--_Old Jonathan_.

THE BALACLAVA RAILWAY.

The following interesting extract from a communication to the _Times_, by
Sir Morton Peto, Bart., respecting the construction of the railway from
Balaclava to the British camp is worthy of preservation. Sir Morton
remarks:--"It was in the midst of the dreary winter of 1854, when the
British army was suffering unparalleled hardships before Sebastopol, that
it was resolved to construct a railway from Balaclava to the British
camp. Let honour be given where honour is due.--The idea emanated from
the Duke of Newcastle. His Grace applied to our firm to assist in
carrying out the design. The sympathies of all England were excited at
the time by the sufferings of our troops. Every one was emulous to
contribute all that could be contributed to their succour and support.
The firm of which I am a partner was anxious to take its share in the
good work, and, on the Duke of Newcastle's application, we cheerfully
undertook to make all the arrangements for carrying his Grace's views
into execution, on the understanding that the work should be considered
National; and that we should be permitted to execute it without any
charge for profit.

We accordingly placed at the disposal of Her Majesty's Government the
whole of our resources. We fitted out transports with the stores
necessary for the construction of the railway; employed and equipped
hundreds of men to execute the works; provided a commissariat exclusively
for their use; engaged medical officers to attend to their health, and
placed the whole service under the direction of the most experienced
agents on our staff. These important preliminaries were arranged so
effectually, and with so much despatch, that the Emperor of the French
sent an agent to this country to instruct himself as to the mode in which
we equipped the expedition.

Every item shipped by us for the works was valued before shipment at its
selling price; and for all these items of valuation, as well as for the
payments which we made for labour, we received the certificate of the
most eminent engineer of the day (the late lamented Mr. Robert
Stephenson). We undertook the execution of the Balaclava Railway as a
'National' work, agreeing to execute it without profit. We performed our
contract to the letter. We never profited by it to the extent of a
single shilling.

The works (nearly seven miles of