CAMOUFLAGE.
Notwithstanding the great increase in population, I believe that a comparison of present time-tables with those of the pre-War period would show the train services to be infinitely poorer. During the past week it might be supposed from the accounts in the daily papers that the interests of the traveller to Scotland had in some way been enormously served by the com- mencement of a non-stop train to Newcastle. What are the facts ? It is quite true that the 9.50 a.m. train from King's Cross, which until last Monday stopped at Grantham and at York, now goes through to Newcastle without a stop. It is also true, however, that in spite of this performance the . train arrives at Newcastle at exactly the same time (3.20 p.m.) as it did before the non-stop performance commenced, while the time of reaching Edinburgh (6.5 p.m.) is also unchanged. I am not suggesting for a moment that greater speed is called for, but I do maintain that in this and in many other directions the facts as regards our railway service facilities eight years after the War are being camouflaged and made to appear as abreast of the times, when the reverse is the case.
In the long run the prosperity of every business must depend upon the demand for the goods or services offered, and so long as the railways continue to rely upon artificial protection and monopolies—in fact, upon the public being compelled to travel rather than being anxious to travel—it is impossible to regard the- industry, at all events so far as the ordinary stocks are concerned, being established on a really sound basis.
ARTHUR W. KIDDY.
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