The Pullman Car.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5444, 6 February 1889, Page 2

The Pullman Car.

The London, Brighton, and South Coaefc Railway Company have started another Pullman car to the " Quean of watering pliusos. ,. It is a special morning and evening train of three delightful oars of the newest Ainericau pattern, mado at the Pullman works in Chicago, imd finished at %j company's shops at Brighton. A drawingroom car for ladies, beautifully appointed, a buffet-car for gentlemen, end a smokingcar for ditto. In the buffet-ear there is a counter for tea and coffeo and for bonbons, which tho gentlemen ere supposed to patronise in the interest of their friends in the ladies' carriage. There is also a writing desk mid a library with a nice selection of first-class literature. One of the novelties of the new train is that, tho connection of the carriages is so contrived as to givo a perfect vestibule right along the train,, which can be traversed under cover and whatever tho weather may be. On the trial trip 1 wont dowu to Brighton with a number of directors rind journalists, at the head of whom was the veteran G. A. Sala, who made a delightful speech at tho luncheon which whs part of the day's function. He said his mother had lived at Brighton when he was a boy, and was buriod there; she rested hy tho side of his sister; and the only other relative lie had in tho world was ;i resident of the city by tho sea—so that ha had affectionate association* with Brighton * but what ho was there for that day was t» S-ivo his support to a company which di«J not in its railway service consider cnly the rich but the poor. Brighton is tho nearest seaside to London, and somo years ago it wan almost tho exclusive privilege of tho rich to bo ablo to enjoy its invigorating air. The railway company now run periodical, swift, cheap trains, so that all classes can go to Brighton. At tho samo time it ia chieily tho resort of wealth and fashion. Tho winter season is practically London foy tho nea. No town is increasing in popularity more than Brighton. Now that Birmingham has boon constituted a city by Royal command it m mooted that Brighton, tho playground of London, the home of many eminent persons, and poesossiug- theatres, fine hotels, an Aquarium a wonderful pavilion, the finest pleasure piers in tho kingdom, many fashionable clubs, and other attractions should, as v suburb of London, be placed on i> pur with Westminster, Birmingham, Dundee, Bristol York, and other cities anciout and modern' By tho way, that Pullman train stiirtoi from London in a dense fog. Half-way toBrighton tho weather was delightful; then, for hslf-an-hour there were mists and hoar frost, while at Brighton it was almost summer. Tho sun was shining; tho KingV road, a sort of Kegent-street by tho « c >a was alive with oamiigos and pedestrians • there was a glorious stretch of bhi c and one seemed to have been transported horn Hades to Paradise. An h or n. find a halt later, on returning ' M London, tho ivgion ot \ ictoria station and Kcnsiug. ton was black as tl- 0 blackest night, and with tho darkness thoro Wttß v Fiirtocatmg taste « m l email. Traffic was all but suspended. Cabs were afc tended by hnkmen, and if yon wanted to go anywhere on foot it was necessary to have tie aid of men carrying torches and powerful lanterns. Fortunately for mo, tho underground wilwtty mHWfmA mv pur ' ™? but it took mo an hour to get to tho station' which was only across the road from the mam lino. I hired a cab for the fow hundred yards ; my coachman first lost his way and then got jammed in a line of traffic. At the risk of my lif o I got out, and although I know every moh of the ground, I was nearly au hour finding the station! Once nako a wrong turn in a fog, and you » lost indeed. When I had toaveluHorth by underground for about half.an hour I found my own district of Regent's Park and St. John's Wood perfectly freo from fog and with the now moon, now about in her second muu-for, shining pale and beautiful m a blue sky.' The fts of all possible credit for her in|eniou ß addU ions to the comforts of railway travel but it must not bo forgotten that while fi h o has given us tho "drawing room on wheeb" travel the far moro important invention known as « tho floating hotel." I only wish, tho London hotels wore as well conducted and had only half as good a cuisine as that of our great ocean steamers.-London correspondent Sydney Morning Herald