CHAPTER XXIII.

THE END OF THE JOURNEY.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, "I leave you here," and trust I have given you no cause for complaint on the score of either civility or politeness to my passengers. I fear that in some places the road may have been heavy and the pace slow. Perhaps it may be thought that the style is incoherent, to which I can only say that such is usually the character of chatter; and if I have written anything which has afforded some interest or amusement, my most ardent hopes are satisfied.

The tale I have told has, in one sense, been told before, but so many fresh phases and incidents were so constantly turning up in the old mode of travelling, that it is not necessarily a twice-told tale. Probably the first idea of most readers upon closing the book will be, "How thankful I am that my lot was not cast in the days of my father or grandfather;" and this naturally leads to the reflection that when the busy wit of man had not produced so many inventions for evading the minor ills of life, the first idea was to endure them; but now, when fresh schemes of all sorts and descriptions are being propounded every day to render life easy, it is to cure them; and if this does not go to the length of making artificial wants, no doubt it is the wisest course to adopt.

To the old hand, however, who has not forgotten his early experiences, this eagerness to escape all hardship may seem to savour of softness and effeminacy, but I make no doubt that, though not called forth as it used to be in the days of yore, there still exists in the youth and manhood of Old England the same pluck and power of endurance when duty calls, as there ever was; and that as long as we continue to cherish our old field sports and games, we are not in much danger of losing them.

It were folly to stand up for road travelling as against the greater convenience of railways; still, I confess to a lingering feeling of regret that what was brought to such a state of perfection should have so completely vanished, and I think I cannot express these feelings better than by a short anecdote.

Many years ago, when hunting with the late Sir W. W. Wynn's hounds, when they had the advantage of the guidance of John Walker, I asked him which pack, whether the large or small, showed the best sport and killed the most foxes. His answer was, "Well, I really think the large pack does kill most foxes and give the best sport altogether, but _I like the little ones_." And if asked which is the best mode of travelling, whether by road or rail, I must confess that, as a travelling machine for conveying us from one part of the country to another, the railway is the best both for safety, speed, and economy; but having said this, I am constrained to make the same sort of reservation as was made by John Walker, and say, "_I like the coaches_."

Most noticeable of all, perhaps, was the plucky effort made in 1837 to revive the favourite "Red Rover" coach between London and Manchester, which had been discontinued upon the opening of the London and Birmingham and the Grand Junction Railways. It was "the last charge of the Old Guard," and shared the same fate. It may be interesting, however, to append a copy of this singular notice--one more evidence of the reluctance of Englishmen to be beaten, even at long odds. The very date at foot is significant, for the enterprise was embarked on in the teeth of the approaching winter.

THE RED ROVER REËSTABLISHED

THROUGHOUT TO MANCHESTER.

Bull and Mouth Inn.

It is with much satisfaction that the Proprietors of the RED ROVER oach are enabled to announce its

REËSTABLISHMENT

as a direct conveyance THROUGHOUT BETWEEN LONDON AND MANCHESTER, and that the arrangements will be the same as those which before obtained for it such entire and general approval.

In this effort the Proprietors anxiously hope that the public will recognize and appreciate the desire to supply an accommodation which will require and deserve the patronage and support of the large and busy community on that line of road.

The RED ROVER will start every evening, at a quarter before seven, by way of

COVENTRY STAFFORD MACCLESFIELD BIRMINGHAM NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE AND WALSALL CONGLETON STOCKPORT

and perform the journey _in the time which before gave such general satisfaction_.

[Symbol: Pointing hand] It will also start from the "Moseley Arms" Hotel, MANCHESTER, for LONDON, every evening, at nine o'clock.

EDWARD SHERMAN ) _Joint_ JOHN WEATHERALD and Co. ) _Proprietors_.

_LONDON_,

_October 28, 1837_.

An old song may come in here:--

"The road, the road, the turnpike road, The hard, the brown, the smooth, the broad, Without a mark, without a bend, Horses 'gainst horses on it contend. Men laugh at the gates, they bilk the tolls, Or stop and pay like honest souls. I'm on the road, I'm on the road, I'm never so blithe as when abroad With the hills above and the vales below, And merry wheresoe'er I go. If the Opposition appear in sight, What matter, what matter, we'll set that all right."

In the introduction I ventured to point out some inaccuracies which I had observed in a statement made upon the subject of coach fares, and as it is probably one which few remember anything about, I give a statement of what would be about the profit and loss of a month's working of a coach for a hundred miles.

RECEIPTS.

A Full Load on the Way-bill both ways. £ s. d. 8 inside passengers 15 0 0 14 outside 25 4 0 Parcels 1 0 0 ----------- £ 41 4 0 ----------- Month's receipts 988 16 0 Deduct expenses 113 14 0 ----------- £875 2 0 -----------

PAYMENTS.

Daily £ s. d. 15 toll-gates, at 3s.[3] 2 5 0 Hire of coach, per mile 2-1/2d. 1 0 10 Mileage duty, 2d.[4] 0 6 8 Washing and oiling coaches 0 2 0 ----------- 4 8 6 ----------- For 4 weeks 106 4 0

Monthly. 8 road booking-offices £ 4 0 0 2 end booking-offices 2 0 0 Making Share bills 1 0 0 Oil and trimming lamps, say 0 10 0 ----------- Total £113 14 0 -----------

[3] It was usual for coaches to come to terms with the pikers to pay for three horses instead of four.

