Part 13 (1/2)

An English traveller in Gere in which there was only one seat vacant, a middle one A corner seat was occupied by a German, who evidently had placed his portmanteau on the opposite one-at least the traveller suspected that this was the case The latter asked, ”Is this seat engaged?” ”Yes,” was the reply When the tilish to ht I'll keep it for hinal caer seized the port, ”He's e!” That portmanteau was the Gerradual rise of the railway book-trade is a singular feature of our marvellous railway era In the first instance, when the scope and capabilities of the rail had yet to be ascertained, the privilege of selling books, newspapers, etc, at the several stations was freely granted to any who ht think proper to claim it Vendors came and went, when and how they chose, their trade was of the hu as their punctuality By degrees the business assumed shape, the newspaper man found it his interest to maintain a _locus standi_ in the establishment, and the establish the poor or the deserving a its servants A cripple maimed in the company's service, or a married servant of a director or secretary, superseded the first batch of stragglers and assumed responsibility by express appointreat at starting Railway travelling, at the time referred to, occupied but a very sest line reached only thirtyBut as the iron lengthened, and as cities reht closer, the tie extended, travellers multiplied, and the newspaper ceased to be sufficient for the journey At this period reading matter for the rail sensibly increased; the tide of cheap literature set in French novels, unfortunately, of questionable character were introduced by the newsman, simply because he could buy the at the same price The public purchased the wares they saw before theenious caterers for railway readers flattered thest all classes for the peculiar style of literature upon which it had been their good fortune to hit The more eminent booksellers and publishers stood aloof, whilst others, less scrupulous, finding a er to supply it It was then that the _Parlour Library_ was set on foot Immense numbers of this ere sold to travellers, and every addition to the stock was positively made on the assumption that persons of the better class, who constitute the larger portion of railway readers, lose their accustoine and present themselves to the railway librarian

-Preface to a Reprinted Article from the _Times_, 1851

MESSRS SMITHS' BOOKSTALLS

The following appeared in the _Athenaeu which the far of the line of the North-Western Railway by Mr Sood deal of attention in literary circles This new shop for books will, it is thought, seriously injure many of the country booksellers, and remove at the same time a portion of the business transacted by London trades to purchase a new book will give his order, not as heretofore, to the Lintot or Tonson of his particular district, but to the agent of the bookseller on the line of railway-the party , as he was accustoe or of the nearest town, can get his usual ent 'in the Row'-he will find his book at the locomotive library, and so be enabled to read the last new novel before it is a little flat or the last new history in the saentle from toith little time to spare will buy the book he wants at the railway station where he takes his ticket-or perhaps at the next, or third, or fourth, or at the last station (just as the fancy takes him) on his journey It is quite possible to conceive such a final extension of this principle that the retail trade in booksthe _imprireat recoton,' 'The Nine Elms,' or even 'Shoreditch' Whatever may be the effect to the present race of booksellers of this change in their business-it is probable that this new mart for books will raise the profits of authors

How many hours are wasted at railway stations by people well to do in the world, with a taste for books but no time to read advertisements or to drop in at a bookseller's to see what is new Already it is found that the sale at these places is not confined to cheap or even epheht work alone that is asked for and bought

”The prophecy of progress contained in the above paragraph has been fulfilled so far as the North-Western and Mr Smith are concerned His example, however, was not infectious for other lines; and till within the last three ood precedent, and entered into a contract with Mr Sestion was all that was offered to the wants of travellers by the directors of the South-Western, the Great Western, and other trunk and branch lines hich England is intersected A traveller in the eastern, western, and southern counties who does not bring his book with hi only by the commonest and cheapest trash-for the pretences to the appearance of a bookseller's shop ton, and at London Bridge, are so ridiculous This should not be It shows little for the public spirit of the directors of our railways that such a system should remain Mr Smith has, we believe, asfroreat stations are at Euston Square, Bir stock of books valued at 10,000 We call his stock rolling, because he moves his wares with the inclinations of his readers If he finds a religious feeling on the rise at Bangor, he withdraws dickens and sends down Henry of Exeter or Mr Bennett; if a love for lighter reading is on the increase at Rugby, he withdraws Hallam and sends down Thackeray and Jerrold He never undersells and he gives no credit His business is a ready-nity of literature by resolutely refusing to ad his stock He can well afford to pay the heavy fee he does for his privilege; for his novel speculation has been a decided hit-of solid advantage to himself and of permanent utility to the public”

