Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Railways, Accidents, Military Technology, War, Imperialism

    Speculates on a reputed 'engine of destruction' that will 'annihilate war itself'. Considers the railway engine to be 'the greatest engine of destruction' and suggests that were the English government to build railways throughout 'the whole of his mighty Empire' there would be little resistance to the ensuing 'wholesale slaughter' and wars would end.