ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAYS [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—My
attention has only just been called to Mr. Whyte's letter in your issue of June 27th.
I repeat that one can travel by car between London and Bournemouth as quickly and more comfortably than one can do on the average train. It is being done daily by private motor cars in three hours or less from door to door. Even by the two-hour expresses one has to allow half-an-hour at least to get to Waterloo and another quarter of an hour to get from Bournemouth station to one's hotel or home. Taking this into account it will be seen that my statement is no exaggeration. I feel that it is the patronage of the private car owner for long journeys that the railway companies have to regain, and that can only be done by a considerable increase in speed on the main lines. Pre-War railway speeds will not save the situation. If electrification of our main lines will do it the railways may yet be saved ; otherwise, there seems to be a poor lookout for them as years go on.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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