to the long years of experience and training which go to the making of a driver, whose position can in no sense be likened to that of the goods porter or drayman. They could not, therefore, place their destiny in the hands of an all-grades meeting. This was a long and involved question, causing many special meetings, but eventually, in March of 1914, the efforts to develop a Joint Scheme broke down, and in April the two Executives met the Special Committee of the companies separately. On this matter, too, the war rang down the curtain for a time.
The nation was in a state of interesting confusion. The Titanic, the latest great liner, had struck an iceberg and gone down on her first voyage in 1912; motor cars were becoming popular, and aeroplanes were attaining success; there were suffragettes in nearly every gaol, and Ireland was full of trouble. The doctors had finished their protest against the Insurance Act, and were enrolling huge panels. It was found that 80 doctors had 2,000 to 3,000 patients each; twenty had 3,000 to 4,000; three had 4,000 to 5,000; and three others had 5,000 to 7,000 patients each. A train-ferry had been started across the Channel, destined to be greatly developed during the war. In August of 1913 came the Colchester disaster, an express being wrecked by running into a light engine on the line, while in September came a worse event at Aisgill, Driver Samuel Caudle, the driver of the second express from Carlisle, missed the danger signals at Mallerstang, and ran into an express timed a few minutes earlier, which had been brought to a stand at Aisgill for want of steam, owing to poor fuel on the long incline. Caudle had himself been in great difficulties from the same cause, and was too occupied with injector and pressure questions to "take a second look," as he usually did, at the signals. He was found guilty of culpable negligence, and sentenced to a term of imprisonment, but so strong was the feeling stirred over the case, and the hardship of the drivers, that the Home Secretary ordered his release. Cleaners' strikes at Bolton, Bury, and Blackburn, on the L. & Y., were keeping Mr. Bromley very busy, and it was found that many of these cleaners were firing passenger
