ved to be the first
publicly-advertised excursion train ever run in England--private
"specials," reserved for members of institutes and similar bodies, were
already in use. The event caused great excitement, and Cook received so
many applications to organize similar parties that he henceforward
deserted wood-turning, while continuing his printing and publishing. The
summers of the next three years were occupied with excursions like the
first; but in 1845 Cook advertised a pleasure-trip on a more extensive
scale, from Leicester to Liverpool and back, with opportunities for
visiting the Isle of Man, Dublin and Welsh coast. A _Handbook of the
Trip to Liverpool_ was supplied for the use of travellers. In the
previous year Cook had entered into a permanent arrangement with the
Midland Railway Company to place trains at his disposal, for which he
should provide the passengers. A trip to Scotland followed, and the
excursionists were received in Glasgow with music and salute of guns.

The next great impetus to popular travel was given by the Great
Exhibition of 1851, which Cook helped 165,000 visitors to attend. On the
occasion of the Paris exhibition of 1855 there was a Cook's excursion
from Leicester to Calais and back for L1:10s. The following year saw the
first grand circular tour in Europe. This part of Cook's activity
largely increased after 1863, when the Scottish railway managers broke
off their engagements with him, and left him free for more distant
enterprise. Switzerland was opened up in 1863, and Italy in 1864. Up to
this time "Cook's tourists" had been personally conducted, but now he
began to be an agent for the sale of English and foreign tickets, the
holders of which travelled independently. Switzerland was the first
foreign country accessible under these conditions, and in 1865 nearly
the whole of Europe was included in the scheme. Its extension to the
United States followed in 1866. For the benefit of visitors to the Paris
exhibition, Cook made a fresh departure and leased a hotel there. In the
same year began his system of "hotel-coupons," providing accommodation
at a fixed charge. The year 1869 was marked by an extension of Cook's
tours to Palestine, followed by further developments of travel in the
East, his son, John Mason Cook, (1834-1899), being appointed in 1870
agent of the khedivial government for passenger traffic on the Nile. The
Franco-German War of 1870-1871 was expected to damage the tourist
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