〈RAILWAYS OF THE FUTURE.〉
In this age of invention, it is difficult to predict the railroads of the future. Already it has been suggested to give up wheels and put carriages upon sledges. This would lower the centre of gravity considerably, and save the expense of wheels. On the other hand, every carriage must have an apparatus to clean and grease the rails, and the wear and tear of these latter might overbalance the economy arising from abolishing wheels.
Again, short and much-frequented railways might be formed of a broad, continuous strap, always rolling on. At each station means must exist for taking up and putting down the passengers without stopping the rolling strap.
The exhaustion of air in a continuous tunnel was proposed many years ago for the purpose of sucking the trains along. This has recently been applied with success to the transmission of parcels and letters.
Possibly in the next International Exhibition a light railway might be employed within the building.[49]
- 1st. A quick train to enable visitors to get rapidly from end to end, avoiding the crowd and saving time, say at the expense of a penny.
- 2nd. A very slow train passing along the most attractive line, and occasionally stopping, to enable persons not capable of bearing the fatigue of pushing on foot through crowds.
If such railways were considered in the original design of the building, they might be made to interfere but little with the general public, and would bring in a considerable revenue to the concern.
[49] A gallery, elevated about seven feet, in the centre of each division of the new National Gallery, might be used either for a light railway, or for additional means of seeing the pictures on the walls.
CHAPTER XXVI. STREET NUISANCES.
Various Classes injured — Instruments of Torture — Encouragers; Servants, Beer-shops, Children, Ladies of elastic virtue — Effects on the Musical Profession — Retaliation — Police themselves disturbed — Invalids distracted — Horses run away — Children run over — A Cab-stand placed in the Author’s street attracts Organs — Mobs shouting out his Name — Threats to Burn his House — Disturbed in the middle of the night when very ill — An average number of Persons are always ill — Hence always disturbed — Abusive Placards — Great Difficulty of getting Convictions — Got a Case for the Queen’s Bench — Found it useless — A Dead Sell — Another Illustration — Musicians give False Name and Address — Get Warrant for Apprehension — They keep out of the way — Offenders not yet found and arrested by the Police — Legitimate Use of Highways — An Old Lawyer’s Letter to The Times — Proposed Remedies; Forbid entirely — Authorize Police to seize the Instrument and take it to the Station — An Association for Prevention of Street Music proposed.