702 C O A 
thofe who might have occafion for them. The Parifians 
approved of and patronized his plan; and, as Sauvage 
lived in rhe ftreet St. Martin, in a houfe called the Hotel 
S. Fiacre, the coaches, coachmen, and proprietor, were 
call edfacres. In a little time this undertaking was im¬ 
proved by others, who obtained a licenfe for their new 
inftitutions on paying a certain fum of money. Some 
kept coaches ready in- certain places of the (Ireets, and 
let them our as long as was required,-to.go from one part 
of the-city to another. Thefe. alone, at length, retained 
the name of fiacre, which at firft-was common to every 
kind of hired carriage without diftinftipn. Others kept 
carriages at their houfes, which they let out for a half or 
whole day, a week, or month ; tilde coaches were known 
by the name of carojjes de remife. Others kept carriages 
which at a certain (tated time went from one quarter of 
the city to. another, like a kind of itages, and took up 
luch pafl'engers as prefented tliemlelves; and, in 1662, 
lome perfons let up carriages with foiir licrfes, for the 
purpoie of carrying people to the different palaces at 
which the court might be. The proprietors often qua- 
relied refped'ing the boundaries preferibed to them by 
their licenfes ; and, on this account, they were fometimes 
united into one company, and fometimes feparated. The 
police eftabiiflied ufeful regulations, by which the fafety 
and cleanlinefs of tiiefe carriages were promoted; marks 
were affixed to them by which they might be known; 
and young perfons and women of the town were forbid¬ 
den to ufe them. 
Coaches to be let for hire were fh-ft eftabiiflied at Lon¬ 
don in 1625. At that time there were only twenty, which 
did not (land in the llreets, but at the principal inns. 
Ten years after, however, they were become fo numerous, 
that Charles I. found it neceflary to iffue an order for li¬ 
miting their number. In 1637, there were in London and 
Weftminfter fifty hackney-coaches, for each of which no 
more than twelve horfes were to be kept. In 1652, their 
number had increafed to two hundred; in 1654., there 
were three hundred, for which fix bundled horfes were 
employed; in 1694, they were limited to feven hundred; 
and in 3715 to eight hundred. Hackney-coaches were 
fii-ft eltabiilhed at Edinburgh in 1673. Their number was 
twenty ; but, as the fituation of the city was unfavourable 
for carriages, it fell in 1752 to fourteen, and in 1778 to 
nine, and the number of ledans increafed. Fiacres were 
^introduced at Warfaw for the fird time in 1778. In Co¬ 
penhagen there are an hundred hackney-coaches. In Ma¬ 
drid there are from four to five thoufand gentlemen’s car¬ 
riages ; in Vienna three thoufand, and two hundred hack¬ 
ney-coaches. At Amfterdam coaches with wheels were 
in the year 166*3 forbidden, in order to fave the expenfive 
pavement of the ltreets ; for coaches there, even in dim¬ 
mer, are placed upon (ledges, as tliofe at Peterfburgh are 
in winter. The tax upon carriages in Holland has from 
time to time been raifed, yet the number has increafed; 
and Come few years ago the coach-liords in the Seven 
United Provinces amounted to twenty-five thoufand. 
When prince Repnin made his entrance into Conftanti- 
n'ople in 1/75, be had in liis retinue no lels than eighty 
coaches. 
For the regulation of hackney-coaches in London, the 
following laws have been put in force, viz. 9 An. c. 23. 
made perpetual by 3 Geo. I. c. 7. and enlarged as to the 
number of coaches, by 11 Geo. III. c. 24. lo as to make 
the whole number, to be licenfed, one thoufand ; and en¬ 
larged a!Co as to chairs, by 10 An. c. 19, and 12 Geo. I. 
c. 12. making the whole number of thofe four hundred. 
The other ftafutes now in force are, 12 An. c. 14. j Geo. I. 
c. 57. 30 Geo. II. c. 22. 4 Geo. III. c. 36. 7 Geo. III. c. 44. 
10 Geo. III. c. 44. x 1 Geo. III. c. 24. and 28. 12 Geo. III. 
c. 49. 24 Geo. III. c. 27. 26 Geo. III. c. 72. 32 Geo. III. 
c. 47. The following is a general abftradt of the united 
effect of thefe feverai a£ls: Five commiflroners are ap¬ 
pointed to licenfe and regulate them : and the proprietor 
of each coach pays ten (hillings per week every month, 
C O A 
Each coach is to be numbered-on both (ides, not to be 
altered, on penalty of five pounds._ A like penalty on" 
driving or letting to hire a coach without licenfe : mourn¬ 
ing coaches and hearfes are within the acts. The horfes 
rnuft be fourteen hands high. Coachmen compellable to 
go in the day ten miles, but after dark two miles.and a 
half on turnpike, roads. To have check -firings, on pe¬ 
nalty of five (hillings. The rates are as follow July 1801. 
t, r (For one mile, or lefs ----- is. od, 
) wa y> l From that to a mile and a half- -16 
And then 6d. for each additional half-mile entered upon. 
r Forty minutes, or le(s is. od, 
By time, -J Between that and an hour ---16 
C One hour and twenty minutes - - 2 o 
And then (ixpence for each additional twenty minutes en¬ 
tered upon. For a day of twelve hours eighteen (hillings, 
and Sixpence for each twenty minutes over. A coachman 
refilling to go, or exacting more than his fare, to forfeit 
from ten (hillings to three pounds; and, by mitbehaviour 
or impudence, incurs the fame penalty, and his licence 
may be revoked, or he committed to the houfe of correc¬ 
tion. Perfons refu.fn.ig to pay the fare, or defacing, the 
coach, may be compelled by a juftice to make fatisfaition. 
There arc feverai ufual (lands, but a coach may (land in 
any ftreet thirty feet wide at the road, except St James’s- 
ilreet and Pall-mall. The penalties are recoverable be¬ 
fore the aldermen of the city, and juilices of peace,, as 
well as before the commiffioners. 
Stage-coaches are under the regulation of 28 Geo. III. 
c. 57. 30 Geo. III. c. 36. and 37 Geo. III. c. 16. Drivers 
of ilage-coaches are not to admit more than one cutfide 
paffenger on the box, and four on the roof of the coach, 
on penalty of five (hillings for each pafienger, at every 
turnpike gate. Some other wholefome regulations are 
alfo.made by thefe afts, but which, like other good laws* 
are feldom enforced. 
By 38 Geo. III. c. 41. there (liall be paid for every four- 
wheeled coach, landau, &c. kept for private ule, or to let 
to hire, (except hackney-coaches,) a tax of 9I. 12s. per 
annum; for two Inch carriages, iol. 4s. each; for three, 
1 il. 4s. for four, 11! • 8s. for five, ul. iis.forfix, ul 12-4, 
for feven, ul. 13s. for eight, 111. 14s. and, for every (uclx 
carriage let out for hire by licenfed poltmalters or inn¬ 
keepers, whofe name and place of abode are to be painted 
thereon, the duty is eight guineas; and, for every two or 
three-wheeled carriage, four guineas per annum. 
To COACH, v. a. To carry in a coach : 
The needy poet (licks to all he meets, 
Coach'd, carted, trod upon ; now loofe, now fad. 
And carry’d off in fome dog’s tail it lait. Pope. 
COACH-BOX, f The feat on which the driver of the 
coach fits. 
COACH-HIRE,/ Money paid for the ufe of a hired 
coach: 
You exclaim as loud .as thofe that praife, 
For (craps and coach hire, a young noble’s plays. Lryden. 
COACH-HOUSE,/ The houfe in which the coach is 
kept from the weather.—Let him lie in the liable or the 
coach-houfe. Swift. 
COACH-MAKER,/ The artificer whofe trade is to 
make coaches: 
Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut, 
Made by the joiner Squirrel, or old Grub, 
Time out of mind the fairies coachmakers. Shahfpeare . 
The wares of coachmakers (hall be fearched by perfons 
appointed by the ladlers’ company, t Jac. I. '. 22. By 
25 Geo; III. c. 49. 27'Geo. III. c. 13. every maker of 
coaches, chariots, chaifes, &c. muff take out annual li- 
cenfes from the excife office, and to pay a duty of twenty 
(hillings for every four-wheeled carriage, and ten (hillings 
for every two-wheeled carriage, built by them forl’ale. 
The Coachmaker’s Company are but of late incorpora¬ 
tion. They have for their armorial enfigns, azure, a 
chevron. 
