question_answer 6)

Look at Fig. 20. What kinds of people do you think used this mode of transport? Compare it with the pictures of the horse-drawn tram (Fig. 22) and the electric tram. Notice the inversion of the numbers involved: the horse drawn tram or electric tram needed only one operator while a single traveler required several people.

Answer:

The palanquins were used by the rich people, big businessmen and their wives and also by the families of the Europeans. These reflected a traditional and exclusive method of transportation. The trams were used by the middle class workers and the poor, as here many people could travel together in one tram over a long distance, requiring only one operator to drive it. In contrast, the palanquin required at least four persons to carry it, usually with only one passenger in it.