ioo DRIVING. 



then where are you ? Pole-pieces are in most frequent use in 

 pair-horse carriages, except mail-phaetons, of all descriptions. 

 They should be made of the best tanned, soundest leather, and 

 be kept perfectly clean, soft and dry, otherwise they will soon 

 become rotten and dangerous. 



The same reason which induced us to make mention of 

 some new collars, leads, at this stage, to a notice of some in- 

 ventions in connection with poles, pole-chains, and shafts. 

 The sight of a fallen horse is, unfortunately, by no means 

 uncommon in London and other large towns ; nor will the 

 spectator forget how great is the difficulty in releasing the horse 

 from the carriage. To render this an operation of greater ease 

 several contrivances have been invented. One of the earliest, 

 we believe, is the Reliance Slip Link, patented by Messrs. 

 Bezer & Thomas, and now manufactured and sold by the 

 Phoenix Metal Die Co., Princes Street, Stamford Street, E.G. 

 This is used at the end of the pole-chain, instead of the ordi- 

 nary hook. When a horse falls, the pole-chain or pole-piece 

 is often drawn so tight that neither hook nor buckle can be 

 unfastened ; but if the slip link be used, pressure on a spring 

 releases the catch, the chain comes away at once, and the horse 

 can be then detached from the vehicle. Another candidate 

 for public patronage is Mr. F. Lacey (4 Price's Folly, Cooper's 

 Arms Lane, Putney, London, S.W.), who, in order to facilitate 

 the release of fallen horses, invented a ' pole-head slip,' which 

 is fashioned on this wise. At the pole-head, in lieu of the 

 ordinary link or loop for the reception of pole-chain or pole- 

 piece respectively, are two brass or gun-metal branches at right 

 angles to the pole ; and at the extremity of the latter is a screw 

 something like the breech-piece of a punt gun. To release a 

 horse, unscrew the head ; the branches come away, and the 

 hor-je is free. 



An invention especially applicable to pole-pieces is that of 

 Mr. Craddock (370 Gray's Inn Road, King's Cross). Instead 

 of a buckle, this pole-piece has a tongue passing beneath a 

 loop, and a small peg passing through the pole-piece fits into 



