The New York herald., 1876-11-17
LONDON CABS.
The Driver of the Hanson and
Of the era Wler."
HANSON VERSUS RAIL
Mrs. Prodgers, the Cabman's
Nightmare.
LosDos. Oct %, 1876.

be estimated by any person VINO mas not spent some
In London in the other large cities in England
To persons engaged in business II Is Indispensable its
valuc incalculablc There thousands Of bust.
ness men In London who seldom ride in any
other class OF vehicle. Tho ordinary cab is
a dclusion and snare; the omnibus has too many
stoppagcs and is altogether too much a machine Of
be Of the slightest service TO one In hurry,
and even the underground railway can only be used
to advantage under certain conditions. But the
hanson will pierce Its way through the busiest
thoroughtarcs with unerrng accuracy and safety
when omnibuscs and tramcars block the way. With
it there is no fear OF missing the train, fear OF
being late in keeping an appointment. Perhaps the
IMPORTANT CONVENIENT USE OF TINS VEHICLE
IS that which is brought into requstion between the
hours OF one A. NJ. and six A. NJ. when tho omnIbuscs
and underground railway trains have ceased 10 run Tor
the night when, not for the hanson, many
newspaper men and others would be obliged 10 rcsors
to .'shanks pony" in order at their homes
in tho suburbs The speed OF y hanson varies from
eight thirteen miles por hour according to tho tine
OF day and the consequent OF the traffic The util
ity OF the underground railway frequently cxagcer-
ated For instance hcro in Fleet street this method OF
locomoton IL almost out OF the question.
l want to go to Bartholomew laie or the Bank OF
England, rainy day, which are OF quite frequent
occurrence. III | take the underground road must
nrSt Walk nvc minutes 10 reacn
then have the trouble of descending innumorablo
steps, OF losing two minutes before the train comes
pay two ponce first class fare, and get out at the
Mansion House depot, and then another walk or
three minutes TO reach my destination which do in
ABOUT dfteon minutes from tho start Wore to call
hanson at the door, in seven minutes should be put
tho bank, ut cost Of shilling, saving OF
minutes and OF vast amount OF discomfort ana
TgE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM
Is, course, OF vast advantage to thousands upon
thousands persons who compelled live In tho
suburbs, and who como eight nine miles at .
cost OF from three TO six pence or shilling day but
in the city this method OF communication s Of
but slight value Tor shorter distances The great
OF the Holborn, Oxford and Regent streets arc
al at great distance from the underground system,
and consequently almost excluded from their ndvan-
,ages and cheapness A person living 10 Fleet street
and desiring to go Baker street. Kings Cross, must
FIRST walk a distance OF ten TO fifteen minutes
to the Harrington street depot, IN which time
destination for eighteen pence. For evening
Appointments the hanson Is necessity cven II
your host lives In the suburbs six or seven miles
live within easy reach OF tho stations. BY hanson
cab you from Fleet street reach Mazda Hill cis-
tance OF five miles, in halt an hour; and though the
underground from the Temple TO that part OF the
suburbs yet Il makes long circuit and you cannot
cost for such q ride by hanson would be half crown
or three shillngs: by the underground shilling first
sir n,essant drive avoiding lho rloom and smoke
and general tombiness OF the tunnels.
HANsOMS
in London Is about 00O and these are owned by up
OF 10 proprietors OF different grades from the
large cab owner who has reached position OF opu
encc by means OF the gains brought to him by tho
cont,n ual running OF his vehicles tho adventurcr
who has scraped together enough money TO buy or
build single hansom and who depends liveli-
hood upon assiduous plying for hirc at all hours OF
the day and night Hansoms are, IN iact omnprcsent
You cannot walk block, hardly, even in the suburos,
without Seeing hanson driver watching Tor fare
Here In Fleet street ut least dozen pass tho door
every minute OF the day, their drivers ever ready
I Srht tck MT lnnr
farthcst part Of the CITY And they will do II good
naturedIy too As rule the hanson drivers civil
and oblgng persons very unlike the drivers OF the
crawlcrs) and IL you not stDgy as Mrs. Giaco-
metti Prodgcrs they will always give you thank you
TOO much and leave you with the impression that you
good sort OF fellow after all, which, by the way
at his fare. and drive away without saying word
making you ieel somewhat uncomfortable and a trne
mean. Now and then you come across an insoent or
drunken hanson driver but this sort Is fortunately
LONDON HANSON DRIVERS,
as Glass; infinitely superior, both regards in
tciigcnco and cviity, 70 their brothers the
s.silver strcak.n Cabby's earnings quite good
not high He loves beautiful mornings
that he may drive people the city, aud about
three O'Clock 10 the afternoon hc prays Tor rain,
that his morning fares may be compelled to ask his
assistance whereby to get homo dry and happy. The
financial arranccment between cab masters and cab
drivers peculiar The driver does receive wages
pay him certain sum therefor and his own earn
ings arc therefore dependent upon the chance
,s,Y' ten to ai,ceA shiliinss psr day before
HIS expenses cleared In addition to his fare has
ns ana h o.
the authorites) he receives portion Of It's value II
he givcs It in at Scotland Yard i u be not reclaimed
within a given time. But the London hanson is far
from beng tho perfection OF a vehicle Tor locomoton
On a rainy day, when the shutter Is down, 1t Is as
comfortable and stuiy machine carriage maker
invented II you nnaccustotned the OF
hanson IL Is intricate business to enter with
rno naa stns the whse seu which CLOSELY adons ne
STEP Having succeeded In getting your foot on the
stcp various contortons Of the body bo
foro you be comfortably seated 1t Is round
thc-corncr" sort OF business In which must have
practice before attaining that neatncss OF movement
cessary Beware too OF the horse starting before you
well seated You VIII sit down rather harder than
is necessary II you arc not on the lookout for this sud
on ITS NATIVE HEATH
The London hanson, with all its inconvenienccs
and impcrect0ns, Is u production Of the London c-
mate; a climate IN which ram, fog mist aud drzzle
the rule and sunshine is the exception Here the
open barouchc ana the Parisan hacre will not do In
Paris you have the closed cab winter and the plea
SAINT open coture summer but here have the han
all the year round, short summer and a long
winter rendering any change mpracticablc. This veh-
Gle, moreover Is essentially the carriage Of busy
pie, and not made to carry loterers while y IS too
He cannot iuy enjoy sunshine and beauty OF scenery
from It, although, so far as scenery is concerned
much as the hanson is exclusively town vehicle
tho loss OF scenery Is not much. 1t is IN fact only
used by those who anxious 10 get to their destna
IONS IN hurry ohouiu ~ ram the uliVel cts uown
the glass shutter process detrimental to the brim Of
tho novce's hat.
YORK,
with It's totally different climate, different kind OF
hanson Is nceded--an open vehicle, with flexible
awning-somcthing like buggy, perhaps, would do
or, indeed, two sorts would seem to be called for
for summer and the other for winter. The London
hanson would scarcely be Of service in its present
form but species OF this sort Of conveyance might
made available 10 all men OF business and persons
hurry who can afford TO pay Tho great objcc-
ton 10 an increase OF the cab system would
tho lower half tho city, confined II is within
small limits by its two great nankins rivers, whereas
London Tor the most part is situated level ground
has natural boundaries aud its capability or cx
tension Is unlimited in every direction. Under cx-
istng circumstances IN New York the system OF
police regulations and traffic would be rendered nee
cssary exists In Berlin and Vienna aud IN the
crowded portions, near the wharvcs especially, Of
London