Page:The Working and Management of an English Railway.djvu/318

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280
AN ENGLISH RAILWAY.

different Acts, but, in practice, the railway companies carry free 120 lbs., 100 lbs., and 60 lbs., for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class passengers respectively, and the company's liability with respect to passengers' luggage is the same as that with respect to goods entrusted to it for conveyance, so long as the passenger's luggage is under the charge of the company. If, however, the passenger takes the luggage under his own control, the company's liability is diminished, and only arises where negligence is shown on the part of its servants.

(7.) The question of what constitutes personal luggage has been the subject of many judicial decisions, but, broadly speaking, personal luggage may be defined as consisting of such articles as the passenger requires for his own use or personal convenience upon or in connection with his journey, although more recent decisions have included articles which might not perhaps fall strictly within that definition. As a negative definition, however, it may be said that personal luggage does not include merchandise and materials intended for trade purposes.

(8.) The provisions of the Carriers' Act apply equally to passengers' luggage as to goods, and the foregoing remarks upon the subject of that Act may be taken as referring to both, with the additional observation that, though the Act protects the carrier from loss or damage under the circumstances stated, it does not protect him from the consequences of delay, unless the delay is such as to practically amount to a loss even though the articles are eventually recovered.

(9.) If a passenger travels upon a railway without paying his fare, or travels a greater distance than that