MESSRS. SMITHER ON THE CHARLIER SYSTEM. 63 



had shoes made of about one-third the usual weight, 

 of half the width, and of rather harder iron. In 

 putting them on, the hoof was not cut or pared, with 

 the exception of a small groove made in what we may 

 call the edge of the hoof ; into this the shoe was in- 

 serted. By this system the horse's hoof is on the 

 ground, as if he were unshod ; but it is protected 

 from breaking by the thin rim of iron at its edge. 

 We found this shoe answer admirably ; but the 

 difficulty in getting it made and put on prevented 

 us using it on more than a few horses until 

 quite lately. We should like to state a few instances 

 in which it has produced wonderfully good effects, 

 but dare not trespass on your space. We have found 

 no horses that it does not suit ; and for young horses 

 running on the London stones, for horses with tender 

 feet, or corns, and to prevent slipping, it is of great 

 service. We have lately been able to use it to a 

 larger extent, and have now some forty horses, of all 

 sizes, from the cob to those of seventeen or eighteen 

 hands, at work on the London stones and country 

 roads, shod in this way. These, sir, are facts which 

 your readers can verify. From a business point of 

 view it is also important: the use of these shoes 

 would, in London alone, by preventing the laming 

 and wearing out of horses, save many thousands of 

 pounds every year.' 



Here we find men evidently open minded, im- 

 bued with the idea that their brains might be at 

 least as good as those of other people who pretend 

 to dictate to them, and possessing the courage to 



