768 ON THE COST OF CARRIAGE. 



hundred slates, and one containing 118 hewn eves. The car- 

 riage therefore, the load and the ton being taken as identical, is 

 again a little under 6d. per ton per mile. 



The hire of teams is occasionally given, with of course their 

 attendants. At Chester, in 1635, the price is 4s. a day. In 

 1646, at Eton, it appears to be los. ; in 1700 it is at Js. A 

 waggon without horses is hired by Winchester College in 

 1645 at is. a day. 



There remain several instances of land carriage, probably 

 when the distance is above a day's journey, undertaken by the 

 common carrier or waggoner, and charged for according to the 

 character of the goods, since an article which was unlikely to 

 be injured or lost involved less risk to the carrier, and there- 

 fore less charge to the sender. 



In 1583, half a ton of iron in bars and two hogsheads 

 of wine are sent from Chester to Smith ills, the seat of Judge 

 Shuttleworth. Now in a straight line Chester is thirty-seven 

 miles distant from the place to which the goods were sent, 

 and it is reasonable to conclude that the actual distance 

 traversed by the carrier who conveyed these goods was fifty 

 miles at least. Shuttleworth pays ids. for the carriage. Now 

 the traditional capacity of the hogshead is 46 gallons, and the 

 weight of the two hogsheads, casks included, must have been 

 from 8 to 9 cwt., and the whole consignment must have 

 amounted to at least i8|- cwt., part of the freight being 

 bulky, inconvenient, liable to breakage, and to theft. Taking 

 the amount at 18 cwt., and the distance by road 50 miles, 

 the articles were carried at 8d. the cwt. for the whole fifty 

 miles, or 13^. 4^. the ton, or a little over $d. per ton per 

 mile. 



In 1588 the owner of Smithills has goods sent from a far 

 greater distance. He has loj cwt. forwarded to him from 

 London at $s. 6d. the cwt. Now Smithills is about three miles 

 from Bolton in Lancashire, and Bolton is by high road 197 miles 

 from London. The carriage is undertaken in August, and at 

 5 ics. a ton. The cost is a little over 6\d. per ton per mile. 



