irOW THE COACHES WJ^RE NAMEt) 315 



clay, stress a\ as laid upon the fact that this quick 

 service had been continued daily for six years 

 without an accident. Experienced coachmen, 

 steady horses, and a stern discouragement of 

 racing had procured this desirable immunity, and 

 so (the advertisement continued) it Avas hoped the 

 public Avould not deem the proprietors presump- 

 tuous in claiming the privilege of calling the 

 coach, although not a patent, a safety. Alas for 

 these pioneers of quick transit and sticklers for 

 decent conduct on the road ! The firm very soon 

 decayed, and Whitchurch, the senior partner, Avas 

 brought to poverty. 



To folloAV the history of the " safety " 

 coaches and the pseudo-" safeties " would be a 

 long business, but it may be said that these 

 specially constructed vehicles did not long con- 

 tinue, and that the average stage-coach passenger 

 took the claims of all very much on trust. To 

 show that he did so Ave need only quote the 

 anecdote related by " Viator Junior " in the 

 Sporting Magazine of 1828, at the expense of 

 the " Patriot " coach, then ncAA^ly provided Avitli 

 Cooke's protection reins : — ■ 



"Just as Pickett Avas starting with, his 

 ' Union ' coach out of Holborn, up comes a 

 pursy old citizen, pufiing and bloAving like a 

 grampus. 



" ' Pray, coachman, is this here the Patriotic 

 Life-Preserver Patent Safety Coach ? ' 



" ' Yes, sir,' says Pickett, not hearing aboA^e 

 half his passenger's question ; ' room behind. 



