Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-13
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
FROM OUR LoND ON CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, jury 20, 1858.


trifing portions Of it, the value Of which, as tending
to the comfort and convenience of the inhabitants
of and the sojourners in that vast metropolis, is
never properly estimated, until some circumstance
or other impedes its operations, and deranges the
whole system by depriyng it Of the aid which 1t
derived from the failing but humble auxiliary. A
case in point occurred on Wednesday. The bill for
the regulation of the London cabs which has been in
operation about fortnight has proved 60 be very
inefficient one, and has been condemned, from Its
first action, most bungling, inefficient, and vex-
atious piece of hasty legislation. The drivers OF
cabs and their fares have been equally Inconvenience
the former have not known what they could legally
charge and therefore their habits have charged
too much the latter, governed by former experience,
have offered to ray too little. The quantity Of luggage
which passenger is entitled to convey be reu
aonaJle one. Drivers and those driven by them will Of
entertain very different notions Of what is
sonable quantity Other points either left unde-
cided altogether encountered with mpractcable con-
ditions unntelgible explanations. Cabdrvers
sore capous and offensive passengers suspicious
unreasonable, and oppressive magistrates were per-
picked, undecided and contradictory. In fact the whole
affair of cabconveyance was annoying mystery; and
this mystery has been solved but has been abruptly
terminated, by the whole body of cabproprieors with
drawing from the contest, and yesterday London
without cab. The difference was striking. A psrsoa
entering London in the morning felt something
ing but did not discover what il until the strike of
the cab-men" solved the difficulty The withdrawal of
thousands Of these rapidiydriven vehicles made
crossings at the usually most thronged thoroughfares
practicable with ease and safety Cheapsde without
stoppage and Ludgate Hell unimpeded The omnibuses
conveyances in full practice, and the conductors
ceased to play the part Of solicitors Many weary ct
gen. who had special appointment at the West End had
A.
street. Charng Gross and Piccadilly whilst passengers
by the railways had TO convey their carpetbags and
trunks from the different stations themselves by por-
exorbtant charges or By omnibus the
point their destination where they put down in
the street with their piles Of luggage make the best
bargain they could with whoever offered assist them
their further transit Nobody had beforehand imagined
the vast importance of the London cabs every body
feels them to be very necessary element of London
venience and comfort. What will be the result is not
imagined it is too late in the bring bill
for the regulation of cabs into Parliament Some per-
sons, among whom intelligent magistrates, say that
all the licenses granted to cabs forfeited by this
strike and that opportunity is thus afforded for the
introduction of superior of proprietors carriages
horses and drivers The London papers Of the morning
appear be obliyous Of Turkey and Russia the of
the cor-market and the prospects of the harvest The
subject is the "CABs." In the Commons on Wclnes
day night, Mr. FlTzRoY the author of the present OBJ
noxous BILL stated that the leading objection Of the cab
proprietors that they allowed charge for
back fares when taken beyond certain distance; he
thought there force in this objection and had
promised population who had waited upon him to in.
troduce clause into bill before the House which
should give them the relief they asked for This had
appeared satisfy the depuation and he was not pre-
pared to expect that strike was contemplated The
D.
ing papers, Of which occupied with the subject of
cabs. Five columns of the Daily News, including the
discussion in the House Of Commons filed with
uent, communications, sc. upon this subject. Thus is
London suffering, coup dtta, but from de-ecb
Cabhorses astonshed by days rest and cabdrver.
have turned porters and employed in Juggling trunks
and packages from the railway stations accompanied by
the passengers on foot who last week would have filed
their crazy vehicles and overloaded their weary horses
Those horses their owners 900 day in feed
alone charge which, think viii very compel
those their present Of proceed
ings II is understood that this formidable strike
viii continue and viii be ordered by the committee
Of propretors who arrange the matter from day to day.
according to circumstances The omnibus proprietors
have avaied themselves Of the emergency, and have
raised their fares twenty-five per cent? the additional
earnings it is said 10 be appropriated the fund
for keeping up the cab-strke
deputation Of the cab proprieors waited yesterday
upon Mr.. FITzRoY and made certain propositions which,
If conceded the cabs would be restored their places
Mr. FTzRor said some Of the demands reasonable and
might have been granted if the strike had taken place
but that Parliament would do nothing upon compuson
lie advised the propretors go work again There
certain things asked however which he said would
certainly not be granted The deputa;ion retired and
the decision Of the meeting which they reported was
"< Blu, The Ehole bin, and nothing but he th," drawn
BY themselves There is report that the omnibus own
ers, owing to some grievances, real imagined,
about to strike also This will be a serious in
convenience than the Withdrawing Of the cabs
The newspapers have many comments upon the subject
both serious and comic In respect says the Morn
ing Chronicle, " this unexpected movement produced
very desirable change for the traffic Of the metropolis
has been carried with greater facilities than has ever
been previously witnessed and foot passengers have been
able comfortably and safely the various streets
without let or hndrance at any moment"
But other strikes besides that OF the cabs are en-
crossing good deal Of attention Nearly two thousand
OF the aborers the different wharyes on the surry side
Of the river have struck for advance Of wages and
the consequence has been that the employers have been
compelled to come in great measure, to compliance
with the terms Of the aborer in order that the great
number foreign vessels lying alongside the wharves
laden with most valuable cargoes, may not be delayed
The brcksyers working at the palace Of Westmin-
have also struck and the building has been de-
serted by them. The carpenters at Leeds have also
renowned work until their demand for increased pay is