THE WORLD’S RAILWAYS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 February 1925, Page 8

THE WORLD’S RAILWAYS.

FifLy thousand. miles of rajl.\va.ys have been constructed- in ihe world iu the last ten .years, according to the Trade Record " of the National City Bank of New York. The total: extent of railway systems in now estimated .at- approximately 750,000 miles'against about 500,000 in 1900, 400.00 ft in. 1890, 250,000 in 1880. and 25,000 in 1850. Th c next duty before Hie world in the way of rail wa v work,' adds the Trade •'Record' is. the building of railroads in higlilv productive tropical areas lacking transport facilities from the interior to Lhe coast.. The need of such construction is seen in the fact that, of the railways in the temperate zone, the United States averages 83 miles to each 1000 square miles of area, and in Europe the average is 62 miles of line per 1000 miles of area ; while South America, chiefly tropical, has but'seven miles, Asia four, and Africa, three' miles of line per 1000 square miles. Governments • owned about 35 per cent, of the total mileagh iff 1923, as against approximately 33 per cent, in 1913- 28 per cent, in 1906; and 24 per cent, in 1896. In Europe, as a| whole, about 50 per cent, of the railroads are State owned, in South America approximately' 33 per cent., in Africa 50 per cent., and in Asia /<> per cent. In the United States and. Great Britain govern mental ownership, of railways does not exist, and. this is trii€} also oi Spain. On tho other hancl, in Poland, all railways are owned by the Government, in Germany about 92 per cent.. Italy approximately 73 per cent., Belgium 59 per cent., and in France about 22. per cent.- Outside Europe conditions also differ widely. Ju India, .including the native States, the share owned or controlled by the Government is- about 85 per cent., Japan 67 per cent. ( anada approximate! v 50 ner cent.. British -South Africa 82 per cent., and Australia and New Zealand 98 per cent.