with great warmth by their friends and countrymen. Without pretending to express any opinion as to whom the chief credit is due, it may be permitted to observe, that had our distinguished countryman, Mr. Adams, been as decided in promulgating his calculations as his French competitor, the honour of the discovery would unquestionably have belonged to England; but as M. Le Verrier had proceeded with his elaborate calculations simultaneously, was the earliest in announcing his theory, and the discovery of the planet resulted more immediately from such publication than from the private communication of Mr. Adams to his scientific friends, the French have very plausible grounds for claiming the honour for their gifted countryman.

The following extracts from the Report of the Royal Astronomical Society will convey the most correct and most scientific account of these important discoveries :

I. Report Jan. 1, 1846. Announcement of the Discovery of the new planet Astræa; with Observations, Elements, &c.

The addition of a new planet to the solar system is a fact so interesting and important in astronomy, as to require that the numerous communications of which it has already been the subject