on the road, but not as a regular and periodical conveyance, the fare to London being 25 shillings, “children on lap, and footmen behind, being charged half-price.”  A “Flying Coach” commenced running direct to the Metropolis on May 28th, 1745, and was evidently thought to be an event of some importance, as it was advertised to do the distance in two days “if the roads permitted.”  In July, 1782, the same journey was accomplished in 14 hours, showing a great improvement in the arrangements of the road.  The first mail coaches for the conveyance of letters was started by Mr. Palmer, of Bath, in 1784, the earliest noticed as passing through here being on August 23, 1785, but the first direct mail from this town dates only from May 25, 1812.  In February, 1795, the Western mailcoaches were delayed nearly a week together in consequence of a rapid thaw rendering the roads impassable.  In 1777 fifty-two coaches passed through here to London and sixteen to Bristol every week.  In 1829 at least 100 departed from or passed through the town daily, 550 persons travelling between here and London.  In 1832 Mr. Lecount estimated the general results of the road and canal traffic between here and London as follows:  Pessengers, 233,155; goods, 62,389 tons; parcels, 46,799; beasts, 50,839; sheep, 365,000; pigs, 15,364; the amount expended in cost of transit being L1,338,217.  In 1837 it was estimated that L6,789 was received per week from coach passengers on the road from here to London, L1,571 for parcels per coach, and L729 from persons posting along the same roads; and that L8,120 was received for goods by canals and waggons, not including iron, timber, cattle, minerals, or other goods at low tonnage—­L17,209 per week.  There was, notwithstanding the large number of coaches leaving here every day, no direct conveyance from Birmingham to Edinburgh.  The best and usual route was by Walsall, Manchester, Preston, and Carlisle; distances and times being, Manchester, 78-1/2 miles, 8 hours, fare, 14s.; Manchester to Carlisle, 118 miles, 12 hours 55 minutes by the mail, including stoppage of fifty minutes at Preston for post office purposes, fare, L1 2s. 6d.; Carlisle to Edinburgh, 95 miles, 9 hours 35 minutes, fare, 18s.; coachmen and guards’ fees about 15s.; all hotel charges, &c., were paid by the passenger.  Total distance, 291-1/2 miles; travelling time, 30-1/2 hours; cost, L3 9s. 6d., in all.  The mail coach which left the Albion reached London in 10-1/2 hours, which would be reckoned as very good travelling, even in these days.  For some time after the introduction of railways, the coaching interest was still of some account, for as late as 1840 there were 54 coaches and omnibuses running from here every 24 hours.—­ There has been a kind of modern revival of the good old coaching days, but it has not become popular in this part of the country, though quite a summer feature on the Brighton Road.  A four-in-hand, driven by the Earl of Aylesford, was put on the road from here to Coventry, at latter end