SOCIAL ECONOMY. (continued 2)

"A Constant Reader."

—(Times, Oct. 17, 1795.)

The following notices will show that, what with over-crowding, and bad roads, accidents were as frequent by road as they are now by rail—indeed, the per centage, considering the relative number of passengers, was much greater. The basket mentioned below, was a huge wicker work machine attached to the Coach, intended to carry parcels.

"Yesterday the driver of the Chelmsford and London Stage Coach, was convicted before the Magistrates at the Public Office, Whitechapel, in three separate penalties of 40s. each, for suffering more than six persons to ride on the roof of the said Coach.

"The owner and driver of the Bishop Stortford, and London, Stage Coach, was also convicted in the penalty of £4 for the same offence: and the driver of the Westham Stage Coach, in the same penalty, for suffering eight persons to ride on the roof of the said Coach."—(Times, Oct. 5, 1795.)

"In despite of continual and fatal accidents, not to mention the inferior consideration of pains and penalties, the Stage Coaches still continue to carry extra numbers on the outside. There were eleven on the coach, and box, of the Gosport Coach, beside the driver, and nine in the basket, on Thursday last."—(Times, Oct. 16, 1795.)

"The pavement in Bridge St. Blackfriars, which has been so long in a most dangerous state, has sunk near a foot more, within the last week, so that the roof of the main shore is every hour expected to give way."—(Times, Aug. 6, 1794.)

"On Wednesday afternoon, about four o'clock, the Boston Coach broke down, on the lowest part of Snow Hill, soon after it left the Saracen's Head Inn. The outside passengers, which were FOURTEEN in number, and mostly soldiers, were thrown with such violence on the pavement, that several were bruised, and one woman was taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where she died, on Thursday night. The inside passengers, which were five, and a young child, were not much hurt.

"The frequent accidents which arise from the outsides of coaches being so overladen, calls highly for reprehension. The laws are either inadequate to remedy the evil, or they are not properly enforced: and we sincerely hope that the coachman, and those who are concerned, will be severely punished, as an example to prevent the same accidents in future. We think there should be a fresh Act of Parliament, and, if the inside passengers were empowered, after taking their seats, to hire a post-chaise where there was above a stipulated number (at the owner's expence), it would remedy the evil."—(Times, Aug. 8, 1795.)

"The pavement in Bridge St. Blackfriars, still grows worse, and worse, and not the least notice is taking of it by the Paving Committee. This is a most scandalous act of neglect; as, publicly, and privately, the parties have been applied to, who ought to make the necessary repairs. The ground has now sunk near three feet. In so well regulated a city, as that of London, this is a most disgraceful business."—(Times, Oct., 16, 1799.)

"A few days since, the axle-tree of a carriage was broken in descending the slope of Blackfriars Bridge, in consequence of the very large hole, at the bottom of it, on the Surry-side, which is in the highest degree dangerous. We are not certain that an indictment would not lay against the Trustees of the Surry Roads, for the scandalous manner in which they are kept. They vie with the Paviours, in some parts of the City, and we know not which are the worst of them. It is not to be conceived the number of horses that are foundered, by holes in the streets, and roads."—(Times, Oct. 5, 1799.)

"From the dangerous state of the pavement in some parts of London, it might be supposed that the Public paid nothing towards it. The thoroughfare about the New Church, in the Strand, is so bad, that two, or three, accidents have lately happened by horses tumbling down, from their feet catching in the holes."—(Times, Sept. 30, 1799.)