and when all the passengers are on the top, as is very common in the weather, nothing but smooth and e en roads, or great skill and attention in driving, can prevent oversetting. A total prescription should stand against any other, sort of load on the top than passeagers, for this reason, that when a coach shall heel to one side, mere instinct will induce the passengers to incline the contrary way, which is not the case with packages. Some regard ought to be had to the weight inside There will be some difficulty in assiguing the number of outsides, when there are none within; but it would be better there should be no outsides at all, when there are none inside, than suffer the least encroachment in a positive rule once established. We must now consider the effect of these principles in practice. The legislature has enacted various regulations and prohibitions against such abuses. Stage coaches carry four, six, or eight inside passengers. The mails carry two outsides: and the post coaches, according to 46 Geo. III. with four horses ten, besides the coachman and guard, in winter, and twelve in summer. could these numbers be reduced. Nor in London is not limited, therefore they carry greater loads than would be allowed on any country road. The ponderous weight of London waggons much injures the houses by the continued vibration. This vibration is greatly owing to the streets being paved, and before the vibration occasioned by one carriage has ceased, it is frequently strengthened by the shock of another load. These circumstances expedite the decay of the houses, aud much injure the pavement, which of course is constantly under repair during the day time, to the great inconvenience of passengers and of commerce. The weights of these machines themselves we learn are, about, An Irish car, not 3 cut. A Leith cart, about 7 cwt. The common six-inch waggon, about 22 cwt. The common nine-inch waggon, from 30 to 40 cwt. Sixteen-inch waggons, upwards of 55 cut. A gentleman's carriage, 18 cwt." WEIGHTS CARRIED. The goodness of the roads in Ireland is principally owing to their one-horse cars; but the general run of the weight of their loads seldom exceeds 10 cwt. Four cars of 13 cwt. do considerably less damage to the roads than any one-horse cart whose weight amounts to cwt. The whole body of the carriage is now hang on horizontal springs, coach-box and hind boot, and such convenience is now made for the outsides, that it can carry with more ease and safety twelve outsides than for-30 merly six. The seats for the twelve are thus distributed one with the coachman, four in the front, four behind, and three in the chair behind. The luggage is carried in the fore boot, and part in the hind, and sometimes, it is tied on the middle of the roof, where they generally contrive to put millinery goods and the lightest articles. The coaches being now made more roomy in the fore and hind boots, to hold the goods. pas According to the original plan, mail coaches were only allowed to carry four inside sengers, and one outside passenger, besides the coachman and guard, The Post-Office now allow one to ride on the coach and one with the coachman; and in some country places they are allowed to carry four outsides besides the coachman and guard, as a convenience to the inhabitants in remote parts of the country, and an inducement to persons to undertake the conveyance of the mails, and to furnish horses. They may carry any quantity of luggage in the boot, and of any weight; specie is often carried in that way, for the public service; the mail-box behind is exclusively for the carriage of the mail. The weight of the carriages and their load The carters of the town of Falkirk have been long famous for the great weights drawn by their carts. They have no difficulty to draw upon a single-horse cart from Borroustouness to Glasgow, (a distance exceeding 30 miles, and the roads not good) from 20 to 35 cwt. Their system seems to be to use none but seasoned horses; they feed them extremely high, and do not reckon that they can » work a horse at that rate longer than two years. A Leith cart will carry 30 cwt. or even more, but is generally loaded with from 16 to 28 cwt. and, at a sea port, is certainly very useful, being easily loaded and unloaded without the assistance of cranes as in loading of sugar hogsheads, &c. the horse is taken out, and the shafts allowed to reach the ground, upon which the casks are easily rolled up to their proper place upon the cart. Its effect upon the road, is that of a conical wheel with a 24-inch sole. ROADS. WE come now to the consideration of the roads themselves: an instance of what they formerly were in Scotland is both amusing and instructive: that the roads in many parts of England were little superior, we have heard from those whose memories could recollect pretty far back into the last century. Roads in Scotland. road to Bath also, fine as it is, might be greatly improved by an able engineer, and the advantage would be seen by great numbers of persons who may not have an opportunity of examining the other lines. It is certainly right, to make general surveys at ovce, because partial improvements may be lost when general improvements shall afterwards be of one county, would prevent, in a great degree, the benefit that the improved roads in another county, would otherwise afford. The like error is probably to be lamented throughout Great Britain; it has of late been rendered more strikingly obvious, by the levels taken for navigable canals. On their banks we shall probably (ere long) see our turnpike roads constructed, especially in uneven countries. This plan would be highly advantageous to save draught and time, and to procure a supply