530 ON DRAUGHT. 



horse. Tredgold, in his work on Railways, before quoted, says : " The time 

 assigned for the day's work of a horse is usually eight hours ; but it is certain, 

 from experience, that some advantage is gained by shortening the hours of 

 labour ; and we have observed, that a horse is least injured by his labour, 

 where his day's work is performed in about six hours ; where the same quantity 

 of labour is performed in less than six hours, the over-exertion in time shows 

 itself in stiffened joints, while the wearying effects of long-continued action 

 become apparent, if the duration of the day's work be prolonged much beyond 

 eight hours. Indeed, under the management of a good driver, a full day's work 

 may be completed in the time before mentioned — six hours — with benefit to the 

 health and vigour of the animal." 



We may be permitted, however, to abandon the idea of improving the health 

 of the animal, or of rendering his business a pleasure to him — an attempt, the 

 success of which is, we should think, very questionable, and content ourselves 

 with endeavouring to check the barbarous practice of working horses to death 

 either by overdriving or overloading them ; and we shall, as is generally the 

 case, consult our own interests and follow the dictates of humanity at the same 

 time, by not injuring so useful an animal : and we think experience proves 

 there will be no danger of doing this by working eight or nine hours a day. 

 By referring to the foregoing Table, we see that the maximum velocity of the 

 average of horses corresponding to eight hours' work, is five miles and a half 

 per hour, consequently, the rate at which he would travel when loaded is a 

 little more than two miles and a half per hour. There is no doubt that some 

 horses could conveniently travel faster ; but as the speed must generally be 

 governed by that of other horses, the average is, in this case, the rate to be 

 adopted. The force exerted under these circumstances depending upon the 

 quality of the horse, it is very difficult to obtain even an approximate value of 

 it, unless the experiment be made upon each individual horse : it is fortunately, 

 however, of no great consequence in practice, because if we feel sure that 

 we are employing all the power we can command to the greatest advantage, 

 it is not of any very great importance that we should know the exact amount of 

 that power. 



In comparing animal horse-power with that of the steam-engine, we estimated 

 it at about 125 lbs., but we believe that, with tolerably good horses, it may 

 generally be taken at more than that. 



We have thus far confined oar attention to the cases where velocity, as well 

 as duration of labour, was left to choice; this is far from being always the 

 case. In stage-coaches, or other conveyances for passengers, speed is abso- 

 lutely necessary, and it only remains to learn how that speed can be obtained 

 with the greatest economy. The following Table, extracted from Tred- 

 gold, will show the great reduction in the effect produced by increasing the 

 velocity. 



The first column being the velocity or rate per hour, continued for six hours 

 per day ; the second represents the force of traction of which the animal is 

 capable ; and the third, the comparative effects produced. A force of traction 

 of 125 lbs. continued for six hours at the rate of three miles per hour being 

 taken as the standard, and considered equal to the arbitrary number 1000. 

 MUes per hour. Force of traction in lbs. Effect produced. 



2 160 888 



3 125 1000 

 3| 104 972 



4 83 888 • 

 H 62£ 750 



5 4l| 555 

 Hi 36j 500 



