3 66 DRIVING. 



By degrees, as new and wider thoroughfares and streets were 

 opened up, other wants arose, and were gradually provided for 

 by the competition of younger and newer traders seeking em- 

 ployment for brains and capital. 



Omnibuses have been greatly improved of late years, espe- 

 cially as regards the ventilation of the interior, which for many 

 years was extremely defective, and probably led to the spread of 

 disease, much illness, and loss of health, strength, and energy 

 in those who habitually used them. Now that London has so 

 much excellent wood pavement, with a chance of its further ex- 

 tension, it is probable that the same class of horses now used 

 could draw a vehicle affording rather more space per passenger ; 

 but those who travel outside have far better accommodation 

 than in former times, and the convenient staircases and better 

 outside seats now attract many female passengers, who prefer the 

 fresh air and sight of the busy traffic of the streets, to having 

 their feet trodden on by some heavy boor in the interior. 



A singular vehicle appeared about the year 1840; it was called 

 ' slice of an omnibus.' Imagine twenty inches cut off the end 

 of an omnibus, suspended on two wheels, and a pair of shafts 

 attached to the front part,jhe driver sitting on the roof and the 

 passengers entering or leaving by a door behind. They were 

 ugly, cramped as to accommodation, and soon went out of 

 use ; but they had one good effect : they taught people to look, 

 hope for, and expect something better ; and Mr. Harvey, a linen- 

 draper of Westminster Bridge Road, did improve on the idea. 

 He made a more roomy body, cut a gap in the off hind upper 

 portion, and put in it a seat for the driver ; it carried three 

 persons inside, protected from rain and storm, but not com- 

 fortably, and besides it was too weighty. 



The idea which has made the name of Hansom so well 

 known was the application to two-wheel vehicles of the system 

 of suspension that had not long before been applied to the 

 four-wheelers ; he lowered the body by placing the axle under 

 the seat instead of below the floor line, as had hitherto 

 been usual. But, although he accomplished improvements, so 



