. 
500 Mr. Hutchinson on the permanent Improvement of Roads. [Jan. 1, 
would become nearly even, without 
the application of either labour or 
material. A trial of this kind would 
undoubtedly be attended with extra 
" exertion to the horses, and this is only 
mentioned as an experiment that may 
shew the effect which such carriages 
would produce. Roads once well 
made would be kept in good condition 
for two-thirds of the expense which 
they now cost, and it would be here- 
after impossible to make either quar- 
ter or furrow on any road where such 
carriages might be used. 
The advantages to stage-coaches 
would be as follow:—Agreeably to 
the different distances the wheels may 
stand apart, they will become more 
straight in their form, that is, they will 
be less coned, and consequently the 
axletree less bent. 
To give a set of horses the full ad- 
vantage of their strength, coach-pro- 
prietors would do well to attend to the 
following remarks:—Form the car- 
xiage wheels nearly straight; such 
will require an axletree nearly hori- 
zontal, which is best, if made cylin- 
drical, for various reasons: place the 
greatest part of the weight of the load 
on the highest wheels, and make the 
fore-wheels as high as possible, so as 
to preserve the turning which may be 
wanted. The wheels being set wider 
on the ground, will add greatly to the 
security of all passengers, and no 
inconvenience whatever will attend 
the measure here proposed, It would 
be well, also, if the proprietors of 
coaches would so order that the hind 
-and fore wheels of their carriages 
should be some distance further apart 
than they are now generally used ; for, 
although a small advantage (very 
small indeed,) is given to the horses 
by making the carriage short, it is of 
minor importance compared with the 
great benefits to be derived from car- 
riages of greater length. These will 
be less liable to overturn,—will greatly 
facilitate the practicability of intro- 
ducing lofty fore-wheels,—and will aid 
much in the scheme of carrying all the 
weight much lower than the mode 
generally practised will allow. 
This plan does not require wageon 
wheels to be wider at the top, nor 
would they be more difficult to pass 
on the road than they now are; their 
bottoms being extended variously will 
diminish the cone of the wheel, cause 
less bevilling on the sole, and urge 
the axletree towards a natural posi-+ 
tion, that is, it will be less inclined. 
A wheel much dished or coned must 
be proportionably laid out at the top, 
and thereby much bevilled on its sole, 
consequently two different peripheries 
are produced on the rim, which is 
expected to traverse the ground with 
an equal pressure on every part of its 
sole at the same time, and with ease 
to the horses, a thing which is clearly 
impossible. The large diameter, it 
should be observed, goes freely, but 
the lesser drags and slides with a con- 
tinual waste of animal exertion. The 
wheelwright forms the sole of a nine- 
inch wheel very full in the middle, 
intending that the pressure may be 
chiefly on the middle tire, and not on 
the outer circumferences of the rim of 
the wheel. Whilst such wheels are 
used on a hard or paved road, they 
have partially the desired effect. On 
any other road the large and small 
diameters of the wheel are engaged 
most severely in the contention before 
mentioned. The evil complained of 
can only be remedied by having 
wheels less coned, agreeably to the 
plan here suggested for more effec- 
tually bettering the condition of all 
roads. 
Having offered an opinion on coni- 
cal wheels, I shall now make some 
observations on wheels differently 
formed. Some persons advocate a 
wheel quite straight; but a wheel so 
constructed would be unable to bear 
the external lateral pressure of the 
carriage, and its weak parts would be 
soon discovered. As much ofa cone 
as would form a faint arch to a wheel 
is indispensable, not only to itsstrength, 
but also to furnish what is called prop, 
or sufficient obliquity to that spoke 
which turns to the ground as the 
wheel makes its revolution. Wheels 
so formed have a correct tendency ; 
they are with case modelled to the 
convexity of any road, requiring an~ 
axletree nearly straight, and being so 
regulated they will afford the same 
convenience as heretofore for the dif- 
ferent widths of all bodies betwecn the 
wheels of either coach, chaise, or 
waggon. 
An observing eye will notice the 
smooth and even appearance of the 
roads about London, although the 
materials there are not good; the 
continued crossings of the carriages 
to and fro on these prevent the evil 
resulting 
