Chapter XXIII: The End of the Journey

And now, ladies and gentlemen, "I leave you here," and trust I have given you no cause for complaint on the score of either civility or politeness to my passengers. I fear that in some places the road may have been heavy and the pace slow. Perhaps it may be thought that the style is incoherent, to which I can only say that such is usually the character of chatter; and if I have written anything which has afforded some interest or amusement, my most ardent hopes are satisfied.

The tale I have told has, in one sense, been told before, but so many fresh phases and incidents were so constantly turning up in the old mode of travelling, that it is not necessarily a twice-told tale. Probably the first idea of most readers upon closing the book will be, "How thankful I am that my lot was not cast in the days of my father or grandfather;" and this naturally leads to the reflection that when the busy wit of man had not produced so many inventions for evading the minor ills of life, the first idea was to endure them; but now, when fresh schemes of all sorts and descriptions are being propounded every day to render life easy, it is to cure them; and if this does not go to the length of making artificial wants, no doubt it is the wisest course to adopt.

To the old hand, however, who has not forgotten his early experiences, this eagerness to escape all hardship may seem to savour of softness and effeminacy, but I make no doubt that, though not called forth as it used to be in the days of yore, there still exists in the youth and manhood of Old England the same pluck and power of endurance when duty calls, as there ever was; and that as long as we continue to cherish our old field sports and games, we are not in much danger of losing them.

It were folly to stand up for road travelling as against the greater convenience of railways; still, I confess to a lingering feeling of regret that what was brought to such a state of perfection should have so completely vanished, and I think I cannot express these feelings better than by a short anecdote.

Many years ago, when hunting with the late Sir W. W. Wynn's hounds, when they had the advantage of the guidance of John Walker, I asked him which pack, whether the large or small, showed the best sport and killed the most foxes. His answer was, "Well, I really think the large pack does kill most foxes and give the best sport altogether, but _I like the little ones_." And if asked which is the best mode of travelling, whether by road or rail, I must confess that, as a travelling machine for conveying us from one part of the country to another, the railway is the best both for safety, speed, and economy; but having said this, I am constrained to make the same sort of reservation as was made by John Walker, and say, "_I like the coaches_."

Most noticeable of all, perhaps, was the plucky effort made in 1837 to revive the favourite "Red Rover" coach between London and Manchester, which had been discontinued upon the opening of the London and Birmingham and the Grand Junction Railways. It was "the last charge of the Old Guard," and shared the same fate. It may be interesting, however, to append a copy of this singular notice--one more evidence of the reluctance of Englishmen to be beaten, even at long odds. The very date at foot is significant, for the enterprise was embarked on in the teeth of the approaching winter.

THE RED ROVER REËSTABLISHED

THROUGHOUT TO MANCHESTER.

Bull and Mouth Inn.

It is with much satisfaction that the Proprietors of the RED
ROVER oach are enabled to announce its

REËSTABLISHMENT

as a direct conveyance THROUGHOUT BETWEEN LONDON AND MANCHESTER,
and that the arrangements will be the same as those which before
obtained for it such entire and general approval.

In this effort the Proprietors anxiously hope that the public will
recognize and appreciate the desire to supply an accommodation
which will require and deserve the patronage and support of the
large and busy community on that line of road.

The RED ROVER will start every evening, at a quarter before
seven, by way of

COVENTRY STAFFORD MACCLESFIELD
BIRMINGHAM NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE AND
WALSALL CONGLETON STOCKPORT

and perform the journey _in the time which before gave such
general satisfaction_.

[Symbol: Pointing hand] It will also start from the "Moseley
Arms" Hotel, MANCHESTER, for LONDON, every evening, at nine
o'clock.

EDWARD SHERMAN ) _Joint_
JOHN WEATHERALD and Co. ) _Proprietors_.

_LONDON_,

_October 28, 1837_.

An old song may come in here:--

"The road, the road, the turnpike road,
The hard, the brown, the smooth, the broad,
Without a mark, without a bend,
Horses 'gainst horses on it contend.
Men laugh at the gates, they bilk the tolls,
Or stop and pay like honest souls.
I'm on the road, I'm on the road,
I'm never so blithe as when abroad
With the hills above and the vales below,
And merry wheresoe'er I go.
If the Opposition appear in sight,
What matter, what matter, we'll set that all right."

In the introduction I ventured to point out some inaccuracies which I had observed in a statement made upon the subject of coach fares, and as it is probably one which few remember anything about, I give a statement of what would be about the profit and loss of a month's working of a coach for a hundred miles.

RECEIPTS.

A Full Load on the Way-bill both ways. £ s. d.
8 inside passengers 15 0 0
14 outside 25 4 0
Parcels 1 0 0
-----------
£ 41 4 0
-----------
Month's receipts 988 16 0
Deduct expenses 113 14 0
-----------
£875 2 0
-----------

PAYMENTS.

Daily
£ s. d.
15 toll-gates, at 3s.[3] 2 5 0
Hire of coach, per mile 2-1/2d. 1 0 10
Mileage duty, 2d.[4] 0 6 8
Washing and oiling coaches 0 2 0
-----------
4 8 6
-----------
For 4 weeks 106 4 0

Monthly.
8 road booking-offices £ 4 0 0
2 end booking-offices 2 0 0
Making Share bills 1 0 0
Oil and trimming lamps, say 0 10 0
-----------
Total £113 14 0
-----------

[3] It was usual for coaches to come to terms with the
pikers to pay for three horses instead of four.

[4] There had also to be paid £5 licence duty yearly when
the plates were taken out.

This makes £8 15s. to be divided per mile, which, of course, would give a very handsome profit; but full loading could not be expected every day, and if it was reduced to half loads, it would not be such a very fat concern.

The cost of each horse was usually put at 17s. 6d. a week, including blacksmith, and that, supposing a man to cover a ten-mile stage for which eight horses would be ample if not running on Sundays, would cost £7 a week, or £28 a month, leaving, at about half loading, say £20 profit. But from this has to be deducted saddler, veterinary surgeon, and wear and tear, the two latter of which depend, to a certain extent, on circumstances over which he has not much control, as it depends upon such things as sickness in the stables and accidents.

[_APPENDIX._]

His Majesty's Mails.

G. P. O.