[4] There had also to be paid £5 licence duty yearly when the plates were taken out.

This makes £8 15s. to be divided per mile, which, of course, would give a very handsome profit; but full loading could not be expected every day, and if it was reduced to half loads, it would not be such a very fat concern.

The cost of each horse was usually put at 17s. 6d. a week, including blacksmith, and that, supposing a man to cover a ten-mile stage for which eight horses would be ample if not running on Sundays, would cost £7 a week, or £28 a month, leaving, at about half loading, say £20 profit. But from this has to be deducted saddler, veterinary surgeon, and wear and tear, the two latter of which depend, to a certain extent, on circumstances over which he has not much control, as it depends upon such things as sickness in the stables and accidents.

[_APPENDIX._]

His Majesty's Mails.

G. P. O.

APPENDIX.

LIST OF MAIL COACHES WHICH WORKED OUT OF LONDON.

{ Hounslow, } From the { Maidenhead, } "Spread Eagle," { Reading, } Gracechurch Street, Bath, { Newbury, } and through { } "Swan with Two { Hungerford, } Necks," { Marlborough, } Lad Lane. { Devizes, }

{ Aylesbury, } { Bicester, } From the Birmingham, { } "King's Arms," through { Banbury, } Holborn Bridge. { Leamington, } { Warwick, }

{ Croydon, } Brighton, { Reigate, } From the through { Crawley, } "Blossoms Inn," { Cuckfield, } Lawrence Lane.

{ Hounslow, } { Reading, } From the Bristol, { Newbury, } "Swan with Two through { Marlborough, } Necks," { Calne, } Lad Lane. { Chippenham, } { Bath, }

Carlisle--_See Glasgow_.

{ Barnet, } { St. Albans, } { Dunstable, } { Northampton, } Chester, { Hinckley, } From the through { Atherstone, } "Golden Cross," { Lichfield, } Charing Cross. { Stafford, } { Nantwich, } { Tarporley, }

{ Hounslow, } { Bagshot, } { Basingstoke, } { Andover, } Devonport, { Salisbury; } From the through { Sherborne; } "Swan with Two { Chard, } Necks," { Honiton, } Lad Lane. { Exeter }

{ Dartford, } From the { Rochester, } "Swan with Two Dover, { Sittingbourne, } Necks," through. { Faversham, } Lad Lane. { Canterbury, }

{ Ware, } { Buntingford, } { Royston, } { Caxton, } From the Edinburgh, { Huntingdon, } "Bull and Mouth," through { Grantham } St. Martin's-le-Grand. { Newark } { Doncaster } { Ferry Bridge, } { York, } { Northallerton, } { Darlington, } { Durham, } { Newcastle, } { Alnwick, } { Berwick, } { Dunbar, } { Haddington, }

{ Basingstoke, } { Andover, } { Salisbury, } Exeter, { Blandford, } From the through { Dorchester, } "Bull and Mouth," { Bridport, } St Martin's-le-Grand. { Axminster, } { Honiton, }

{ Barnet, } { Hatfield, } { Baldock, } { Biggleswade, } { Stilton, } { Stamford } From the Glasgow, { Grantham, } "Bull and Mouth," through { Newark, } St Martin's-le-Grand. { Doncaster, } { Wetherby, } { Boroughbridge, } { Greta Bridge, } { Appleby, } { Carlisle, }

{ Hounslow, } { Maidenhead, } From the Gloucester, { Henley, } "Cross Keys," through { Nettlebed, } Wood Street, { Oxford } and { Witney, } "Golden Cross," { Burford, } Charing Cross. { Cheltenham, }

{ Barnet, } From the { Woburn, } "Swan with Two { Newport-Pagnel, } Necks," Halifax, { Market Harborough, } Lad Lane, through { Nottingham, } and { Sheffield, } "Bull and Mouth," { Huddersfield, } St. Martin's-le-Grand.

{ } From the { } "Golden Cross," Hastings, { Farnborough, } Charing Cross. through { Tunbridge, } and "Bolt in Tun," { Lamberhurst, } Fleet Street.

{ Barnet, } { St. Albans, } { Coventry, } From the Holyhead, { Birmingham, } "Swan with Two through { Wolverhampton, } Necks, { Shrewsbury, } Lad Lane. { Oswestry, } { North Wales, }

{ Barnet, } { Hertford, } { Biggleswade, } From the { Stilton, } "Spread Eagle," Hull, { Peterborough, } Gracechurch Street, through { Folkingham, } and { Lincoln, } "Swan with Two { Brigg, } Necks," { Across the Humber to } Lad Lane. { Kingston-upon-Hull }

{ Barnet, } { Bedford, } Leeds, { Higham Ferrers, } From the through { Kettering, } "Bull and Mouth," { Nottingham, } St. Martin's-le-Grand. { Sheffield, } { Wakefield, }

{ Barnet, } { St. Albans, } From the { Coventry, } "Swan with Two Liverpool, { Lichfield, } Necks," through { Newcastle-u-Lyne, } Lad Lane. { Knutsford, } { Warrington, }

{ Caxton, } From the Louth, by { Peterborough, } "Bell and Crown," Boston, { Deeping, } Holborn, and through { Spalding, } "Saracen's Head," { Spilsby, } Skinner Street.

