38 



as possible of tho nature of the road itself, its length, its various inclines or 

 gradients, kc, and the fact of snow occasionally lying, in the winter season, many 

 inches deep in the midland districts, was also alluded to. Before reading the 

 replies, received by last mail, to these letters, he would beg permission to read 

 the following extracts from an article in the Mechanics' Mcujazine, of January 

 last, which he thought was a suflScient answer to the question which had baen 

 so frequently asked— Why, if these engines are as efficient as is stated, have 

 they not long ago superseded the use of horses on common roads and else- 

 where ? " When we reflect that a speed of fifteen miles an hour has been 

 maintained on good turnpike roads for long journeys by steam power, we will 

 see how small was the chance which horse power would have had for the con- 

 veyance of mails and passengers, who often regard speed as everything, against 

 such a rival. Had it not so fallen out that the Manchester and Birmingham 

 Railway was inaugurated just at the time it was, our roads would long ere 

 now have been almost wholly given up to the traction engine and steam 

 omnibus. The attention of the engineer would not have been directed into a 

 different channel." "It (the traction engine) may be regarded as the pro- 

 genitor of the railway locomotive and a glance at the past will show that its 

 career has been distinguished by a series of mechanical successes which seldom 

 fall to the lot of inventions, so dissimilar to anything presented by the records 

 of the past. Reasoning by analogy we are justified in assuming that a machine 

 which has been constructed with success in the infancy of the mechanical 

 engineer's art, can present no difficulty now, and the experimentum crucis of 

 examining into these questions and circumstances of traffic presented daily all 

 over the country prove that the ti'action engine now performs its task with an 

 ease and punctuality which leave little indeed to be desired. Its use is, in 

 short, no longer an experiment. It will no longer bear to be treated as such. 

 The competition between steam and horses on the road la no longer a question 

 of mechanics, but of pounds, shillings, and pence, and viewed in this way, 

 steam has every advantage." " Formerly we were told that traction engines 

 spoiled the roads. We hear little of this now, experience proving the contrary." 

 " We never yet heard of a dangerous accident resulting from the use of steam 

 on common roads, and a somewhat extended personal experience goes to show 

 that with the most moderate care horses will pass an engine as easdy as they 

 will a carriage." He (Dr. Agnew) also stated that the same magazine con- 

 tained reports of two large meetings of road trusts in England, at which a 

 motion was made to the effect that means should be adopted for prohibiting 

 traction engines from travelling on the highways during the day, on the plea 

 that they took up too much room and that they would be a cause of accidents 

 by frightening horses. In both cases the motion was at once negatived — 

 in one, by a majority of .30 to 3, and the other by 50 to 2. This, he thought, 

 was very important, as coming from men who were enabled to form an opinion 

 on the matter from personal observation. 



The following report on the subject, by a Select Committee of the House of 

 Commons, as long back as 1831, was read :— 



*' That sufficient evidence has been adduced to convince your committee— 



*' 1. That carriages can be propelled by steam on common roads at an 

 average rate of ten miles an hour. 



" 2. That at this rate they have conveyed upwards of fourteen passengers. 



"3. That their weight, including fuel, water, and attendants, may be 

 under three tons. 



"4. That they can ascend and descend hills of considerable inclination 

 with facility and safety. 



" 5. That they are perfectly safe for passengers. 



"6. That they are not, or need not be, if properly constructed, a nuisance 

 to the public. 



"7. That they will become a speedier and cheaper mode of conveyance 

 than carriages drawn by horses. 



"8. That they admit of greater breadth of tire than other carriages, and, 

 as the roads are not acted on so injuriously as by the feet of horses in com- 

 mon draught, auch carriages will cause less wear of roads than carriages drawn 

 by horses. 



"9. That rates of toll have been imposed on steam carriages, which would 

 prohibit their being used on several lines of roads, were such charges allowed 

 to remain unaltered." 



Allusion was also made to the case of Messrs. KoU, Greig, & Co., carriers 

 between Glasgow and Kilmarnock, who have practically acknowledged the' in- 

 feriority of horse draught by adopting the traction engine for their business ; 



