FOUR IN HAND. 151 



and down the principal avenue of this great city. Hav- 

 ing no conductors behind makes it very hard on the 

 driver, who cannot be expected to iill both positions 

 requisite to conduct and drive at one and the same time, 



I don't know whether the stages try to imitate the 

 coachesi or whether the coaches imitate the stages, but 

 it is a fact much to be regretted that neither of these 

 excellent means of conveyance have improved their 

 services. In fact, as regards coaching, they have ac- 

 tually degenerated to a considerable extent in the past 

 ten years. There are more in quantity but a great deal 

 less in quality. Since 1880, w^hen the -'Tally -Ho" went 

 off the road, there has been a subscription or Club 

 Coach put on in its place. It was badly managed, badly 

 horsed, and I might say, badly driven when Frederic 

 Bronson Esq., was off the box. 



Putting a coach on the road (I mean a i)ublic coach) 

 is an undertaking of gi-eat responsibility. It means in 

 the first place a large expenditure of money, a good, 

 substantial, well-made and good-running coach, as many 

 sides of harness ais horses, and as many horses as miles. 

 Except when working a "half number" going up one 

 day and down the next, when half the number of horses 

 and harness is sufficient. 



The horses being the moving poAver and there- 

 fore the mainstay of the success of the enterprise, 



