rather to use no correction at all, but only to winne him by gentle
meanes, by faire speaking, and by often clawing him and feeding him by
hand, and in Summer season, by wiping away Flies,[26] Nats, or other
things that doth annoy him: so shall the Horse be alwayes glad of him,
and rejoice in his presence, and in time become so familiar, as he will
play with him like a dog; for, truely, unless there be mutual Lore
betwixt the keeper and the horse, the horse seldom or never battleth;
for if the keeper love not his horse, he will never meat him thoroughly
nor delight to dresse him, nor will the horse be delighted with his
dressing. And, therefore, the chiefest point of a horsekeeper is to
love his horse and to seeke to be loved againe of him; so shall he
profit the Horse and pleasure his Maister.”
_Before you mount your Horse_, if you are only going to take an Airing,
examine whether the Bridle, Girths, and Straps, &c. are all good and
well fixed, and that he is properly Shod.
“For want of a Nail the Shoe is lost,
For want of a Shoe the Horse is lost.”
Direct that neither the Heel nor Frog be pared more than merely to
take off what is ragged and broken. It is still more safe to do that
yourself, or direct your Coachman to do it, than to trust it to a
Farrier or Shoemaker, notwithstanding the Gentleman may have written
over his Door, “Here Horses are shod agreeable to Nature and according
to Art.”
Fit the _Shoe_ to the Foot, and not the _Foot_ to the Shoe.
ON THE
ROUGH-SHODDING OF HORSES
IN
FROSTY WEATHER.
It is manifest, that a considerable increase of pressure on the Heels
naturally follows--so that Lameness frequently attends the practice of
Frosting even for a short time.
The ordinary method of Frosting is by taking a Shoe off, heating it,
and turning up the Heel and Toe; but this being Iron only, it lasts,
for any efficient purpose, but a short time; and if hard worked, the
same process must be repeated almost daily, as long as the Frost
continues.
It is evident that the Hoof must suffer most severely by such a
continued and repeated perforation with the Nails; so that if a Frost
should happen to last a Month or two, it is probable there would be
scarcely horn enough left to nail a Shoe on with safety. When Frosting
is required, I have found that by _Steeling the Heels_, and if a Draft
Horse, the Toes also, that they will last considerably longer, and
consequently diminish the frequency of Driving Nails. A much shorter
Rough will answer, and the usual head will not need to be so much
altered.--_Goodwin on Shoeing Horses_, 8vo. p. 280. 1824.
The usual charge for Roughing the Shoes of Coach Horses, is 2_s._ 8_d._
per Horse.
To perform the operation so sensibly recommended by Mr. Goodwin, will
cost but little more, and the Shoes will certainly last much longer.
_Mr. T. Clark_ recommends the following plan:--
“When the Roads, &c. are covered with Ice, it becomes necessary to
have the Heels of the Shoes turned up, and frequently sharpened, in
order to prevent Horses from slipping and falling. As this cannot
be done without the frequent moving of the Shoes, which breaks and
destroys the crusts of the Hoofs where the Nails are drove, to prevent
this, I have always recommended to those who were willing to be at the
expense, to have _Steel Points_ screwed into the Heels or quarters of
each Shoe, which might be taken out and put in as required.
“The method of doing this properly, is first to have the Shoes fitted
to the shape of the Hoof; then to make a small round Hole in the
extremity of each heel, or in the quarters, about three-eighths of an
inch in diameter or more, in proportion to the breadth and size of the
Shoe: in each of these holes a screw is to be made: the Steel points
are likewise to have a screw on them exactly fitted to that in the
Shoes. Care must be taken that the Screw on the points is no longer
when they are screwed into the Shoe than the thickness of the latter.
The Steel points are to be made sharp; they may either be made square
or triangular. The height of the point above the Shoe should not
exceed half an inch for a Saddle Horse: they may be made higher for a
Coach Horse.
“The Key or Handle that is necessary to screw them in and out
occasionally, is made in the shape of the Capital letter T, and of a
sufficient size and strength: at the bottom of the handle there is a
socket or cavity, properly adapted to the shape of the Steel point, and
so deep as to receive the whole point that is above the Shoe. In order
to prevent the screw from breaking at the neck, it will be necessary
to make it of a gradual taper: the same is likewise to be observed of
the female screw that receives it; that is, the hole must be wider on
the upper part of the Shoe than the under part: the sharp points may
be tempered or hardened, in order to prevent them growing too soon
blunt; but when they become blunt, they may be sharpened as at first.
These points should be unscrewed when the Horse is put into the Stable,
as the Stones will do them more injury in a few minutes there, than a
day’s riding on Ice. A Draught Horse should have one point on the Toe
of each Shoe, as that gives him firmer footing in drawing on ice; but
for a Saddle Horse, when they are put there, they are apt to make them
trip and stumble.”
OF THE
COMPARATIVE EXPENSE AND ADVANTAGE
OF
HIRING
A HACKNEY COACH. KEEPING
A PRIVATE CARRIAGE.
