Tramways, Motor-buses, etc. 465 



Whatever the actual position may be in regard to these 

 matters of account, which the financial experts may be 

 left to decide, it has long been a question (i) whether it would 

 not have been better either from the early days of street tram- 

 ways or, at least, from the time when electric tramways were 

 introduced, to have given a greater degree of encouragement 

 to private enterprise ; and (2) whether, assuming it was neces- 

 sary, or desirable, that local authorities should own the tram- 

 ways, it would not have been more prudent to arrange with 

 private companies for their operation, as is done, for example, 

 in the case of the light railway system in Belgium. On this 

 latter point the Royal Commission on London Traffic say in 

 their report (1905) : 



" We think it reasonable that some profit should be derived 

 from the tramways for the benefit of the municipality, but it 

 does not follow that the best way of securing the largest profit 

 will be that the municipality, even if it finds the money for 

 construction, should undertake the task of operating. In other 

 countries it is not unusual for municipalities to construct, 

 purchase or otherwise acquire the tramways, but in such cases 

 the actual working is generally left to operating companies, 

 with provision for proper rates and general control. It is 

 claimed that such methods yield a better financial result to 

 municipalities, and avoid difficulties which might arise from 

 municipal authorities carrying on a business of this kind on 

 a large scale." 



To-day we have the further question whether electric 

 tramways, which have always constituted a more or less 

 speculative business, have not attained the height of their 

 possible development, and whether they are not already on 

 their decline in face of other systems more efficient or, at least, 

 less costly and less cumbersome. 



The whole history of transport shows constant change and 

 progress, the achievements of one generation or the " records " 

 of one pioneer being only the starting-point of fresh advance 

 or of still greater triumphs later on. Electric tramways them- 

 selves were, undoubtedly, as great an improvement on horse 

 tramways as the drawing of vehicles by horses along a pair 

 of rails had already been an advance on locomotion over the 

 rough and rugged surfaces of badly made streets or roads. 

 But electric tramways did not necessarily constitute finality, 

 2 H 



