The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-30 00:00:00

(Prom the Times.)

This morning, if we are to judge from a resolution of
the Committee at the Cranbourne Hotel, the 3,000 cabs
of London are to reappear on their stands. The pro-
prietors profess to be softened by the amendments pro-
posed in the Commons on Thursday, and are willing to
give Parliament a little more grace. Indeed, there is not
much at issue between Mr. Fitzroy and the proprietors,
the only serious difference being that the latter continue
to stipulate for nothing under a shilling fare, with two
miles for it. As that is now the question, we will ad-
dress ourselves to it. There is something, of course, in
"being taken off the stand," which, to a cabman appears
to cost as much effort as breaking up a pleasant party,
or getting out of bed in a cold winter's morning.
There are, too, a vast number of cab journeys under a
mile, and at a shilling they must be a very easy and
very gainful traffic to the cabman. But, if the public is
called on to consider the case of the cabman, let cab
proprietors consider the case of the public, which may
happen eventually to be the case of the cabman also.
There is an endless variety of cases in which it is rather
hard that a man should be called on to pay a shilling
when he really only wants the worth of a sixpence,
and it cannot be the interest of any party that a
class of traffic convenient to one side and profit-
able to another should be forbidden. A bachelor
walking to dinner finds himself five minutes be-
hind his time, or growing warmer than suits his
complexion or his shirt collar—why must he pay a
shilling for a cab just the length of Eaton-square ?
Two or three ladies want to be ferried over as many
dirty crossings—why must they pay a shilling for it ?
Two branches of a family live at the different ends of
one street, or the opposite corners of one square, and
occasionally drop in on one another of an evening—
why must they pay the invariable shilling for five hun-
dred yards' locomotion ? We admit there are cases
which tell the other way. If a cabman has sacrificed an
hour in waiting for a train at a railway station, it must
be rather aggravating to be hired to take a stout couple
and their luggage from Euston-square station to Hol-
born, and only receive 6d. But grievances are no
answer to grievances the other way, and, instead of
setting grievance against grievance, the wiser course
would be to devise means of satisfying all parties.
The contest has been brief, and hitherto has lain be-
tween a palpable Under-Secretary and an impalpable
cab interest, which is something like the warfare of an
eighteen-pounder with a swarm of flies. But there have
been some considerable results not only in the sharpen.
ing of wits, and the discovery of new ways and means,
but also in bringing out the leading points of the con-
troversy. Take the great shilling question. The cab
proprietors stood out for their " splendid shilling"—
a very pretty coin, doubtless, immortalised in the poem
of Phiilipps, perpetuated by Prince Albert on his
florin, and much respected by all nations accus-
tomed to slender francs or debased thalers. But, on
the other hand, there is a growing reluctance to
pay a shilling for less than a shilling's worth,—for merely
hailing a cab as it passes your door, and occupying it
fur the length of your street. We are quarrelling, then,
about the price of a short trip. We confine ourselves
to one class of vehicle, and then we carry our differences
so far that one side demands twice as much as the other
will give. Why should not a greater variety of conditions
be admitted into the negotiation ? In Paris you have
your choice of three descriptions of vehicles, the lowest
of which is cheap enough, and the best a comfortable,
handsome equipage, in which a nobleman need not
be ashamed to go to court. Nothing can be more
various than the purposes for which cabs are required
in this metropolis. A messenger is sent with a
parcel, two ladies are going "in full fly" to an
evening party, four journeymen butchers are going
from Whitechapel to Smithfield, a nurse and child
are going to the nearest patch of grass and the nearest
whiff of fresh air, an Eton lad is crossing with his lug-
gage from station to station, a large family party is
going to take the water at London-bridge ; yet for one,
or for half a dozen—for silks and satins; or for greasy
blouses, for fresh air, or for desperate speed, for a pugi-
list on his way to a fight, or a girl on her way to an hos-
pital for consumption—it is all the same. We have one
cab for all, and at one price. It is possible, indeed, to make
a selection. There are few things in which people distrust
their own judgment more than in the choice of a cab.
You call from the stand a specious vehicle, which turns
out to be nothing but a wooden box, so ill-framed and
ill-hung as to be in pieces with its own motion. Such
a vehicle would do to carry a lawyer's brief from
Chancery-lane to Westminster-hall, but not to take an
invalid lady to Hampstead, or a party to the Princess's.
'So, why not have two or three different classes of cabs,
with known marks of distinction and different charges—
say sixpence, ninepence, and a shilling a mile ?
It appears that, after all, we have not such an im-
palpable body to deal with. It can act simultaneously,
strike, return to business, negotiate with an Under-
Secretary, meet, pass resolutions, and issue manifestoes.
Then, why does not the Hackney Carriage Association
assemble occasionally for some other purpose than to
raise fares, and try to meet the public wants rather more
fully and exactly ? If cab proprietors have an organisa-
tion of their own, we ought not to hear of it now
for the first time. Under the pressure of the
crisis, they are proposing to charge more for Ransoms,
on the ground that those vehicles are restricted by their
limited capacityfrom the means of increased fares opened
to other cabs. But it is not everybody who wants a
Hansom or will ride in one ; and it certainly is not the
vehicle either for a party to the Opera or for a family
excursion to the suburbs. With a variety of vehicles,
we shall get over the Englishman's prejudice in favour
of a round sum in one showy coin. We throw this
out to those whom it may concern, and are certain
that we represent the wishes of the middie class,
the cabman's principal customer. As to the modifica-
tions proposed in the new act, they seem unexception-
able. It certainly is hard that a cabman may be taken
off the stones, down the " Green Lanes," to Hornsey
itself, or to Woodford, or to Dulwich—across the river
Lea, on one side, and the Brent on the other, with only
3s. for five and a-half miles ; and no more chance of a
fare back than if he found himself in the back woods of
America. This is to be set right with a shilling
a-mile beyond a new four-mile circle round Charles
the First's statue at Charing cross. With these mo-
difications, agreed upon before the strike, and with the
vehicles actually once more plying for custom, we may
soon expect to see the quarrel easily and amicably set-
tled. But we certainly are of opinion that so great an
inconvenience and so dire a portent as the sudden and
treacherous withdrawal of all our public carriages, ex-
cept our omnibuses, ought not to pass without some
good coming out of it. It is our business to act as um-
pire between contending parties in the strike, and the
advice we give is, that all sides will set about consider-
ing, not themselves, but the public„ and how it may be
best served for the future.

