Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/180



Mr. W. A. Summers. 19 August, 1831. —We ascended two very considerable hills in the distance; it was in the New Forest.

At what average speed did you travel with those nineteen persons?—We travelled at the average speed of nearly ten miles an hour.

What was the utmost speed with which you travelled?—We ascended one of the hills at the rate of more than fifteen miles an hour.

What do you suppose to be the inclination of that hill, and what the length?—I should think the inelination of that hill would not be less than one in twelve, and the length of it from half to three quarters of a mile; it is one of the steepest hills in the New Forest.

If you are able to drive up one of the steepest hills at the rate of fifteen miles, how is it that you give your average speed at less than ten?—The reason we travelled with greater speed up the hill is, that the fire was better in order on ascending the hill than whilst travelling on the level road, and caused a greater generation of Steam.

You have stated that you went up at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, how did you make that calculation?—By counting the number of revolutions made by the hind wheels.

Are you quite sure there was no logs from slipping during that period?—I am quite sure there was no loss.

Having ascended the most difficult part at the rate of fifteen miles per hour, and placing your mean power at so low as ten miles per hour, and stating the reason of the mean being so low that the fire was in better order at one period than another; does it proceed from any defect in your fire-place which renders it difficult to keep the fire always at a certain power?—At that time we had not the means of stoking or putting fuel on the fire through the centre of the boiler, the consequence of which was, that we were obliged to put a greater quantity of fuel on the fire than we otherwise should have been, which caused the fire to be a considerable time before it burnt through the fresh fuel; but having lately made a trifling