§ MR. BIGGARasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether he is aware the District and Metropolitan Railways do not now work on the block system, and that the trains are exceedingly unpunctual; if so, whether he will use his influence to remedy the above complaint?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAINI have communicated with both the Metropolitan and the District Railway Companies, and am informed that the lines of both Companies are worked on the "absolute block system," no change in this respect having been made since the opening of the Inner Circle completion line. On the question of unpunctuality, the Companies inform me that the opening of the Circle rendered the service of trains very complicated, that at first there was a good deal of delay; but that there had already been a great improvement, and that the train services were now fast resuming their normal puncality.