{ Barnet, } { St. Albans, } { Dunstable, } { Northampton, } From the Manchester, { Market Harborough, } "Swan with Two through { Leicester, } Necks," { Derby, } Lad Lane. { Ashbourne, } { Congleton, } { Macclesfield, }

{ Ilford, } Norwich, { Romford, } by Ipswich, { Brentwood, } From the through { Chelmsford, } "Spread Eagle," { Witham } Gracechurch Street. { Colchester, }

Norwich, by { Epping, } From the Newmarket, { Bury St. Edmunds, } "Belle Sauvage," through { Thetford, } Ludgate Hill.

{ Kingston, } From the Portsmouth, { Esher, } "White Horse," through { Guildford, } Fetter Lane and { Godalming, } "Bolt in Tun," { Petersfield, } Fleet Street.

{ Hounslow, } From the { Staines, } "Swan with Two Southampton { Bagshot } Necks," and Poole, { Alton, } Lad Lane, and through { Alresford } "Bell and Crown," { Winchester, } Holborn.

} From the {Hounslow, } "Cross Keys," Stroud, { Henley, } Wood Street, through { Abingdon, } and the "Swan { Faringdon, } with Two Necks," { Cirencester, } Lad Lane.

{ Lynn, } From the Wells { Ely, } "Swan with Two (Norfolk), { Cambridge, } Necks," through { Royston, } Lad Lane. { Ware, }

{ Uxbridge, } { Beaconsfield, } { High Wycombe, } { Oxford, } From the Worcester, { Woodstock, } "Bull and Mouth," through { Chipping Norton, } St. Martin's-le-Grand. { Moreton-in-Marsh, } { Evesham, } { Pershore, }

{ Romford, } { Chelmsford, } { Witham, } From the Yarmouth, { Colchester, } "White Horse," through { Ipswich, } Fetter Lane. { Saxmundham, } { Lowestoft, }

So much for the main arteries, but the account would hardly be complete without showing how the more remote and out-of-the-way districts were provided for. I will, therefore, add the routes of a few mails which might be considered as prolongations of some of those already mentioned, but they were worked under fresh contracts and with fresh coaches.

South Wales was served by three--one from Bristol and two from Gloucester, as shown below:--

{ New Passage Ferry, { Newport, Bristol to { Cardiff, Milford Haven, { Cowbridge, by { Neath, { Caermarthen.

{ Ross, { Monmouth, Gloucester to { Abergavenny, Milford Haven, { Brecon, by { Llandovery, { Caermarthen, { Haverfordwest.

Gloucester to Aberystwith, by Ross, Hereford, Kington, Rhayader, and Dyffryn Castle.

The Gloucester and Milford was, I think, driven out of Gloucester at one time by Jack Andrews, a very good coachman, and over the lower ground there was a man of the name of Jones. I may, perhaps, be told that that is not a very distinguishing mark of a man in those parts, perhaps it is not, but if the name failed to convey a knowledge of who he was, he, at any rate, possessed one very characteristic feature which was that he always drove without gloves whatever might be the state of the weather. If he saw his box passenger beating his hands against his body or going through any other process with the vain hope of restoring the circulation into his well-nigh frozen fingers, his delight was to hold out his gloveless hand and say, "Indeed, now there is a hand that never wore a glove."

And this recalls to my memory another anecdote which was told me a great many years ago, and which, though it refers to the other extremities, may not be inappropriately introduced here. It appertains to a very well known character already mentioned, the well known Billy Williams, often spoken of as Chester Billy. I am aware that tales are sometimes engrafted on remarkable characters which are also told of others, still I believe I shall not be doing a wrong to any one if I tell this as "'twas told to me," of our old friend Billy. At any rate, it is too good to be lost, so here it is.

On one very cold winter morning it happened that Billy had a box passenger who was stamping his feet on the footboard in the vain attempt to restore the circulation of the blood, which led Billy to remark, "Your feet seem cold this morning, sir," to which the gentleman answered, "I should think they were, are not yours?" "No," says Billy, "they're not;" adding, "I expect you wash 'em." "Wash them," says the passenger, "of course I do, don't you?" "No," was the reply, "I should think not, I _iles_ 'em."

The Manchester mail was also prolonged to Carlisle, though the direct Carlisle mail went by a rather shorter route, but then the populous district on the west coast had to be provided for. It travelled through Preston, Lancaster, Kendal and Penrith. This was, over some of the ground at any rate, one of the fastest mails in England.

Again, in addition to these, which may be said to have had their origin in London, there existed a considerable number of what were called "cross country mails," some of which ran long distances and at high speed, connecting together many important districts. A few of them I will mention, beginning with the Bristol and Liverpool, which was a very fast one.

