Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-04-03
ENGLISH RAILWAYS.

The last word reminds me that must
say word or two here about the English
railways. In point of speed think their
reputation out runs the fact | did not
find their average, with the exception of
the road between Liverpool and London
much above that of our best northern and
eastern roads. They make, for instance,
hardly twenty miles an hour with the ordi-
nary trains, and about 36 miles an hour
with the express trains. But the perfect
order and system with which they are man
aged; the obliging ciyilty of all persons in
the employment of the companies to travel
lers, and the quletness with which the bu-
slness of the road is carried on. strikes an
American very strongly For example,
suppose you are on railroad at home
You are about to approach small town,
where you may leave, and take up, perhaps,
twenty passengers As soon as the town is
IN sight, the engine or its whistle begins to
scream out-the bell rings, the steam whiz-
yes, and the train stops. Out hurry the way
passengers; IN rush the new comers. A.
gam the bell rings, the steam whizzes with
noise something between a screech and
yell, but more Internal than elher-a noise
that deaiens the old ladies', delights the
boys, and irightens all the horses; Off PUSHES
the acknowledging and yelling over
mile or two of country, before it takes
breath for the like process at the next sta
ton.
In an English railway you seldom hear
the scream of the steam whistle at ALL 1t
is not considered part of the business of an
engineer to disturb the peace of the whole
neIghborhood, and inform them that he and
the train are coming. The guard at the
station notices the tram when it comes i'm
sight. He Immediately rings hand bell,
Just loud enough to warn the passengers in
the station TO get ready. The train arrives
no yelling, screaming or whizzing pos
sibly gentle letting off of the steam-quite
a necessary thing-not at all for effect
The passengers get out and others get in.
and are all carefully seated by the aforesaid
guard or guards When this is all DONE the
guard of the station gives tinkle or two
with the hand-bell again, to signify to the
conductor that all is ready, aud off the train
darts, as quietly as if il knew screaming TO
be thing not tolerated in good society,"
But the difference is national after all
John Bull says in his railroads, as in every-
thing else, " steady-all right" Brother
Jonathan, "clear the coast-go ahead ~
Still, as our most philosophical writer has
said, it is only boys and savages who scream
men learn TO control themseyes-we
hope to see the time when our people shall
find out the advantages of possessing power
without making a noise about 1t.
= ] we may take lesson from the English
sasahe management of railways, they might
learn vastly more from US in the accommo-
dation OF passengers. What are called
" iirst-class carriages" on the English rails,
are thoroughly comfortable in the English
sense of the word. They have seats for six
each doube-cushioned, padded and set
off from the rest, like the easy chair of an
alderman, in which you can entrench your
self and imagine that the world was made
for you alone. But only small part OF the
travel in Eng land is in first class cars, for
II IS luxury that must be paid for in hard
gold-costng four or five times as much as
the most comfortable travel by railroad IN
the United States. And the second class
cars-ln which the great majority of The
British people really travel-what are they
Neat boxes, in which you may sit down on
a perfectly smooth board, and find out all
The soltness that lies IN the grain OF deal
or good English oak-for they are gulltness
of all cushions. Our neghbors of this side
of the Atlantic have been SO long accustom-
ed TO catering for the upper classes in this
country, that the fact that the railroad is
the mos, democratic institution of the day,
has not dawned upon them IN all its breadth.
An American rail car. built to carry a large
number in luxurious comfort, at price that
seems fabulous in England, pays better prof
its by the immense travel 1t begets, than
the lll-deyised first aud second class carria-
ges on the English railways.-Hcrtieultnr-
ist.