The figures under the new scheme, if there should be no increase in the tonnage carried, and assuming that goods by fast service should be no more than the amount now estimated per passenger train, would thus be as follows:-- By slow service 524,000,000 tons at 1/6 £39,300,000 By fast service 20,000,000 ” ” 10/- 10,000,000 Live Stock, as now 1,500,000 ----------- £50,800,000 Thus showing a deficiency of about 23,200,000 ----------- as against the present total of £74,000,000 =========== Following the analogy of the passenger traffic, I will only estimate for an increased traffic by fast trains, and for this purpose there will be required:-- 48,000,000 tons, which at 10s. equals £24,000,000, and will bring the total to £800,000 more than the present total receipts from goods, by both passenger and goods trains. This increased tonnage it will be seen is =an increase of under 10 per cent.= on the present total of 550,000,000 tons. It is probable that with a reduction of freight per fast train to the uniform rate of 10s. per ton, a considerable proportion of existing goods train traffic would be transferred to fast trains, so that the same figure might be arrived at with much less increase in tonnage. This fact may also be taken into account when adjusting any mistake in the official figures of the total tonnage carried. As in the case of passenger traffic, this percentage is surely not only a reasonable estimate, but one which may reasonably be anticipated, and, further, the increase will be progressive. The following among other reasons may be adduced:-- 1. The =example of the Post Office= is the best precedent that can be given of the result of the adoption of a minimum uniform rate. In the year before the introduction of Penny Post the number of letters per head of population was only three. This number is now 72, irrespective of postcards and parcels, and it is still increasing. The number of letters carried in 1838 was 70,000,000. In the first complete year after the Penny Post was established this number was doubled. In 1863 it had multiplied by eight times, and since then it has been doubled in about every period of 20 years.