The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-13 00:00:00

WRY LANA.

Tuis Evens°, THWITC6CAL Jrelr. Messrs. Rouse and
Neville : Mediates Alleyne and Thompson—To conclude with
THY. GKKAT CITY. Mews Cowper, Whams. Villiers, Irving,
Zee" H. Hignold, St warner: Mesdames ltobsrtmon &In Thaws.

HAYMARKET.

Tem Evvingo, TUE szii&iiwirkANDAL. Mourn Chip-
pendsle. flown Rogers, Kendal, Clark, Weathersby, <ft. , Men
dames Sedipriek, Chippendale ,Warn, &e.—TO PARIS AND
BACK FOR a;s.—And TRH 1.1/I.lk A.ND HOW TO VIM IT.

P 1!.gIqZ19•&

TEta ErENtee, THE DAY Arra THE WEDDING.-THE
MAN tr Al RLIE. Jung Harebell, Mr. Herman Yearn; Yews.
K E..rrester, Gresham, Maclean, and ItUerten : Mires L
Stuart, Nally Moore, ote.—And AN UNPROTECTED FEMALE.

m&w.

Teti Eeshrtwo, REVEltar. Yews . Emery, PansUe, Rob-
son, and swanborough ; Mesdames Ada Swanburough and John-
stone —And TUE LATEST EDITION OF ERA DIAVOLD.
Mews. Thorne & James ; Madames Rob, Newton, ie.

BIUTANICLL

Tem Eriminmi, MY POLL AND MY PARTNER JOK—The
Brothers Hanlon; Mr. C. Woodman Mr. J. Pluerptot
Little Leritte . Jessie Sena; the Champion Sitatern—And
JACK IS LANTERN. Mr. Reynolds and Mita S. MAN.

HIGH WATCH AT LONDON BRIDGE
Tine DAT —Morning. Ob. es—Afternoon, Th. Om.
Tolloabow—Morning. lb. ISlD—...liternoos, lb. 4cin.

LONDON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 13.

Atriforou the verdicts of the Coroner's Court
may not carry so much authority now as in years
gone by, when juries pronounced without hesita-
tion on the mysterious ways of PROVIDENCE, and
ended by awarding a satisfaction to Heaven, it may
yet be hoped that they will continue to command
attention when they embody the conclusions of
common sense on matters of practical importance
open to general observation. Dr. LANEZSTER, one
of the coroner's for the county of Middlesex, has
been holding an inquest upon the body of Mrs.
DORNER, of Eton, who died suddenly this day
week at the Bishop's-road station of the Metro-
politan Railway, after making a journey from Kings-
cross to Paddity,dou. The un:ortunate traveller
was labouring under bronchial disease, and Mr.
Aram:sox, of St. Mary's Hospital, deposed that
the suffocating air of the Underground Railway
had undoubtedly accelerated her death. Dr. LAN-
xitatt observed that he had himself experienced
the depressing effect of the same atmosphere, and
for that reason avoided the railway as much as pos-
sible ; the tunnels and stations should be ventilated,
" but ho supposed that would not be done until
" some shocking loss of life from suffocation had
" occurred." The Coroner's despondency may
have its root in official experience, but it is
our duty to assume that when an evil which
is within the control of a public body has
been placed in a clear light in the interest of
the public it will be remedied. It is not for
the sake 'of persons afflicted with bronchial dis-
ease that wo urge the Directors of the Metropo-
litan Railway to do something to improve the
atmosphere through which they everyday conduct a
population exceeding in number that of many a
great city. No one can inhale the foul vapours
which stagnate along about two miles of the most
frequented part of the Company's line without
positive injury to health, while the discomfort
resulting from the same cause at all periods of the
year, but especially in the summer season, must
be felt to be believed. On the section extending
from King's-cross to the Edgware-road the air
is loaded with gaseous products of combustion,
until it becomes impervious to sight, and cannot
be inhaled without a choking sensation which
no one willingly encounters twice. Here, how-
ever, is the difficulty of individual travellers.
The Metropolitan Railway supplies accommo-
dation which has become indispensable to thou-
sands, to whom it saves twenty minutes twice
a day, all the year round, in the journey between
Paddington and the City. This railway has taken
a fine position, with advantages which are unique.
Being for the most port an omnibus line, its
traffic is exempt from the fluctuations to which
most of our great railways are subject, It Is
continually receivint, -
sicallv • I. ••it is
..ew feeuen, inuprac-
,,...r.inteed against competition present or
future. It pays 7 per oent. upon the consoli-
dated stock, a dividend which its Chairman says is
to be maintained. Undoubtedly the shareholders
owe much to those whose good management has
contributed to this result ; but then the revenue
which pays this handsome dividend comes from
the public, who reasonably ask that the accommo-
dation they receive shall be answerable to the
success which their patronage has given to the
Company. Tho evil complained of, if not
remedied, must increase. New traffic is fast
coming on the line. That from Hammersmith is
rapidly augmenting ; St. John's-wood will give
passengers in equal number next year; and then
will come the western extension to Brampton.
Before long three-minute trains will run over the
worst ventilated section of the line. The company
are bound to do something effectual to give their
passengers the benefit of pure and fresh air.
Nothing unreasonable is asked. The disadvan-
tages inherent in the construction of the line are
known, and, we may say, are accepted by the
public, which would doubtless be satisfied if the
section from Edgware-road to King's-cross were
ventilated as efficiently as the tunnel from Edg-
ware-road to Paddington. We hear of minor im-
provements to be made in this respect by moans
of an enlargement of the Baker-street Station and
the construction of a telegraphic station between
Gower-street and King's-cross. This is well, so far
as it goes, but it is not pretended that these
works have ventilation for their primary object, or
that they will do more than modify the present
state of things. The prosperous Metropolitan
Company should at once take vigorously in hand
an evil which is perfectly remediable, and with
which its able officers are well qualified to deal.
We believe the improvement would be found a
good paying investment. There are ladies enough
between Paddington and Cower-street who would
be ready to fillthe trains, whichnow run half empty
in the middle of the day, provided the line were
made a little sweeter than a foul chimney and
cooler than a Turkish bath. But at any rate, the
Company owe it to their present patrons and
themselves to enable the public to frequent their
railway without danger to health.

Ostend just now is gay, the beat Belgian and
foreign satiety meeting there. The Queen of Wurtemberg
is there, and the Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar, Princess
de Lichtenstein, Prince de Reuss, the Princes Antoine sad
Joseph of Arenberg, of Croy, Lotigmitz, Benkendortf, the
Marquis and Marchioness of Maillen, the Marquis of
Vriatz, Marquis Salukis, and a long list of counts and
oounte.ses. Queen Marie lionriette, the Count and
Countess of Flanders, and Prince Frederick of Prussia are
daily expected.