OPPOSITION TO STEAM CARRIAGES. 241 



Portland Place by the appearance of a steam carriage 

 which made its way through a crowded traffic without 

 any perceptible impulse. There was neither smoke 

 nor noise ; there was no external force nor apparent 

 directing agent ; the carriage seemed to move by its 

 own volition, passing by horses without giving them 

 the least alarm. Five gentlemen and a lady con- 

 stituted the passengers. 



" One gentleman directed the moving principle or 

 power, and another appeared to sit unconcerned behind, 

 but his object was ascertained to be the care of the 

 fuel and water. The carriage was lightly and con- 

 veniently built, not larger nor heavier than a phaeton. 

 It went without the least vibration, and preserved a 

 balance in its most complicated movements. The pace 

 was varied from five to twelve miles an hour, according 

 to pleasure." 



This writer confirms my previous statement as to a 

 steam carriaQfe runningf on the road between Gloucester 

 and Cheltenham. He describes the circumstance as 

 follows : 



"From February to June, 1831, steam carriages 

 ran between Gloucester and Cheltenham regularly 

 four times a day, during which time they carried nearly 

 three thousand persons, and travelled nearly four 

 thousand miles without a single accident. Every 

 obstacle, however, was thrown in the way of this 

 new invention ; large heaps of stones were laid across 

 the road eighteen inches deep, under the pretence of 

 repairing the highway ; and on an Act of Parliament 

 being passed which imposed prohibitory tolls on turn- 

 pike trusts, the steam carriage was driven off the road. 

 On the journey to Bath above referred to, the toll for 

 the steam carriage was six guineas each time of passing." 



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