Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/173



Mr. Alexander Gordon. 17 August, 1831. to be attributed to the atmosphere, without reference to the Carriages which pass over it?—Yes; the most destructive element in nature is water; and in the course of the winter, the action of the water that gets sucked up into the road is very bad, and the very washing is also very bad.

Are there many states of the road in which a wide tire is of considerable advantage to the road!--Yes. In the majority of cases do you think the superior width of the tire which the Steam Carriage has over a Carriage drawn by horses, is altogether an advantage or a disadvantage?—A wide tire has the advantage upon the average.

And the Steam Carriage has that advantage over the other?—Of late. Mr. Gurney has increased the width of bis tire; it was at all times wider, but he has increased it still more.

Does the width of the tire impede the velocity at all?—Scarcely in a perceptible degree.

Are you of opinion that a wide tire, under any circumstances, does injury to a road in any state of it?—I have made po observation as to its doing an injury.

Complaints have been made that a great inconvenience arises to passengers along the road from the use of these Carriages, from the horses being frightened, in consequence of the peculiar noise, the smoke, and the letting off the steam; have you seen any inconvenience of that kind?—I have seen one case where a gig ran off for about 200 yards, and was then stopped without any accident. I have also seen the same thing happen with a Stage Coach; it is a common thing with a young shy horse. I have seen Mr. Gurney's Coach at work in the Barrack Yard, in the Regent's Park, and have not seen the horses frightened there.

Should you say you have seen a much greater number of cases of horses being frightened and running away attending the use of Steam Carriages than of common Coaches?—My experience in Steam Carriages is limited, and so must be that of every one when compared with the experience had with ordinary Coaches; I have seen Mr. Gurney's Engines, in going