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APPENDIX No. XXIV.
The necessity of increased means of locomotion called into existence additional omnibusesand cabs. It is greatly to bo rogrottod that tlio old system which provailod on all the main lines ofthoroughfare remained unimproved, no respect having been paid to the comfort or convenienceof the public, oithor as regarded the description of vehicle or the rate of fares. The formerwore mostly old worn-out omnibuses, moroly brought into use for the occasion, the lattersubjoct to intricate and varying regulations of distances, at prices enhanced from 25 to 50per cent.
The number of omnibusos were—
On tlio 1st of July 1850 . . 1,245
„ „ 1851 . . 1,454
and of the former, 273 altored their routes, as existing previous to the 1st of July last, to“ Prince’s Gate,” near the Exhibition.
There wero therefore 482 omnibuses specially plying to and from the Exhibition. Calcu-lating that each omnibus made throo journeys per day, and carried on the average tenpassengers (in returning from tlio Exhibition in tlio morning, and in going there in tlioafternoon, they carried but low passengers, and wero frequently ompty), the above number ofomnibuses would provide means of conveyance for, and probably did carry 28,000 personsper day. In addition to the above 482 omnibuses, the regular route of at least one-fourth ofthat number more brought them within short distances of tlio Exhibition, convoying passen-gers probably in like proportion.
The number of cabs wero—
On tho 1st of July 1850 . . 3,000
„ „ 1851 . . 3,42!)
I havo not been ablo to ascertain wliothor the moans of conveyance upon the river, whichhas within tlieso last few years become one of tho most bustling thoroughfares in the Me-tropolis, were augmented or not during the present year, but in September last thoro wero sixcompanies, possessing sixty steam-boats plying to or from llungerford Bridge and LondonBridgo, which traversed that portion of the river lying between these two points sixty timesevery hour. None of tlieso vossels are licensed to carry loss than 300 passengers, but the samemotive which induced tho Directors to decline giving any information as to tho number ofjourneys, applies to tho quostion of passengers. The increaso of traffic,however, of one of thosecompanies, from tho first April to 03t i September 1851, as compared with the corresponding
f ieri od of 1850, was at tho rate of 38 per cent. There are numerous steam-boats plying belowAindon Bridgo of greater capacity ; those belonging to tho Star Gravesend Company, conveyed,during live months of tho present year, above 800,000 persons, in addition to tlio passengerspossessing season and periodical tickets.
STATE OF EMPLOYMENT AND PlilCES.
The various grades and classes of socioty in the Metropolis are so closely united, and theirmutual dependence is so intorwoven, that the fluctuation of pauperism and of abundant orscanty employment is, with few exceptions, felt only in seasons of general prosperity ordepression. So long as tho price of provisions is moderate, so long will there bo employmentfor the labouring classes in the Metropolis, and a consequent diminution of pauperism. Inmanufacturing towns and in purely agricultural districts, a sudden rise or fall in tho prico oftho raw material, or of agricultural produce, at once affects the condition of the labouringpoor ; but in the Metropolis these sudden changes are rarely known. The modes of gaining alivelihood aro so various, and tho directions in which employment can be sought are somanifold, that it is very seldom a partial depression is felt. During the last two years thoprico of bread, moat, and clothing has continued moderato, and tho supply has been abundant,especially in tho Metropolis. Tho condition of tho labouring man is therefore in many respectssatisfactory, and no very marked difference will be found in tho number of poor dependent forrelief upon the metropolitan parishes.
Tho following is a statement of tho numbor of paupors roliovod in tho Metropolitan Unionson tho 1st of July 1850, and on tho 1st of July 1851.
1850 1851
Iii-door paupors . . 14,302 14,588
Out-door .... 43,206 38,552
Total . . . 57,508 53,140
The prices of the chief articles of consumption exhibit but littlo difference during the pastsummer, as compared with 1850. Bread remained at tho same price during tho two periods ;meat has varied but littlo ; of poultry or fish no record of prico can bo consulted. Tho follow-ing aro returns of tho average prieos at Smitliliold market, and of the contract prico of theseveral kinds of provisions required in poor-houses of the Unions forming tho MetropolitanDistrict.