House of Commons, Great Britain

“ Many circumstances, however, must retard the general introduction of Steam as a substitute for Horse Power on roads. One very formidable obstacle will arise from the prejudices which always beset a new invention, especially one which will at first appear detrimental to the interests of so many individuals. This difficulty can only be surmounted by a long course of successful, though probably unprofitable, experiment. The great expence of the Engines must retard the progress of such experiments. ”

“ In Coaches drawn by horses, the power being without the machine to be moved, it becomes an object of the greatest importance to give as much effect as possible to the power, by diminishing the resistance, arising from the friction of the wheels upon the surface of the road. For this purpose, the proprietors of Coaches and Waggons have adopted every possible contrivance, so to reduce the tires of their wheels, that a very small portion of them may press on the road; in some Coaches they are made circular in their cross section, so that the entire weight of the Carriage presses on a mere point ”

“ If a fluctuating Toll be intended, it would be as inadmissible as to propose a similar mode of charging for fast Coaches, and would be open to all the cavil and interruptions to which a fluctuating Toll on weight would be liable. If the Toll were fixed according to the number of passengers, the Carriage were capable of conveying, it would imply the necessity of a licence, limiting the number of passengers, and cramping the progress of improvement of a machine, the capabilities of which can only be ascertained slowly and by continued experiment. ”

“ It appears of little importance therefore, so far as relates to the Engine, whether the requisite amount of friction be spread over a broad surface of tire, or be concentrated to a small point; but as the wheels, by being too narrow, would have a tendency to bury themselves in every soft or newly made road, and thus raise a perpetual resistance to their own progress, it actually becomes an advantage to adopt that form, which is least injurious to the road. The proprietors, who have been examined on this point, seem to be quite indifferent as to the breadth of tire they may be required to use. ”

“ Without increase of cost, then, we shall obtain a power which will insure a rapidity of internal communication far beyond the utmost speed of horses in draught; and although the performance of these Carriages may not have hitherto attained this point, when once it has been established, that at equal speed we can use Steam more cheaply in draught, than horses, we may fairly anticipate that every day's increased experience in the management of the Engines will induce greater skill, greater confidence, and greater speed. ”

“ If at present it can be used as cheaply as horse power, the competition with the former modes of conveyance will first take place as to speed. When once the superiority of Steam Carriages shall have been fully established, competition will induce economy in the cost of working them. The Evidence, however, of Mr. Macneil, showing the greater efficiency with diminished expenditure of fuel by Locomotive Engines on Railways, convinces the Committee, that experience will soon teach a better construction of the Engines, and a less costly mode of generating the requisite supply of Steam. ”

“ The roads at present have to sustain Waggons, weighing at times, with their horses, nearly ten tons; it is in evidence, that the breadth of wheels required by various Acts of Parliament, is so easily evaded, that it affords no protection to the road; there appears to the Committee no fair reason to suppose, that Steam Carriages, approaching even to this weight, will be used on any turnpike road, at least for a very considerable period, during which the increase of weight will be gradual, and will give ample warning to the Legislature when it should interfere. ”

“ To place the Toll on the weight of the Engine would tend to induce him to decrease the strength of his, boiler and machinery to an extent which might be dangerous to the passengers, and very detrimental to the success of Steam travelling, as the Public will easily be led to believe, that accidents really occurring from injudicious legislation, were inseparable from the adoption of this power as an agent in propelling Carriages. ”

“ Nor are the advantages of Steam power confined to the greater velocity attained, or to its greater cheapness than horse draught. In the latter, danger is increased, in as large a proportion as expence, by greater speed. In Steam power, on the contrary, "there is no danger of being run away with, and that of being overturned is greatly diminished. It is difficult to controul four such horses as can draw a heavy carriage ten miles per hour, in case they are frightened, or choose to run away ”

“ A Steam Carriage only calculated to convey six passengers will be solely used where great speed is required, and will be so light as to cause very little wear of the road, probably much less than many Carriages drawn by the number of horses which the Committee recommend as the standard of charge for this class. ”

“ The Committee, not having received evidence that gas has been practically employed in propelling Carriages on common roads, have not considered it expedient to inquire as to the progress made by several very scientific persons who are engaged in making experiments on gases, with the view of procuring a still cheaper and more efficient power than Steam. ”

“ He estimates that the feet of horses drawing a fast Coach, are more injurious to the road than the wheels, in the proportion of three to one nearly; that this proportion will increase with the velocity; that by increasing the breadth of the tires of the wheels, the injury done to roads by great weights may be counteracted. He considers that on a good road, one ton may be safely carried on each inch of width of tire of the wheels. ”

“ Perhaps one of the principal advantages resulting from the use of Steam, will be, that it may be employed as cheaply at a quick as at a slow rate; "this is one of the advantages over horse labour which becomes more and more expensive, as the speed is increased. ”

“ As speed, therefore, is the cause of greatly increased expence where horses are used, while with Steam it is comparatively unimportant, it is probable that the latter will be chiefly resorted to when rapidity of conveyance is required. Mr. Gurney considers, that under four miles per hour, horses can be used in draught more economically than Steam.—Should it, however, be deemed profitable to convey heavy goods by Steam Carriages, the Committee re commend that there should be as little interference as possible with the number of carts employed ”

“ As to the injury to roads, which is anticipated from the "slipping" of the wheels, it may safely be left to the proprietors to correct: the action of the wheel slipping involves a waste of power and an useless expenditure of fuel, which, for their own sakes, they will avoid. ”

“ The Committee are of opinion that the only ground on which a fair claim to Toll can be made, on any public road, is to raise a fund, which, with the strictest economy, shall be just sufficient, first to repay the expence of its original formation ”

“ These inquiries have led the Committee to believe that the substitution of inanimate for animal power, in draught on common roads, is one of the most important improvements in the means of internal communication ever introduced. Its practicability they consider to have been fully established; its general adoption will take place more or less rapidly, in proportion as the attention of scientific men shall be drawn by public encouragement to further improvement. ”

“ But suppose the Legislature were to settle this point, and to arrange that a certain length of stroke and diameter of cylinder should represent a certain power, we still fail to ascertain that which alone it is essential to know; viz, the actual efficiency of the Engine. ”