Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/204



Mr. J. McAdam. 25 August, 1831. propelled by Steam on the public roads?—I have observed it; but in a small degree.

Who was the proprietor of the Carriage you noticed?—I think it was Mr. Gurney's; I accidentally saw it.

Then you only saw it once?—Only once.

What was the state of the roads when you saw it?—Tolerably good at the time; I saw it in the Regent's Park.

Were they in such a state you could make any observation upon the greater or less injury produced by it than by a common Carriage?—I cannot say that my attention was directed at that time to that fact; I have not had an opportunity practically of seeing the effect of Steam Carriages upon roads, there have been none used near us except passing down to Virginia Water, &c.; but not being brought into general use. I have not seen sufficiently the effect of their wheels upon roads.

From the experiments you have before stated, what should you recommend should be the breadth of the tire of the wheel of a Carriage with four wheels weighing four tons?—I consider that a Carriage of any description required to carry a great weight, five or eight tons, ought to have a wheel of four inches and a half in breadth, constructed agreeably to the Clause in the Metropolis Act; and I consider that a Carriage with such a wheel, though carrying an excessive weight, would do very little injury to the road.

It has been stated by a previous Witness, that a Carriage of the weight of two tons propelled by Steam drew after it another Carriage weighing nine tons; what should, from your experience, be the breadth of the tire of the wheel of the propelling Carriage and the Carriage drawn?—Looking solely to the welfare of the road. I should prefer a wheel of four inches and a half, flat on the tire, to any other class of wheel that can be made, being of opinion that a greater breadth of wheel cannot at one time touch the surface of a well-formed turnpike road.

Then you would prescribe that breadth as the