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EXPRESS (through the French from the ...

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Originally appearing in Volume V10, Page 85 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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EXPRESS (through the See also:French from the past participle of the See also:Lat. exprimere, to See also:press out, by transference used of representing See also:objects in See also:painting or See also:sculpture, or of thoughts, &c. in words) , a word signifying that which is clearly and definitely set forth or represented, explicit, and thus used of a meaning, a See also:law, a See also:con-See also:tract and the like, being specially contrasted with " implied." Thus in law, malice, for which there is actual See also:evidence, as apart from that which may be inferred from the acts of the See also:person charged, is known as " express." The word is most frequently used with the See also:idea of something done with a definite purpose; the See also:term " express See also:train," now meaning one that travels at a high See also:speed over See also:long distances with few intermediate stoppages, was, in the See also:early days of See also:railways, applied to what is now usually called a " See also:special," i.e. a train not See also:running according to the See also:ordinary See also:time-tables of the railway See also:company, but for some specific purpose, or engaged by a private person. About 1845 this term became used for a train running to a particular See also:place without stopping. Similarly in the See also:British postal service, express delivery is a special and immediate delivery of a See also:letter, See also:parcel, &c., by an express messenger at a particular increased See also:rate. The See also:system was adopted in 1891. In the See also:United States of See also:America, express companies for the rapid transmission of parcels and luggage and See also:light goods generally perform the See also:function of the See also:post See also:office or the railways in the United See also:Kingdom and the See also:continent of See also:Europe. Not only do they deliver goods, but by the See also:cash on delivery system (see CASH) the express companies See also:act as agents both for the purchaser and seller of goods. They also serve as a most efficient agency for the transmission of See also:money, the express money See also:order being much more easily convertible than the postal money orders, as the latter can only be redeemed at offices in large and important towns. The system See also:dates back to 1839, when one See also:William See also:Frederick Harnden (1813-1845), a conductor on the See also:Boston and See also:Worcester railway, undertook on his own See also:account the carrying of small parcels and the performance of small commissions. Obliged to leave the company's service or abandon his enterprise, he started' an " express " service between Boston and New See also:York, carrying parcels, executing commissions and See also:collecting drafts and hills. Alvin See also:Adams followed in 184o, also between Boston and New York. From 1840 to 1845 the system was - adopted by many others between the more important towns throughout the States. The See also:attempt to carry letters also was, stopped by the See also:government as interfering with the post office.

In 1854 began the amalgamation .of many of the companies. Thus under the name of the Adams Express Company the services started by Harnden and Adams were consolidated. The lines connecting the See also:

west and See also:east by See also:Albany, See also:Buffalo and the lakes were consolidated in the See also:American Express Company, under the direction of William G. See also:Fargo (q.v.), See also:Henry See also:Wells and See also:Johnston See also:Livingston, while another company, Wells, Fargo & Co., operated on the Pacific See also:coast. The celebrated " See also:Pony Express " was started in 186o between See also:San Francisco and St See also:Joseph, See also:Missouri, the time scheduled being eight days. The service was carried on by relays of horses, with stations 25 M. apart. The See also:charge made for the service was $2.5o per oz. The completion of the Pacific See also:Telegraph Company See also:line in 1861 was followed by the discontinuance of the See also:regular service. The name " express " is applied to a See also:rifle having high velocity, See also:flat trajectory and long fixed-sight ranges; and an " express-See also:bullet " is a light bullet with a heavy charge of See also:powder used in such a rifle (see RIFLE).

End of Article: EXPRESS (through the French from the past participle of the Lat. exprimere, to press out, by transference used of representing objects in painting or sculpture, or of thoughts, &c. in words)

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