The Express.
London, England, 1868-08-10 00:00:00

THE RAILWAY SYSTSX.

The Star bitterly complains of the management of
railways in England. The staff of porters is lamentably
insufficient, and it is notoriously impossible to get attended
to without the aid of bribery, while the refreshment-
rooms (honourably excepting those held by the con-
tractors at the stations on the Chatham and Dover line)
still prove themselves impervious to ridicule or remon-
strance, and remain in their primitive stateof Mugby-Junc-
tioniam. Everywhere it is the same. Wretched carriages, ter-
mini where passengers must alight without even the protec-
tion of a shed, insolent officials, unprotected engine-drivers,
luggage pitchforked into and out of vans without the
slightest care or smallest system of check, fares out of all
proportion to the distance travelled or the accommodation
afforded, and managers and directors who, as they
boldly declare on their tickets and time bills, are not re-
sponsible for anything—these are some of the principal
delights of our English railway system. If things do not
speedily and greatly improve, the public will at last come
to believe that the one only possible remedy is a direct
control exercised over the railways by the State.
The Telegraph advises the London and Brighton Com-
pany to reconcile themselves with the public. If they fail
to do this the position of the claimants for a rival railway
will be most formidably strengthened. They will come
forward in the character of sufferers from a grievance
caused by a monopoly ; and that, we strongly suspect, is
just the sort of claim on which the next parliament will
look with favour. The matter, then, is in the hands of
the shareholders of the existing line: if they want their
lately-revived prosperity to continue, and to enjoy a
fairly-earned dividend next year, they will at once recede
from the false position they have taken up, and again be
good friends with the public. But they must act
promptly, for were such a rival project once introduced
into parliament, the offer to restore the old tariff would
come too late.

VIE CIIXDIT YONCIIIII.

Referring to the recent meeting of the shareholders of
the Credit Fonder, the Daily NMI observes
that we boast ourselves to be the first bun-
nese nation of the world, but it is notorious
that in foreign countries the popular verdict is against
our self-estimate. The origin and fate of such an under-
taking as this Credit Ponder and itobilier Company
justify their unfavourable opinion. No parallel can be
drawn between this scheme and the Credit Hobilier
of France, for the simple reasons that the latter was a
creation of the imperial government, and that its manage-
ment was confided to men of wealth and high financial
mate, The English imitation, when started, bad
nothing to commend itself to public confidence. Its
career has been a course of transformations both as

regards name, capital, and management. What is now
wanted is an early and judicial opinion whether monies
appropriated by the board have not been unduly
taken.

rite Cattrt.

The Princess of Wales drovo out on Saturday,
attended by the Hon. Mrs. Hardinge.
Mr. George G. Adams bad the honour of submitting
for the inspection of that Prince of Wales the bust of Lord
Napier of Magdala.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Hon. Mrs.
Harding. and Major Grey in Waiting, attended Divine
service at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, yesterday.
The service was performed by the Rev. Thomas
Helame and the Rev. John Antrobua,
Antbem—" Fear not, 0 Land."--Goes
Sung by Master Coward, Maws. R. Barnby, Gedge
and Winn.

. Goes presided at the organ.
The sermon was preached by the Rev. Thomas Helmore
from St. Luke, chap. 22, v. 19.
. .

Despatches were received on Saturday at the Colonial-
office from the Governors of the Straits Settlements, Gib-
raltar, and from the Governor-General of Canada.
Despatches were sent to the Governor-General of Canada,
and to the governors of British Columbia, the Falkland
Islands, Sierra Leone, and Lagos.

A letter in the Time. from Lucerne, dated
Friday, says The Queen arrived here safely ball an
hour ago. Her Majesty came up slowly in a state car-
riage, occupying a middle place, with the Princess at her
side. Descending amid flowers and a most interested but
quiet and unobtrusive gathering of the people, she entered
a carriage, with handsome horses, driven four in band,
and went up to the Pension Wallis. Weather again most
splendid, bright, and without sultriness."
The Prince and Princess of Wales, with a
numerous body of attendants, went to the Royal Strand
Theatre on Saturday night.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, accom-
panied by their family, and attended by a numerous
suite, leave Marlborough House this evening, by the
limited mail for Aberdeen, on their way to Abergeldie
Castle, where the Prince and Princess will reside during
the shooting season.
- _ _

Prince Arthur, attended by Colonel Tsaphin-
Arse, leaves Chatham early to-morrow morning by the
South-Eaetren Railway, for London, and premeds from
lang'••erams Station by the 3 p.a. train for the North.