Short line railway.

Montreal to St. John via Quebec and Hartland (table 14)... 508 miles." Chesuncook (app.6).. 481 " Saving by " Combination Line" 27 " Montreal to Halifax via Quebec and Hartland (table 17).... 735 miles.Chesuncook (app.6)... 710 " Saving by "Combination Line"25 " In all calculations of distances East of Passadumkeag and Matta- wamkeag, I have, of course, assumed that the existing lines of travel will be used for the present, as no survey had been made of the line, be- tween Mattawamkeag and St. Andrew's ; while Mr. Schreiber has traced on his map a direct line across the eastern part of Maine, from Mattawamkeag to St. Andrew's, through a difficult country which has not been surveyed, (see page 8 of his report) and has calculated three of his distances on this basis!This road may not be constructed for many a year, and should it even be built, my knowledge of the country, acquired during (10) ten years service as Chief Engineer of the New Brunswick Government Kail ways, convinces me that the connection between it, and the Pro- vince of Nova Scotia will be through St. John, and over the existing lines of railway ; the details of the several lines are accurately shewn in my appendix 1 and 6 (attached,) and will be seen to be much longer than those dotted by Mr. Schreiber in his map.The country between Moosehead Lake and Mattawamkeag,- a distance of some 65 miles,-has also been very imperfectly surveyed, and the line which Mr. Schreiber says " takes the first place " passes over a supplementary summit 950 feet in height, between the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers, which cannot apparently, be avoided.(See Mr. Moses Burpee's report, page 40.)This summit destroys the usefulness of this part of the line as an Inter-provincial freight line railway, vir- tually lengthening it very materially, .(seeappendix 4 (four) of my suirplementary report) and would have the inevitable effect of turning such traffic as might have passed Portland, down south over the exist- ing " Bangor and Piscataquis " Railway, into contiguous American sea-ports.This detour via Passadumkeag would lengthen the distance to the Maritime Provinces some 34 miles.On page 6 of his report, Mr. Schreiber says "the line' "to Halifax via Moosehead, Mattawamkeag, Hervey, FrecLericton and Salisbury (line No. 6) takes the first place, being one mile shorter than via north of Moosehead Lake, Canterbury, Fredericton and Salisbury."The only line surveyed north of Moose- head Lake was that examined by Messrs. Vernon Smith and Ambrose Duffy, who found excellent lines.(See Mr. Smith's report, ending page 52, and Mr. Duffy's, ending page 26.In my supplementary report it has been shewn that the Jinefrom Montreal to Halifax via Quebec and Chesuncook, is 10 miles shorter Ill » than the line between the same points via Megantic and Chesuncook.(See appendix 6, tables 5 and 6.)It is therefore nine miles shorter than Mr. Schreiber' s line "No.6" (page 6 of his report.)When the data afforded by the imperfect surveys between Moosehead and Mattawamkeag are discounted, added to the further fact that 113 miles on line No. 6, are not surveyed at all, the above will be considered a close cal- culation on Mr. Schreiber's part.On page 13 of Mr. Schreiber's.report, all the northern lines via Quebec to St. John and Halifax are set down as having grades of 85 feet to the mile, and curves of 10 ° (ten) degrees, making them virtually equal to 109 feet on the mile.(See appendix 4.) This, I am at a loss to understand ; true, there is one short grade of 85 feet to the mile between Hochelaga and Mile-End, common to all.trains pass- ing from Montreal to Halifax, also, three short curves of 10 ° degrees round Bedford Basin, some four miles from Halifax, equally.common to all lines ; hut these have no connection whatsoever w r ith my proposed Chesuncook Line.There are such grades and curves on the-New Brunswick Rail- way between Hartland -(the objective point of last year's survey of the St. Charles line) -and Canterbury, but as I have before remarked the " Combination Line " would strike Canterbury and not Hartland, and would therefore avoid these objectionable grades and curves ) in addition to saving 25 miles of distance.If I had found a dead level between Quebec and Hartland, the usefulness of my survey would still-have been destroyed by being connected there, with a road having such grades and curves, but I repeat that maximum grades of 35 to 40 feet per mile, and minimum curves of 4 ° degrees, can be obtained all the way from Quebec to Moncton on the " Combination Line," as stated in my supplementary report.Mr. Schreiber, in his report speaks of thirty (30) lines of railways ; thus inferring an exhaustive examination of the subject, -but, the facts show that only five (5) through lines have been, (but imperfectly) surveyed, viz : " No. 1."--From " St. Lambert to Mattawamkeag," by Messrs. R- Adams Davy, Moses Burpee, and Parker Spofford." No. 2." -From " Megantic to Hervey " by Messrs. Vernon Smith, and Ambrose Duffy."No.3."-From "St.Charles to Hartland" by Messrs. A. L. Light, and Y. B. Fellows."No.4."-From "St.Roch to Edmonston " by Mr. Crawford." No. 5." -From "River du Loup to Edmonston " by the same. Mr. Wicksteed also made a careful barometrical examination fromChaudiere Junction to the Allaguash River, via the Etchemin valley which I shall have occasion to mention further on.On page 51 of his report, Mr. Schreiber institutes certain "queries" to which he furnishes the replies and comments.

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