Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1859-11-24
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Views of London.
Correspondence Of the Worcester Spy.
LONDON POST OFFICES.

LONDON FOSl OfF FlNEc'
Let me attempt to give you an idea of the
vastness of this great city. The denSely popu
lated portion of London comprises one hun
dred and twenty square miles, and cantainS
nearly three millions of people more than
one hundred times as many as there are in the
city of Worcester more than fifteen times
as many as there in Boston, and nearly six
times as many as there are in New York.
The city of London, however, or that portion
comprised within the walls, contains less than
one square mile. London now comprises
many municipalities which were formerly sep
crate and distinct, but are now as closely con-
nccted and as much under one government as
are the different streets of Worcester.
The following are the names of some of
these municipalities, viz: Battersee, Pad
dington Poland, Camden Town Islington,
Hoxton, Kingston, Bayswater, Kensington,
Brompton, Chelsea, Pimlico St. James, White
Chapel, &c. These districts yet bear their
distinct names and are as distinct in their ar
rangements as the separates town of Massa-
chuSetts. A letter for example sent to an ad-
dress in London would no more reach its des
tination than one sent to an address in Mas
sachusetts, without specifying the town. In
deed the postal system in London is as exten-
Sive as that of Massachusetts. There is gen
cral post office, like that in Boston, which dis
tributes the letters to the vafous districts, as
Boston does to the counties Then there is
general post office in each district like the
one in Worcester for example, where the let
terS are distributed to the various subordinate
offices (of which there is one in nearly every
street, as theyare distributed from Worces
ter to the various towns. Every letter sub
scripton then must comprise the district and
street. There is nowhere general deliv.
ry,"-no place where a person can call for
letter except when addressed 10 the general
post Office.
A letter not properly addressed becomes a
dead letter at once, and the only way to get
it is to record your name and address on
book at the general post office, when your let
ter will be forwarded to your own house. The
department exerts itself to the utmost to have
every letter reach its destination, and if not
successful, the proper officer opens it and re-
turns it to the sender The post Office system
is most complete and perfect and here no huS-
band can absent himself from his family, with
the excuse that he must 20 to the post Of
fce," but as the post Office comes to him, he
will rather wait at home, lest it should come
in his absence. The postage on letter is a
penny, or about two cents, to any part of the
United Kingdom.
TRAVELLING IN LONDON.
Vehicles of transportation from one district
to another are numerous, for, besides the ON
nibuSes, sixpence (or twelve centS) per mile
will convey you in hansom," or hack.
The former vehicle is peculiar in London, and
is very convenient and safe. 1t consists of
strong body similar to a chaise body, placed
about six inches from the ground, on pair of
wheels, with drivers seat at the top of the
back, in such a manner that the driver is be-.
mind and out of sight Of the occupants. When
he wishes any information of the occupants,
ne has but to raise little trapdoor in the top.
and he is at once in communication with them.
Should the horse slip, he cannot fall, as the
shafts are sufficiently strong to hold him up,
and as there are rests" on the shaft, near
the body of the vehicle, the horse, in order to
fall, must overbalance the whole of the vehicle.
There is nothing peculiar in the other public
vehicles, except that the hacks are much
smaller and drawn by one horse, and the om-
nlbuses are much more elegent and larger, ac-
eommodating many passengers on the top, to
which access is very easy by means OF steps.
STREETS AND PUBLIC PARKS.
Ercry street in London is either finely mac
adamised or paved with the square stone, and
the streets and squares are so perfectly finished
that one can only think Of them as formed in
mould. You can scarcely 60 ten blocks in
any direction without meeting an elegant
square, with which, however, the New York
squares compare unfaVorably London sxcels
every city in the world in respect to magni6-
cent parks-the pride of an Englshman, and
the wonder Of all foreigners We may boast
Of Boston Common, but it sinks into nothing