The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-05 00:00:00

RAILWAY COmPETITION.

The effect of railway competition is just now mo t
strikingly illustrated in the town of Reading, For seve-
ral years the only railway communication between Read-
ing and the metropolis was that of the Great Western
Company, and a scale of fares was established, high as
compared with those of several other lines. The Reed.
tog and Reigate line, however, was constructed a few
years since, and 'forming a jenation with the South•
Eastern at Redhill estab!isbed another, though more di •
tent, mute to London. As an inducement to travellers
the South-Eastern Company, who became the lessees of
the line, had daily a cheap and fist train, enals'ing per-
eons; to reach the city feotn Reading in to o hours, being
lwesesce+ itTeent hcaonns•idcecruepdieedxcbeyedthinegolythiso-rwr, viz., 6s. first classoute, and the fares
and 4s. 6d. second class, the double journey ; and the
tickets were available on the following day. whilst the
single journey tickets were 4s. first cla-s, and 3s. sec ind
class. At this time ss. 6i. was the fare on the Great
Western line for a single journey to Paddington, second
class. The line of the Ssuth-Eset•rn has been extended
to the station yard of the Great Western, and since
then has commenced an exciting competition. The
Se ith-Western Company this summer also obtained a
line to the town, so that now there are three com-
munications thence with London. At the close of
last week both the Great Western and Sou li- Western
Comparies issued a tariff of fares lower then what
extetesi on the S eith-Eistern line, N'iZ., 4s. first
ekes, and 3a. second class, single journey ; and 61. first
c;ttes, and 4s. 6d. second class, docb!e journey ; but the
tickets were only available•for the day on which issued,
unless the Saturday ticks t', which were available for the
following Monday. This announcement somewhat startled
the public,
• but their surprise was increased by a notice
a day or two subst quently by the South-Eastern Company
that passengers would be conveyed in the first class for
3e., and in the second for 25., single journey ; and the
double journey tickets, available to return en the fel
lowing day, 4s. first class, and as. second &ass. Taking
the distance of 'be double journey on the South-Eastern,
which is 134 mile', the charge is only one farthing and a
fraction per mile. Upon this the Great Western on Mon-
day reduced to 2e. first class, and ls. 6.1. seoend class,
single journey ; and 4s. 6d. first e'ass, and 3.5. to cond
class, double journey. A few hours subsequently the
South-Eastern mate a further reduction----2e. first class,
and Is. 3d. second class, single journey ; 3s. first class,
and 2s. second class, double journey, •
rile Great West-
ern thereupon immediately reduced their fares again to
the same amount, making two alterations within the
day. The South-Western Company have also lowered,
hot they charge is. 6d. for the return journey, being
td. higher than either the Great Western or South-
Eastern. The low fares on either lines only apply to
passengers from Reading, and not to any from inter-
mediate stations.

Charpentier, the principal person connected with
the frauds upon the Northern Railway of France,
bas been arre,ted in a most romantic manner. Ae-
c3riiing to the report from the Tribune, it seems
that be succeeded in eluding the vigilance of the
officers and (Heaped to the country, where he die.
guis,al himself as a farm labogrer, and let himself to
a farmer. He was arrested by a mysterious person,
melodramatically draped n a large cloak, who fettered
i
him and brought him to New
in a state
York at midnight. An
official was aroused from his bed, and, while
of undignified and offended semi-nudity, was required
to receive and take charge of the prisoner, the officer
'
arresting keeping his cloak draped about his face, and
refusiog to give his name. A portion of the money has
also been recovered.