390 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



within or on them, from the insufficiency of strength 

 in carriage-springs, or the foohsh way in which they 

 are adapted. There is one carriage in particular which 

 suffers in this respect : this is a Stanhope phaeton or 

 T cart, convertible into a waggonette. As a T cart, 

 with only a light groom seated behind, the springs are 

 quite sufficient ; but immediately that it is converted 

 into a waggonette, with seats sufficient to accommodate 

 four persons instead of one, the springs are no longer 

 sufficient to support the additional weight, and the 

 discomfort of riding in such a carriage is apparent to 

 all who have tried it. 



In this case, in addition to the longitudinal elliptic 

 springs, there should be elliptic cross-springs, or cross- 

 springs of some kind running from one side of the 

 carriage to the other. A carriage that rocks may be 

 greatly benefited by cross-springs ; good springs are 

 perhaps the things most requisite to the comfort of 

 those w^ho make use of carriages. A coach- builder, 

 to whose opinions I have referred, observes that to 

 hold up a weight of 1500 pounds with three springs, 

 that is with two elliptic longitudinal springs, and one 

 elliptic cross-spring, on the American principle, it 

 would be necessary that the three springs should 

 weigh eighty pounds, there being four or five leaves 

 or plates on each spring. 



Carriage-springs should be very carefully tempered ,* 

 it is necessary that the spring be carefully forged, not 

 over-heated, and not hammered too cold. Besides 

 springs, the smith has to hoop the wheels, that is, fit 

 the iron tires round the felloes, thereby embracing 

 the whole wheel ; but this process I have already 

 described. 



I have by me a table giving the weight of elliptic 

 springs, and the weight of common axles ; but as these 