1. A Hackney Coach, for 1. A Private Carriage
the business of the moment, costs (see Estimate No. IV.)
to rest your Legs, or shelter £345 PER ANNUM, _i. e._
you from the Weather, may 6900 shillings a Year.
be had for the ¹⁄₆₉₀₀th part
of the Annual Expense of a
Private Carriage. Think o’
that, ye Lame and ye Languid!
for ye are the Grand
Patrons of Ponies, Perches,
Whips, and Wheels--Bless
your Stars that you are in a
Country where, although it
costs _Three Thousand Four
Hundred and Fifty Shillings_
to keep a Coach for Half a
Year, that you can Hire one
for Half an Hour, for _Twelve
Pence_! which you may command
in all respects as absolutely
as if it was your
own.
2. A Hackney Coach is 2. Your own Horses and
almost always to be had in Carriage cannot be brought
a few Minutes, except in the round in less than 25 minutes
lamentable instance of a after you order
pelting shower. it: even if it and the
Harness are all clean and
ready, an active Coachman
cannot dress himself and put
to in less time,--and Your
Own Coachman may be
Ill,--or not ready for
Action,--Your Horses may be
Sick,--or your Carriage
may be broken:--moreover,
if that prime minister of the
machinery of Locomotion
has not previous notice that
you will want the Wheels to
go round, if he is not a
marvellously steady Man, it is
an even chance, that, making
sure you will not require
his services, he will imagine
he may emigrate from his
Hay-Loft with impunity,
and be frisking about after
his own Affairs.
3. The Hackney-Coachman’s 3. Gentlemen’s Equipages
Motto is the same as are generally Fair-weather
MADAM HECATE’S, Play-things.--If
“_Fair is Foul, and Foul is Fair._” you have your Carriage out
in Wet Weather, and are
He is well pleased to wait obliged to keep it waiting in
for you, at all Hours, and in the Rain--if you have a
all Weathers, Cold or Coachman, a Coach Horse,
Windy, Hot or Rainy, as or a Carriage, either one of
long as you are pleased to which are Good for any
wish him;--when you have thing--if you are Good for
kept him long in the Rain, any thing Yourself, you will
if you give the poor fellow not feel quite contented,
Six or Twelve pence extra however comfortably sheltered
when you discharge him, by a good Roof, or however
(can you lay them out better?) agreeably you are surrounded
it will make him as well satisfied by good Company, whilst
with waiting in the they are exposed to the
Wet for you, as your own inclemency of the Sky.
Servant would, in a similar
situation, be ill satisfied! MEM.--A Waiting Job,
in cold rainy weather, may
cost you not merely a pair of
Horses worth a Hundred
Pounds! but the Life of an
useful Servant into the
Bargain!! For _One_ London
Coachman or Coach horse
that dies from over-work,
_an Hundred_ are destroyed
by standing still in Cold and
Wet Weather.
4. Persons who keep a 4. In the Estimate (No.
Carriage in London, on an IV.) you have the Service
average seldom go above of the Coachman occasionally,
8 or 10 Miles per day, or when he is not busy with
have their Carriage out more his Horses and Carriage--and
than 3 Hours in the 24:--to if you keep a sharp lookout
hire a Hackney Coach to do that your Carriage is kept
such work every day in the in a good state of Repair,
Year, will cost 10_s._ per Day, you will very rarely be
or £182. 10_s._ per Annum. liable to those Accidents
The Expense of keeping a which sometimes happen to
Carriage, as per Estimate the infirm Constitution of a
No. IV. Hackney Coach: moreover,
you will be moved about
£345 0 0 not merely with more Safety
and more Celerity, but with
Charge for keeping a more Comfort, from knowing
Hackney Coach to do that you have a Pilot whom
the same work 182 10 0 you may depend upon:--the
------------- latter is an extremely
_i. e._ £162 10 0 important consideration to
those whose business calls
saved by not keeping a them to places which are
Carriage. crowded with Carriages.
It appears, therefore, that When you wish your Mind
it is more convenient and to be active, and to do its
much Cheaper, even if you best, it should have nothing
employ it as often as you before it except the single
would your own Carriage, to object under its consideration;
hire a Hackney Coach, than and the Body should
it is to keep a Private Carriage; also be at Ease:--this, and
and if you only hire the saving of time in passing
a Hackney Coach when you from one place to another, are
really want it, if your Ten-toed the chief benefits a Carriage
machinery is in tolerable affords to Men of Business.
condition, instead of your Again: it is a Rule with
Hackney Coach hire costing Hackney-coachmen to take
you £182. 10_s._, you may the shortest route; the
have as much riding as your consequence is, that as they
Business really requires, for naturally desire to perform
£100. a Year: moreover, their task as soon as possible,
your Health will be better if they think half a dozen
preserved than if you walked yards are to be saved by
less and rode more; the additional it, unless specially directed,
Exercise will ensure they will bring you through
the more perfect performance all the nasty, narrow, badly
of those interesting ventilated and badly paved
“_Opera Minora Vitæ_,” Lanes, &c. which they can
“Eating, Drinking, and find, and which, if you
Sleeping!” understand the value of Fresh
Air, you would studiously
“Weariness avoid.
