EARLY DAYS OF RAILWAYS. 451 



as far as it is practicable, but the Directors give 

 notice that tbe Company do not undertake that the 

 trains shall start or arrive at the time specified in the 

 tables, nor wUl they be accountable for any loss, in- 

 convenience, or expense which may arise from delays' 

 or detention.' 



The old coach-proprietors never ventured to issue 

 such a notice. 



When railways were first commenced, everybody in 

 the shape of an owner of property seemed to look 

 upon them as things to be kept as much at a distance 

 as possible, and as seriously detrimental to the value 

 of houses and land, as in the case of the Collegiate 

 Dons at Oxford, and the governing authorities at 

 Eton ; but now applications are constantly made 

 to railway companies to erect stations on their lines 

 in order to increase the accommodation they afford as 

 much as possible, and in advertising property to be 

 sold or let, it is usually described as being ' within 

 a mile of a railway station,' ' close to a station, with 

 a good service of trains,' or ' within a short distance 

 of two railways, with frequent trains. 



In 1833, many City men lived in the City at their 

 places of business — not merely shopkeepers, but 

 merchants and other men of considerable position ; 

 and not very long before that period, men of sporting 

 tendencies would ride down from Cheapside, setting 



29—2 