{ Aust Passage Ferry, Bristol to { Monmouth, Liverpool, { Hereford, by { Shrewsbury, { Chester, { Woodside Ferry.

{ Bath, Bristol to { Tetbury, Oxford, { Cirencester, by { Fairford, { Faringdon.

{ Warrington, { Manchester, Liverpool { Rochdale, to { Halifax, Hull, { Bradford, by { Leeds, { Tadcaster, { York.

Bristol { Gloucester, to { Wincanton, Birmingham, { Droitwich, by { Bromsgrove.

Birmingham { Lichfield, to { Derby, Sheffield, by { Chesterfield.

And no doubt there were several others in one part of the country or another, but I have been unable to meet with any regular list of them, though it is very unlikely that such a road as that between Bristol and Exeter by Taunton, for example, should have been left out. This road certainly had a fast coach on it. The "Royal Exeter" ran from Cheltenham to Exeter through Gloucester and Bristol, driven between Cheltenham and Bristol at one time by Capt. Probyn, and afterwards by William Small. It was a fast coach, stopping for dinner at Nisblete's, at Bristol, and then proceeding on its journey to Exeter.

Then, again, there was a populous and important district through the Staffordshire Potteries, from Birmingham to Liverpool and Manchester, which must have been provided for somehow, but it is not impossible that this may have been effected by the bags being conveyed to Lichfield by the Sheffield, and then transferred to the down Liverpool and Chester mails.

There were also running short distances what were called third class mails, which carried twelve passengers, and the coachman was in charge of the bags. On one of them which ran between Shrewsbury and Newtown I did a good deal of my early practice.

And now, having given a list, more or less perfect, of the mails which traversed England and Wales, perhaps a few words on the subject of the pace at which they travelled may not be without interest.

After singling out the London and Birmingham day mail, which was timed at twelve miles an hour, it is impossible to say, at the present date, which was the fastest coach. That the "Quicksilver" was the fastest mail, I have no doubt, though I believe the palm has been disputed by the Bristol, and perhaps some others; for if a passenger asked a coachman which was the fastest, he was very likely to be told that the one he was travelling in was. I cannot, however, believe that any of these claims could have been supported by facts. "_Cui bono?_" We can see at a glance why the Devonport should be pushed along as fast as possible, because the journey was a long one; but the distance to Bristol was only one hundred and twenty miles, and whether the mail arrived there at eight or nine o'clock in the morning would have been thought little of in those days, but in a journey of two hundred and twenty-seven miles half a mile an hour makes an appreciable difference. It would seem reasonable, therefore, that the longer mails should have been accelerated as much as possible, and so I believe it really was the case, and that the Holyhead was, after the "Quicksilver," the fastest out of London. At any rate, I know that, when travelling by it, we always passed all the other mails going the same road, and that included a considerable number, as the north road and the Holyhead were synonymous as far as Barnet, and, moreover, the Post-Office was likely to have screwed up these two mails the tightest, as one carried the Irish bags and the other had the correspondence of an important dockyard and naval station.

To single out the fastest coach would be still more impossible. The "Wonder" had a world-wide reputation, which was well deserved, both for the pace and regularity with which she travelled and the admirable manner in which she was appointed in every way; but what gave that coach its preponderating name was the fact of its being the first which undertook to be a day coach over a distance much exceeding one hundred and twenty miles. The Manchester Telegraph must have surpassed the "Wonder" in pace, and, certainly, when we consider the difference of the roads and the hills by which she was opposed in her journey through Derbyshire, had the most difficult task to accomplish; and, again, the "Hirondelle" was timed to go the journey of one hundred and thirty-three miles between Cheltenham and Liverpool in twelve hours and a half, which is a higher rate of speed than the "Wonder," which was allowed fifteen and a half hours to cover the one hundred and fifty-four miles between London and Shrewsbury, and on a far superior road.

I have been induced to enter into this subject because one sometimes now-a-days meets with people who appear to have a somewhat hazy idea about it, and talk glibly of twelve miles an hour as if it was nothing so very great after all. Well, I am not going to deny that it can be done, because I know that it has been effected by the Birmingham day mail, as already stated, and I have also been told by an old inspector of mails that in the latter days they did contrive to screw some Scotch mails up to that speed; but I am sure I can safely say that no mail or stage-coach ever was timed at even eleven miles an hour during the main coaching days, however much faster they might have gone when racing or on special occasions, though I believe it would have been attempted, at any rate, if road travelling had not been put an end to by the railways.

Twelve miles an hour is very great work to accomplish. Why, when stoppages of all sorts are allowed for, it means thirteen miles, and that means galloping for the greater part of the way.

Though the subjoined List is not comprehensive, nor indeed absolutely accurate, it may be worth inserting, as conveying a fair idea of what coaches ran.

PRINCIPAL NIGHT MAILS SOME NOTED DAY COACHES Time (including stoppages) Miles from of Mail London. TO h. m.

110-1/2 BATH 11 0 { "Beaufort Hunt," "York { House," "White Hart."