-_Athanaeum_, Sept 5, 1851

A RESIDENT ENGINEER AND SCIENTIFIC WITNESS

Shortly after the first locohaiven very positive evidence before Parliament as to the injury to health and other intolerable evils that must arise from the construction of tunnels, paid a visit to the line The resident engineer accoe over the newly-finished portion of the works As they drew near Chalk Farineer attracted the attention of his visitor to the lae ”I should like to have your opinion on this,” he said ”The ht You see it is essential to keep the oil froers The cup shape effectually prevents this

Then the lae an up-cast and down-cast chimney, in order to ensure the circulation of air in the lamp

Then there was the question of shadow;”-and so he continued, to the great edification of his listener, for five or six minutes When a satisfactory conclusion as to the lamp had been arrived at, the learned man looked out of the”What place is this?” said he ”Kensal Green” ”But,” said the other, ”how is that? I thought there was one of your great tunnels to pass before we came to Kensal Green” ”Oh,”

replied the Resident, carelessly, ”did you not observe? We cah Chalk Farht He made no more reports upon tunnels

-_Personal Recollections of English Engineers_

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT A RAILWAY JUNCTION

A most extraordinary and unprecedented scene occurred on Mondayat the Clifton station, about five miles from Manchester, where the East Lancashi+re line forms a junction with the Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re The East Lancashi+re are in the habit of running up-trains to Manchester, past the Clifton junction, without stopping, afterwardsa declaration to the Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re Coers the trains contain, and for whom they will have to pay toll The Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re Company object to this plan, and demand that the trains shall stop at Clifton, so that the nuive up their tickets The East Lancashi+re Company say that in addition to their declaration, the other parties have access to all their books, and to the returns of their (the East Lancashi+re Company's) servants; and that the demand to take tickets, or to count, is only one of annoyance and detention, adopted since the two companies have become competitors for the traffic to Bradford Towards the close of last week, the dispute assumed a serious aspect, by one of the Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re Co that he would blockade or stop up the East Lancashi+re line, at the point of junction, with a large balk of tiainst Mr Black this, the Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re Coer proceeded on Monday to carry the threat into execution, despite the presence of a large body of the county police The East Lancashi+re early trains were allowed to pass upon the Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re line without obstruction; but at half-past 10 o'clock in the , as the next East Lancashi+re train to Manchester was one which would not stop at Clifton, but attempt to pass on to Manchester, a number of labourers, under the direction of Captain Laws, laid a large balk of ti iron crowbars, across the down rails to Manchester of the Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re line, behind which was brought up a train of six eine at the Manchester end When the East Lancashi+re train canalled to stop, and the Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re Company's servants went and deers

This demand, however, was fruitless, inasmuch as the East Lancashi+re parties had taken the tickets froley The first act of the East Lancashi+re Company's servants was to remove the balk of timber, and this they did without hindrance

They next attempted to force before the train This they were not able to do The East Lancashi+re Coht up a heavy train laden with stone, and took up a position on the top line to Manchester Thus the Lancashi+re and Yorkshi+re Company's double line of rails was completely blocked up-one line by their own train, and the other by the stone train of the East Lancashi+re Company In this position ether eight trains on the double lines of rails of the two co more than half a mile After which the blockade was broken up, and the various trains were allowed to pass onwards-fortunately without accident or injury to the passengers