from about
the 4th of the month. With the second quarter of the month colder
weather will probably set in with falls of snow. The farmers will be
able to enjoy sleigh rides in the cold, exhilarating air, but good
sleighing need not be expected until after the middle of the month.
There will be a spell of mild weather about the 13th and 14th. After a
brief interval of mild weather, during which more snow will fall, the
third quarter of the month will probably see blustering and cold
weather--a cold snap with heavy snow storms and consequent good
sleighing. Very cold weather may be expected during this quarter. The
last quarter of the month will bring milder weather, but will terminate,
probably, with heavy snow-falls and stormy weather; in fact, the
heaviest snow falls will be toward the end of the month, and snow
blockades may be looked for, the snow falls extending far to the
southward, possibly as far as Washington, with very stormy weather
around New York and Boston." Mr. Vennor's latest predictions are that
the coming month will be "decidedly cold, with tremendous snow-falls
during the latter half and early part of January, causing destructive
blockades to railroads."

* * * * *

THE LONDON UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.

The opening recently of the extension of the Metropolitan Railway to
Harrow, and the early commencement of another of the lines of the
company, give especial prominence to it. The Metropolitan Underground
Railway is emphatically the great passenger railway of the country, for
its few miles of line carry more than the hundreds of miles of line of
companies such as the London and North Western or Great Western.
Seventeen years ago--in 1868--the Metropolitan carried less than
10,000,000 passengers, and in the full year's work of the following
twelve months it carried less than 12,000,000. But year by year, almost
without exception, the number of passengers has grown. In 1865, over
15,000,000 passengers were carried; in 1867, over 23,000,000; and in
1870, over 39,000,000 passengers traveled on the line. The years that
have since passed have swollen that number. In 1872, over 44,300,000
were carried, but in the following year there was one of the few checks,
and not till 1875 was the number of 1872 exceeded. In 1875 it rose to
48,302,000; in 1877 it had advanced to 56,175,000; in 1878 to
58,807,000; and in 1879 to 60,747,000. In the present year there has
been a further