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creeping across England, down "Roads" (?) with Ruts, Stones, and Mud deep enough at times "to sink a three decker!" The Cyclist of 1891 can name hills even on our modern well-made, well-kept main Roads, up which, even now it would indeed be a pull to haul these ponderous, broad-wheeled Wagons, while the coming down would be almost as difficult! Suppose these immense Wagons could take four tons, and, as we may conjecture, had fresh teams of horses ready for them, like the Coaches, at intervals, it is doubtful if they could work over 21⁄2 miles an hour, say, for twelve hours a day. A modern Goods Train running quietly through the night, drawn by a couple of our tremendous Engines of 1891, would transport more Merchandise 400 miles in a day than 50 of these old Noah's Arks would have done in a Month!

Many of our Ancestors never journeyed many miles. from their native villages during their entire life. Now, the poorest can, occasionally, enjoy a run to distant places. of interest, in a few hours, in 3rd class cars, almost as comfortable as the "First" of 1839.

In the large woodcut, (next page,) we have St. Martin'sLe-Grand, General Post Office, London, in 1820.

Ten years before the Railways were opened Telford had completed his splendid Holyhead Road, and the London Mail coaches were timed to run to Holyhead in four days. The "Boat Express" (1891) takes 634 hours!

Before Telford's efforts the Drivers of the Night Coaches stated they were in constant danger of their lives from being jolted off their Boxes.

This Spring (1891) the Papers mentioned that the White Star, "Majestic," S.S., from New York, brought "a Record" of 860 Sacks of Mails, weighing 35 tons. The Sister Ship, "Teutonic," 586 feet long, 16,000 H.P., crosses in six days to New York. The Grandfather of the Writer, a Merchant, in 1801, after waiting weeks for a favourable wind at Liverpool, was 13 weeks crossing, then the wind changing, the ships were equally delayed at the other end, so that for Months, no news of his arrival could be obtained! We may conceive the Holyhead Mail Coach of 1820, attempting to struggle with 890 Sacks of London Mails! Taking no passengers,-cramming the Bags inside up to the roof, and piling them six feet high on the top, perhaps forty Coaches might have carried them! Whereas two or three extra long Parcel Vans doubtless sufficed, and the "Heavy Mail" probably reached Euston “running on

"ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND," GENERAL POST OFFICE, LONDON, IN THE OLD DAYS OF COACHES, 1820.

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THAT POOR, CRAZY, MAN,"-STEPHENSON.

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time!" How the outside passengers of these old Coaches, by night, worn out, and overpowered by sleep, avoided falling off the top, seems a problem.

"PUFFING BILLY."

Well! dear Reader, it is not a Beauty, but "Puffing Billy" was the first of those "Iron Horses which have proved the greatest blessings to Man, and, really, "Puffing Billy"

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(1825) The First Locomotive.

did his "little best!" For we learn that on the 27th September, 1825, "That poor crazy man!"-George Stevenson, persisted in trying his "new fangled" "Locomotive No. I." The wheels will never bite or grip the rails," many thought. "Two or three Wagons loaded with coal and flour,"-probably small ones,-" a covered wagon for the Directors,"-and one or two more filled with the "British Public,"-started, George Stevenson himself being the driver.

"Locomotive No. 1," slowly got up speed, and finally, -amidst intense excitement,-away went "that poor crazy man!" Away went the Coal, Flour, Directors, and the "British Public," leaving the horsemen who were going to compete with that "poor crazy man," soon in the rear!

The first very primitive Railway Train in America.

Well! dear Reader! It certainly is "a caution!" But we must remember that the Americans had never seen any

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"OPEN CARS,"-FIRE AND WATER!

coaches, or cars, " other than their " Stage Coaches,' shaped as the above, with open sides, and leather flaps to "fix," in wet weather. Our English Railway Carriages were, in their "compartments," or "bodies," shaped very much like the Old Coaches, we were accustomed to.

The above is from the original picture in the Historical Society's Collection, Hartford. It represents the first Locomotive in America, "John Bull," made in England, weighing four tons; the Engineer was John Hampson, an Englishman. The track was 16 miles long, from Albany to Schenectady, N.Y. The first passenger train ran in 1831. Fifteen passengers were "aboard" the two "cars," the names of ten of these are recorded, but five were "unknown."

THIRD CLASS

OPEN "THIRD-CLASS," 1839-45

Old Railway Travellers still remember their experience in these open "3rd-class,"-"Cattle Trucks" shall we say? No! worse! For "Cattle Trucks," and "Sheep Vans," all have a "roof!"

Even when Roofs were added to the "3rd class," they had no glass Windows, only Wooden Shutters.

Then they had glass, but the side windows were placed so high up, and about six inches square, to make it as

NICE TRAVELLING FOR INVALIDS!

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unpleasant as possible for the Poor. The Midland Company by having only two Classes, have brought English Society more together, and we have gradually been taught that most needful lesson, that POVERTY is not a CRIME! This Summer (1891) a gentleman of London, related to the Writer how he was riding, many years ago, in one of these open "" cars, on a hot Summer's day, when a spark," (red-hot, charcoal), from the Engine, caught a Lady's light Summer Dress, and set it on fire! They promptly beat out the flames, but had great difficulty in preventing her, in her panic, from jumping out of the carriage!

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In the above woodcut, however, the unfortunate "British Public," appear to be suffering from Water rather than Fire!

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Euston Station.

In this old drawing we see a row of these dreadful open 3rd class," cars, about to start from the Euston Station of that day, reminding one of the ominous query to an official of the irrepressible Artemus Ward,-" And pray Sir, when does this train of second-hand coffins start?

What killing work to delicate folks,-when unable to pay the higher rates,-must such travelling, in uncertain Weather have been!

What a change is the splendid "3rd class" of 1891, on our leading English Railways! Cushions, Gas, large Glass Windows, Curtains, Nets, "Wall" top roofs, and, at times, a "Lavatory" at the end!