7 JANUARY 1922, Page 33

The new number of the Library, dated December (H. Milford,

5s. net), contains an elaborate study of " Early Railway Time Tables " by Mr. E. H. Dring, who adduces fresh reasons for regarding George Bradshaw as the originator of the portable volume of time tables of different railways. His closest rivals, the Osbornes of Birmingham, issued a time table within a month of the first " Bradshaw " of October 19th, 1839, but Mr. Dring thinks that it was very hastily produced to compete with Brad- shaw's more elaborate work. Mr. Dring describes the various issues of the early editions with as much care as if he were dealing with Shakespearean quartos. For the history of railways his essay is of real importance.