50 BEDFORD "Times."

119 BIRMINGHAM 11 56 { "Tally-Ho," "Tantivy," { "Greyhound," "Economist," { "Rocket," "Eclipse," { "Triumph," "Crown Prince," { "Emerald," "Albion," "Day," { etc.

BRECON "Red Rover."

53 BRIGHTON { "Red Rover," "Times," { "Age," "Quicksilver," { "Pearl," "Dart," "Arrow," { "Vivid."

121 BRISTOL 11 45 { "Prince of Wales," "Monarch," { "Regulator."

50 CAMBRIDGE "Star."

95 Cheltenham (_see below_) { "Berkeley Hunt," "Rival," { "Magnet," "Favourite."

181 CHESTER "Criterion."

217-1/2 DEVONPORT 23 45 "Quicksilver."

71 DOVER

176 EXETER 19 0 { "Telegraph" (165 miles) { 17 hours; "Defiance" { (168 miles), 19 hours; { "Nonpareil," "Herald."

111 GLOUCESTER 11 55

195-1/2 HALIFAX 20 5 "Hope."

68 HASTINGS

135 HEREFORD "Champion," "Tiger."

259 HOLYHEAD 26 55

172-1/2 HULL 18 12

197 LEEDS 21 0 "Courier," "Rockingham.'

201-1/2 LIVERPOOL 20 50 { "Umpire," "Fair Trader," { "Express," "Erin-go-bragh."

148 LOUTH 16 0

99 LYNN 10 33

185 MANCHESTER 19 0 { Telegraph" (186 miles), { 18 hours 15 minutes, { "Beehive", "Estafette," { "Peveril of the Peak," { "Cobourg," "Red Rover."

129 MONMOUTH "Mazeppa," "Royal Forester."

113-1/2 NORWICH _viâ_ IPSWICH 11 38 "Shannon."

117-1/2 NORWICH _viâ_ NEWMARKET 13 0 "Phenomenon."

106 POOLE "Phoenix."

73 PORTSMOUTH { "Diligence," "Regulator," { "Hero."

158 SHREWSBURY { "Wonder," 15 hours 45 { minutes; "Nimrod," "Stag," { "Union," "Oxonian."

SOUTHAMPTON "Star."

105 STROUD 12 9

195 WETHERBY (Glasgow Mail) 20 36

128 WEYMOUTH "King's Royal."

23 WINDSOR "Taglioni."

114 WORCESTER 12 20

197 YORK (Edinburgh Mail) 20 54 "Wellington."

30 LIVERPOOL AND PRESTON

129-1/2 EDINBURGH AND ABERDEEN { "Defiance" (12 hrs. { 10 min., including { 30 min. Ferry).

CHELTENHAM AND LIVERPOOL { "Hirondelle," "Hibernia" { (see above).

SHREWSBURY AND { "ROYAL OAK," "NETTLE," WELSHPOOL { "ENGINEER." AND ABERYSTWITH

NOTES.

The fastest coaches were the "Defiance" (Edinburgh and Aberdeen), the "Wonder" (Shrewsbury and London), for which alone 150 horses were kept, and the mail from Liverpool to Preston. The next fastest were the Holyhead, Exeter, and Scotch mails, and those to Bath and Bristol (which last ones did not stop for meals on the road). The slowest is the Stroud mail, but formerly was the Worcester mail, which used to be most frequently overturned of any. The Hastings and Brighton mails had only two horses. For some reason or other, with which I am not acquainted, the Liverpool mail, and, I believe, the Halifax also, though leaving London at the same time as the others, had a day coach on the up journey, arriving at St. Martin's-le-Grand about 7 p.m. One of the Birmingham coaches was lighted by gas for a time, as far back as 1834. A coach running every day between London and Birmingham paid annually for toll-gates the sum of £1,428. The double miles of the mails travelling reached at one time 6,619 a journey.

SCOTCH AND IRISH MAILS.

It is interesting to compare the running of the Edinburgh and Glasgow coaches out of London. Both left St. Martin's at the same hour, but by a different road. At Alconbury (65 miles out of London) the two coaches must have frequently been in sight of each other on a moonlight night--if punctual a bare four minutes divided them (not a yokel in that part of Huntingdonshire but could discuss the merits of the rival whips)--and at Grantham (108 miles out) they probably transferred some mail bags picked up upon their different roads.

At Doncaster (159 miles from London) less than a quarter of an hour divided the two vehicles after travelling all through the night and portion of the following day, a feat successfully performed that would make the hair of a modern South-Eastern Railway guard stand upon end. Indeed, tradition says that the up and down coaches nearly always "crossed" within a few yards of the same bridge. Even that northern metropolis, Newcastle, was treated with scant ceremony; as soon as fresh horses were attached and the mail bags exchanged, the coach went forward without pause, the next "stop and examine coach" after York being at Belford (near Berwick-upon-Tweed).

With the Edinburgh coach there were three halts only upon the road for refreshments, and these were liable to curtailment in heavy weather when any minutes had been lost on the way--at the ordinary stages the changes of horses being sometimes made in less than a minute.

