The first successful omnibus in London was started by a coach-builder named J Shillibeer, in July, 1829, to run between Greenwich and Charing-Cross, at fares considerably less than those of the old short stages; in addition to which advan tage, the greater part of the passengers were sheltered from the weather. By the judicious arrangement of making the same charge for inside and outside places, Shillibeer soon obtained extensive patron age, and began to break down the petty feeling of exclusiveness which formerly distinguished inside from outside passen gers. Success in the first experiment led Shillibeer to establish omnibuses between Paddington and the Bank. After much opposition the new system of travelling was fully established.
(Some of the facts in the preceding part of this article are derived from two papers in Chambers's Edinburgh Jour nal' for 1845 (Nos. 76 and 78), but much of the historical matter is to be found in Knight's London' and the Penny Magazine,' vol. vi.) In 1799 the act of parliament was passed (19 Geo. III. c. 51) which first imposed a duty on hired carriages of any description. This duty has at times been variously regulated, and is now settled by the above act, amended by 2 & 3 Wm. IV. c. 120, and 3 & 4 Win. IV. c. 48. The laws which relate to hackney-car riages and metropolitan stage-carriages are chiefly comprised in two acts of par liament: 1 & 2 Wm. IV. c. 22, which came into operation January 5th, 1832, entitled " An Act to amend the Laws re-1 luting to Hackney-Carriages, and to Wag gons, Carts, and Drays, and to place the of the Duties on Hackney-Car riages and on Hawkers and Pedlars in England under the Commissioners of Stamps ; " and 6 & 7 Vict. c. 86, enti tled " An Act for regulating Hackney and State Carriages in and near Loudon." In the former act are contained the greater part of the enactments which re late to hackney-carriages ; in the latter, those which more especially apply to me tropolitan stage-carriages (ommbuses).
The limits of hackney-carriages (hack ney-coaches and cabriolets) are five miles from the General Post-office, London ; and drivers of hackney-carriages are com pellable to drive five miles from the place where hired or from the General 1°ost office; bat if any hackney-carriage shall be discharged at any place beyond the limits of the metropolis (that is, beyond a circle of which the radius is three miles from the General Post-office), after eight in the evening and before five in the morning, back-fare may be demanded to the nearest part of the said limits or to any standing-place beyond the limits where the carriage may have been hired, at the option of the hirer.
The fares of hackney-carriages are fixed by the act 1 & 2 Wm. IV. c. 22. For every hackney-carriage drawn by two horses, for any distance not exceeding one mile, ls. ; for any distance exceeding
one mile, at the rate of 6d. for every halt. mile and for every fractional part of half a mile over and above any number of half-miles completed. By tame, the fare is, for not exceeding thirty minutes, Is. ; not exceeding forty-five minutes, Is. 6d.; not exceeding one hour, 2s.; and for auy further time after the rate of 6d. for every Mew minutes completed, and 6d for any fractional part of fifteen minutes. The fares for hackney-carriages drawn by one horse (cabriolets) are one-third less, so that for the first mile they are 8d., for a mile and a half, Is., and so on.
Every hackney-carriage and metropo litan stage-carriage is licensed by a re gistrar, deputy-registrar, or other officer appointed by one of Her Majesty's prin cipal Secretaries of State ; and every driver of a hackney-coach, and every driver and conductor of a metropolitan stage-carriage, and every waterman, at the time of granting the licence receives a metal ticket, which every such driver, conductor, or waterman is to wear on his breast in such manner that all the writing thereon may be distinctly visible. A stamp-duty of 5s. is charged on every li cence. Plates are to be affixed to hack ney- carriages with the name and abode of the proprietor and number of the li cence ; and " Metropolitan Stage-Car riage," or such other words as the regis trar shall direct, are to be painted on omnibuses. Proprietors of metropolitan stage-earriages fix their own fares, but those fares are to be distinctly painted on or in the carriage, as well as the number of persons for whom the carriage is S eemed.
Hackney - carriages standing in the street, though not on any stand, to be deemed plying for hire. Drivers may ply on Sundays, and, if plying, are com pellable to drive when hired. Agreement to pay more than legal fare not binding, but driver may agree to drive any dis tance at discretion for a stated sum, and mast not charge more than that sum, though less than legal fare. Deposit to be paid for carriage kept waiting, and driver must take the deposit and wait The act 6 & 7 Vict. e. 86, repeals previous act (1 & 2 Vict. c. 79), and ex tends the enactments not specifically re pealed of the I & 2 Wm. IV. c. 22, to the 6 & 7 Vict. c. 86. Other provisions of the acts relate chiefly to the restoration of property left in carriages, to furious driving, intoxication, insulting language, loitering, and other acts of misbehaviour ; to proceedings of proprietors, drivers, sad conductors, as to hcencea, payment of duties, contracts with each other ; and to modes of granting summonses, powers of magistrates, punishments, penalties, &c.