Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/177



Thomas Telford, Esq.. 19 August, 1831.  and horses were four tons travelling at equal velocity and with equal breadth of tire, which do you think would do the least injury to the road?—I should think that the Steam Carriage would do the least injury, but that is not from experience of Steam Carriages, but only from my general information, always taking for granted that there is no projection outside the wheel.

If under those circumstances, the breadth of the tire of the Carriages drawn by horses, were two inches and a half, the usual breadth, and the breadth of the tire of the Steam Coach were four inches, should you then have any doubt which would do the least injury to the road?—I have already said if the tires were equal I conceive the Steam Carriage would do the least injury, and certainly the chance of injury will be lessened if the tire is made double the breadth.

If the breadth of the tire of the wheels of Steam Carriages could be extended to six inches, might they not in many states of the roads be rather beneficial than injurious?—Where the road is properly made of good materials and well consolidated, the mere pressure of a Carriage would not have any effect.

Do you think it would be fair to impose an equal toll, weight for weight, on Steam Carriages and on Carriages drawn by horses?—I think it ought not to exceed that.

Do you think that it ought to be equal, as the one Carriage you state does not do so much injury as the other?—In justice it ought to be diminished, but that is only opinion until it is proved.

Have you paid any attention to the mode of charging toll on Steam Carriages?—I have not. 



you practically acquainted with the operation of Steam Carriages on common roads?—I am.

Have you ever superintended the building of Steam Carriages?—I have superintended the building of two Steam Vehicles.

What was the weight of the lightest of those Steam 