There are some thirty miles of tunneled railways in London, now, and the work of extending them is carried on with increasing energy.  This railway is double track everywhere, and forms two circuits, upon one of which the trains continually run in one direction, while those on the other track run in the opposite direction.  Collisions are therefore impossible between these two systems of counter-currents.  Numerous stations are built all along these roads, where travelers can descend to meet the trains or leave them, to make their ascend to the city above.  To give the reader an idea of the immense amount of traveling done in these dark passages under London, it need only be stated that long trains of cars pass each station every “ten minutes,” and are as well filled with passengers as those of railroads on the surface of the earth.  The cars are comfortably lighted, so that after one has taken his seat and the train begins to run along, it resembles night-traveling so perfectly, that the difference is scarcely perceptible.

Of all modes of travel, these underground railroads afford the quickest, cheapest, safest and most convenient manner of transit.

This great metropolis includes the cities of London and Westminster, the borough of Southwark, and thirty-six adjacent parishes, precincts, townships, &c.  It covers an area of 122 square miles, and has a population of about 4,000,000, that of the City of London proper being no more than about 75,000.  Murray’s Modern London contains the following statistics: 

“The Metropolis is supposed to consume in one year 1,600,000 quarters of wheat, 300,000 bullocks, 1,700,000 sheep, 28,000 calves, and 35,000 pigs.”  (If these animals were arranged in a double line, they would constitute a drove over a thousand miles long!)

“One market alone (Leadenhall) supplies about 4,025,000 head of game.  This, together with 3,000,000 of salmon, irrespective of other fish and flesh, is washed down by 43,200,000 gallons of porter and ale, 2,000,000 gallons of spirits, and 65,000 pipes of wine.  To fill its milk and cream jugs, 13,000 cows are kept.  To light it at night, 360,000 gas-lights fringe the streets, consuming, every twenty-four hours, 13,000,000 cubic feet of gas; while the private consumption of gas in a year amounts to 10,000,000,000 cubic feet.  Its arterial or water system supplies the enormous quantity of 44,383,328 gallons per day, while its venous or sewer system carries off 9,502,720 cubic feet of refuse.  To warm its people and to supply its factories, a fleet, amounting to upwards of a thousand sail, is employed in bringing annually 3,000,000 tons of coal, exclusive of 2,000,000 tons brought by rail.  The thirsty souls of London need have no fear of becoming thirstier so long as there are upwards of 6,700 public houses and 2,000 wine merchants to minister to their deathless thirst.