HOW THE COACHES WERE NAMED 305 



the field to take advantage of the event, and 

 " Comet " coaches, intended to strike the public 

 fancy with an idea of swift travelling, appeared 

 on the main routes with amazing unanimity. 



The Brighton " Comet," established in 1815, ran 

 until 1810, when the London and Erighton Eail- 

 Avay was opencnl. It experienced a good many 

 mishaps in the course of those twenty-five years. 

 On September 2nd, 1815, when it had arrived 

 at Castle Square, Brighton, and had discharged 

 most of its passengers, the coachman turned it 

 so sharply that the front wheels became locked, 

 and in the endeavour to release them the 

 coach was overturned. The careless coachman 

 was himself seriously hurt, and a lady, an in- 

 side passenger, and a gentleman on the outside 

 much bruised ; but a Mr. Walker, who had 

 just mounted the coach, had his leg broken. 

 The " Comet " evidently went through Epsom, 

 for it was there that another accident happened 

 to it in later years. That coach carried no 

 guard, and the coachman had, therefore, to act 

 that part, as well as drive. He climbed down 

 to take up a passenger, and while doing so the 

 horses backed the coach into a bank and caused 

 it to fall over. A lady travelling outside had 

 her ribs broken. A third accident was due 

 largely to the interference of a passenger, who 

 met his death in consequence. The " Comet " 

 had on this occasion nearly completed its down 

 journey, when, at Patcham, the reins became 

 entangled in some unexplained manner. A 

 VOL. I. 20 