of materials for the roads, in every part, without the trouble and expense of any land carriage. About fifty years ago the late Marquis of Downshire was travelling through Galloway, haring labourers with their tools attending his coach, which was then a necessary part of the retinue; but notwithstanding that pre-made; and steep hills remaining in the roads caution, his lordship and his family were obliged to send away their attendants, and to pass a ni ht in his coach, upon the Corse of Slakes, a hill three miles from the village of Creetown. That event was the cause of consultation between his lordship, and the late duke of Queensberry, and other noblemen and gentlemen in that neighbourhood; and forty-seven or forty-eight years ago, colonel Rixon was sent by government, with a large party of soldiers, to make a road through these counties and the county of Dumfries. Soldiers were kept at work on that road for nearly thirty years. I was frequently with them, and soon began to observe errors in the execution of the work, as well as in the direction, which was without any survey. The errors arose chiefly froin ignorance, but trequently from the mistaken selfishness of the proprietors, who objected to the opening of particular inclosures; and also from the tricks of the soldiers, in regard to the execution of their work, and the neglect of the officers; and sometimes from small bribes given to the inferior overseers, and to the soldiers. The necessity of surveys being carefully made, and well matured, also, before a road is formed, has never been properly felt, in this island. For a short space, the importance is not thought to be great: but, on extensive lines of distances, the judicious application of skill is likely to afford extremely beneficial results. Surveys. The best principles of directing and making of roads, are chiefly that they be made in the shortest direction, level, hard, smooth, and dry, and of solidity and width sufficient for the trade that may be expected upon them. It is indispensably necessary, that very exact and carefully taken levels, plans, and estimates, be made by intelligent surveyors, previous to the work being commenced. Surveys are as necessary for roads, as for canals, and railways or tram roads; and the waste of money, and the misapplication of labour, that is now going on in the British isles, upon roads that have not been properly surveyed, is immense. A survey of the road from London to Ireland, from the point where it should separate from the road to Edinburgh, and to proceed by Carlisle to Dumfries, would be of great advantage. The Necessary Attentions. Three regulations are found to be particularly beneficial :-first, the drains along the roads ought always to be within the fields.there ought always to be an earthen bank, about three feet high, along the sides of the roads, which is the best and the cheapest means for protecting carriages, and every thing else, from falling over at dangerous places; and, thirdly, when a road is conducted along the side of a hill, it ought always to be sloped towards the hill, at about the rate of one in twenty-four; this prevents ice from being formed on the road; assists the bank in directing the stream of the wind, so that such roads have never been shut up with snow; and is another security from danger along the edge of precipices. It would be an advantage for all waste land on the road side to be inclosed, and, as much as possible, to avoid short turnings and deep ditches at the side. Boughs hanging over the high roads should be cut off, and the hedges kept trimmed the roads would then receive every benefit of the air and sun, of which they are often deprived from the above causes; they are almost always slubby. These attentions also would be helpful in preventing robberies and other depredations committed on travellers by night, where there is harbour for beggars, gypsies, and other idle characters; which would not be the case if the roads were made as straight as possible, and a proper fence on each side. Drains. Where drains cross the roads, instead of forming hollows dangerous from the sudden jolts they occasion, they should be sunk, and an arch turned over, which should be united the road by gradual slopes. from the Exchange, so that the opulent inhabitants can, in their carriages, go to and return daily from their villas, without paying toll. On the northern road through Orm Bridges frequently present very abrupt scents, particularly those belonging to casals; the hollows on each side should be fil-skirk to Preston, the bar is placed at four led up, and formed into inclined planes. Footpaths. Those who are through necessity compelled to travel on foot have a just cause of complaint against turnpike roads, as being for the greater part of the year worse for their purpose, and at no time better. Foothpaths are made with very little trouble or expense; why may not 6 feet, on one, or rather on each side, next to the fence, be appropriated to so useful a purpose. Any materials are sufficient, thrown up high, and with a slight cover of gravel; and will, when once done, want ever after little or no repair; yielding moreover an ornamental, uniform, and agreeable verge or border on cither hand; and certainly quite in character with the definition of a road, which ought to comprehend all the different modes of travellng. Accidents. The benefits arising to lands lying contiguous to a turnpike road are now well known. It may be fairly reckoned, that they increase the rents of those lands from 2s. 6d. to 10s. per acre, according to the goodness of the ground, the state of the road before improvement was made, or other local circumstances: therefore no good objection can