Grafton 6--10-37. RAILWAYS IN TURKEY. of works by Directors of 1. THE Directors of the Ottoman Railway from Inspection Smyrna to Aidin, deeming it advisable that one of desire of their members should personally inspect the works now in progress, requested that I would undertake Railway. the duty. In compliance with this requisition, I have visited Smyrna and Constantinople; and shall endeavour to embody as concisely as possible, the results of my examination. Smyrna tory state 2. The works upon the forty miles out of Smyrna Satisfacconstituting the First Section, are in course of rapid of works. construction, and will, in all probability, be completed in time to open the line before the end of next year. The heaviest portion of the cuttings and embankments are found close to Smyrna, from which circumstance the real progress which has been made, is imperfectly appreciated by those who have not gone over the line. A slip of the rockcutting which has recently fallen in, happily without any accident or loss of life, will probably occasion some little delay, but is otherwise unimportant; and the progress of the works on this section, employing about 3000 men of seventeen different nations, is in all respects satisfactory. Reference to statisti The Second or Tunnel Section, is also commenced; and the reports of the miners are, up to the latest date, such as warrant the expectation that the materials will not be of a difficult description to cut through; and that this section of the work will be completed earlier than was expected. The Third Section to Aidin is easy of construction, and as soon as the Second Section shall be sufficiently advanced, will be completed without delay or difficulty, in time to open these two Sections simultaneously. The investigation into the traffic of the line has been attended with an equally satisfactory result; and the merchandise and passengers will far exceed the quantity and number originally anticipated. The impression conveyed by this personal examination is conclusive and encouraging, both as to the progress of the works, and as to the prospects of of the line. 3. The following is a brief abstract of the Concal details cession, the traffic, and general prospects of the of Smyrna Smyrna Railway, as taken from the documents of Railway. the Company; but it may be desirable to add, in a separate form, the more full details from which these conclusions have been drawn, and which are contained in Mr. Wakefield's report of 1857, when he was despatched to verify the accounts of the traffic with the interior-and also to record the circumstance of the first stone of the terminal station at Smyrna, being laid by Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, on the 30th of October, both of which papers will be found in the Appendix (A. B) : :- "The first Section of this Railway, about 70 miles in length, will connect Smyrna, the most important Seaport in the Levant, with Guzel Hissar or Aidin, the great entrepôt of the internal trade of Asia Minor. It will bring the two places within three hours of each other, instead of four days, as at present. "Smyrna contains a population of 160,000possesses one of the finest harbours in the World, and takes the highest rank among the trading ports of the Mediterranean. The aggregate value of her imports and exports in 1856, taken from the most reliable sources of information, amounted to £5,000,000 sterling, and the tonnage inwards and outwards to 869,380 tons. "The extraordinary fertility and resources of Asia Minor maintain Smyrna in her position as a trading emporium, notwithstanding all the disadvantages she has had to contend with from the total absence of even the most ordinary roads, and which has from time immemorial rendered imperative the exclusive use of Camels and Mules. When the goods are packed at Aidin, the deterioration now caused, particularly in delicate products, by the frequent lading and unlading consequent upon the nightly rest of the Camels, will be avoided. The loss by damage arising from the death of animals and from numerous other casualties, which frequently occur during the conveyance from Aidin to the port of shipment, Smyrna, will all be obviated by the Railway. "The physical features of the neighbourhood of Smyrna, which is surrounded by mountains, force the traffic along two principal routes-one to the North, skirting the sea coast, and leading, by a circuitous path, to Magnesia and Cassaba, and from thence to the Northern and North-Eastern parts of Asia Minor--the second to the South-East, opening upon the celebrated province of Aidin. The varied elevations of this part of the country, the genial temperature of the climate, and the alluvial nature of the soil enable it to grow produce of all kinds from the rarest to the coarsest qualities. Tobacco, |