Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/78



Mr. Walter Henrick. 5 August, 1831. have considered the thing a great deal, and after taking every thing into consideration, the, weight of the Engine and the weight of the boiler, and so on, on the one hand, I think.it: is much upon a par with the weight of the horses, and the weight of the coach and the weight of the passengers, on the other.

What would you consider the most equitable mode of charging Steam Carriages?—I think there can be no better mode than charging them as other: Coaches are charged.

Supposing that a common coach at present takes eighteen persons, and you, by improvement of your coaches, could take thirty-six persons, how would you apportion the rate of tolls that you ought to pay?—In that case, I think the fairest way would be to have it in proportion to the number of persons that are carried.

Do you think it should be charged by weight?—That, perhaps, would be as fair a way as any.of charging the toll.

Charging the weight of your Engine as compared with the weight of common Coaches?—Yes.

Have you turned your attention to the improvement of your machine, by affixing a Carriage to it, and making your Engine independent of the Carriage?—Yes; I have considered the thing well in every point, and I think it is much better to construct the Carriage both for passengers and machinery on one arrangement, not to have the thing divided: my reason for considering it an improvement is this; for instance, if a new road is made, the object of the proprietors of that road is to get as heavy a roller as they can, even if it requires eight horses to draw the roller; they do that in order to imbed the gravel to make it solid, and the nearer that Steam Coach approaches that roller, the better it is for the propelling wheels.

With respect to the tolls, are you satisfied with the present tolls you pay?—I think they are exorbitant; from Islington to the City Road they charge me a shilling.

Are you aware what four-horse coaches, with eighteen passengers, pay on the same road?—I am not aware.