The Sun.
London, England, 1802-08-12 00:00:00

;T:117, COACHES':

- Tx! foil wing Letter appeared in a Morning
Paper.. of Tuesciay. If the circumstances be as
the,yate there stated, we !lope the Guard and Driver
of the Cuach will ay.et with exemplary punishment.
Bush Ism, Bristol,
Suna'qy IVuon.

4c I laft London last night at eight o'clock in
the Briitol Mail, for the purpose of performing the
• last kind office to a near and dear relative who has
been suddenly snatched from all earthly enjoyments';
• and at Hounslow, our first stage, we changed horses.
We arrived at the fourteen mile-stone at about half
past ten o'clock, where the Coachman, whose. name
is Wright, (and it is right that the Public should
know his name) together. with the Guard, thought
proper to alight, and to leave the coach entirely
to the horses, and while these tnen were drinking
at the Public-house called the Three Magpies, the
horses, finding themselves at liberty, set off with
incredible-speed, and pursued their way to Cole_
. brook, distant four miles. Our situation, for we
were four in number, is more easily conceived than
described. For the first two or three minutes we
were dumb with fear, expedirig-every moment to
be dashed to pieces. In this dangerous state we
remained for about a quarter of an hOnr, in which
time Al?'a passed no less than three bridges, where,
• the water is very deep, into which, if the coach had'
been htirled, we must have been infallibll suffocated.
. At the end of which time, and just before we
reached the turnpike which condutts.you to Cole-,
brook, a Mr. Edwards of Bristol, and myself, took
the resolution of. quitting the coach. We opened
the door for this purpose twice, but the velocity of
our movement terrified us ; at length, however, we
sprung from it, and providentially only received a
few slight bruises ; it was utterly impossible for us
to keep our feet, owing to the impetus we received
from the coach. We followed it a minute or two,
when it was out of sight, learning with satisfaetion
at the turnpike, that it had. passed it in safety, and
soon afzerwards, by means of the screams of a-poor
boy whom we had taken up at Hounslow, that it
was stopped at Colebrook ; and-here I may remark
that in our course we passed no less than six broad
wheel waggons, to one of which we approached so
near as to-have our lamp carried off. Let me now
make a few remarks ; after returning thanks to
Almighty God for his merciful preservation. Tra.
yelling by the Mail should call our attention to a
few' particulars intimately conneied with our Safe.
v. 'We should, as much as lies in our power, pre_.
vent the Coachman from calling at the Public-houses
situated between the Post Towns, where they stop
to drink, and, often, with the. Guard, 'leave the
horses, besides intoxicating themselves, which ren-
• ders them incapable of driving. PasSengers should
be watchful whenever the coach stops, if the Coach-
man alights, instantly to get out of the coach,' and
not to resume their, places till the Coachman takes
his, with the reins in his bands. It would also be
attentive and answer an excellent end, if the Pro-
prietcirs of the Mail Cc,ach were to have painted and
affixed in some conspicuous 'part of the coach, that
any complaints against the Driver or Guard would
be thankfully received. at their Office, or the Gene-
ral Post Office. This would ensure the good beha-
viour, and secure the lives of the passengers and the
safety of the Mail ; for the insolence of these fel-
lows. is unsufferable ; for example, when' I re-
monstrated with Wright on account of his condu64
(foe he followed us, with the Guard, ida post chaise
as soon as it could be procured, and overtook us
about, an hour and an half after) he replied; that we
might -think oqrselves d—d lucky to have escaped
with our necks, and.that he defied me adtid every at, ,
tempt to punish him."