Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-12
TRAVELLING IN ENGLAND.
The DifIeFeUce Between English
and American Passenger
Coaches.
New York Tribune.

If there is any short trip that il
more uncomfortable than another in
this wide world, it is the trip in q
cross section coach between Liver
pool and London on one of these cold
raw, foggy nights. There is an icy
chilliness about the cars that cannot
DO found elsewhere. Of course there
is nofre. the only concession of com
fort being a can of hot water for youl
feet, putin on starting, and changed
once OIL the trip. 1t gets to a freezing
point in thirty minutes, and you
might as we'll be shipmates with an
icicle for all the comfort you get out
of it. Let no traveller coming this
way omit his lap rugs. The current
of cold air about his legs and feet
renders one or even two indispensable.
| believe the foundation for more
colds and Sickness is laid on the trip
in these cars from Liverpool to Lon
don for the American traveller just
landed from the steamer than else
where in all England. And it is no
better all over the country; the
cars are all equally comfortless
and cold. 1t is no season to
travel in England. On one or two
roads an attempt has been made to
establish q feg eenyenienoes Gt must
be borue in mind that the car in gen.
eral use has none at all), and in a
little pamphlet distributed to the in
coming passengers most felioitous
mention is made no less than six
times Of the fact the new cars have a
"lavatory." The fact is not particu>
larry astonishing to us, but they evi.
IDENTIFY expect US to be amazed, as if a
lavatory in car was concession TO
bring the public to its knees in graft
tude and admiration.
Then as to riding Of the English
car, or coach, as they call it, and
very properly, for it still resembles
the old stage coach, it is so close
coupled, and the tracks are so near
together that there is a "chug- chug'
motion far from pleasant. 1t does not
roll as ours do, smoothly and easily,
but gives an unpleasant idea that there
is a mechanical antagonism between
wheels and rails.
Then as for speed, the average is
not higher than our own, and when
the road bed, weight of rail, solidity
and smoothness are compared, there
is no perceptible advantage over US.
In fact, if it did not look like boast
lug, would say that there is no road
in all England to be compared to the
Pennsylvania and many other
roads out OF New York. To see an
English train pull out with its in>
closed locomotive with smoke stack
about ten inches in diameter, near its
thin, puny whistle and see the short,
bobbing, low rooted, narrow little
cars, makes it all seem like playing
railroad. There is no dignity in it,
no idea of power, as when one of our
ponderous locomotives gives its deep
basso cough and its whistle raises you
right out Of your boots and inspires
you with a sanguinary desire to cut the
engineers throat. English roads
cost double what ours do, and one
can't see where the superiority comes
in. If we expended as much money
CD our roads they would be toe luxu>
rious; the whole community would
break loose and travel continually;
nobody would stay at home. English
frst.class railroad fares are higher
than ours, but the second and third
class rates are q great convenience
and relief-relief to the traveller OF
Strengthened means, aud relief to the
first class passenger from the necessi
ty of sitting 10 an atmosphere redolent
OF bad tobacco, stale beer, onions and
cheese. You can pay your money and
get little exclusiveness, which, this
being the only really free country
that | know of, man can indulge il
without having a dozen newspapers
bowling at him and being called Z
"blarsted aristocrat."