Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/123



John Farey, Esq. 10 August, 1831. item on each Engine, will be nothing to compare with the present repairs, loss and decay of horses, because the number of Engines is so small. Stage Coach horses require to be all renewed every three years, notwithstanding a heavy annual expence for what may be called repairs of horses; viz, harness, shoeing and farriery. Engines with an equal heavy annual expence of repairs to that of horses, will, when perfected, be kept up thereby in such a state as to last for many years without renewal. The metal parts of machinery only wear at particular places, which are capable of being repaired or renewed, 80 that they become as good as new; but a horse when worn to disease at any part, feet, eyes or lungs, becomes incapable of Stage Coach work for ever afterwards.

Do you apply the principle you have stated respecting the probable wear of the roads by Steam power being less than by horses, to heavy waggons?—Yes; my proposition that the wear of the roads will always be at the expence of the carrier, applies to all Carriages whatever, but more particularly to those impelled by Steam than to those drawn by horses, because Carriages drawn by horses may be 80 mismanaged, as to do very great injury to the roads, and yet may make good progress in travelling; for instance, a waggon having very narrow wheels, carrying a heavy over-load, having a sufficient team of strong heavy horses, may be drawn along although it breaks the road up to any extent, and that as much by the feet of the horses as by the narrow wheels; but if it were attempted to impel the same waggon by Steam power acting by the adhesion of the wheels to the road, they would slip round, and it would not get along the road. I am confident that Carriages to be impelled by Steam machinery turning the wheels cannot be made to answer any good purpose, either for conveyance of travellers or goods, so long as they materially injure the roads, because if the wheels slip materially on the road, or if they cut sensible ruts in the road, they will not advance the Carriage efficiently. On the other hand, horses may be made to draw