The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-12 00:00:00

however desirable, being eff,cted f,;r many a long
year to come—inferring from this consideration
and others the propriety, not to say the necessity,
of doing, what is called, for thoroughly and well,
which we submit would not be the case if sani-
tary considerations were overlooked. We would
also impress on the minds of the Chief Commis-
sioner of Works and the Metropolitan Board the
duty of providing the best possible approaches to
the bridges and railway stations existing as well
as to be built above London-bridge. The metro-
polis is something more than the city and borough
boundaries, and its general interests, as well as
those of particular parts, demand the care-
ful consideration of those who are entrusted
with the oversight of the whole. The health
of the Borough and the convenience of pas-
sengers, by rail and otherwise, we therefore
trust will not be overlooked ; but, on the con-
trary, hope that everything will be done that c
be expected to meet the wants, and accord with
the enlightened spirit of the age, which regards
the future as well as the present, the health as
wall as the commerce and material prosperity of
the community at large.

If the public are really desirous of Omnibus
Reform, the matter is now in their own hands.
They have before them the two essentials—an
omnibus which is as great an improvement as we
can well conceive of upon the old ones, and the
opportunity to enforce its introduction.
In regard to the vehicle, we have carefully and
minutely inspected it at the maker's in Drury-
lane, and can therefore confidently pronounce
that it leaves little if anything to be desired ; and
that little, not appreciable except by a close
scrutiny, will be supplied in the very next one
which is built. It is an admirable public car-
riage, and well deserves the title of " Saloon
Omnibus ;" for the arrangement of the seats, by
which so much convenience to passengers is
secured, reminds you of a room with settees
of various kinds tastefully dispsed by the
lady of the house. But taste to an
omnibus traveller is of course a secondary
matter. We want seats not over-crowded,
and height and room to reach and quit
them without unpleasant encounters with the roof,
or with the knees of our fellow-passengers. We
want, also, air to breathe, light after dusk, better
means of communication with the conductor than
sticks, umbrellas, and parasols, and for those who
take the outside by preference, or because " it's
full inside," something better than irons to climb
up on more adapted to a tar than to a landsman,
and something more pleasant than the ambitious
and leg-wearying elevation of " the knife-board."
A long catalogue of wants these, yet we think
they are fairly met by the omnibus we have just
inspected. How shall we describe it ? One glance
of "the faithful eyes" would do it best for any
of cur readers. To begin where travellers begin :
when the driver has pulled tolerably near
the kerb-stone, a gentleman, and even a lady, will
ordinarily step easily from the pavement unto the
foot-board without venturing into the mud. The
back presents a centre board for the conductor,
and two doors, one at each side, for the passengers ;
hence the steps for the passengers extend each
way as far as the width of the vehicle permits.
Suppose you enter by the near-side door, at which
eleven of the "twelve inside" enter, you see before
you, net over your head, neat brasses to take hold
of and to steady your movements, and save you
from annoying- yourself or others by an accidental
lunge right or left. A wide and level floor also
helps you to preserve the erect position, the es
sublime, said to be the honour of our species.
But if you happen to be amongst the early corners,
what a choice of seats for you ! At the further
end you see a most comfortable easy chair,
back to horses—room for but one there, of
course the chairman of the party. Thre e
may have the honour of sitting on his right hand,
and four that of taking his left. At the end of
each of those seats there is gratuitous accommoda-
tion for those most annoying of all passengers,
wet umbrellas. Eight have thus found pleasant
bertha. Three more find theirs on a centre seat
near the door ; but the favoured twelfth, as we
have made him by beginning at the wrong end,
for he will generally be the first, whore is he to
go ? W hy, all by himself ; that is from the elbows
downwards, in a pleasant little seat of his own, at
the back of the last mentioned three passengers.
He enters by the offside door, and his pockets, his
clothes, his knees, and all that appertains to him
are as secure as if he were riding in his own
brougham. It i 3 the Beet for a lady and her
infant. Our only fear is that our richer neigh-
bours will hire it by the quarter, at a rate above
what we should like.

The outside you ascend with ease, by good, avail-
able steps, and when there you find yourself com-
fortably seated, eight of you, vi,3-a-vis, at no
frightful elevation, and your knees and feet in a
position of ease. The other four sit, as usual,
with the driver ; but an arrangement is made to
save you from inconvenient contact with his
elbows. The ventilation can be as much or little
as is wished. The communication with the con-
ductor is simple and effective, by means of a
powerful bell close to him ; and eight inches in-
creased width in tho interior give perfect freedom
of movement to the seven who sit facing each
other. Here, then, we have the first desideratum
—an omnibus for the sake of which we should
be heartily glad to turn all the old ones off the
road. Of course, no one can say what further
improvements may be made ; but here is improve-
ment far more than enough to determine the
public to tolerate nothing inferior to it. We
have at least " first caught our hare."

Now for carrying our point. We may compel
the adoption of the omnibuses. A company is
formed under the Limited Liability Act (see our
advertising columns) to carry it out. The names
of APSLEY PELLATT, Esq., Sir JAMES EYRE,
Alderman Sir 11. W. CARDEN, and Mr. Alderman
CARTER, as patrons and honorary referees, aro
sufficient to assure the public that they are in the
hands of men of business and honour. The
shares are but 1/. each, and therefore open to all.
Is it not well worth while for all residents in the
suburbs especially
to take a few shares ? One
pound, or five pounds, very generally subscribed,
would raise the requisite amount. The liability
would be closed with the payment ; and one thing
is certain, that if from subsequent competition, or
any other cause, the company failed, it would
have compelled a universal improvement of the
omnibuses. Few of us would be unwilling to
put down two pounds or five pounds, if all the
omnibuses in London were certain to becom e
" Saloon Omnibuses." And we think it is abso-
lutely certain that this result must follow. We
should secure almost the difference between first-
, class and third-class railway accommodation, and
at least at fares not exceeding those now charged.
We should like the meritorious patentee and the
company to succeed, and we see no reason why
they should not become a paying company
but
did or not, we should have carried
whether they
our main point, and have obtained an omnibus in
which both ladies and gentlemen could ride with
a degree of comfort now unknown. We should
recommend the company to canvass the suburbs
from house to house. A very large constituency
of shareholders would give the public full power
to keep the managers of the omnibuses to their
duty, and we should think that not many would
grudge a pound or two to abate an inconvenience
they have so long complained of.