The Glasgow coach, though over a considerably more uneven road, was slightly the quicker of the two, the rival distances by road being almost identical. This coach was not encumbered with heavy bags for the Highlands, and had the additional stimulus for the first dozen miles or so out of London of racing the Holyhead mail through Barnet. This celebrated mail made its "first stop" (other than for change of horses) at Birmingham, its second at Shrewsbury, its third at Corwen, and its fourth at Bangor. The speed of this mail was no less than nine and three-quarters miles an hour, or over ten miles if stoppages are taken into account.

At Shrewsbury five minutes only were allowed for refreshments, and the timing of this coach was so close that it was due there one minute before the beautiful, varied, and sonorous clocks of that proud borough struck the hour of noon (11.59 a.m.). At Wolverhampton it was timed to arrive also at one minute past the hour (9.1 a.m.), while the timepieces of the guards were checked once or twice on the road by special clocks, and the discrepancy, if any, taken note of in writing.

Another notable piece of "good running" was shown by the rival mails to Caermarthen, which reached there from town the following evening. The Gloucester coach arrived at eight o'clock (224 miles), and was followed at only half-an-hour's interval by the Bristol (238 miles) coming by a different road the whole journey, and having often to face a rough sea when transferring its passengers at Aust Passage, near Chepstow. This last mail was one of the quickest of all out of London; as far as Bristol it was expedited in 1837 to run at the speed of ten miles and three furlongs an hour, prior to which time it had to cede the palm to the celebrated Falmouth (or, as it was often miscalled, Devonport--confusing it with the Plymouth coach) Quicksilver mail. No doubt a higher speed still would have been attained in the winter months had these coaches not to include so much night work in their running.

It is very difficult, unless precise dates are attached, to give now the absolute distances travelled. Each year roads were straightened out and bends removed, gradients modified, or minor deviations to towns of less importance struck out. A list of such accelerations will be found in Mogg's edition of Paterson and of the principal ordinary routes traversed in Paterson, Leigh, or Cary.

What prospects the Coventry bicycle might have had _before_ the arrival of the telegraph and railway epoch it is difficult to conjecture; but its speed must then have placed it in the first rank of means of locomotion.

1837. Scotch Mails. DOWN.

TO THURSO VIÂ EDINBURGH.

Miles _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m. -- LONDON dep. 8. 0 night 12-1/2 Waltham Cross arr. 9.25 -- 22 Ware " 10.26 -- 35-1/4 Buckland " 11.52 -- a.m. 45-1/2 Arrington " 12.57 -- 60 HUNTINGDON " 2.30 -- 65-1/4 Alconbury Hill " 3. 3 -- 72-1/4 Stilton " 3.45 -- 87 STAMFORD " 5.15 -- 95 Stretton " 6. 3 day 108-1/2 GRANTHAM { arr. 7.23 -- { dep. 8. 3 -- 115-3/4 Long Bennington arr. 8.53 -- 122-1/4 NEWARK " 9.30 -- 132-3/4 Scarthing Moor " 10.34 -- 145-1/2 Barnby Moor " 11.49 -- p.m. 155-1/4 Rossington Bridge " 12.47 -- 159-1/2 DONCASTER " 1.12 -- 166-1/4 Askerne " 1.55 -- 179-3/4 Selby " 3.21 -- 194 YORK { arr. 4.54 -- { dep. 5.34 -- 207-1/4 Easingwold arr. 6.54 night 218 Thirsk " 7.58 -- 227 NORTHALLERTON " 8.52 -- 243 DARLINGTON " 10.28 -- a.m. 261-1/2 DURHAM " 12.23 -- 276 NEWCASTLE- { arr. 1.50 -- ON-TYNE { dep. 1.53 -- 290-1/2 Morpeth arr. 3.22 -- 300-1/2 Felton " 4.23 -- 309-3/4 ALNWICK " 5.17 -- 324-1/2 BELFORD { arr. 6.47 day { dep. 7.17 -- 339-3/4 BERWICK-ON-TWEED arr. 8.47 -- 353-1/2 Houndswood " 0. 9 -- 369-1/4 Dunbar " 11.41 -- p.m. 380-1/4 Haddington " 12.45 -- 397-1/4 EDINBURGH G.P.O. " 2.23 -- (_Time on road_ 42 h. 23 m. _The quickest train time the journey has been performed in was on August 31, 1888, when the King's Cross train arrived in_ 7h. 27m.) 444 Perth arr. 9. 0 night 466 Dundee " 11.15 -- a.m. 534 Aberdeen " 6.22 day p.m. -- 641 Iverness " 8. 6 night a.m. 783 Thurso " 8.10 day

TO GLASGOW.

Miles. _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m.

