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Timaru Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 6059, 19 September 1894, Page 4

Tbe war just declared may before it is over considerably effeot the silver market. China and Jap.n are now the two leading silver using countries m the world. 'Ihene two countries, and China more particularly, are further largely dependent for their ourrenoy upon foreign money, the Mexican dollar being perhaps the coin ooat largely used, but the Indian rupee also entering to a considerable extent into their dealings and exchanges. There is tho immediate prospect, therefore, of a coQsiderhble increase m the demand for silver, which one would think must of necessity enhance ils prioe, and this oannot happen without putting a different complexion on trade m various parts of the world. '■he total length of the railways of the United t-tate*, according to the report of the Commission, is 176,600 miles. Including all side track*, and the like, it it 250.000 miles. Uniy 10,000 miles of line are donble. The railways give employment to 873,000 people, equal to 515 men per 100 miles of line open. Tbe egeregate capitalisation of the railways ia £8,101,247000 — Omitting 1 shillings and pines — whioh is equal to 1 about £12,700 per mile. Of this normal total, fi1.04.,140,000 is represented by funded debt, bub only £900,000,000 or so of this could be looked upon as ooversd by mortgages. The gr.ss earnines of tbe past 1 year, upon whioh the Commission reports, amounted to £2-4,000,000, and the working ' expenses to £165,600,000, both showing 1 increases on the previous year, wbioh almost i neutralised eaoh other. Ihe earnings inoreased £9,870,000 and tbo expsmes £9,400,000 m

groi-s flffn-M. Fix-d oharges took £86,28.,000. and th sum left fur dividend on tbe unsecured stocks and s v ar»s ws only £22,212,000, or 1 nearly £100,000 lees tbao tbe proceeding year. Mr John Burns wants to know why London, should be sariifled with 6000 sdiool te*ober» when she has 15,000 police nan and 16,000 puhlc hoim*.. > a-_-»____»_»M_»___»-«,»---aJ-»------W», )