Genre:

Regular Feature, Proceedings, Drollery

Subjects:

Railways, Transport, Animal Behaviour, Telegraphy, Technology, War, Environmentalism, Politics, Government

    Notes James L O'Beirne's enquiry whether the Board of Trade 'would do nothing to obviate the danger to which persons on horseback and in carriages are exposed by the railway-engines which now run shrieking across thoroughfares and terrifying horses'. The Secretary for the Board of Trade, Thomas Milner-Gibson, insisted that the board would act 'if authorities complained' but that 'private persons had no right to complain of being smashed'. Describes Robert W Crawford's criticism of the Indian telegraph, and Punch laments the 'nonsense [...] transmitted by polyglot clerks'. Notes the proposal by John T F Mitford (2nd Baron Redesdale) to 'revolutionise the system on which railways enterprises were promoted'. Punch thinks Redesdale is 'at least ten years too late' and, noting the encroachments of railways on London, suggests that the capital should relocate to Winchester. (98) Notes the passage of the 'Bill for making a new Brighton Railway' and the announcement, in the Royal Navy estimates debate, of Cowper P Coles's apology for his anger towards the Navy over the design of his turrets for ships. (98–99)