here, is transacted the business of the world. If you would know how it
looks where concentration of business has reached its climax, then come to
London. Many of its streets are so crowded with omnibuses, wagons,
dray-carts, &c., that it is almost Impossible for a pedestrian to cross
them. When the principal streets intersect each other, the bustle and
tumult of trade is so great, that it becomes a dangerous undertaking to
attempt to effect a crossing at such a square.

For the protection and accommodation of those on foot, the squares are
provided with little platforms elevated a step above the surface of the
road and surrounded with a thick row of stone posts between these, the
pedestrian can enter, but they shield him from the clanger of being tread
under the feet of horses, or run over by vehicles. Here one stands
perfectly safe, even when everything is confusion for an acre around. As
soon as an opportunity opens, he runs to the next landing; and thus
continues, from landing to landing, until the opposite side of the square
is reached. It often requires five minutes to accomplish this feat. It
has been estimated that no less than 20,000 teams and equestrians, and
107,000 pedestrians cross London Bridge every twenty-four hours. By police
arrangement, slow traffic travel at the sides and the quick in the center.
It is 928 feet long and fifty-four wide. Not only are the streets crowded,
but beneath the houses and streets, in the dark bosom of the earth, there
is a net-work of

Underground Railroads,

extending to all parts of the city, which pick up that surplus of travel
which it has become impossible to accomplish above.

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