Much has been said this week about the extraordinary speed shown during the past twelve months in building new railways in the United States; but I question if anything in the Union equals what is now being done in Canada by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. From a telegram received within the past few days from the president of that line it appears that he has no doubt of their completing 500 miles of main line track this season. So far, this company also holds this unique position, that no open capital has been raised from the public. There is also great activity in English railway construction. In 1881 we increased the capital laid out in railways in the United Kingdom from £728,316,848 to £745,528,162; and this year and next promise to witness equal additions.

Source: The Illustrated London News, No.2257—Vol. LXXXI, Saturday, August 5, 1882, p.135