Shanghai possesses some advantages over other cities for the operation of a tramway service; the flatness of Settlement eliminates the principal cause of tramway accidents and reduces the amount of current required, But thee are drawbacks also. The narrowness of the streets has necessitated the laying of a narrow-gauge line, and consequently there will not be passenger accommodation on the top of the trams, Then there tre no precedents to guide the administration in inaugurating the service. This will lead to the introduction of tome novel features. For instance, the tram-routes have been divided into numbered sections, and the tickets, instead of bearing the names of the: termini on each route will merely bear nambers corresponding to these sections. The same tickets will be used all over the routes, the conductor punching a hole opposite to the number of the sections over which the passenger is entitled to travel. The sections on each route are posted in conspicuous place in each car, and printed in English and Chinese. They will be Bund (Astor House, or the Club) to Defence Oreck; Defence Creek to Car-tar Road; Carter Rosd to Bubbling Well; Carter Road to Chefoo Road Chefoo Road to Railway Station Band (Shanghai Club) to Astor House; Astor House to Muirhead Moithead Road to Lay Road; Lay Road Yangtzepoo Terminus; Astor House to Range Road; Range Road to Rifle Range.
For all these sections the first-class fare will be five cents. The fare for two sections is ten cents and so on. The Tongest route is from the Club to Yangtszepoo, for which the first-class fare will be twenty cents.
The drivers and conductors will be Chinese, but at least twice on each journey cars will be visited by foreign inspectors. An elaborate system for checking the issue of tickets has been arranged, and there will be s kiosk at each terminus to accommodate a clerk, whose business udo the timing of the cars, ete. The frequency of the service will depend upon the demand the Company is prepared to pnt on five minute services when and where it is platforms there are "lazy tong" steel gates, which can be closed to prevent passengers entering or leaving on the wrong side. The cars are lighted by electricity, and are provided with side window: and sun-shatters, small upper windo and roof ventilators, all of which can be thrown open to allow a through current of air during the hot weather. The destination of each car is shown by a transparent roller-blind in front, bearing English and Chinese characters, which is set on each journey. Notices in English, French, and Chinese warn passengers against smoking, spitting, or bringing dogs on board. "It is to be hoped that the second rule will be strictly enforced. The route each car will take will farther be in-necessary. Double rails are Isid along the principal thoroughfares, and where the care travel backwards and forwards dicated at night by coloured slides over one of the headlights, The interior of the roof and the smaller windows will on single rails there are loops, at short ing purposes. The intervals, within sight of each other. aged in series and in Shanghai's freedom from fogs removes parallel, s0 that should one of them the principal inconvenience experienced break down the ear could still make its where single tracks have been laid. way back to the depdt. Moreover a portable telephone is carried, by means 'A large car dopdt has been erected of which communication can be establish-at the junction of the Hart and Great ed with headquarters through one Western Roads, The sheds are built of the numerous junction boxes. The of galvanized iron, and the trams enter trams also carry an emergency repair the various doors over a network of outfit, including' rubber gloves and rails and under a network of wires. few simple tools. Should the hand-Cor steel doors, mounted on rollers, close each entrance when neces-brakes fal the trama can be brought up in half their own length by the electric sary. Entering the depot last Satur-brakes, For starting the cars there are day, our representative found it literally three resistance grids beneath. Each fall of cars. Sixty-four trams had been tram, complete, weighs about ten tons. erected, and the last car was being The car shed also contains " repair put together. Betwoon each pair of shop, fitted with a hydraulic ram, with rails in the shed there are pits to a pressure of eight tons to the square able the staff to inspect the mechani: inch—for removing and replacing tyres of the cars from below. Each with its joter, lathes and other machinery. new coat of red paint, the trams looked Mention should also be made of an serviceable and comfortable. The terms electric air-compressor for blowing out of the concession do not allow of any the motor cases of the cars. exterior disfigurement with advertise The remainder of the accommodation ments. The cars are mounted on four in the sheds is devoted to store-rooms, wheels, each pair of which is geared to strong room, waiting rooms for the 'a motor. There are driving platforms staff, and offices for the traffic-superin-at both ends, equipped with Messrs. tendent and his assistants. Residences Bruce, Peebles' K 1 type controllers, he foreign staff are building in the handbrakes, automatic switches, a vicinity. foot-gong, sand-cock and lifeguard The actual date of the opening of release, The life-guards, which are of the train service has not yet been de-the Hudson, Bowring type, are imcided. It is expected that the current mediately under the driving platforms. will be ready in a fortnight's time, and 'A wooden gate, known asa feeler, two or three weeks later, when the bhangs to within a few inches of the drivers have mastered their duties, the rails, and should it meet with any trams may be expected to make their obstruction across the rails, swings appearance in the streets of the Settle-back and releases scoop, which drops ment. across the metals and picks up the obstruction, whether it be a body or a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.