216 
the roof; but, when unfortunately an 
axletree breaks, or a wheel comes off, 
especially a fore one, or the coach over- 
turns whilst the same is proceeding 
briskly forwards, this heavy mass of lug- 
gage is precipitated obliquely forwards 
fo the ground; and, in too many of such 
instances, the luggage falls upon, and 
maims or kills, the persons who previ- 
ously have fallen from the box and 
front of the coach: amongst whom, it 
is well known, that the coachman 
rarely escapes unliurt; and the same 
would, we apprehend, appear, with 
regard to the other front outside pas- 
sengers, if the published accounts 
oftener distinguished the previous seats 
ef those who have been injured from 
an overturn. 
The safety-coaches lately intro- 
duced, (see our 47th volume, p. 155,) 
which not only exclude luggage from 
the roofs, but persons also, and depo- 
sit the luggage lower than the inside 
seats of the coach, are a great and 
valuable improvement, which, it is 
hoped, may become more genefal; 
and, in the mean time, passengers 
will de wanting in due regard to their 
own and other travellers’ safety, if they 
do not insist on a rigid compliance 
with the law above alluded to, as to 
the height of luggage piled on the 
roof. 
The writer offers these remarks, © 
with no wish to harrass or injure that 
meritorious class, the owners and 
drivers of stage-coaches, in behalf of 
whom, when unjustly borne upon, he ° 
has more than once exercised his pen, 
and still less with any view to excite 
exaggerated fears for their personal 
safety, in the travellers by stage- 
coaches, particularly those on the 
outside and front of the coach; be- 
cause, during many years past, this has 
heen his own favourite mode and 
placein travelling ; and, in proof of the 
comparatively small number of per- 
sonal injuries which’ occur, he can 
safely say, that he never yet in travel- 
ling saw personal harm happen to any 
one; and he knows several veteram 
eoaeh travellers, who often and use- 
fully make the same declaration, for 
allaying the unavailing fears expressed 
by others. 
According to a late edition of Cary’s 
“Ttinerary,” it appears, that fifty 
coach-inns in London send out and 
yéeceive more than 700 different stage 
phd) mail coaches, each of which, on 
the average, probably convey passen- 
os 4 
The Social Feonomist, No. 17. 
[ Oct. 1, 
gers 1000 miles within each week! 
Besides which, 127 villages, or places 
in the envirens of London, each enjoy 
tlic advantage of short stagés, most of 
which have sevéralsuch stage-coaches : 
to many of these places, the departures 
are hourly, and: even half-hourly, iti 
some cases, during the busy hours of 
the day. 
In addition to which, the same most 
useful work enumerates 133 mns in our 
provincial cities and towns; and parti- 
cularizes the hours of departing, and 
arriving, of more than 700 stage- 
coaches, running from and to these 
ims, a large proportion of them on the 
cross-roads, between the towns, on the 
direct or main roads, which radiate on 
all sides from tlie metropolis: many of 
these cross-siages go and return daily, 
and some oftener, between these pro- 
Vincial towns. 
All which, taken together, presents 
an extent of travelling by public er 
stage-coaches, and with a celerity of 
motion, which has no parallel upon 
earth ; and, compared with which, the 
number of accidents oceasioning per- 
sonal injury, which are published, or 
even all such as really happen, are se 
exccedingly small, as to show ihe risk 
in any particular journey to be almost 
insensible; and even this small risk 
may be yet further lessened, by tra- 
vellers vigilantly observing, taking 
notes, and the addresses of proper 
persons who may be present as wit- 
nesses; and, when thus furnished, 
privately admonishing the coach-pro- 
prietors, on every case of misconduct 
punishable by law; and, whenever ° 
neglect, or refusal of every practicable 
redress happening, to follow up the 
same by prosecution; particularly in 
cases of drunkenness by the coach- 
man, or of furious driving or racing 
eeainst other carriages, or, lastly, 
whenever luggage is to an illegal ex- 
tent piled on the tep of a coach. 
Tn the detection of this latter and 
serious offence, every toll-collector is 
required by law, under a penalty, to 
assist, by nreasuring the height of the 
luggage, on the demand of any pas- 
senger; and, towards which salutary 
purpose, the trustees and surveyor of 
every road ought to concur, by ‘fur- 
nishing each toll-house with a two-foot 
rule, and with two deal staves each 
exactly ten feet nine inches long, 
joined together by about 2% yards of 
whip-cord, the two ends of which cord 
should be fast nailed on to the tops of 
the 
