The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-22 00:00:00

STRAND,

Tni Evrlrso, NI A I;I ED VAI-4111TEILS AND YOUNG 1113S-
RA N Dg. —1.1,t, Night,/ (in' IA K Ei.—And A SUIT OF

HOLBORN.

....
THIN LIMNING, MY TURN NF:XT. Mr. Belmont: Mimes
Foote and Lennox —,tol FLYING st:CD. Messrs. Neville, Bel-
lIVITO, Blake, Ac. ; tleoLouov F. Jueepha, C. bounden,
Ikeda Foote, Fiddvs, Lennox, Raymond, Lc.

BRITANNIA.

Thte Evr‘Pm, TIIK PKINCKSB DV THE PEARL IRLAND:
OR, THE Tittiv.K KINGII4IMi UM PKAKL, GOLD, AND
SI LV ER. Mai .lAcoi.s.—Vint-rate Pantornimist&—And 111 K
RETURN WANDERED.

lIIGH WATKR AT LONDON MUDGE.
_ .

TIN DAY —Mondug, Ah 2.1 m Aftemonn, 4h. 41M.
To-310111.uw—Ilorning, Atternoou, 511 Um.

LONDON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22.

LORD BELMORE has undertaken to reform the
street traffic of the metropolis, a work in which
he will have the interested good wishes not only of
every resident in London, but of half the popula-
tion of the country. We fear, however, that the
Traffic Regulation Bill which he has brought into
the House of Lords will not be deemed a satis-
factory measure. On the one hand, it has many
good regulations ; but on the other, it is partial
and arbitrary, without promising effectually to
accomplish its object. The clauses respecting
cabs and the removal of snow, as well as tho,u
which refer to the driving of cattle and to dogs
found at large, arc good ; but sonic of our most
important trades are put under harraaeing and des-
tructive restrictions, while, after all, the streets
will be blocked pretty much as they are now. It
is of no use pretending that it is easy to clear our
great thoroughfares of the traffic which now obstructs
them. At first sight there seems to be no diffi-
culty in the matter. Any one who will fake a
cab at the Bank for Charing-ere-4 in the busy
part of the day will see by the time he gets to
Fleet-street a great quantity of traffic which he feels
quite sure might be got rid of. It will occur• to
him that, inasmuch as the principal use of our
streets is to facilitate the rapid transit of light
vehicles carrying gentlemen having appointments,
it is intolerable that he should be brought to a
stand-still, with a waggon full of sugar hogsheads
in his front and a load of corn in his rear. Leather,
and bar-iron, and oils, and coffee, and hops, and
grain are very well in their way, provided that that
way be not also ours. Such thoughts arise
naturally enough under the hood of a Hansom,
when the rider has already marked the lapse of
five precious minutes by St. Bride's clock. But
in a calmer moment it may occur to the
same person that it is just by these
things which we eye so impatiently that London
is made what it is. The waggon maintains the
brougham by which it is despised, and, if one
of them must disappear from our business tho-
roughfares, the more elegant vehicle could be
better spared.

Lord Bruxorta, judging from the result, has
approached the question without clear and well-
defined ideas, and has touched it with uncertain
hand. He leaves the great mass of the traffic
just as lie finds it, setting limits merely to the
length of vehicles carrying timber, metal, or any
other articles ; but, on the other hand, he prohi-
bits altogether the exercise during the day of two
trades, one of which is among the most important
that are carried on. Lord Betmoaz proposes to
make tho delivery of coal unlawful over the whole
area comprehended within a circumference of four
miles from Charing-cross, "except between the
" hours of one and ten in the morning." A fur-
ther exception is indeed made in favour of " such
" back streets or other byways as may be approved
" by the Commissioner of Police," but it is of
no practical value. It would be interesting to know
bow the idea of having coals delivered during the
small hours of the morning was arrived at. We
may be sure that the author of the clause was
not prompted by household experience. No head
of a family can desire that his premises shall be
opened ta strangers in the darkness, and at an
hour when the control and protection of a superior
presence will be wanting. Looking at the clause as
it stands, we are inclined to think that its author,
in his anxiety to lay restrictions on the coal mer-
chant, has forgotten the consumer altogether. As
it is not likely that the habits of the public will
be changed by an Act of Parliament, we may
look upon this clause as practically confining the
delivery of coal to three, or at most four hours of
the day. This proposal can only have been made in
ignorance of the magnitude of the transactions which
it is intended to regulate. It is stated on good
authority that six millions of tons of coal are
annually brought to London by sea or rail, and it
is not unreasonable to suppose that half of this
quantity is consumed in the moat thickly-
peopled portion of the metropolis affected
by this clause. At present the coal-
merchants are able to use their horses and wag-
gons throughout the working day ; but if the work
now done in twelve hours is to be accomplished in
four, the agencies for doing it must be multiplied
by three. It is unnecessary to point out that in
that case the increased cost of delivery must be
borne by the consumer. The restraint upon trade
of 5u..11 a regulation would be found most oppres-
sive. It is impoahible to turn a great business
like that in coal into a night trade. It would be
easier to sAject corn and colonial produce to the
s,une limitations ; but to single out one class of
merchants and subject them to restrictive rules