The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-11
Especial Correspondence of the GLoBE.l
FOREIGN LETTER.
The EnvirOns of London.

LONDON, sept. IL, 1873.
Editor Of tile Globe. Upon leaving the
Scottish frontier the mountains gradually
disappear upon the horizon, while undu-
lating hills take up the line and extend
into the interior of England until they
too sink, and the fertile plains and snug
farm houses of the sunny south become
the characteristics of the landscape The
railway lies in the way of Birmingham,
Leeds and Sheffield, with their manufac-
tories and furnaces, belching fire and smoke
for many miles around and to such degree
that the very face of nature is begr;med,
and the cities themselves are blackencd
and shaded by the dense clouds in the
atmosphere. These three cities are the
commercial pulses of England, while the
Great Northern railway is the main ar
terry which conducts their vitality to
London-tlc great heart, whose throbs
and activity stir the world. Out of the
smoke, and into the sunlight, and the tourist
finds himself Swimming the surface of the
agricultural centre of Great Britain. As
far as the eye can reach stretch mead
ows and harvest fields, pastures with cat
tie and gardens with gay autumn
flowers, villas and cottages. The land
scapc fairly smiles with plenty and hap
piness. Verify, this is merry England. +"
On flies the train, crashing of switches
and country station is passed, built of
stone in the gothic style, with arbors of
flowers and shrubbery, while in front
stand the guards in military array, dress
cd in brown corduroy, trimmed with the
initials of Victoria Regina in silver on
their coat collars. In fact, allIthe connec-
tons OF the railways are of the finest or
der and greatest stability. The stations
are always of massive masonry, with
much attention paid to the identifying
of the exterior in floral art. Hills are
rarely graded when it is possible TO un-
dermine the opposing surface by tunnels ;
and as a means of greater stability for
the track, a chair or irsn rest is placed
upon every sleeper, which prevents the
flattening of the rails
! In order to avoid accidents extreme pre-.
cautions are taken in the way of an elabo-
rate system of signals and sounds not
withstanding which the weekly lists of
railway accidents have of late been SO great
that the columns of the newspapers are
daily filled with horrid casualties and all
classes of society are awakened to the ne.
cessity of an investigation of the increasing
mortality by accident. Even the London
Times during the last week appeared with
an editorial which astounded its conserya.
tive adherents with the remark that the
frequent recurrence of railway accidents
and the attendant severity and fatality of
the issues should arouse all classes to the
necessity of change in management OF
mechanism"
A generally received opinion is that Eng
land either ignores or else only partially
adopts the improvements which have been
tested with perfect success in other coun-
tries. The improvements referred to are in
the use of the air-brake and cow-catcher,
both of which are American Inventions
The English engine has perfectly fla,
front which in case of collision immedi
ately causes the locomotive to spring from
the rails dragging with it the attached cars
AS an example, the recent disaster al
Portsmouth will serve, wherein an engine
came in contact with sturdy bull and the
whole train went over an embankment
causing terrible loss of life and limb. The
English are extremely loath to adopt any
foreign Improvement, especially if it be
American but as their social interests are
at stake in the present instance they may
be willing to call upon us for the sake OF
the safety of their travelling public.