ft. ins. England, Scotland, and Wales 4 8½ Ireland 5 3 United States 4 8½, with some lines 5 ft., 5 ft. 6 ins., and 6 ft. Canada 4 8½ and 5 ft. 6 ins. France 4 8½ Belgium 4 8½ Holland 4 8½ Germany 4 8½ Austria 4 8½ Switzerland 4 8½ Italy 4 8½ Turkey 4 8½ Hungary 4 8½ Denmark 4 8½ Norway 4 8½ and 3 ft. 6 ins. Sweden 4 8½ Mexico 4 8½ and 3 ft. Egypt 4 8½ and 3 ft. 6 ins. Peru 4 8½ Nova Scotia 4 8½ and 5 ft. 6 ins. New South Wales 4 8½ Brazil 4 8½, 5 ft. 3 ins., and 5 ft. 6 ins. Uruguay Republic 4 8½ Russia 5 0 South Australia 5 3 New Zealand 3 6 British India 5 6 and 1 metre. Ceylon 5 6 Spain 5 6 Portugal 5 6 Chili 5 6 Argentine Republic 5 6 Cape Colonies 3 6 Japan 3 6 After many years’ experience of actual working, the broad, 7 feet, gauge of the Great Western Railway has been abandoned for the 4 feet 8½ inch gauge. Doubtless this decision was the result of most careful deliberation, and was made upon convincing proof that the 4 feet 8½ inch gauge could fulfil all the advantages claimed for the wider gauge, whilst at the same time it possessed the merit of less cost of construction and working, and greater facilities for the exchange of traffic with other lines having the standard gauge. The facility of exchange, or through working of rolling-stock, is a leading element of successful railway working, and it is difficult to estimate what would be the amount of loss and delay if we had any great extent of break of gauge on the main trunk lines of our own country. Although some countries have selected gauges of 5 feet and 5 feet 39 6 inches, it is interesting to note that the largest number have adopted the English standard gauge of 4 feet 8½ inches, and that the miles of line laid to this gauge far outnumber all the others. The fact that our own home lines, the principal Continental lines, and nearly all that vast network of railways in the United States of America, have been laid to the 4 feet 8½ inch gauge, testifies to the general opinion of its utility and efficiency; and we know that included in that list are the railways which carry the largest, heaviest, and fastest train service in the world.