be made gainst a temporary assessment being laid on those lands, in order to obtain such permanent advantages. The assessment ought to be paid by the landlord or tenant, according to the immediate benefit that each might reasonably expect from the improvements. Situation of Turnpike Bar. The turnpike roads in most parts of the kingdom would become much more advantageous to the public, as well as the townships they pass through, and be with certainty kept in better repair, were the toll bars placed in the probably most productive situations, the toll bar leading to London from Liverpool hrough Prescott, is placed five miles distant miles from the Exchange, so that with the number of bye roads that lead from it, few of the heavy loads that come out of Liverpool, contribute, by toll, towards the repairs of the road. Extent of District. A turnpike act of a certain western district, has a clause empowering the commissioners to raise one-half of the composition money of every parish through which the turnpike runs, without any relation to its length, &c. One parish, within this district, has above fifteen miles of highway to keep in repair, and only about one-quarter of a mile of the turnpike runs through this parish. ch An adjacent turnpike district has three quarters of a mile of their turnpike running through the same parish, but have no s clause respecting the quota composition, otherwise the whole composition of the parish might be applied to one mile of turnpike, used to the prejudice of fifteen miles of highway, not being a turnpike road. Farmers. It is a hardship on little farmers whose ground is so situated that in carrying home the produce thereof, they are obliged to cross the turnpike, or perhaps travel half a mile on the road with their load, and go through a gate; when they are under the painful necessity of submitting to pay the toll for the produce of their own land. Elusions. instead of tending to their preservation, because being rented, the renters compound with the owners of waggons to receive double tolls going and returning, on permission to carry any weight they wish. The immense rents given for weighing machines, could not be raised by any other means." WHEELS. A new application of wheels has been made by Rev. Mr. Milton, of Heckfield, Hants, who has taken out a patent for what he calls an idle wh.l: by which he means a small wheel so placed adjacent to one in action and in constant use, as to be a ready substitute, should any accident disable it. This idle wheel is not called to any duty, while the former is capable of supporting the carriage, but should it come off, for instance, then this wheel in reserve, supplies its place. The form and construction of the coach and its appurtenances, are also rendered as snug as possible: the luggage is placed wholly in the fore boot under the coach-box, and in the boot behind the body of the machine. The contrivance is distinguished by ingenuity, and it should seem, also, by safety; it is also said to carry great weights of luggage without fatiguing the horses more than others. The weight is placed as low as possible: but this practice has its limits, by reason of waters and floods to be passed; also of deep ruts, and snows. Cylindrical Wheels. roads, even cylindrical wheels would have their disadvantages. The first set of broad wheels made use of in roads in this kingdom, was formed by Mr. James Morris, of Brock-Forge, near Wigan in Lancashire, who having a deep bad road to pass with his team, made his first-set 13 inches, and the next year another of nine inches in the sole; his travelling with these to Liverpool, Warrington, and other places, was noticed by some persons of distinction, particularly Lord Strange, and Mr. Hardman, memstrict inquiries of Mr. Morris concerning their ber for Liverpool, &c. who, after making nature and properties, reported their utility to the house, which occasioned an act of parliament being made in their favour. The greatest evil in the whole business of a coachmaster, is the uncertainty of the wear of wheels. A set of wheels has been known to be completely worn out in a journey to and from Edinburgh. Cylindrical wheels are not so strong with the same materials, the axle-tree must be made considerably longer, and also stronger, otherwise it would strike the side of the coach. Breadth. men's carriages, is not under three inches The proper breadth of wheels for gentleor four inches; the present breadth is two inches, some an inch and a half; the wheels of stage coaches should be four inches at least ; the heavier ones six, and five foot wide at the ; at present, it is about four feet six. bottom Friction. It is a very material consideration in all By the use of cylindrical wheels, a com- wheel carriages, to take off the friction as mon road would not be very greatly inferior much as possible, as it gives a great degree of to an iron railway; the advantage of the rail-resistance to the moving power and in order ways being in the reduction of friction on to effect this, the iron on which the wheels the surface of the road. By the exclusive are run ought to be of the hardest and bestadoption of cylindrical broad wheels and at tempered kind, and the inside of the nave of roads, there would be a saving of one horse the wheels ought to be cased with iron, as in four, of 75 per cent. in repairs of roads, wood causes a most powerful friction; the 50 per cent. in the wear of tyre, and wheels also, must be kept well oiled or greasthe wheels with spokes alternately inclined ed, which has a wonderful effect in reducing would be equally strong with conical ones, the friction. and wear twice as long as wheels now do on the present roads. It is natural to