COMMERCIAL. No. 1 (1902). CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING THE COMPARATIVE MERITS OF BRITISH, BELGIAN, AND AMERICAN LOCOMOTIVES IN EGYPT. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty. March 1902. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICF, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY. And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from OR OLIVER AND BOYD, EDINBURGH; OR E. PONSONBY, 116, GRAFTON STREET, Dublin. Correspondence respecting the Comparative Merits of British, Belgian, and American Locomotives in Egypt. No. 1. Question asked in the House of Commons, May 7, 1901. Sir Alfred Hickman,--To ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he is aware that the Chief Inspector of the Locomotive Department of the Burmah Railways has reported that the American locomotives in use there consumed upwards of 35 per cent. more fuel than English locomotives doing the same work : And, whether he will cause trials to be made of the consumption of fuel in the American and Belgian locomotives in use on the Egyptian railways. Answer. The first paragraph of the question has been answered by His Majesty's Secretary of State for India. Lord Cromer will be asked whether a Report can be furnished concerning the consumption of fuel in the American and Belgian locomotives. No. 2. The Marquess of Lansdowne to Viscount Cromer. My Lord, Foreign Office, May 7, 1901. I TRANSMIT herewith a copy of a question to be asked in Parliament by Sir A. Hickman, and I request that you will endeavour to furnish me with a Report on the consumption of fuel in the American and Belgian locomotives referred to in the last paragraph. No. 3. I am, &c. My Lord, Viscount Cromer to the Marquess of Lansdowne.-(Received May 27.) Cairo, May 16, 1901. I HAVE the honour to reply to your Lordship's despatch of the 7th instant. The subject on which Sir A. Hickman requires information has attracted a good deal of attention here lately, but I am as yet unable to produce evidence of a nature to enable any confident opinion to be formed as to the relative consumption of coals by locomotives made in America, Great Britain, and Belgium. The results so far obtained appear to be very contradictory. Some returns show practically no difference, whilst others show a difference of no less than 29 per cent. in favour of the British and Belgian types. Major Johnstone, the President of the Railway Board, informs me that at certain loads and speeds the American type is as economical as any other, but that with light loads and high speeds it is very wasteful of fuel. So far as is possible the American engines are used in cases where their employment is economical, but sometimes this is not practicable. On the whole, Major Johnstone thinks that they may on an average be held to burn 10 per cent. more coal than the other types. This, however, is only a very rough approximation. Mr. Trevithick, the Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent of the Egyptian Railways, is now studying the matter, and hopes to be able to report in about two months' time. Under all the circumstances, it is clear that different trials made under different conditions may bring about very contradictory results. No. 4. I have, &c. (Signed) CROMER. Foreign Office to Sir A. Hickman, M.P. Foreign Office, June 3, 1901. Sir, WITH reference to the question asked by you in the House of Commons on the 7th ultimo respecting the relative consumption of coal in locomotives of American, Belgian, and British manufacture, I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you copy of a despatch from His Majesty's Agent and Consul-General in Cairo,* from which it appears that experiments conducted with different types of engines in Egypt have given very contradictory results. Lord Cromer states that Mr. Trevithick, the Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent of the Egyptian Railways, is now studying the matter, and hopes to be able to report in about two months' time. I am to inquire whether you would wish that advantage should be taken of the investigation on which Mr. Trevithick is engaged to ascertain if possible any other particulars in regard to these locomotives, for example, the relative necessity for repairs at frequent intervals and expenses involved in consequence. No. 5. I am, &c. (Signed) MARTIN GOSSELIN. Dear Sir, Sir A. Hickman, M.P., to the Foreign Office.-(Received June 6.) 22, Kensington Palace Gardens, London, June 5, 1901. I BEG that you will convey to the Marquess of Lansdowne and Lord Cranborne my best thanks for their courtesy in so readily acceding to my request. I should be additionally obliged if in the investigations on which Mr. Trevithick is engaged, he will ascertain the relative cost cf repairs of English and foreign locomotives as you suggest, and further the consumption of oil which is one of the best indications of good or bad workmanship, and also what the difference in the consumption of fuel amounts to in money per locomotive per week or per annum. Yours, &c. (Signed) ALFRED HICKMAN. No. 3. My Lord, No. 6. The Marquess of Lansdowne to Viscount Cromer. Foreign Office, June 8, 1901. WITH reference to your Lordship's despatch of the 16th May, I inciose herewith copy of a further letter received from Sir Alfred Hickman on the subject of the relative cost of the English and foreign locomotives on the Egyptian railways.* 1 should be obliged if your Lordship would request Mr. Trevithick to furnish the required information if possible. No. 7. I am, &c. (Signed) LANSDOWNE. My Lord, Viscount Cromer to the Marquess of Lansdowne.—(Received July 8.) Cairo, June 25, 1901. I HAVE the honour to reply to your Lordship's despatch of the 8th instant. The question of the relative merits of English and foreign locomotives is one in which the Egyptian Railway Administration is greatly interested. Sir Alfred Hickman may rest assured that the matter will form the subject of full and impartial inquiry. As regards the special points to which attention is directed in your Lordship's despatch under reply, I find on inquiry that a certain number of facts are available. At the same time, both Major Johnstone and Mr. Trevithick assure me that the information they have so far obtained is not sufficient to justify their expressing any general opinion. They would, therefore, greatly prefer to wait a few months before stating their conclusions, or before putting forward any facts of a partial nature. I think, on the whole, that this will be the best course to adopt. I shall not, on my return to Egypt in the autumn, lose sight of the matter, and I hope before the end of the year to be able to report fully about it. Foreign Office, July 11, 1901. WITH reference to your letter of the 5th ultimo respecting the relative merits of English and foreign locomotives, I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you a copy of a despatch from Lord Cromer stating that a report shall be furnished on the subject before the end of the year.† No. 9. I am, &c. Sir A. Hickman, M.P., to Foreign Office.‡—(Received December 10.) Dear Lord Cranborne, Wightwick, near Wolverhampton, December 9, 1901. REFERRING to the correspondence on foreign and British locomotives, which took place in May, June, and July last, and particularly to Lord Cromer's despatches of the 16th May and of the 25th June, in the latter of which he says that "he hopes, before the end of the year to be able to report fully" upon the matter, I shall be glad to know if you have received the Report in question, and, if So, whether you will favour me with a copy of it. ALFRED HICKMAN. I am, &c. (Signed) |