LONDON dep. 8. 0 night 11-1/4 Barnet arr. 9.18 -- 25-1/4 Welwyn " 10.46 -- a.m. 37-1/2 Baldock " 12. 6 -- 46-3/4 Caldecot " 1. 2 -- 55-1/4 Eaton " 1.55 -- 65-3/4 Alconbury Church " 2.59 -- 75-1/4 Stilton " 3.56 -- 90 STAMFORD " 5.28 -- 98 Stretton " 6.18 day 111-1/2 GRANTHAM { arr. 7.40 -- { dep. 8.20 -- 117-1/2 Foston arr. 8.56 -- 125-1/2 NEWARK " 9.44 -- 138-1/2 Ollerton " 11. 3 -- 143 Worksop " 11.52 -- p.m. 151-1/2 Bagley " 12.40 -- 159-3/4 DONCASTER " 1.26 -- 174-1/4 Pontefract " 2.53 -- [asterism] _Change for_ LEEDS _and_ WAKEFIELD. 184-1/4 Aberford arr. 3.52 -- [asterism] _Change for_ BRADFORD. 191-3/4 WETHERBY. { arr. 4.36 -- { dep. 5.11 -- [asterism] _Change here for_ YORK. 204 Boroughbridge arr. 6.23 night 216 Leeming " 7.35 -- 227 Catterick Bridge " 8.41 -- 236 Foxhall " 9.35 -- 240-1/2 Greta Bridge " 10. 2 -- 250-1/2 New Spital " 11.10 -- a.m. 260 Brough " 12.15 -- 268 APPLEBY " 1. 7 -- 282 PENRITH " 2.28 -- 293 Hesketh " 3.23 -- _Manchester Mail_ 3.0 p.m., reaches _Carlisle G.P.O._ 4.48 a.m. 303 CARLISLE G.P.O. { arr. 4.17 -- { dep. 5. 0 -- 312-3/4 Gretna arr. 5.55 -- 322 Ecclefechan " 6.48 day 332-3/4 Dunwoodie " 7.49 -- 342-1/2 Beattock Bridge " 8.42 -- 361 Abington " 10.26 -- 370 Douglas Mill " 11.18 -- 376 Lesmahagow Bar. " bags dropped. p.m. 387-1/4 Hamilton " 12.57 -- 397-3/4 GLASGOW G.P.O. " 2. 0 --

(_Time on road, 42 hours._)

1837. Irish Mails. DOWN.

TO KINGSTOWN VIÂ HOLYHEAD.

Miles. _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m. LONDON dep. 8. 0 night 11-1/4 Harriet arr. ---- -- 20-1/2 St. Albans " ---- -- 24-1/2 Redbourne " 10.44 -- 33-1/2 DUNSTABLE " ---- -- a.m. 42-1/4 Brickhill " 12.32 -- 51-1/4 Stony Stratford " 1.26 -- 59 Towcester " 2.12 -- 71-1/4 Daventry " 3.25 -- 79 Dunchurch " 4.11 -- 90-1/4 COVENTRY " 5.18 -- 108-1/2 BIRMINGHAM { arr. 7. 8 day { dep. 7.43 -- 116-1/2 Wednesbury arr. 8.28 -- 122 WOLVERHAMPTON " 9. 1 -- 134-1/2 Shiffnal " 10.14 -- 142-1/4 Heygate Junction. " 10.59 -- 144-1/2 Wellington " 11.20 -- 152-1/2 SHREWSBURY { arr. 11.59 -- p.m. { dep. 12. 4 -- 161 Netcliffe arr. 12.52 -- 170-1/2 OSWESTRY " 1.45 -- 176-1/4 Chirk " ---- -- 183 LLANGOLLEN " 2.57 -- 193-1/4 CORWEN { arr. 3.57 -- { dep. 4.25 -- 199-1/2 Tynant arr. 5. 1 -- 206-1/4 Cernioge " 5.39 -- 213-1/2 "New Stables" " 6.21 night 220-3/4 Capel Curig " 7. 2 -- 228-1/4 Tyn-y-maes " 7.46 -- BANGOR { arr. 8.20 -- { dep. 8.25 -- Anglesea Ferry arr. 8.43 -- _Here cross the Menai Straits at night by ferry until the opening of Telford's Suspension Bridge, in 1826._ Mona Inn arr. 9.43 -- 259 Holyhead Post Office { arr. 10.55 -- { dep. 323 Kingstown arr. 327 Dublin " (_Time on journey, h. m. Present time on journey, h. m._)

[asterism] _It may be curious to note that the present train mail service is under the liability of a penalty of £1 14s. for each minute it is after time through any avoidable cause._

TO WATERFORD (P) VIÂ GLOUCESTER AND MILFORD.

Miles. p.m. LONDON dep. 8. 0 night 12-1/4 Hounslow arr. 9.20 -- 19-3/4 Colnbrook " ---- -- 23-3/4 Slough " ---- -- 29 Maidenhead " 11. 8 -- 38-1/4 Henley-on-Thames " ---- -- 43 Nettlebed " ---- -- a.m. 61-1/4 OXFORD { arr. 2.38 -- { dep. ---- -- 72-3/4 Witney arr. 3.58 -- 80 Burford " ---- -- 89-3/4 Northleach " 5.43 -- 97-1/4 Andoverford " ---- day 102-3/4 CHELTENHAM { arr. 7. 3 -- { dep. ---- -- 112 GLOUCESTER { arr. 8. 0 -- { dep. ---- -- 129 Ross arr.10. 8 -- 139 MONMOUTH " 11.11 -- p.m. 156 Abergavenny " 12.53 -- 176 BRECON " 3. 1 -- 197 Llandovery " 5.22 -- 224 CARMARTHEN " 8. 0 night Haverfordwest " HUBBERSTON "

[asterism] _Compare the quicker relative time to Carmarthen made by the Bristol mail immediately following, notwithstanding having to cross the Bristol Channel._

TO WATERFORD (P) VIÂ BRISTOL AND PEMBROKE.

