The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-03

pOckets2 Readers of the HERALD ponder
over the bloody catalogue and know that you
will be yourselves to blame if it be repeated in
the year 1873.
Heavy Tax ON Time.
One of our city contemporaries makes
computation that during the last year the city
horse cars carried one hundred and twenty
five millions of passengers, Of whom forty mil
lions rode two miles or more, wasting at least
thirty minutes in each trip, as compared with
what would be required if we had decent
rapid transit railway. This certainly is very
moderate estimate of the loss Of time entailed
upon our business population by the made
quate means employed in this greatest and
wealthiest of American cities in necessary
transit from one part of the island to another.
Think of q man, whose time is money, throw
ing away an hour each day beyond whatshould
be occupied In the journey between his shop
or store and his home. By this primitive. jog
trot, one-horse arrangement instead of using
the nineteenth century motive power of steam,
he wastes fully one-tenth part Of tho working
day, or more than month out Of each year.
In other words, the failure of New York to use
improved methods of propulsion defrauds heR
of tho labor OF one-tenth of her working
population, increasing the cost Of products in
the same ratio. The imperative necessity OF
the city is ability to pass from one
section to another at q rate of speed
equal to going from the Battery TO Harlem
bridge in twenty minutes. No man whose
time has any value can afford to 60 slower,
and what is true of individuals is equally true
of the community. Our long, narrow island
is admirably situated for al Industrial and
commercial purposes, giving us such abund-
anoe of water frontage, but it naturally tends
to monopoly Of the south end by business,
while residences must be at the north. Unless
we have rapid transit this Is tax and draw.
back upon our business Of every kind. With
full provisions to carry our people quickly
from one end Of the island to the other our
peculiar shape would become vast advantage
over that of other cities whose water front is
smaller in proportion to area. New York
must have some kind Of quick railway transit.
We do not insist on the advantage Of this OF
that plan, but some provision we must have.
We cannot afford to throw away q tenth part
of our time, not to speak Of extraordinary do
tentions in consequence of storms. epizooties
or other unusual hindrances of travel.
The situa ton In Mexico.
President Lerdo de Tejada closed the session
of tho Mexican Congress by the delivery of q
hopeful, progressive speech. The Republic is
about to commission embassies to Spain and
Germany, and, also, to enter into more intimate
diplomatic relations with the States of Central
America He informed the members that the
work of the Rio Grande Commission was
one of the greatest importance to the interests
of Mexico, and that if it is concluded in q
satisfactory manner the result will enable the
Executive to discharge an agreeable duty in
preventing international complications with
the United States. The President asked per-
mission to issue new government loan, and
promised that the State would deal fairly and
neutrality towards all projects for building
railroads. The preparation of stage rob-
berry, after the old-time Mexican fashion,
served to remind the people and foreign capi-
talists of an era in Mexican history which is
now being rapidly brought to q close while
the preparations which are being made for the
Inauguration of the Vera Cruz and Mexico
City Railway give hope of the near advent of q
moment in which the ''Stand and deliver" Of
the professional bandit and the Gibbons
and riot of the stage driver will be among
the echoes and thingsof forgotten time.
Rumor OF New Russian Loan.
One of our latest cable dispatches from
London has it that new Russian loan is about
to be put on the English market. 1t was not
unnatural to connect this loan with the CAM
paign which Russia is making preparations to
undertake against Khiva. It is undeniable
that Russia is in need of money and that
campaign against Khiva will render a loan
necessity Should the loan be put on the
London market it will be satisfactory proof
that the war against Khiva is not in any sense
to be prosecuted in spirit of hostility to
British interests in Asia. This view of the
case is confirmed by cable despatch, which.
we print this morning, to the effect
| that the Russian government has, with the
greatest frankness, communicated to the gov
eminent of Great Britain its plan for tho CAM
paign in Central Asia, and has even gone so
far as to invite British officers to accompany
the Russian troops in their operations. It iSSy
now be regarded as certain that Khiva is
doomed, and that Russia, by this fresh CAM
paign, will make herself undisputed mistress
of the entire line of the Oxus. Afghanistan is
not to be touched, and hence Great Britain
will not interfere. 1t is well, we think, for
the general interests of civilization that the
policy of suspicion should be ended, and that
Great Britain and Russia should arrive ct an
understanding as to what il is best to do with,