The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-28 00:00:00

4 i _ / /

LONDON WITHOUT CABS.

Yesterday the metropolis stood, as Sir Charles
Wetherell once phrased it, in a "parenthesis of vehicu-
larity." There was not only a dearth, but an absolute
famine of locomotion, and never since the days of
Charles 11., when hackney coaches were first invented,
have the sight-seeing and out-going public been reduced
to such an extremity of helplessness as the cabmen's
" strike" of yesterday. For once the magistrates who
fine, and the Legislature who settle the fares of "cabby,"
have been defeated. One man may take a horse to
water, but a hundred can't make him drink. Mr.
Fitzroy may ordain what "cabby" shall charge, but the
whole House of Commons can't make him drive. The
grievance that has so wrung the o'erfraught breast of
" cabby," as to make him declare "a holiday" is not so
much the lowering the rate of charge per mile to six-
pence, instead of eightpence, as the abolition of back
fares ; and the compromise desired, is said to be that
this back fare may be charged for distances of three
miles beyond some fixed spot after nightfall. " Cabby"
complains, and with some justice, that by the new
system he starts from an ever-shifting centre to an
ever-receding point of distance, and may be com-
pelled to travel anywhere, at any time, six miles
from himself. " Cabby" wants something settled,
even if it be nothing more than the restoration of that
indefinite fixture, known during the last half century
as "the place where Hicks's-hall formerly stood." He
objects to being taken from Waterloo-bridge to Dulwich
at two o'clock in the morning, for half-a-crown ; or from
Tottenham-court-road to Southall for five and sixpence.
So " cabby" resolved to " play," and determined to give
labour a holiday, after the fashion of the Lancashire
Chartist rioters in 1838. The cab proprietors gave their
men notice simultaneously not to call at their stables after
Tuesday, and yesterday morning the sun rose on a city
without cabs. The first to feel the inconvenience was
the traveller by early trains, into and out of London,
who found himself three or four miles from everywhere,
with a leather trunk, a hat-box, a carpet bag, fishing-
rod, umbrella, and waterproof coat to carry. As the
day progressed, the desire for cabs became more urgent;
people found themselves at a full stop without knowing
why. There was no " going to my banker's," or "call
in the City," or " take a cab to the railway." The rail-
ways suffered the greatest possible inconvenient. At
every station piles of luggage waiting conveyance, and
mobs of jeering bystanders advising the calling of a cab
that would not come, confronted the impatient traveller.
Even the highest aristocracy did not escape the com-
mon fate. Unless met by their " own carriage," they
were compelled to trudge it on foot for long dis-
tances, and several instances of ladies of high de-
gree in a state of comparative exhaustion were ob-
served by the writer. At none of the railways was
the inconvenience greater felt than at the London
and North-Western. Train after train brought
an accumulation of luggage, and each hour added to the
harassing of impatient passengers from all parts of the
country. Fortunately, the day was fin; and the ap-
pliances of a railway are so multifarious that they can
be expanded to meet almost every possible emergency.
Cabs being altogether wanting, the railway authorities,
by going a step lower in the scale, were enabled in some
measure to meet the contingency. Spring vans for the
accommodation of the heavier luggage, light carts, and
even wheel-barrows for the immediate urgency of single
passengers, were pressed into service, and by the active
employment of the energies of all the officials, the diffi-
culties were considerably diminished. How long this
state of things may continue will perhaps depend on the
manner with which a scanty Sunday's dinner may be
received by the cabman's family. It is said the frater
nity are in a position to hold out until Monday. Whe-
ther this will really be so must depend much upon what
takes place in the House of Commons. Whatever be

the result, unless the act be matel4;lly altered, there
seems much reason to suppose that it will become im-
mediately obsolete, as was the case half a century since
with that by which it was attempted to settle the water-
men's fares.

A. series of resolutions, as amendments to the act, was
then agreed to as follows :
" Sixpence to be paid for every mile or fraction of a mile
after the first two miles (as at present).
" For any distance beyond four miles from the General
Post-office, or other central part, is. per mile to be paid
(at present 6d).

