Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/76



Mr. Walter Henrick. 5 August, 1831. I could put my hand into. This occurred from the chambers being too thin, and they drove all the water out of the boiler, and yet there was no injury to any person; there was not one person that heard any report; there was no steam, and there were no symptoms in any way that the machine itself had burst.

Do your boilers extend under the place where passengers sit?—No, quite at the back.

What is the length of the Carriage?—About 16 feet, and the room the boilers occupy is about three Are the chambers of the boiler placed upright side by side ?-They are placed sideways.

In what circle could you turn your Carriage?—The circle of the inner wheels would be four feet, and the outer wheel would exceed that by the breadth between the wheels; taking the average it would be ten feet.

Supposing you wanted to turn round, what should you do?—If I got into any difficulty, and wished to go back, by applying my hand to the lever I should reverse the motions and run the reverse way.

Supposing that you are travelling in a street of ten feet wide, and that there was another street of ten feet wide branching off at right angles with the first street, would there be any difficulty in turning into it?—Not any, but I could not turn round in that street. In that case I should back the Engine.

Would you check your speed?—That would depend upon the speed I was going at. If I was going at six miles an hour, it is probable that I should not check the speed; but if I were going ten miles, it is probable that I should before I turned round into the street.

Are your fore-wheels and hind-wheels the same diameter?—The fore-wheels are three feet three, and the hind-wheels are four feet.

Can you reverse the action of your Carriage with great ease?—Yes; by simply pulling a lever, it is done momentarily. In my present Carriage I could not; but I have an arrangement of that kind in the other Carriage which I am making.