Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/113



John Farey, Esq. 10 August, 1831. Stanmore and Highgate Hill you call moderate hills?—Not the old Highgate Hill; but the Archway is a very fair road, on which a Steam Coach should (not feel the least difficulty. I do not call those moderate bills which are common on the roads in many parts of Devonshire and Cornwall; it will be a long time before Steam Coaches will be able to travel there; and the goodness of the roads is to be considered as well as the slope. No Steam Coach that I have seen, possesses that strength and weight of machinery: which, being on the present construction, will enable it to get up even a moderate hill without risk of breaking; for though it may climb up the hill by accumulating the strength of the Steam, the parts have not been made strong enough to resist the strain to which they are then subjected, if they were frequently used, and if the work were made, on the present plan, strong enough to endure the extra strain of getting up a steep hill with safety, there would be too much weight of machinery for travelling on the ordinary road.

Can they ascend a hill so steep as one in eighteen?—That I think is too much for them, without the aid of horses, unless the surface of the road were of the very best quality; but such hills are usually bad roads.

Are they competent to ascend such a hill as St. James's-street?—I have not a very particular recollection of the slope of that hill, but I believe it is paved, and I think that it would be about their maximum; for a great deal would depend upon the surface of the road; they would go up all the length of Regent-street, which is. I expect, almost as steep as St. James's, but it is a better surface; and I think they should go up any good road not exceeding a rise of one in thirty; and if more inclined, or if the road is bad, they should be allowed one or two horses. I doubt if they could ascend the Pentonville hill in its present shameful state of neglect; but if it is made good, then I think they might.

Have you turned your attention to the subject of apportioning the Toils on Steam Carriages, so that they may bear their due proportion to the Tolls on