The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-29 00:00:00

THE FIRST TRIP ON THE METROPOLITAN

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(From the City Prett.)
On Thursday last a large party assembled by in-
vitation at the Great Western Hotel, for the first trip—
purely experimental—on the Metropolitan Railway. The
petty started sow after twelve, aceenpuied by the chair-
man of the company, Mr. Wilkinson, and several members
of the directory, sad of the Markets Improvement Com-
mittee of the Corporation. The trial trip was divided
into several separate Journeys, and the first was front the
Great Western to the site of the Chapel-street station,
Paddingtoa. This was the most important of all, be-
cause it afforded as opportunity of testing the merits of the
locomotive engine invented expressly for this traffic by the
company's engineer, Mr. Fowler. It I. a matter of
profound imparts/me to the public, that in the coo-
struction of an underground railway it was essentially
necessary to construct underground engines. Seieece
keeps pica with the demands upon her, and,
as the ordinary locomotives were prorounmid unfit for this
pecuhar traffic, the burden was thrown epos Mr. Fowler
of providing engines capable of accomplishing the journeys,
without producing either smoke or steam. Accordingly,
the first part of the trial trip was as much to test the
merits of the new engine, as the novel form of roadway ;
and it is our bounden duty to state that the comfort of pap
seaters by this railway has been secured in good time, and
most effectually. Mr. Fowler's Monition consists in
shutting off all escape of steam the moment an engine
enters a tunnel ; at the same time the escape of smoke is
rendered impossible, not merely by the consumption of
smoke, but by its non-produotion. the fire being damped
out, and progress through the tunnel being accomplished by
means of conserved foroe—that is, of steam saved up for
the purpose; none being generated on the spot in tranzits.
But the directors were not satisfied with an example of the
new method of working the traffic through tunnels without
smoke andsteam, they must needs take the visitors back, and
allow them to compare old and new methods : the engine, in
this second journey vomiting all the smoke and steam it pre-
duced, and leaving the company to judge by ex perience as to the
value of the invention of Mr. Fowler. There wasnot a shadow
of doubt remaining, that Mr. Fowler had &oomph/had an
engineering triumph essential to the success of the Metro-
politan Railway as a medium of public traffic. The next
journey was from Church-street to the baths and wash-
houses, accomplished oo foot, in the dreary tunnel under
the New-road. Though performed under du.
advantageous circumstances, it was evident to an,
that when opened for public traffic, this will be a cheer.
ful not a gloomy or sepulchral railway. The line is lighted
with gas; it is remarkably dry ; the atmosphere is sweet
and wholesome ; there are numerous ventilating shafts,
and the temperature will be needy uniform all the year
round, the average being about GU deg„ which is the
most comfortable, alike to the invalid and the healthy.
' After emerging to the daylight, the party again diet-aided
at Marylebone Workhouse, and traversed ou foot the
route to Trinity Church, through a nines of the London
clay, fearfully forbidding in its character, compared with
the sand and gravel of the districts lying farther west.
After ascending and descending ladders placed almost per-
pendicular, the party again encountered the temporary hor-
rors of the subterranean regions, and again pursued their
way over sand-hills, heaps of gravel, and through sloughs of
mud, to Eustonequare, where they once more made ac-
quaintance with the welcome daylight. Oooe more the
dement was made near Gower-street, and there another
engine was stationed to convey the visitors forward,
and the party halted next at Euston-square, where they
were transferred to daylight by means of the " lift " used
for the removal of soil for the subway. There was yet
another journey, and that the must interesting of all;
namely, from Rastas-square to the terminus of the Great
Northern, at Kings-case. The ponderous engine of the
outracton carried the train of extemporised passenger.
waggons far into Clerkenwell, then brought them beck,
and, by memos of the single line of rails, carried than
fairly to the platform of the Great Northers, Railway,
where the trial trip ended, the whole party being
satisfied that the difficulties of subway transit had been
overcome by the combined energies of Mr. Fowler and
the contractors, Messrs. Smith and Knight and Mr.
Jay, and that a moderate exercise of patience would
suffice to prove that the undertaking was based on soul
principles, and would prove hereafter a great and a lasting
triumph. The company assembled at the close of the
day's business at the Great Northern Hotel, when
an excellent repast was prepared. Mr. Wilkinson, the
Chairman of the Company. proposed only two tosse
the first was, " The Queen ;" the second, "The Markets
Improvement Committee of the Corporation," coupled with
the name of Mr. Lowman Taylor, who briefly responded.
The party continued to divots the interesting questiou
arising out of the first trial trip on the Metropolitan
Railway, long after the Chairman departed, Mr. H. W.
Valiance occupying his place ; and it appeared to be the
unanimous opinion that the undertaking would he suerr•
fill far beyond the most sanguine expectations of its enrol
supporters and promoters. The contractors. Messrs. Sufi
and Knight, and Mr. Jay, were frequeutly and heat
praised for their exertions ; and Mr. Henchman, the
secretary, had full justice done him for his faithful ad•
herence to the original programme of this much-trial sal
now triumphant company.

The Echo de Lod kie says :—" Considerable activity
prevails in all the manufactories of the Herault, and II"
working population are assured of finding continued wear,'
tion during the winter. That situation is owing to the
orders given by the Minister of War, and by imNrtni
purchases made by • bongo in Paris, wldch has en;sged
furnish, in • comparatively short period, au congeal
quantity of complete uniforms for the American troore.
the blue cloth and great coats which remained on hand ks'
been taken, and considerable orders for mere have bee'
already given, or are shortly promised to the manufaturto
in that part of the country."
The Temps publishes the following extraordinarY
statement :—" Much has been said for the last two days I
a drama, of which an aristocratic religious boardingrekM
in the Faubourg St. Germain was the theatre. Two yoof
ladies were playing during the hours of recreation, wbe'
one struck the other in the face and knocked out one of IR!
ern. Her family where immediately apprised of the sr"'
dent. The father came to the school, and after ocelot bs
daughter he asked to see the young lady who bid stro4
her. She Game, when he drew a pistol from Utlalf.
cloak and Arad into her face. The nnfmtunate girl 3k,
dreadfully wounded that if she recover she will be disfielm
for life."