I refer in particular to the =waste of rolling stock=, especially of goods wagons, occasioned by the multiplicity of goods stations, the transfer of rolling stock to and from the lines of different railway companies, the shunting of trains, and the large number of road vans used by the various companies. In London alone there are 74 goods stations, used for goods only, and 700 goods trains per day travel between these 74 stations, doing nothing but transferring goods from one of these stations to another! Goods consigned to one warehouse in London from places on, say, seven different railway companies’ lines are sent by seven different vans, one belonging to each company. Under my proposed scheme one or two central goods stations of large area would not only suffice, but would provide a far more efficient and speedy transport service, and yet with the nominal rates referred to. Under the present system goods trains, having been unloaded, must be returned in order to clear the line, so that it is not uncommon to find goods trains belonging to the various companies returning empty for long distances on each line, on the G. W. R. as far as Bristol, on the S. W. R. to Basingstoke, on the G. C. R. to Banbury, and so on. It has been estimated that of the 1,400,000 goods wagons now on the railways of the United Kingdom, no more than 3 per cent. are actually in effective use at one time, the remaining 97 per cent. being either stationary or running empty![3] One reason for this, no doubt, is the use of merely hand labour for loading and unloading. With a view to avoiding this waste the New Transport Company, Limited was registered in 1908, for the purpose of introducing new and ingenious machinery, invented by Mr. A. W. Gattie and Mr. A. G. Seaman, for handling goods, including the adoption of movable “containers” on trucks and wagons, and a scheme for a “Goods Clearing House” occupying a site of about 30 acres, in Clerkenwell, to be connected by rail with all the lines coming to London. It is, of course, necessary, in order to carry so important a scheme into effect to negotiate with all the various railway companies interested, as well as to obtain an Act of Parliament. Besides this, a large amount of capital is required for the acquisition of the site, the construction of the connecting lines, installation of the machinery, etc. Notwithstanding the large cost, estimated by Mr. Edgar Harper, F.S.S., late Statistical Officer of the London County Council, at £14,000,000, he shows that such a system would more than pay for itself in a year by the economies in transport which it would effect directly or indirectly. No estimate, however, is given, nor probably can be given by anyone, of the time that will be occupied in carrying such a scheme into effect, so long as this present system of numerous companies and conflicting interests continues. Five years have already gone by since the Company was registered.