suppose, that the intention of the legislature in making a law in favour of broad wheels, was, that the rims of them should be cylindrical, in which case there would be an equal pressure on all parts of their surface; and a smooth road would be kept so by that equality of bearing. In sand, stony gravel, sludge, or snow, broad wheels pick up more obstacles than narrow ones, and their draught in such circumstances is greater; but narrow wheels, though lighter, divide gravel, snow, &c. yet they make deep ruts, forming a lodgement for water, that is peculiarly detrimental to roads; but while wheels of all breadths run promiscuously on the The friction is the same on four wheels as ́on two, and whether the wheels be broad or narrow, the friction is the same; for if the wheels be broad on the surface that comes in contact with the ground, and the pressure being the same, the friction is divided over a greater surface, and consequently is not increased. and this severe motion, with the weight on its back, and the pull forward, must be exceedingly painful to the animal, and soon wear it out. There are also limits to improvements of another kind; for many things differ in practice from what their theory presents. In the present case, it is but just to receive the opinion of practical and calculating men, on subjects with which they are familiar. The following arguments in favour of a larger establishment in the conduct of business, appear to be well entitled to attention. Expences. reasons are obvious. Many of these carts in the north, get up and down great or small hills, by going in a zig-zag direction, thus traversing their ground twice over; whereas the eight horses, with the same weight, traverse the same distance of road but once. however much more convenient for carriers in It is the north, to have carts rather than a waggon There are in all about 220 mail coaches, and they go over from eleven to twelve thousand miles every day.. Mr. Vidler contracts with the coach masters, who supply him and pay for the coaches at the rate of from 3d. to 3 d. per double mile, out and in, according to the distance and other circumstances. About four years ago, the box and boot were made easy, by being has been made to make them as light as posput on horizontal springs, and every exertion sible, nor is it believed they can be made any lighter with safety to the coach and passengers, travelling in the night time. more especially considering the difficulties of In all cases, mail coaches pass toll free, except at some private roads and bridges, and on Sunday evenings. coming into town on Sundays, and going out Cannot ser enty-five cut. as now laid on a nine-inch waggon, and drawn by eight horses, be drawn by single horse carts with considederable advantage to the public? That weight is the average of summer and winter weights now allowed, exclusive of the weight of the waggon, &c. and is so taken in this question. It does appear that this weight may be drawn on five narrow-wheel carts, having one horse each, being 15 cwt. per horse, and that, viewing the matter in this abstract way, there is a saving to the public of three horses in eight. But it will be necessary that we first consider the relative expences attending these different modes of conveyance; as justified by facts only. One waggon goes .200 miles north in the same direct connection, every day. It has eight horses and one man, the waggoner, the guard not noticed. These eight horses and one man cost 30s. each per week for keep; say £13. 10s. toll 30s. per week, together, £15. per week. Now five carts with five horses, and five men, for we cannot legally nor yet safely, in the south, have less; at 30s. each (and less could not be given to the men, unless they should pay themselves by robbery), amount to£15 tolls £4: in the whole 19 per week. It is also notorious, that shaft horses wear away much faster, and are more in danger, than the While the mail was carried on horseback, chain horses; it is equally certain, that often greasing 10 wheels, would be more than profit to the persons who conveyed it, there or in such in a way as not to be a matter of double the expence of four wheels, which could be little objection to its passing free of now is considerable; building and repairing toll, but, now, when it has become a most fire carts would exceed the same for one wag-lucrative concern to have a mail coach, there gon; these last items would in practice be 40s. per week, extra. We therefore have £15. per week, versus £21 per week, making a difference on six waggons up and six down every week, of £72, or £3744 per annum in favour of the nine-inch waggon. It is a practice in the north, for one man to have the command of five or six carts, but there is not that risk, nor those depredations committed in the north as in the south; the This with us is not legal, and many a man has been fined for not being with his cart. It would be of great consequence, in preventing many accidents, if all coachmen, driving mail and other coaches, were subject ment, if by their drunkenness or negligence to some summary mode of corporal punishany accident happened. and their exemption from tolls causes a heavy is no reason why the proprietors of it should not contribute their share of the expence, of upholding those roads on which their car-v riages travel. The great profits derived to the contractors for mail coaches, have led to their increase, They now run in every direction; they have been established in some districts at the desire of the landholders, but more fre quently at the request of the mercantile inte rest, and in some cases, merely at the desire of the contractor, because it would prove a lucrative concern to him. |