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me their propositions and plans for reiuoviug the evil, one of them, that of 

 my friend, Beujamiu Rotch, Junr. seems worthy of a more particular notice;. 

 and für which he has actually taken out a patent. It cousists of a common 

 horse shoe, divided or cut into several pieces, as four, five, or six ; these be- 

 ing placed on a piece of stout leather of the figure of an ordinary horse shoe, 

 are riveted to it, thus united they are apphed to the foot, and uailed on in the 

 usual way. The defect of this ingenious invention appeais to be, that one 

 or two nails, which these pieces only admit of, are insufficient when partial 

 pressure, from irregalarities in the road, such as loose stones, &c. corae in 

 contact vvith them, to retain them firmly in their Situation, the whole weight 

 of the horse then falling upon an individual piece, loosens it, by drawing the 

 clenches, or breaking the nails. 



A Nobleman of elevated rank, and eminent for his knowledge of these de' 

 lightful animals, has condescended to consider these difficulties of the feet, 

 and has honoured me sometimes with his Communications in thisrespect; 

 more than three years before Benjamin Rotch's Patent was taken out, he in- 

 geniously suggested a shoe made of pieces, pretty much in the same way, 

 but proposed their being combined again, not by a Sub-shoe of leather, but 

 of some tough, elastic wood, which would be found I believe preferable to the 

 former, as it would give a more firm support to the individual pieces, and 

 would not be so subject to be relaxed and rendered soft by wet.* 



Various other plans I also received ; but from their obviously impracticable 

 nature, forbear to notice them. On piain, smooth roads, such shoes as the 

 above, might I apprehend be used; and also for standing in stables, for 

 Ridiug-Houses, parks, pleasure grounds, and fields; but a shoe more firm 

 will be necessary for rough and stony roads. The public long used to 

 shoes of immense strength, disregard all partial helps, though in many cases 

 they might be useful, and are ever considering an extreme case of labonr, 

 and the worst of roads, as though all horses were used for stage-work, or 

 all the roads of the worst kind, therefore nothing short of a shoe obviating 

 such difficulties will probably meet with general favour; and such a one I 

 have now with infinite satisfaction to propose, which is strong enough for 

 every sort of road, and will afford the füll advantage of all the labour the 

 horse can render, whilst it admits the movements natural to the foot ; at the 

 same time is as simple and easy of application as another shoe. I am 



* Pcrhaps the Wild ctimber or Honesty, {Clematia vitalba,) would aDbrd this sort of tough elastic medium, 

 aiid therc are also many cxotics of the same family for examination. 



K 



