Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/70



Mr. Walter Hancock. 5 August, 1831. time all the chambers fall apart, and by screwing M. Walter them they are all made tight again; we have braces to fasten them; the steam is driven out from the centre of one of the flues, and the water is ejected from the pump at the bottom communication for the supply of water.

Does the fire pass between the boxes, or does it pass through them?—It passes only between them. There is no line of communication for the fire made between the boxes-?- Nothing more than the flue through which the fire passes; the sides of the boilers form the chimnies.

Have you ascertained what pressure such boilers are equal to?—I have never gone beyond 400 lbs, on an inch; I have worked it on a road at 400; the average pressure on an inch is from 60 to 100.

At what pressure do you set your safety-valve?—Taking the average of roads, I work at about 70 lbs. upon the square inch.

You have calculated how many square feet of boiler?—At the present Carriage I have 100 square feet of boiler exposed to the fire.

What distance do you run from stage to stage?—What I consider the stages I have run is four miles; but every eight miles I take in water; I go there and back.

You consider your stage eight miles?—Yes.

Do you take in both water and fuel at the end of a stage?—Yes, at the end of every eight miles.

What quantity of water and what quantity of fuel do you use for each stage?—About 7 cwt. of water, and sometimes eight; it depends upon the roads; we consume more steam when the roads run heavy.

How much coal or coke do you use for each stage?—About two bushels of coke.

Do you mean that you take two bushels at the commencement of each stage?—I take more with me. but I always consume a quarter of a bushel per mile. You do not in that include your first charge of coke when you set off?—No, that would vary according to circumstances; If I were in a hurry, I could get the steam up in five minutes, but the average time is