The Express.
London, England, 1846-09-18 00:00:00

he erairtlSS.

MAILS.
The mans for Gibraltar, Malts, Greece, the lonian Islands, Egypt,
Aden, Ceylon, India, liong-Kong, and China, via Sauthamptam, will
be made up on the morning of the 21st inst.
The overland closed mula, via Masataka, to the Mediterranean,
Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, -Kong, An, will be made up on the
wrenlng of the 24th Inn.
The malls for Corunna, Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Marietta, Gediz, and
Gibraltar, will be made an on the Seth inst.
The malls for New South Wales, Ike., will berm& UP an the mail*
d the Seth inst.
The West India malls, including those for Mexico, Honduras, and
Havens, will be made up on the morning of the Id October.
The mails for British North America, Bermuda, and the United
States, will be made up on the evening of the lid October.
The mails for Madeira, Brazils, Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, ke.,
will be made up on the evening of the sth October.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.
We moot notice, In any way, any communication that is sent to r
snosymoudy; bullrings who chows to address as in confident* will
Ind theirsonftdenoe respected. RUINER CAN WE UNDERTAKE
TO RETURN ANT MANUSCRIPTS WHATEVER.
0.• Advertisements Intended for The Erpress must be at the &Bixby
Two tidal on the day of publication.

RION WATER AT LONDON-11111DOIL
Tun MT.—Morning, 28 nut. past 0; Afternoon, 40 pest S.
Toatosaow.—, 8 inn. pest I ; Afternoon, 37 Eli& prt I .

LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPT. 18.
• MR. HUDSON, THE " TIMES," AND THE
"DAILY NEWS."
WE have no wish to come between the Railway
Potentate and the Thunderer. It is a very pretty
quarrel as it stands. The public is likely to benefit
by the contest, whatever hidden causes may lie at the
bottom of it. This is our principal concern. We will
not assert that the fares are higher on Mr. HUDSON'S
lines than on any others. We suspect indeed, on
close inquiry, that the reverse might be found to be
the case. But what a curious reasoner this very suc-
cessful speculator seems to be. While he proclaims
the principle of the profit of low fares, observe
how he argues against it. British capitalists,
he says, have provided this country with 4,000
miles of railway; the French system, till lately,
bad only provided France with 300 miles of
railway; therefore our fares should be higher than
those of France. We should have inferred directly
• the reverse. Abundance is commonly a great cheap-
ener. When capital, machinery, and workpeople are
so combined as to produce 13i times more of an
article in one locality than in another, Mr. HUDSON,
it would seem, calculates that a higher price should
be charged in proportion. Demanded it might be ;
but it could not long be obtained. Mr. HUDSON him-
self chews this by not demanding it. If got at all, it
must be by means of a legally enforced and perni-
cious monopoly, which the public would cry out
against, and eventually procure its abolition. The
number of miles constructed is an odd measure of the
merit of capitalists, and of their title to a money
payment for that merit. Shareholders have speculated
for profit, like other people. The aggregate length of
lines illustrates their hopes, and not their virtues. If
the outlay was foolish, their folly has no claim to
reward. If judicious, it will repay itself. They
meant to take dividends, not to make donations.
Besides, if there be merit in making so many miles of
rail, there is yet more merit in working them
safely as well as cheaply. That virtue will bring its
own reward.
Is it a virtue to which Mr. Ilensom may in every
case lay claim ? We doubt it. We have travelled
in kis Majesty's railway dominions, and, setting aside
the question of prices, in which he would seem to be
unfairly accused, we have had in portions of them
practical experience of gross irregularities, and mani-
fest want of consideration for the comfort of passengers.
The Times echoes a widely felt opinion in attributing
those defects mainly to a desire of swelling dividends
by cutting down expenses. The complaints of pas-
sengers find a vent through the Times' columns. It
is well for the sufferers that they have a channel
so accessible, which carries their griefs through
so wide an empire of publicity, and gathers the
scattered tribute of isolated remonstrances into an irre-
sistible stream of popular opinion. If in performing
this useful service, the Times has unconsciously
admitted ungrounded complaints and exaggerated
statements, Mr. HUDSON has, through the same
agency, his remedy. Like the spear of Acmixes,
the Press both wounds and heals. The accusation
invites the answer. We cannot suppose any motive
for giving circulation to the charge, but the desire of
producing reply or reformation.
In this view, the Times and Mr. Humor( are very
fairly matched. We should as soon have thought of
encountering a collision of two of the largest engines
of the York and North Midland, as of coming between
such high-pressure antagonists. But we have un-
happily furnished the one with an illustration, and
suggested anapprehension to the other. It is with a
wish to reassure the Times that we notice what, as a
personal matter, we should in any less peculiar case
have left without comment.
The Times charges Mr. Humor; with monopoly.
Mr. HUDSON flings back the acclimation on the Times.
The Times rejoins by assailing the grounds of the
charge, and with some show of reason as we think.
For, if Mr. HUDSON pleases, he may enact the Times,
while reproaching it, on his own lines; but where is
the North Midland Daily News? Where are even
its Chronicle, Herald, and Post? To complete the
parallel, there should be a competing line at
half fares; and sundry others charging less
for (advertisement) luggage. It is all very
well for Mr. HUDSON to tell the public that
"the old means of conveyance is still open, and the pub-
lic can avail themselves of it if they think proper." Pos-
sibly the great north road may be still in existence. It
is not ploughed up yet. But where are the stage
coaches ? Where the homes to draw them, the coach-
men to drive them, the guards to guard them, and the
inns for them to stop and bait at ? They arc open,
indeed, the old roads ; and so is a dead man's mouth,
but nothing goes into it. They are open; so is the
air; and a balloon goes up a little way now and
then, solitary as a forlorn postchaise along the once
rattling road. Practically, the public have lost their
old ways ; though a few primitive Conservatives yet
stand and look out for them. We think, therefore,
that, with no disposition to lower its pretensions as
against its morning contemporaries, the Times may
very fairly feel that the proportion is hardly—" As
railroad to coach, OD is Times to every other morning
paper." This would be too much, even for our con-
temporary's well known power of striving with its
modesty. Mr. HUDSON has no possible opposition to
fear. The Times does not fear, but recognises an
existing opposition.