A little time later, a post office safe in the West End of London was rifled, the burglars discarding old methods of violence in breaking it open, and using a jet of oxyhydrogen flame to burn away a portion of the safe door! CHAPTER XI. MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL MAILS.--FROM COACH TO RAIL--THE WESTERN RAILROAD.--POST OFFICE ARBITRATION CASE. When the construction of the Great Western Railway was in contemplation, the prospect of the Londoner being able to pay a morning visit to Bristol, in even four or five hours, was hailed with satisfaction, as will be gathered from the following article from _The Sun_ newspaper of March 26th, 1832:-- "RAILWAY FROM LONDON TO BRISTOL.--We understand that two civil engineers of eminence, Henry H. Price and Wm. Brunton, Esqrs., are busily occupied (under the auspices of some leading interests) in making the necessary surveys for the above important work. We hail with satisfaction the prospect of seeing the metropolis, ere long, thus closely approximated to the Bristol Channel and Western Seas, when four or five hours will enable us to pay a morning visit to Bristol. Nothing can tend more to increase and consolidate the power of the empire than to give the greatest possible facility of intercourse between its distant points. When the London and Bristol railway shall be completed, it will be very possible, in connexion with the Irish steam-boats from the latter port, for cattle and other Irish produce to be conveyed to the London market within 32 hours from the time of shipment at Cork, Waterford, &c., and thus, at a cheap rate, will the London market be thrown immediately open to the Irish agriculturist; at the same time the London consumers will be benefited in proportion to the greater extent of country thrown open whence they may derive their supplies. Liverpool, we understand, imports above 7,000 head of live stock per week; much of which is conveyed to Manchester by the railway, and we may surely hope for a similar result to the metropolis, when the direct communication is opened with Ireland by similar means. In a political point of view, the importance of the great work in question is too obvious to require a moment's comment. We need only state, that in case of emergency, four to five hours will be sufficient to convey any quantity of men or stores from our depôts or arsenals near London to Bristol, whence they will be ready to embark for any point where they may be required, and we at once prove that railways, judiciously constructed across the country, may be made, not only the means of economy to the Government (smaller establishments being necessary), but that they tend more than anything else to concentrate and consolidate the strength of an empire, and are an additional guarantee against war and foreign aggression." [Illustration: PRIMITIVE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY TRAIN BETWEEN BRISTOL AND BATH, PASSING KELSTON]