1 86 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



Jerry llowsc. Costar and Waddoll, of Oxford, 

 horsed the " Tautivy " between Woodstock and 

 London, and Gardner, of Stratford-on-Avon, part- 

 horsed it onA\'ards, not wholly to the satisfaction 

 of Salishnry, who used to declare that the team 

 out of his yard was worth ahout £25 the lot, 

 and that they had once helonged to Shakespeare. 

 Competition in speed led naturally to rivalry 

 in the building-, upholstering, and general appoint- 

 ments of the coaches. Sherman's Manchester 

 " Estafette " was a splendid turn-out, holding 

 its own a^'ainst many rivals in the last years 

 of the coaching age. Inside was a time-table 

 elegantly engraved on ivory, showing all towns, 

 distances and intermediate times, illuminated 

 at night l)y a reflector lamp. It Avas at this 

 time seriously proposed to ligJit the coaches witli 

 gas, with the double object of securing better 

 li""htin2: and efPectini];' a saving on the very heavy 

 bills for oil consumed on the night coaches. Tlie 

 idea was generally abandoned Avhen it was found 

 that the gas tanks would be very heavy and that 

 they would take u]:) all the room in one of the 

 boots, generally reserved for luggage. Coachmen 

 and guards, too, professed anxiety lest they, 

 sitting directly over the fore and hind boots, 

 should be blowji iq). But, before the project 

 was finally abandoned, it was fully j)royed that 

 it was practicable, and in January 1827 the 

 Glasgo\\' and Paisley coaches Avere lit witli gas, 

 much to the amazement of tlie country folk. 

 " Guid Lord, Sandy," said an old woman to her 



