The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-25


the number OF passengers was equal tc
twenty-six times the population. Still. ever
| In Ireland. rs we have said. there has been
between 1879 and 1892. falling OF in the
number OF first-class and second-class pas
seneers. the former declining from 10 per
cent. to 6.63 per cent. and the latter from 1878
per cent. to 1857 per cent. The only part OF
the railway system Of the United Kingdom
where no marked change has occurred is
that comprising the Metropolitan Under
| ground roads and the suburban lines which
carry season-iicket passengers to and
from London. Here. as the distances are
short. and the difference in fares. there
fore. small, the proportion OF third-class
passengers is sometimes as low as rs per
cent, and In no case is 1t over So. 1t Ia q
matter Of observation that many passen-
gers will travel second-class on q short
journey. and yet go third-class when on q
journey OF more than forty miles. Where
considerable distances are traversed, the
difference In fare between third-class and
second-class carriages Is 30 great that few
consider as Of any Importance the fact that
a second-class carriage hns q carpet on the
floor. and perhaps q slightly better cover
and finer hair in the cushions. Otherwise.
1t offers no extra accommodations. not even
In respect OF space. which Is remarkable.
when we keep in view the advantage en-
joyed by the flrst-class passenger in this
respect. In flrst-class compartment. there
are but six seats. whereas there are ten In
the second or third; moreover, In each
hrst-class carriage. there are but four COM
partments agai INST five in most other car
riaRes; 30 that railway company Is
satisfied with twenty-four first class fares
each carriage. although fifty fares are ex-
acted from the second-class. as we'll as from
the third-class carriage.
The decrease Of the second class passen-
gers is due. as we have seen. to the grad
ually improved accommodations OF the
third-class carriages, and the latter fact Is
traceable to the immense influence exerted
upon railway managers by the greatly pre-
ponderant contribution of the third-class
passengers to the receipts. Last year the
first-class passengers on all the railways Of
the United Kingdom paid 312 millions of
pounds sterling. the second-cass 2.37 mill
lions. and the third-class 22.2l millions OF
pounds sterling. In other words, OF the
receipts for ordinary passenger fares sea-
son tickets being excluded. 80.S per cent.
comes from passengers travelling third
class. s.5 per cent. from those by second
class. and 11.2 per cent. from frst-cfass.
whereas. thirteen years ago. out OF each
500. the first-class paid $3.50. the second
class $3.50. leaving only $3.50 to he con-
tributed by the third-class.
The obvious meaning of these figures Is |
that. eventually. English railways will pro-
vide for only two classes Of passengers. |
The second and third classes will be ANAL |
gamated. with the result that what used to |
be called second-class accommodation will |
be procurable for third-class fare. This Is
one Of the satisfactory results Of the strong
drift toward political and social equaliza-
ton observable In the United Kingdom.