THE COMING OF THE RAILWAY 249 



I had to lower my head on entering the subterraneous 

 causeway. Fortunately I had a pair of speftacles, and 

 by shipping them I had such an awful view of the whole 

 concern as no other place could have afforded. But 

 had I not been provided with these, my eyes could never 

 have borne the intense current of air and the occasional 

 volley of black dust that flew from the engine. The 

 guard of the mail has a place on purpose with his back 

 to the train, and well sheltered by his letter box. I am 

 delighted at having sat where I did, now, thank God, 

 it is safe over, but they'll not catch me there again; it 

 was more awful to me than anything I have weathered 

 at sea." 



On May 22nd, 1838, the Post Office announced a new 

 departure: 



"The mails to Holyhead, Manchester, Liverpool, and 

 Carlisle, are to be despatched to-night for the first time 

 by the London and Birmingham Railway. The Coaches 

 are to be drawn by horses to the terminus at Euston 

 Square, and there to be placed on trucks and so run 

 on the railway, retaining their coachmen, guards, 

 passengers, etc., and only requiring horses when they 

 reach the end of the railway to proceed on to their 

 respeftive destinations. Despatching these four mails 

 by this conveyance will accelerate the arrival of letters 

 to a great part of England and Scotland by about two 

 hours." 



During the early days of railways it did not seem 

 likely that trains would have much advantage over the 

 coaches in point of speed. In 1824 one of George 

 Stephenson's trains travelled at six miles an hour, 