"-When two or more persons are inside, any luggage
which cannot be put inside to pay 2d. per package (at pre-
sent more than two persons must ride to render the pay-
ment compulsory). When more than two persons shall be
carried, 6d. to be paid for the distance, for each additional
passenger (at present one extra 6d. is paid, whether the
excess of passengers be one or moie).
" In cases of dispute about distance, a book or list signed
by the police commissioner to be held conclusive, except
either party shall require the distance to be measured.
"Drivers not to be held responsible for 'neglecting' to
deliver a number ticket to passengers, but only for ' refus-
ing' to do so (both words stand in the act at present).
" That a power of appeal against decisions of magistrates
and commissioners of police be allowed."
In the course of a somewhat desultory discussion upon
the above resolutions,
The CHAIRMAN stated that a power of appeal, especi-
ally upon points of measurement, was absolutely neces-
sary, as that very day a board had been put up at a cer-
tain point at Knightsbridge, which gave the police
measurement at 2 miles 460 yards, while some cab
owners residing in that neighbourhood, who thought the
distance understated, had it measured four different
ways, and made the distance 3 miles 160 yards ; and
thus the cab proprietors might be cheated out of 6d.
every time a fare went in that direction. (Cheers.)
It was announced that a communication had been re-
ceived from the great omnibus proprietors, pledging them
to support the cabmen while they acted well.
A subscription was commenced in the hall, and in a
few minutes an amount of 1001. was acknowledged from
the chair.
A pledge was unanimously given to keep the cabs at
home to-morrow (this day), and to place full confidence
in the committee, a step which virtually retains the cabs
at home until the committee shall give the word to send
them upon the stands again, which, it is said, they will
not be disposed to do until Mr. Fitzroy adopts their sug.
gestions.

SOUTH-EASTERN RAlLWAY.—Notwithstanding the cab
strike but little inconvenience was experienced by the
passengers arriving in London by this railway yester-
day. The directors had made timely provision for the
conveyance of passengers' luggage to its destination,
and there was an ample supply of omnibuses to the
various parts of the metropolis, so that all passed off
well, and with no diminution to the traffic.
During the course of yesterday a great many of the
masters attended at the Excise-office, in Old Broad-
street, city, and gave in their license plates, stating it
to be their intention to sell their stock rather than con-
form to the new act.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

WEALD OF SUSSEX.

A public meeting of the inhabitants of the Weald f
Sussex was held at the Town-hall, Petworth, on Mon-
day, for the purpose of promoting a line of railway
through that part of the county. Mr. Schuster, deputy-
chairman of the London, Brighton, and South Coast
Railway, was present, with a deputation from that com-
pany.

- Tile Hon. E. C. CURZON took the chair, and expressed
his approval of the proposed line. He believed that
there was but one opinion, that it was a most desirable
scheme, and he hoped that they would all exert them-
selves in endeavouring to carry it out.
Mr. ALBERLY, in proposing the first resolution, said,
that the great reason for urging the line was, that it
would accommodate so many towns. He did not
know of any opposition to the plan, and he did
not believe that there could be one to give better ac-
commodation. He had made a calculation as to the
produce, which would give an interest of 4 per cent. on
199,0001. from the general traffic, independent of goods.
The population was on the decrease to the east of
Petworth, which could not be accounted for, and he
thought a, line which would accommodate between 60
and 70 places would, at any rate, give a fair trial to see
what could be done to get it up again. He them moved,
"That in providing the necessary railway accommoda-
tion for the towns of Petworth and Midhurst, the valley
of the Rother, and the adjacent villages, it is desirable
to secure the best route to the railway terminus at, and
the river Thames below, London-bridge, and facility of
intercourse between Brighton and the southern and
eastern parts of the county of Sussex and the county of
Kent."

Mr. ROY seconded the resolution, and the Chairman
declared it carried.

Mr. MARTIN then submitted a resolution, to the effect
" That the proposed Weald of Sussex Railway was
adapted to secure all the advantages of such a route, and
was therefore entitled to the support of the landowners
and inhabitants of the towns and districts represented
at the meeting."
Mir. B. CHALLEN seconded the proposition, which was
unanimously adopted, as also a motion urging the neces-
sary measures for abtaining an act of Parliament for the
construction of a railway.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to
the deputation from the Brighton Company, and to the
chairman of the meeting.