Another regulative Act was passed in 1843. Proprietors are, as before, to fix their own fares ; but the list of fares is to be painted within-aide the coach or omnibus. A further Act, passed in 1855, contained two or three clauses relating to stage-carriages. The'mileage duty is reduced from 14d. to Id. per mile. The charge for a supple mentary licence is reduced from 5s. to 18. On the other hand, the liberty to compound for stage-carriage duties is withdrawn.
In 1836, a joint-stock association called the " London Conveyance Company" was established, which proposed to run omnibuses along the principal lines of traffic, starting at short and regular in tervals, and conducted by men of sober and respectable character. The result of this experiment was so successful, that other owners formed themselves into bodies of similar character. In the course of a few years the association system was almost universally adopted in the metropolis. For some years the traffic from Paddington to the Bank through Holborn was managed by the London Conveyance Com pany, with more than eighty omnibuses, and not less than a thousand horses. Each of the omnibuses performed upon an average six double journeys per day, and required at least ten horses to work it, inde pendent of casualties. These horses were selected for strength and activity, and an experienced veterinary surgeon, with a staff of assistants and farriers, was employed to attend to them. The annual receipts of this company alone were roughly estimated at 80,0001. to 100,0001. About the year 1844 it was found that, out of 1400 metropolitan omnibuses, 200 were engaged on various routes to Paddington. In 1855 a " London General Omnibus Company" was established. It was of French origin, as a Societe en Commandite, but was afterwards transformed into an English Company with limited liability. A capital 93 raised by shares; and the company proceeded, not to establish new omnibuses and omnibus routes, but to purchase those already existing. The sets of omnibuses known as the " Wellington," "Atlas," " Waterloo," " &c., were one by one bought up. On an average the company purchased eleven horses with each omnibus. In
order to propitiate the public the company promised new and superior vehicles. They offered a prize of 100/. for a design for an improved omnibus ; but though the prize was awarded, the company have not adopted that or any other particular model in tho build of their omnibuses. The operations gradually extended until the company became possessed of more than 600 omnibuses : each omnibus, with its stud of horses, harness, and " of the business already established, cost on an average about 700/. The horses exceed 6000 in number. It has been found that these metropolitan omnibuses, one with another, run more than 20,000 miles a year each. In renewing the stock the averne expenditure has been about 120/. per omnibus, 301. per horse, and 121. harness. Each horse, under average prices, costs 26s. per week for food, litter, medicine, shoeing, attendance, &c. The " wear and tear " of omnibus and harness per week is about 24s. The horses run about 12 miles per day each on an average.
The transactions of this company during the year 1860 present a strange result iu a financial point of view : 40,000,000 passengers had been conveyed, and had paid about 589,0001. to the company for that service ; but the expense incurred in rendering the service was 591,0001., showing a small but actual loss on the whole year's opera flow!, and leaving no dividend whatever for the invested capital. The receipts show an average of about 3id. per passenger.
The omnibuses in Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, and several other towns, are in most respects superior to those of London. Projects have been formed for running omnibuses on tramways in the public streets; this plan was commenced at Birkenhead in 1860.
The mileage duty paid to the government for the metropolitan omnibuses amounts to about 70,000/. a year ; to which is added about 15,000/. a year for stamp-duty, and drivers' and conductors' licences. Stage-coaches and omnibuses are not so severely taxed in other parts of the kingdom. In Ireland the road traffic is mostly conducted by means of Bianconi's etage ears—a remarkable example of successful and effective private enterprise.