Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29
1oNDoN,s MUNICIPAL STEAMERS
The City's Efforts to Popularize Local
Travel on the Thames
From Public Opinion.

From Public Opinion
While New YorlI'is preparing 10 open
municipal ferry London has ALREADY ihaus'
urated a municipal penny steamer se'E-
,ca on the Thames. This boon loI 'He ~
- orIondon has been won after long and
arduous conflict by the county eoNi',n'
so,,e the London Review Of Reviews lhe
silent tideway of the Thames VIII be re-
stored 70 It's ancient uses az the great
1,ietrrax of London. 1t Is almost incou. W.
ahIe TO the intelligent foreigner lA't tn9
citizens of the greatest city OF ue -
should for years have been pracuCAl' uS
privcd of the use of their river lol Pe
hoses of passenger traffic, owing 10 The ar
library within and self-interested pieJuulco
OF a handful of tory peers. me ne" pas
senger service will carry wofhlHsIil eH 70
whole length of the course TOT a penny -
thev travel before o'clock In the morning.
The regular rate after that hour IS penny
M to three miles. twopence up 10 ilNe' 'Hlee-
pence up to eight fourpence up 70 T'5.cs
and fvepence over eleven. Return uchels
are issued at twopence, threepence' nVe-
pence sixpence and eightpence. IL = -
POSSIBLE therefore TO travel over " envy
two miles for eLShtpence.
..Rv a bappy Inspiration the stesme.s are
christened in the names OF personases no
table in the history Of London. II Is tne
first time that many OF the citizehS HaEe
heard of these departed worthles- ! ms as
one of the few seriOGs efforts Whlch nave
beerr made in London by Londoners TO re-
mind the public 'of the historical aSsOcla-
tious which cluster round the Famous city,
In the cabin of each steamer Will be placea
a memorial tablet, giving in brief compass
the facts and dates relating 10 the person
after whom the steamer is named That
also is but a beginning. From that IRE
ducible minimum of biographical lntorIn.l-
ton il may be possible to make every
steamer an automatic professor OF London
letters" -
The neglect of the Thames as a high
way and means of pleasure is Whae
chiefly concerns the London BACK ana
White and in the opening OF tie service
IN the presence of the Prince of Wales 1t
sees a possibility of change. Ihe nearest
we can get to the royal barges which were
won't 70 make the Thames joyous are
.nennv' steamers. But If there is no nope
~ reyiving the aristocratic glories OF the
rI,,ar the Prince of Wales voyage TO GREEN
1vicb was the Inauguration of a laudable
,ttemnt on the part of the county council
a. hripe the waterway within reach of the
neonle. How shamefuly Il has been ne
elected is recognized by all. From time to
time spasmodic enterprises have been set
-, foot hut they have not been persisted
IN. and as far as living memory can go the
Thames has been a partially neglected BEN
cat The thoroughly democratic journey
taken by his royal highness on steamboat
things. Let US hope It will at least per.
suade the people TO educate themselves in
the manifold dignity of London. Nothing
ia more calculated to that end than a voy-
aoe down the river, 1t reveals wonders of
wealth which most Londoners but family
conceive None can really know what Lonv
don means to the world TIL he has explored
the grimy portions OF the river and seen
the busy seafaring life of the great port"