AMERICAN INSTITUTl.. 29 



ing first c(tnceived the idea; to France the credit of having con- 

 structed the first model; but to America the glory of having first 

 rendered practicable both the idea and model of a steam carriage. 



Messrs. Trevetliick and Vivian seem next to have taken up 

 the subject, and to have constructed a steam carriage far more 

 light and portable than any theretofore known. Their hind 

 wheels were large, the front ones smaller and close togetlier, the 

 cylinder was placed horizontally at the back of the behind axle; 

 the piston communicated with a sliding cross-piece, moving at its 

 end in guides, from which a connecting rod, returning towards the 

 piston, commimicated the power to a crank on the axle, on each 

 of whicli was a toothed Avheel working into another fixed on the 

 nave of the hind wheel of the axle of the carriage; on one end of 

 this axle was a fly-wheel, used in consequence of having but one 

 cylinder. 



The toothed wheels on the crank axle were not fixed immov- 

 ably to it, but were so arranged that by means of a lever under 

 the command of the steersman, either or both of them could be 

 disconnected from it, so as to leave the wheels and axle to move 

 independent of it. 



A lever brake pressing against the periphery of the fly-wheel 

 was used for retarding the motion of the vehicle, and a lever 

 handle connected with the fore- wheels aflbrded the means of direct- 

 ing the carriage. (The same plan as Mr. Fisher's model carriage.) 



It is a remarkable coincidence, that one of the principal places 

 in which Trevethick's steam carriage was exliibited in London, 

 over fifty years ago, should be now the site of the great railway 

 station at Euston square. 



The experiments of Trevetliick and Vivian led them to abandon 

 the common road and turn their attention more particularly to lo- 

 comotion over railways. 



The introduction of macadamised roads in England rendered the 

 idea of travelling over them more practicable, and various inven- 

 tions were made for this pm-pose in 1821. Julius Griffith obtained 

 a patent for the mechanism of a steam carriage, which was built 

 with two steam cylinders, condensers and pistons, impelling the 

 hind wheels by a cogged gearing; the boiler and machinery were 

 suspended fi'om the frame work by chaip.s and springs to preserve 

 it from injury. 



The ascension of hills next occupied the attention of inventors, 

 (but subsequent performances rendered most of the plans proposed 

 wholly unnecessary and impracticable,) and a large number of 



