[22] There is no doubt that in many instances persons for whom third class carriages were never intended travel in them. There is a well-known railway story of a banker in a large agricultural and commercial town, who was asked, with a look of surprise, by an acquaintance that he met on the platform, if he were going to travel third class. “Oh, yes,” was the reply, “it is too bad of the company, they took off the fourth class only last week.” Two ladies, one with an expensive black satin dress; the other, with one of Swiss muslin, very elaborately got up, and both with very pretty bonnets, once complained to the author, of the conduct of a railway guard, for having put a bricklayer “with his dirty clothes on” in a compartment with them.

[23] Workman’s Trains.—From Penge, Sydenham Hill, Dulwich, and Herne Hill. The privilege of travelling with Workman’s Tickets is now accorded to artisans, mechanics, and daily labourers residing in the vicinity of the above stations. The charge for a Weekly Ticket is Two Shillings. These tickets will for the present be available to travel to Victoria, Ludgate Hill, or any other intermediate station by the following up trains:—

Pengedep.76a.m.736a.m.or86a.m.
Sydenham Hill”711”741””811”
Dulwich”714”744””814”
Herne Hill”718”748””818”

and to return by the trains leaving Victoria at 5·15 p.m., and Ludgate Hill at 5·44 p.m., and by any later third class train. On Saturdays these tickets will be available by the train leaving Victoria and Ludgate Hill at 2·25 p.m., or by any later third class train for the above stations.

The Metropolitan Extension. Trains for the use of artisans, mechanics, and daily labourers now run every day in each direction, between Victoria and Ludgate Hill. The charge for a Weekly Ticket will be One Shilling. These tickets are only available in the morning by one of the advertised workman’s trains, which leave Victoria at 4·0 a.m., 5·0 a.m., and 6·5 a.m., or Ludgate Hill at 5 a.m., and 6·5 a.m., and the holders of such tickets may return by any of the ordinary loop line Metropolitan trains which leave Victoria or Ludgate Hill after 5·30 p.m., or on Saturdays by any similar train starting from either Victoria or Ludgate Hill after 1·0 p.m.

Conditions upon which the above tickets are issued,—

These tickets are issued subject to the conditions contained in the Company’s Act, 27 & 28 Vict. cap. 195, and use by the holder is evidence of a special contract upon those conditions. Tickets for these trains can be obtained at the booking office of any station between Victoria, Ludgate Hill, and Penge inclusive, upon personal application only. The christian and surname, address, and trade, of the applicant may be required, as well as the name and address of the employer. Each ticket will be available for Six Days, from Monday to Saturday inclusive, and for one journey only in each direction on each day whilst in force, and by the advertised Workman’s Trains only. The tickets will have to be given up to the company’s ticket collector on the Saturday on which they expire, and even if issued on a later day in the week than Monday will still be available only up to and including the following Saturday. Each subscriber will be allowed to carry, at his or her sole and exclusive risk, a basket, not exceeding 28 lbs. weight, containing trade tools, so packed as not to be inconvenient or dangerous. No other luggage of any description will be allowed to the holders of Workman’s Tickets.

[24] There is another mistake as regards 1865, the number of sheep and lambs imported was 914,170; the value for that year is stated at £2. 10s. a-head. At that value 914,170 make £2,285,425, not £1,787,866 as set forth in the Statistical Abstract of the United Kingdom, issued in August last. We have occasionally observed other errors in Board of Trade Returns. They are not absolutely to be depended upon.

The following curious paragraph is from the journal of the Financial Reform Association of April last—“Since 1851 there has been published annually a return professing to give number and tonnage of vessels and customs’ revenue at twelve principal ports of the United Kingdom. In the Commons on Friday, March 15th, Mr. Candlish stated that only seven of these ports were properly described, the other five being far below Cardiff, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Swansea, and Grimsby; and that, whether as regarded shipping, commerce, or revenue, the return was grossly inaccurate in all particulars.—Mr. Cave, Vice-President of the Board of Trade, said that for some particular reason or other, he knew not what, the return had been moved for almost beyond the memory of man, and had since been continued year after year, for which he was very sorry, since it added needlessly to the great expense of unnecessary returns, and was entirely inaccurate from beginning to end.”

[25] The total amount of Tea imported into the United Kingdom in 1866, was 139,610,044 lbs., but 37,355,044 lbs. being exported, leaves the amount above stated as the total of British consumption. Its aggregate cost to the consumers was about £18,500,000, or about 12s. 4d. for each unit of the population.