The dates of the opening of the first railways, and the mileage in 1891, of the principal countries are as under:

Austria-Hungary

20th September,1828

16,467

Belgium

5th May, 1835

3,215

Denmark

. 18th September, 1844............

1,223

France

. 1st October, 1828................

22,586

Germany

.7th December, 1835.............

25,969

Great Britain and Ireland

. 27th September, 1825............

20,073

Greece

. 18th February, 1869...........

239

Italy.................................

3d October,1839

8,117

Netherlands

.13th September, 1839...........

1,887

Norway

.14th July, 1853.................

970

Portugal

.9th July, 1854...................

1,280

Russia

. 4th April, 1838..................

19,027

Spain

.30th October, 1848...............

6,127

Sweden

.9th February, 1851..........___

1,623

Switzerland

. 15th June, 1844..................

1,929

Turkey

.4th October, 1860................

1,096

Egypt

.26th January, 1856..............

1,494

India

18th April,1853

16,996

United States

.17thApril, 1827.................

167,000

Canada

.19th March, 1847................

14,000

Mexico

.8th October, 1850................

5,827

Argentine Republic

. 14th December, 1864............

5.798

Brazil

,30th April, 1854.................

5,779

Chili................................

January, 1852

1,926

Colombia

January,1880

230

Paraguay

1st October, 1863

149

Peru

,29th May, 1851.................

994

Uruguay

.1st January, 1869................

537

Venezuela

9th February, 1866

441