CH. Ill GAUGE 2)7 



its lighter running. Two inches is the minimum 

 diameter for a coach axle-arm ; two and a quarter 

 inches is better. 



India-rubber bands, or rings, are sometimes in- 

 serted between the inside of the hub and the out- 

 side of the axle-box, and they undoubtedly lessen 

 the vibrations, but they require a large hub since 

 they weaken a small one, and if a brake is used, 

 they are twisted out of condition, so that they are 

 not adapted to coaches, — at least not to the hind 

 wheels. Since rubber tires have come into use, the 

 rubber-cushioned hubs have been abandoned. 



The length of the axle obviously depends upon 

 the distance apart of the wheels ; this distance is 

 called the guage or track, and is usually measured 

 from centre to centre of the tires, on the ground. 

 It varies from 5 ft. 4 in., in an American Concord 

 coach, to 4 ft. 8^ in., which is given by Harris 

 [Coaching Age, p. 102), as having been that of the 

 old mail-coaches. 



That was probably the distance from out to otit, 

 since it was adopted as the railway gauge, and an 

 Act, of George III., fixes 4 ft. 6 in. as the minimum 

 gauge for a coach from centre to centre. In the 

 coaches and drags of the present day, the gauge is 

 usually about 5 ft. 1 in. On good roads a uniform- 

 ity of gauge of the different vehicles used is unim- 

 portant, but on the earth roads of America, a car- 

 riage which does not fit in the ruts already made, 

 runs very hard. In any one locality, therefore, all 