THE LONDON SUMMER POULTRY SHOW.—The London
summer poultry show finally closed last evening, after
having been witnessed by many thousands of persons,
and it is admitted on all hands that, it was the finest
collection of poultry ever witnessed, and the great asto-
nishment appeared to be, the actual prices which some
of the specimens realised. Indeed, in many instances,
specimens were purchased at sums marked in the cata-
logue, supposed to be prohibitory ; and, although at the
swerinesrteamncae , even in the
winter brisk cum'
auction held on Thursday,
remarkable. So far
petition which was found ato thet poultry show,
morestill t the prices
orleaa,sisisoefci
fionwml s ,
as attendance was concerned, the show was not on the
whole so successful as was anticipated, or as its merits
deserved.
COPIAPO MINING COUPANY.--The annual general
meeting was held yesterday at the offices, 2, New
Broad-street ; Mr. John Labouchere in the chair.
voiumino.us accounts were submitted to the meeting
andunanimouslyusly passed. The expenditure for the past
year ending g 30th of June, stated that the shipments
by Buenos Ayrean were 10 000/ by E h 'd
, engensen ei
17,0001., bar silver 1,000/ , ' . *
The ex making a total of 28,0001.
expenditure amounted to 23,0001., which left a
profit of 5,000/. Mr. Labouchere dthe
meeting ,congratulate
meeting on
the success of the company, and the pro-
mising indications of their property, which was rapidly
improving and increasing in value and importance. The
mineral riches of Tres Puntas are becoming immense,
and although discovered only four years since, have
produced a profit of 4,000,000 dollars, but notwith-
standing the improved prospect, the directors thought
it adviseable to make a call oF 1/. per share, which will
be sufficient to enable the company to be freed from the
debt, and carry on their operations successfully. A vote
of thanks was then given to the chairman and directors,
and the meeting separated. I
KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON'.—Yesterday afternoon a
special meeting of the council and friends of the pupils
took place in the council-chamber, for the purpose of
distributing the prizes to the successful competitors, and
for hearing the recitations delivered by the scholars ;
Sir Robert H. Inglis, Bart., M.P., presided on the
occasion, supported by Lord Radetock and a most
-
numerous company. The chairman having briefly July 22.---i.
stated the object for which the meeting had been called COURT-MARTIAL AT MALTA.—MALTA,
sr, to be
general court martial will assemble to-morros . _ try
together, several recitations from classical and other composed of six field officers and nine captains,. , t° blie
authors were delivered, at the conclusion of which theof pu
Capt. Eyre, 47th Regiment, for embezzlementof
chairman presented the prizes awarded to the successful ArtillerY,
A. private of the Buffs, and another . to the
competitors. The following are the names of the money.
both fell down and died on Wednesday, owing , the
prizemen for the various essays and verses :—Prize for a accelerated
excessive heat of the weather, which acce
Latin essay (given by the council), King Smith ; prize diseases under which they laboured. ,- .
for Greek lambics (given by the council), Henry Robert ' istant, 34-1.
BIRTH EXTRAORDINARr.—Ou the 14th n _ a „oer
Anderson ; prize for Latin verse (given by the princi-
Lathangue, sure:eon, of Shalevell. delavorted
stepri3e, ,
pal), King Smith and Samuel L. Warren, equal; prize
for Eng,lb,ll ver:,•o (given by the head ina.stcr), King woman, named Watson, of 14, Darse"tl;ete,:o boys, all
Smith ; prize for an English essay (given by the Literary causeway, of three fine children, a girl and
do
w_,,. it
Union), King Smith. A vote of thanks to the chair- iof whom are bee.lth and appear ilikely to well ing
'to be regrettedthat the ts of this inters:, i
I is
man concluded the proceedings, and the meeting sepa-unable to meet this unexpe
rated. I family are very poor, and
I demand upon them.

