BOULNOIS’S CAB 214 THE FIRST HANSOM 217 AN IMPROVED HANSOM 219 FRANCIS MOORE’S VEHICLE 221 THE FIRST FOUR-WHEELED CAB 225 THE TRIBUS. BACK VIEW 229 THE TRIBUS. SIDE VIEW 230 JOHN COCKRAM 261 PARLOUR’S HANSOM 269 ELECTRIC CAB 272 PART I _OMNIBUSES_ OMNIBUSES AND CABS CHAPTER I _Carrosses a cinq sous_ invented--Inauguration ceremony--M. Laffitte’s omnibuses--The origin of the word “omnibus” as applied to coaches. Omnibuses, under the name of _carrosses a cinq sous_, were started in Paris in 1662. The leading spirits in this enterprise were the Duc de Rouanès, Governor of Poitou, the Marquis de Sourches, Grand Prévôt, the Marquis de Crénan, Grand Cup-bearer, and Blaise Pascal, the author of “Lettres Provinciales.” The idea was Pascal’s, but not being sufficiently wealthy to carry it out unaided, he laid the matter before his friend the Duc de Rouanès, who suggested that a company should be formed to start the vehicles. Pascal consented to this being done, and the Duc de Rouanès set to work at once to prevail upon members of the aristocracy to take shares in the venture. The Marquis de Sourches and the Marquis de Crénan he induced to take an active part in the management and, best of all, he obtained from Louis XIV. a decree authorising the establishment of _carrosses a cinq sous_. Seven vehicles to carry eight passengers each, all inside, were built, and on March 18th, 1662, they began running. The first one was timed to start at seven o’clock in the morning, but an hour or two earlier a huge crowd had assembled to witness the inauguration ceremony, which was performed by two Commissaires of the Châtelet, attired in their official robes. Accompanying them were four guards of the Grand Prévôt, twenty men of the City Archers, and a troop of cavalry. The procession, on arriving at the line of route, divided into two parts, one Commissaire and half of the attendants proceeded to the Luxembourg, and the others to the Porte St. Antoine. At the latter place three of the twopenny-halfpenny coaches were stationed, the other four being at the Luxembourg. Each Commissaire then made a speech, in which he pointed out the boon that _carrosses a cinq sous_ would be to the public, and laid great stress on the fact that they would start punctually at certain times, whether full or empty. Moreover, he warned the people that the king was determined to punish severely any person who interfered with the coaches, their drivers, conductors, or passengers. The public was also warned that any person starting similar vehicles without permission would be fined 3000 francs, and his horses