^Nimrod ' 



On the whole, however, travelHng by pubHc conveyances 

 was never so secure as it is at the present time. Nothing 

 can be more favourable to it than the build of the modern 

 coaches. The boots, being let down between the springs, 

 keep the load, consequently the centre of gravity, low ; the 

 wheels of many of them are secured by patent boxes ; and 

 in every part of them the best materials are used. The cost 

 of coaches of this description is from a hundred and thirty 

 pounds to a hundred and fifty pounds ; but they are gener- 

 ally hired from the maker, at from two pence half-penny to 

 three pence per mile. 



The common height of the stage-coach wheels of the 

 present day is as follows : — the fore-wheels, three feet four 

 inches, the hinder, four feet eight inches. As the former 

 turn round so much oftener than the latter, and also bear 

 more weight, they require to have their fellies fresh wrung 

 about every five weeks ; whereas the latter will stand good 

 for two months or more. The strength of a wheel depends 

 greatly on the attention paid to the arrangement and framing 

 of the spokes. In common wheels, they are framed regularly 

 and equally all round the thickest part of the nave, the 

 tenons of the spokes being so bevelled as to stand about 

 three inches out of perpendicular, by which is produced 

 the dishing wheel. This dishing, or concave, wheel is not 

 essential on our present rutless roads, and perpendicular 

 wheels are preferable on level ground. The best wheels 



the centre of gravity is preserved under any ordinary circumstances to which 

 our coaches are exposed on the road. 



215 



