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. [67] The passenger fares, excluding and including the charges for luggage, are:-- SCALE PER MILE OF PASSENGER FARES, Excluding charge for luggage. ----------+--------------+----------------------------- Distances.| FRANCE. | BELGIUM. ----------+----+----+----+--------------+-------------- | | | | Express. | Ordinary. | | | +----+----+----+----+----+---- | 1st| 2nd| 3rd| 1st| 2nd| 3rd| 1st| 2nd| 3rd | | | | | | | | | 10 Miles | 1•91| 1•43| 1•05| 1•50| 1•10| 0•80| 1•17| 0•95| 0•65 50 Miles | 1•91| 1•43| 1•05| 1•48| 1•09| 0•73| 1•16| 0•88| 0•59 100 Miles | 1•91| 1•43| 1•05| 1•47| 1•09| 0•73| 1•16| 0•87| 0•58 ----------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- ----------+--------------+---------------------------------- Distances.| HOLLAND. | GERMANY. ----------+----+----+----+--------------+------------------- | | | | Express. | Ordinary. | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+---- | 1st| 2nd| 3rd| 1st| 2nd| 3rd| 1st| 2nd| 3rd| 4th | | | | | | | | | | 10 Miles | 1•60| 1•30| 0•80| 1•76| 1•29| 0•91| 1•53| 1•17| 0•82| 0•17 50 Miles | 1•60| 1•30| 0•80| 1•69| 1•27| 0•89| 1•50| 1•13| 0•75| 0•38 100 Miles | 1•60| 1•30| 0•80| 1•69| 1•27| 0•89| 1•50| 1•13| 0•75| 0•38 ----------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-----