Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/189



Mr. W. A. Summers. 19 August, 1831. Parliament be able to adopt one principle of placing toll on the passengers?—The proprietors of Steam Vehicles will always carry as many passengers as they can, and the greatest number of passengers that they are able to carry should be the standard at which the tolls should be levied.

Supposing that on two roads the toll on a Coach calculated to carry eighteen persons, was 2s, and on the other 3s, how would you propose that any scale should be adopted by which a toll could be introduced applicable to both those roads?—My opinion is that the toll on Steam Carriages ought not to exceed one half of the toil paid by other vehicles drawn by horses, because they do not injure the roads more than in that proportion, probably not so much, the the tires of the wheel having been increased in proportion.

Your new Carriage will be calculated for twenty-four persons, the average of Coaches carry eighteen at their utmost, how would you proportion the tolls on your Carriage and on Carriages drawn by horses?—My opinion is, that it would be but justice that the Steam Vehicle in such case should not pay even more than one-half that which is paid by other vehicles carrying the same number of passengers; therefore supposing the average of Coaches carried sixteen passengers and that the toll charged upon them was 2s., the toll paid by the Steam Vehicle, carrying twenty-four passengers, should be 1s. 4d.

What do you think ought to be the breath of the tire of a Steam Carriage calculated to convey sixteen passengers?—Three inches.

What do you think should be the breadth of the tire of a Carriage calculated to convey twenty-four passengers?—Not less than four inches, probably, it may be found advantageous to make the tire wider than that in practice; I think it probably will.

Do you think that Steam Carriages should be licensed to carry a certain number according to their power?—I think they should.

What do you mean by their power?—It will be to the advantage of every Steam Coach proprietor to