ITALY.
„
We read in the Presse :—" We have already sP—kcal
uct
of numerous arrests having taken place at Vienna
Ischl. It appears that there had been an extensiv.,
conspiracy, in which several persons of the highest fall;
lies are compromised." The same journal says:—,‘ Le.
last accounts from the Roman States are deplora
Assassinations in the provinces increase in a frig i%
manner. Four were committed in the space of fly'.
six days, namely, two at Faenza, one at Imola, and o,so
at Castel-Bolognese. One of the victims is dead, tm
others are much wounded, but will recovor. The ae,
count of serious disturbances having taken place at t7b;
logna, Forli, Rimini, Ravenna, &c., on account ca AOO
rise in the price of corn is confirmed, and it i!,_litTap
that the Secretary of the little Republic of San .0"'"
has been assassinated."

SPAIN.
The Madrid journals of the 24th, like those of Pll3oi
ceding days, are destitute of political news. 31",iit
the principal political personages, and of the corps 113;
i
omatique, had left Madrid for La Granja, to attend of
reception for kissing hands on the occasion of the
Queen Christina. The Nacion and the Diario fewer_
seized on the 24th. The Minister of Public works ls'
it is said, drawn up a bill for effecting certain reforo73,
with respect to the Stock Exchange, and another,%,s
taining regulations for the corps of engineers of
and roads. A Seville journal states that Queen 30'er
Amelie, widow of King Louis Philippe, is sh°rtinY aka
pected in that city on a visit for a month to the x'tool,l
de Montpensier. The 24th being Sunday the St
Exchange was not open.

111

iilii(

Rest

A ev..z,

Gove
Nate: