COACH. 
Or yoke, that upholds a central pole. These 
cannot be considered as very safe machines, 
but are admirably calculated for ease of 
draught ; and, their bodies being upon four 
pliant springs, must generally have a very 
easy motion. The gig, chaise, or whiskey, 
has but one horse, which moves between a 
pair of shafts, borne nearly horizontal by 
means of a leather sling passing over the 
saddle tree ; when another horse precedes, 
so as to drive one before the other, the 
machine is called a tandem ; a pun upon 
that word, which in Latin signifies “ at 
length.” Those chaises which do not go 
upon springs, and are in other respects cal- 
culated for the use of the poorer classes, 
pay less duty, but must bear the words 
“taxed cart” in some conspicuous part, 
and in letters of not less than an inch in 
depth: their cost must also be under 121. 
Our stage-coaches which travel to every 
part of the kingdom, are, beyond compare, 
superior to those of any other nation both 
for speed of travelling and accommodation. 
The legislature has wisely restricted the 
numbers of inside and of outside passengers. 
On the whole, they perfonn their journies 
at the rate of H miles in the hour during 
summer, and about 41 during the winter sea- 
son. Taken on an average, the rates are from 
4^. to 6d. per mile for inside passengers ; 
though in cases of competition they have 
gone so low as 2d. The mail-coaches, which 
carry the letters to and from the General 
Post-Office, are of a very strong build, and 
usually run 8, or even 9 miles within the 
hour; they are limited as to the time in 
which each stage is to be performed ; and 
the guard makes remarks as to the condi- 
tion of the cattle, the performance of their 
duty, tlie accidental delays and deviations, 
upon a printed way-bill delivered with the 
bags at tire post-office ; he notes every mat- 
ter relating to time, according to his time- 
piece, which is always adjusted before he 
takes leave. The mail-coaches are restrict- 
ed to four inside and two outside passen- 
gers, besides the coachman and the guard, 
both of whom weai‘ the king’s livery ; and 
the royal arms are borne upon the centre 
pannels of the coach. All the mail-coaches 
pass in review at Buckingham House, and 
St. James’s, on his Majesty’s birthday; the 
guards and drivers dressed in their new 
uniforms, and the horses decked with rib- 
bons. Every mail-coach, so soon as it a,r- 
rives in town, is sent to the Overseer and 
Contractor at Mill-Bank, Ayestrainster, 
where it is strictly examined, the screws 
tightened, axles greased, and every precau- 
tion taken to guard against accident. 
Coaches, hackney : commissioners arc 
appointed to license and regulate them : 
the proprietor of each coach to pay 
10s. per week. Each coach is to be num- 
bered on both sides, the altering of which 
incurs a penalty of 51. The same penalty 
is incurred by driving or letting to hire a 
coach without a license. Mourning-coaches 
and hearses are within the act. The horses 
in hackney-coaches must be fourteen hands 
high. Coachmen compellable to go in the 
day ten miles; after dark but two miles and 
a half on turnpike-roads ; to have check- 
strings, under the penalty of 51. 
The rate for a mile and a quarter, or less, 
is Is. from that to two. Is. 6d. and for. each 
additional half mile entered upon, 6d. 
In reckoning by time, three quarters of 
an hour, or less, is Is. between that and an 
hour Is. 6d. one hour and twenty minutes 
2s. and for each additional twenty minutes 
entered upon 6d. For a day of twelve 
hours, 14s. 6d, and 6d. for each twenty 
minutes over. 
A coachman refusing to go, or exacting 
more than his fare, forfeits from 10s. to 3U 
By misbehaviour or impudence he incurs 
the same penalty, and subjects his license to 
be revoked, and himself to be committed 
to the house of correction. Persons refus- 
ing to pay the fare, or defacing the coach, 
may be compelled by a justice to make 
satisfaction. The penalties may be reco- 
vered before the aldermen of the city, and 
justices of the peace, as well as before the 
commissioners. 4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 24, 26, and 
32, Geo. III. 
Coaches, stage: every person keeping 
any public stage-coach shall pay, annually, 
5s. for a license; and keeping any such 
public stage without a license, he shall for- 
feit for every time such carriage is used 10?. 
No pereon licensed shall, by virtue of one 
license, keep more than, one carriage, on 
penalty of 10?. Every licensed stage-coach 
shall pay 2ii?. for every mile it travels. 
Every person licensed shall paint, on the 
outside pannel of each door, his Christian 
and surname, with the name of place from 
whence he sets out, and to which he is go- 
ing, on pain of 10?. Should he discontinue 
such carriage he shall give seven days pre* 
vious notice, and have such notice indorsed 
upon his licence, and from thenceforth shall 
be uo longer chargeable. 
Drivers of stage-coaches are not to admit 
more than one outside passenger on the 