Miles _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m. LONDON dep. 8. 0 night 12-1/4 Hounslow arr. 9.12 -- 29 Maidenhead " 10.50 -- READING " ---- -- a.m. 59 Newbury " 1.41 -- Marlborough " ---- -- 90 CALNE " 4.49 -- Chippenham " ---- -- 109 BATH " 6.32 day 122 BRISTOL { arr. 7.45 -- { dep. ---- -- 134 New Passage Ferry arr. 9.12 -- NEWPORT " ---- -- p.m. 166 CARDIFF " 12.53 -- Cowbridge " ---- -- Neath " ---- -- 211 Swansea " 5.18 -- 238 CARMARTHEN " 8.31 night a.m. 273 Hobbs Point " 12.34 -- Pembroke " 1. 9 --

Western and Foreign Mails.--1837.--Up and Down.

Falmouth Exeter Devonport Mail.[5] Mail. Mail.

ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND dep. 8. 0 p.m. 8. 0 p.m. 8. 0 p.m. 12 Hounslow arr. ---- ---- 9.12 19 Staines " ---- 9.56 ---- 23 Slough " ---- ---- ---- 29 Maidenhead " ---- ---- 10.40 58 Newbury " ---- ---- 1.53 a.m. 77 Marlborough " ---- ---- 3.43 91 Devizes " ---- ---- 5. 6 109 BATH " ---- ---- 7. 0 149 Bridgewater " ---- ---- 11.30 160 TAUNTON " ---- ---- 12.35 p.m. 180 Collumpton " ---- ---- 2.42 29 Bagshot " 10.47 p.m. ---- ---- 67 Andover " 2.20 a.m. 2.42 a.m. ---- 84 SALISBURY " ---- 4.27 ---- 126 Yeovil " ---- 8.53 ---- 143 Chard " ---- 11. 0 ---- 80 Amesbury " 3.39 ---- ---- 125 Ilchester " 7.50 ---- ---- Honiton " 11. 0 12.31 p.m. ---- EXETER { arr. 12.34 p.m. 2.12 3.57 { dep. 12.44 ---- ---- 210 Newton arr. ---- 6.33 218 Totnes " ---- 7.25 190 Ashburton " 2.41 ---- 214 PLYMOUTH " 5. 5 ---- DEVONPORT { arr. 5.14 10. 5 { dep. ---- ---- 234 Liskeard arr. 7.55 246 Lostwithiel " 9.12 254 St. Austell " 10.20 268 TRURO " 11.55 279 FALMOUTH " 1. 5 a.m.

_Naval Station for the departure of the foreign packets._

Miles from London:--HONITON, via Amesbury, 154; via Salisbury, 156. EXETER, via Amesbury, 170; via Salisbury, 173; via, Taunton, 193. DEVONPORT, via Amesbury, 216; via Taunton, 243.

_Packet arrives from abroad._ FALMOUTH dep. 1.45 a.m. TRURO arr. 2.55 St. Austell " 4.29 Lostwithiel " 5.36 Liskeard " 6.52 DEVONPORT { arr. ---- { dep. 9.30 4.45 a.m. PLYMOUTH dep. ---- ---- Ashburton " 12. 3 p.m. ---- Totnes " ---- 7.30 Newton " ---- 8.25 EXETER { arr. 2. 0 ---- ---- { dep. 2.20 11.50 p.m. 10.15 Honiton dep. 4. 4 1.27 a.m. ---- Ilchester " 6.49 ---- ---- Amesbury " 11. 0 ---- ---- Chard " ---- 2.55 ---- Yeovil " ---- 4.30 ---- SALISBURY " ---- 8.50 ---- Andover " 12.19 a.m. 11. 0 ---- Bagshot " 4. 2 ---- ---- Collumpton " ---- ---- 11.38 TAUNTON " ---- ---- 1.37 p.m. Bridgewater " ---- ---- 2.52 BATH " ---- ---- 7.30 Devizes " ---- ---- 9.24 Marlborough " ---- ---- 10.49 Newbury " ---- ---- 12.42 a.m. Maidenhead " ---- ---- 3.44 Slough " ---- ---- ---- Staines " ---- 3.46 p.m. ---- Hounslow " ---- ---- 5.26 ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND arr. 6.50 5.42 6.40

NOTES.--Greenwich time throughout. The mails left London one hour earlier (at 7.0 p.m.) on Sundays. The Falmouth (nicknamed the "Quicksilver") mail averaged over 10 miles an hour between London and Devonport.

[5] NOTE. The Falmouth mail was allowed 25 minutes stoppage at Ilminster (8.58 a.m. to 9.23), notwithstanding which it travelled between London and Exeter at the average speed of 10 miles and 2 furlongs an hour.

SIMMONS & BOTTEN, Printers, LONDON, E.C.