On Monday was published a;:correspondence in regard to Railway Rates
between the Board of Trade and the railways. Mr. Mundella, through Sir Courtney Boyle, tells the com- panies that the Board of Trade has received a great many complaints as to the increase in the rates—among others on. milk, grain, hay, live-stock, coal, and coke—which came into force on January 1st. There may be a good. excuse, but the companies "must be aware that, if those increases are wide- spread or far-reaching in their ;effect, a profound feeling of dissatisfaction may be expected to be produced among the traders and trading communities of the country," and accor- dingly they are asked for an explanation. The companies reply, in effect, that they have not yet had time to go thoroughly into the "many millions of rates" imposed, and that pending this they have been obliged to adopt the maxima allowed by law :—" The companies believe that many of the alleged grievances will disappear before the end of February, by which date the completed scales of rates will be inserted in the rate-books," and they are satisfied that in the end they will be able to meet all complaints. Possibly ; but we do not expect much from statutory or departmental pressure on the railways,—they can always appear to show that they carry goods below the cost of the coal they burn. The only care of trade-strangling rates is competition, and competition by non- railway concerns. It is, therefore, with great satisfaction. we note that the tradesmen of this Isle of Thanet have decided to start a service of "hoys " between Margate and London in order to make themselves independent of the railways.
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