Agreements for the division of traffic, or for “pooling,” as they are termed in the United States and Canada, are not unknown in this country. Some have been sanctioned by Parliament; others have been made between the companies without any express Parliamentary authority, and have been carried out. For instance, Mr. Gladstone made, in 1851, an award apportioning, for a period of five years, the receipts for traffic carried between, London, York, Leeds, Sheffield, and several other places, between the Great Northern, and London and North Western, and Midland Railways. In the year 1857 he made a further award determining, for a period of fourteen years, the proportions in which the proceeds from the passenger and goods traffic between the same and other places, including Hull, Halifax, Bradford, &c., were to be divided between these companies and the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Company. Parliament has sanctioned agreements for the division of traffic receipts between the South Eastern and London Chatham and Dover, and between the London Brighton and South Coast and South Eastern Companies. But it is more than doubtful whether the parties to these agreements have derived all the advantages which, consistently with the interests of the public, they might have obtained. It is well known that nowhere on the Continent has the construction of competing lines been carried out to the same extent as in this country; it is one of the great permanent advantages possessed by Continental railways.[104] In France the companies have districts within which they exclusively afford railway accommodation. The Government recognise and sanction agreements between the companies for the prevention of undue competition where it inevitably arises, and for an apportionment of the receipts from competitive traffic. The following is an instance:--An agreement made 31st March, 1885, between the “Western of France Railway and the Orleans Railway Companies, provided that the receipts in respect of traffic carried between Paris and Angers, Nantes, Montoir, St. Nazaire, Redon and stations beyond, after deducting taxes (“Impôts”) and terminals should be apportioned thus:-- 1. Traffic between Paris and Redon and stations beyond as far as Plaermel and Pontivy-- 55 per cent. proportion to the Western Company. 45 ” ” ” Orleans Company. 2. Traffic carried between Paris and Angers, Nantes, Montoir, St. Nazaire, and branches leading out of the latter two stations, as well as Pont Chateau, by whatever route the traffic may have been carried-- 49 per cent. proportion to the Western Company. 51 ” ” ” Orleans Company. 3. Traffic carried between Paris and stations beyond Angers or Martre d’Ecole on the States Railway-- 230/304 to the Western Company. 74/304 ” Orleans ”