1:t4 THE STAGE-COACH-HORSE. 



next walk at the rate of four miles in an hour ; 

 what force will he then be able to employ ? We 

 have taken away some to assist him in walking, 

 and we have left him only 96 lbs., being not half of 

 that which he could exert when he began his pull. 

 He shall quicken his pace to six miles an hour, 

 and more energy must be exerted to carry him over 

 this additional ground. How much has he remain- 

 ing to apply to the weight behind him I 54 lbs. only. 

 We will make the six miles an hour ten ; for it 

 seems now to be the fashion for the fast coach, and 

 for almost every coach, and every vehicle, to at- 

 tempt this pace. How stands the account w4th the 

 poor beast ? We have left him a power equal to 

 32 lbs. only to be employed for the purpose of 

 draught. 



The load which a horse can draw is about fifteen 

 times greater than the power exerted, supposing 

 the road to be hard and level, and the carriage to 

 run with little friction ; and the horse which, at 

 starting, can throw into the collar a weight or force 

 equal to 216 lbs., will draw a load of 3200. Let 

 him, however, be urged on at the rate of ten miles 

 in the hour ; deduct the power used in swiftness of 

 pace from the sum-total of that which he possesses, 

 and what remains ? not a sixth part, not that which 

 is equal to a quarter of a ton, or, if it be a stage- 

 coach, the energy exerted in draught by the four 

 horses will not be equal to a ton. 



The coach, and its passengers, and its luggage, 

 weigh more than this, and the whole is still drawn 

 on, and must be so. Whence comes the power I 



