The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-04-16
The English Railways.

la. J. Downing, now IN England, IS Wits
ling home series Of letters upon the
different matters that meet his eye. Hero
are few words upon the English railway
System
The last word reminds me that I must
say word or two here, about the En-
Iglish railways IN Foir Of speed I think
their reputation odt-fuhs Tie fact. fdid
not find their average with the exGep-
Ition of the road between Liverpool aud
London) much above chat Of our best
northern and eastern roads. They make.
for instance, hardly twenty miles an hour
with the ordinary tyafns, and about thirty
six miles an hour with the express trains.
But the perfect order and system with
which they are managed the obliglng
civiliy of all persons in the employment
of the companies to travellers, aud the
unieiness with whic h The business Of the
road is carried on, strikes an American
very strongly. For example, suppose you
are on railroad al home. You are about
to approach a small town, where YOU may
leave and take up, perhaps, twenty pass
sengers AS soon as the town is in sight,
the engine or its whistle begins to scream
ou,-the bell rings-the steam whizzes
and the train stops. Out hurry the
way passengers, in rush the new CONS
ers. Again the bell rings, the steam
whizzes, and with noise something be>
tween a .creech and ayell. but more m-
fernal than either--a noise that Leaiens
the old ladies', delights the boys, and
frightens all the horses, of rushes the
whzzing and yelling over mile
or two Of country, before it takes breath
for the like process al the next station.
In an English railway you seldom hear
the scream Of the steam whistle at all'
1t is not considered paf' of the business
Of the engineer TO disturb the peace OF
the whole neighborhooc, and inform them
that he and ,he train are coming. The
guard al the station notices the tram
when it first comes in sight. lie imme-
dlately rings hand bell, just loud eS
nough to warn the passengers in the sta
ton to ge. ready The train arrives
NJ yelling, screaming, or wh'zz'ng-
possibly gentle letting off of the steam
quite a necessary thiug-not at all
for effect. The passengers get out, and
others get in, aud are all carefully seat
ed by the aforesaid guard or guards.
When this is all done, the guard Of the
station gives ,inkle or two with tho
hand bell again, TO signify to the con-
ductor tha, all is ready, and of the train
darts, as quietly a. if it knew screaming
to be thing not tolerated in good so"
ciety But the difference is national afS
ter 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 phllosophli
cal writer has said it is only boys and
saraces who scream-men learn TO Con-
, troll ,hemselves-we hope TO see the time
, when our people shall find out the adj
: vantage of possessing power without
$ making a noise about it.
II we may take lesson from The En-
{ glish in the management OF railways,
: they might learn vastly more from us in
e the accommodation Of passengers. What
4 are called frs, class carriages" on the
S English rails, are thoroughly comfort
. able, in the English sense of the word,
e They have seats Cor six-each double
$ cushioned, padded, and SET of from ths
!, resi-, lihe the easy chair OF all alderman,
!. in which you can epsrench Yourself and
# imagine tba, the world vas made for you
e alone. But only small part OF the
: travel in England is in FIRST class cars.
e for it is luxury shal must be paid for
+. in hard gold-~cosling four or five times
= as much as the most comfortable tratS
N elling by railroad in the United States.
}. Aud the second class cafs-Hm which the
s great majority OF the British people really
c travel-what are they! Neat boxes, in
G which you may 5 it dowr on a perfectly
e smooth hoard aud find out all the softs
,l ness that lies in the grain Of deal or good
e English oak for they are golItless OF
y all cushions. Our neighbors Of this size
r. of the Atlantic have been 50 long accus-
+ toned to catering for the upper class in
IF this country, that the fact that the rail-
k road is the most democratic institution OF
+ the world has not yet dawned upon thsm
e in all IFS breadth. An American rail
/. car, built 10 carry large number in
IS luxurious comfort. at a price that seems
z fabulous in England pays better profits
le by the immense travel II begets. than the
1t i'll devised first and second class car
= riages Of the English railways.
m AMBIGuous PREAcuISG On coming
:. ou, of church, asked Mr. F., distinguish
- cd lawyer, how he liked the sermon of Dr.
4. th;nL .a;I ~ .g III . :, coo,a. .,n1o,