The Republican journal., 1871-06-15

| thought my experiences in New Yolk
streets had prepared me for London ;
hut on emerging into the London streets
for the first time found my mistake I
was fairly stunned and bewildered by the
tremendous rush of humanity that poured
down through Oxford street. through
: lIolborn, on to the city, or otherwise
down towards White Chapel, Lombard
street. the Bank, and the Exchange.
Great omnibuses, drawn by three
horses abreast, Numbered over the pave
ment four wheel cabs or -four wheelers,'
4 sort of compressed American carriages,
looking as though resuscitated from the
last stages of dissolution ratified here
ana there the Hanson cabs, those most
convenient Of all carriages, dashed in
and out, hither and thither, in the crowd
of vehicles; great brewery drays, with
horses like elephants, plodded along with
their loads; the sidewalks swarmcd with
Il moving mass Of humanity, and many
were the novelties that met my curious
eve.
The stiff, square costume OF the British
merchant; little boys Of ten. with beaver
hats like men Lord Dundrearys with eye
glasses susll rs Il had never seen before,
except upon the stage al the theatre
ticket porters with their brass labels
about their necks policemen in their uni
forms officers and soldiers in theirs; all
sorts of costermongers with everything
conceivable to sell, and all sorts of curl
ous vehicles, some with wood enough IN
them forthree OF Il similar kind in America.
The drivers of the London omnibuses
feel the dignity Of their position, they
Il hA hn licit
passengers, takes the pay, and regulates
The whole business OF the establishment.
The driver or rather the ''coachman,n
drives; he wears u neat top-coat, bea-
Yer hat, and pair of driving gloves;
he drives with an air. You can attract
his attention from the sidewalk, and he
will 'pull up,' but he does ii with a sort
of calm condescension; the conductor
or cad, ON the other hand, is ever on the
alert; his eyes are in every direction;
he signals a passenger in the crowd in
visible to all but him; he continually
-houts the destination of his vehicle, but
sometimes in Il patois uninteligible eX
ccpt 10 the native Londonor. These con-
ductors are generally sharp, quick-witted,
and adopts to the blackguardism, and it
is good advice to the uninitiated to be-
ware ''chai1ing' them, as in nine cases out
of ten the cad gets the best fit.
The Hanson cabs are the best and
most convenient vehicles that can posi-
bly be used for short excursions about
the city. A shilling will carry you a
smart fifteen minutes ride, the legal
price being sixpence mile, but nobody
ever expects to give Il cabman any less
than shilling for ever so short ride
Eighteen pence is readily accepted for
n three mile trip, and it costs no more for
Two persons than one. There being
nothing between the passenger and the
horse but the dashcr, as the driverisperch-
ed up behind an unobstructcd view is had
as you whirl rapidly through the crowded
streets; and the cheapness of the convey
ancc, added to its adaptabilty for the
purpose that it is used, makes an Ameri-
can acknowledge that in this matter the
English are far in advance of us, and
also to wonder why these convenient We
hicles have not displaced the great, cum
bersomc, two-horse carriages which even
a single individual is compelled to take
in a American city if he is in q hurry to
90 to the railway station or to execute u
commission, and which cost nearly as
much for trip of 4 mile as would en-
cage a Hanson in London for half day.
There has been much said IN the Lon
don papers about the impositions of the
cab-drivcrs but / must do them the JUS
tee to say | saw little OF none of it; max
ing myself acquainted with the legal rate,
I found it generally accepted without
hesitation. If was in doubt about the
distance, instead Of adopting the English
plan of keeping the extra sixpence, gave
it, and so cheaply saved disputes.
Coming out from the theatres YOU find
privileged porters, who have the right of
calling cabs for those who want them, be-
sides numerous unprivileged ones; boys
will dart out to where the cabs are, they
are not allowed to stand in front of the
theatre, and fetch you one in an instant.
The driver never leaves his seat, but
your messer ger openes the cab, and shuts
YOU in, shouts your direction to the driv-
en- and touches his cap, grateful for the
penny or two pence that you reward him
with. [Gould's Cover the Ocean"
A Boston trader called at a house in
Maiden. some time ago to buy cheese, but
when he came to look at the lot he con-
cluded he would not take it, it was so full
of shippers AS he was going off, the
farmer said to him: "Look here, mister,
how can | get may cheese to Boston the
chcapcst?n The trader took another look
at the cheese, and seeing more and more
evidence Of its being alive, replied: "Well,
let it be for day or two longer, and l
guess you can drive it DOWN.