Great Western Coffee Shop

Gretit Wotern Fares and Tolls.--In 1847, puha-ment, on aut horising the purchase by the Great N% cistern Company of the Birmingham, and Oxford and Birming-ham and Dudley Railways, rna•tetl that from an,1 altor the actual possession of those lines hy the Great Western Company, the fares and rates of that. company, not merely over the new lines but entirely over the broad gauge system—London to Bristol, Bath, Oxford Chel-tenham, Gloucester, 8e.—should be reduced to the same scale as was then in force on the London and North Western, or narrow gauge system, or about 22 per cent. less than the Great 1Vestern scale. Although these lilies have been fur some time in the possession of the Great •Vestern Company, they have hitherto refrained from making any reduction whatever in the scale of charges over the various lines on their system, the question has now been raised in connection with the various bills before parliament affecting the Great Western. The third reading of the bill for effecting arrangements between the Great Western and the Shrewsbury communes, on the suggestion of the Presi-dent of the Board of Trade, has been postponed ; it is suppoied to give time for the discussion of any compul-sory clau‘e which might be required. The question, it is said, involves a saving to the public, variously ealeu-lated at from 60,000/. to 150,000 per annum, and excites considerable interest in the West of England.

For the half-year ending 31st of December last 47,509,392 persons were passengers on the railways of the United Kingdom. During that period, 113 persons were killed and 264 hurt on the various lines. There were 8 passengers killed, and 213 hurt, from causes be-yond their own control ; 9 passengers were killed and 14 hurt owing to their own misconduct or want of cau-tion : 30 servants of companies or of contractors were killed and 17 hurt from causes beyond their own control ; 32 servants of companies or of contractors were killed and 11 hurt owing to their own misconduct or want of caution ; :33 trespassers and other persons, neither pas-sengers nor servants of the companies, were killed and 9 hurt by crossing or walking on railways. There was one suicide.