The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-07-25
OUR EUROPEAN LETTER.

PerRs of 1'rarelers on Rau Roads 1,
England Eremplifed by the Erperi
ences Of our Correspondent. = tn
american Cars the Best The Pres
ent Political Situation of Greo
Britain The London Season.
LONDON, ENGLAND, July II, 1879.
Travel on the Continental railway
is iraught with dangers unknown /,
those who have only travelled on tn,
more Democratic and Ito nv tastes
more agreeable railroads of the United
States. The division of railway car
riages into compartments NAV hav,
some advantages in the separation o.
ones self from disagrceable people, bu
does it necessarially follow because
man is able to pay first-class fare iha,
he is first-class travelling companion.
My experience leads me to believe tha
ofieniimes the poor traveller, male ol
female, may be, and frequently is,quite
as well behaved and as considerate foi
the comfort of this or that associate OIL
the rail as "A man or woman who carries
heavier purse. | seriously object to
being locked into compartment for a
ride of two or three hours with most
persons with whom am not personal
ly acquainted. | have vivid recollec-
ton of my last ride from London to
Brighton with an Englishman of Draw
ny proportions and good muscular de-
velopment. We were quite alone from
the time we left London Bridge till the
train pulled up at Brighton station. 1t
was Z. NJ. when we started, aud quite
dark. After riding together for quar-
ter of an hour In silence my companion
began conversation, asking me if was
a foreigner, and what my purpose was
in travelling. After few minutes he
put to me the rather direct question,
GLOW do YOU cary your money while
travelling" | told him generally had
it on my person, and by skillful ques-
lioning he drew out of une the knOwl-
edge that had at the time about five
hundred dollars in my pocket. OF
course ! was every fresh" TO tell il. .
Then he said: "What is there TO pre-
vent my cutting your throat, taking
your money and throwing yon ont OF
the Window | knew of nothing in
particular to prevent it save his lack of
desire, and told him so. He then be-
gan a TRADE against the foolish custom
of the English in this respect, and Incl
dentally criticised various other anti
quatcd railway usages relies of the
past-such as the silly warming pans
for the feet, the glass knob which You
break with your canc or umbrella, il
you happen 10 have one, wheu YOU wish
tJ alarm the guard and have the train
stopped. Ii YOU have no instrument of
that description concealed about your
person you are expected 10 borrow
your ass ,ssin's walking stick for the oc-
casion, or his umbrella if he happens to
have one. Then my comrade spoke of
the dim, dull lighting of English cars,
so different from the American gas
lighted car, with its iced drinking wa
ter, elegant seats, perfect system of
vcn,iia ion, water closets, and currents
CT hot air in the winter season running
under each seat. The English have
much, very much TO learn from "Our
American Cousin" i'm railway manage
mont. So have the French. But they
don't care to learn it, unfortunately for
themselves also for us, when we have
to ride on their railways.
Ministers of this country are obyi-
ously preparing for general election,
but whether it will be taken this year
or next depends greatly upon the con-
ditlon OF the revenue and the Zulu war.
A hot summer and an abundant harvest
would afford a cheerful prospect;
whilst an early termination Of the un-
fortunate South African adventure
would enable the chancellor of the ex-
chequcr to meet his constituents with
ont al apprehension of having trouble
some inquiries made about the financial
future. 81 trust" he told the Lower
Hamlets Conservatives, THAT before
the sands of the present parliament
run out we may find ourselves in po-
silion to return to the constituencies an
honorable and a noble record of the way
in which we have discharged the trust
with which we have been honored."
In other words, the cabinet ministers
hope to make up the national accounts
in respect to the Eastern question, the
Afghan question and the South African
question, before they submit the state
ment Of their administration of public
affairs to be finally judged by the coun-
try. Sir Garnet Woiseley, to whose
proceedings immense interest, not I'M
mingled with anxiety, attaches, may
extricate affairs in Zulnland from the
thorns and briars wherein they are en-
tangled: but the public excitement con-
sequent upon delays and disasters,
among the most painful of which the
loss of the gallant young Prince Impc-
rial, who had won golden opinions from
all sorts of people, is not the least, will
require fuller explanation than can as
yet be afforded. There is no knowing
what political strife and fury the death
of the Prince Imperial may give rise to
in France, where the Republic seems
gaining in strength and public respect.
The contention of ambitious spirits in
llamed by the removal of the heir Of the
Emperor, may possibly create embar-
rassments for Europe by which Eng
land could not fail to be affected. The
different problems in the execution OF
the Treaty of Berlin are being over
come, and although the schemes which
have been set on foot may occasion anx-
iety, a general reconcilement is likely
TO be effected, unless some great conti-
mental convulsion should occur to dis
iurb The thoughts of peace. The pos
sibility of a trouble in France wOuld
incline the British Cabinet TO AN early
dissolution of Parliament in order that
The anxieties of a general election
might be got rid of before the appre.
hended trouble occurred; so that any