Can snore upon the Flint, when
nesty Sloth These vehicles are often
Finds the down pillow hard.” used to convey sick people
_Shakespeare._ to Hospitals, especially
Coaches: Chariots are
If you keep a Carriage, more easily ventilated, on
you will often be as much account of their Front windows.
tempted to Ride, merely because Never get into a
you can ride for nothing, Hackney Coach that has the
as from any actual Windows shut up, if there is
want you feel of the assistance one on the Stand of which
of the Wheel-work. the Windows are open;--stagnant
Air is always Offensive,
_Walking_ is the natural and and often Infectious.
the best Exercise that Man
can take; and, however those
who walk may occasionally
envy those who Ride, the
Gentleman in the Coach
would often gladly give more
than it costs him to keep it,
to have the power of using
his own Legs.--Dr. Franklin
advised a friend to _burn_
his Carriage, that he might
get _heat_ out of it at least once
in his Life.
AN
EASY PLAN
OF
ASCERTAINING EVERY FARE
OF A
HACKNEY COACH.
Get an accurate Map of London, on a Scale of not less than 6 Inches to
a Mile; set a pair of Compasses (or rather, what I believe are called
_Dividers_, which have a screw that fixes them firmly to any distance
at which you wish to keep them separate,) to a Furlong, and with them
you may easily measure any distance--allow for Turnings, and keep your
reckoning short by at least half a Furlong, that is, 20 Poles, _i. e._
330 feet in each Mile: as some Guide to guess this, Houses in London
being, on an Average, not more than 20 feet in front, stop within at
least 16 houses of what you consider to be the full Mile.
A Map of the Metropolis, laid down from actual measurement on a scale
of an Inch to a Furlong, _i. e._ of 8 Inches to a Mile, is much
wanted;--with it and a pair of Compasses, all Hackney Coach Fares might
be settled with the utmost ease, and with sufficient exactness, to
satisfy All, except litigious triflers, who are more Nice than Wise.
I read the foregoing paragraph to _Mr. Cary, the Map-maker, of St.
James’s Street_, who replied, “I have had thoughts of publishing a Map
on the scale you mention; on such a plan, that by merely looking at it,
the distances might be determined within Twenty Poles, _i. e._ within
the ¹⁄₁₆th part of a Mile.”
Such a Map would be a very great acquisition, and I hope Mr. C. will
meet with encouragement sufficient to induce him to put his design into
execution speedily, as it would form a certain standard by which all
questions respecting distances might be immediately adjusted, to the
satisfaction of both parties.
Let _Measure Stones_ be placed at the ends of our Streets, or at least
of the principal Streets, as Mile Stones are on our Roads; or let their
length be written under the Names on the Boards which are fixed up at
the ends of Streets.
To make an actual Measurement of every Street with a Measuring Wheel,
would not cost more than £500.; to affix the Distances under the Names
of the Street, not so much: the Expense might in part be defrayed by
the Sale of a Map of London, on the scale of one Inch to a Furlong,
laid down accurately from such an exact survey, and a Volume like
_Cary’s Guide for Ascertaining Hackney Coach Fares_; of which very
curious and useful Work, see a specimen at the end of this Chapter.
The length of Mile. Furl. Poles.
Oxford Street (the longest in London) is 1 2 19
Piccadilly 0 7 28
Bond Street 0 4 16
Holborn 0 7 1
Tottenham Court Road 0 5 14
The Strand 0 6 9
Fleet Street 0 2 3
Make a list of Fares, North, South, East, and West, from your House,
of 1_s_., 1_s_. 6_d_., and 2_s_., taking care to add thereto the
distance from the Stand, or Place whence the Coach is called.
_To acquire a general idea of Distances_, draw on a Map, of the scale
before mentioned, Circles around your House of two Miles, of three
Miles, and of four Miles in diameter, the Semi-diameter of which will
give the distance from your residence of a Mile, a Mile and a half, and
Two Miles, _i. e._ of Shilling, Eighteen-penny, and Two Shilling Fares.
Hackney Coaches travel, on an average, about 5 miles an hour, seldom
more than 6, nor less than 4:--therefore, riding at the rate of 5
miles in an hour, costs about A Penny a Minute; and when you have
been carried for 12 minutes, (look at your Watch when you enter the
Carriage, and make allowance for stoppages,) you may reckon that you
have 12 Pence to pay:--above 24 minutes, the Fares increase in a higher
ratio, as above Two Miles is 3_s_.
The advantage of such Calculation is, if you are set down a few
Poles within Two miles, you save, first, Sixpence on the Ground, and
secondly, the extra Sixpence to which the Coachman is entitled on
exceeding every Two miles; making the difference of a Shilling for
perhaps a single Yard.
_Before you get into a Hackney Coach_, take the Number: it is
especially advisable to do so, when you hire a Coach to carry home
Ladies, and then do it in such a way, that the Driver may observe
that you have taken his Number; and to complete your Care, ask the
Coachman what his Fare is, which, if your Gallantry is as great as your
Circumspection, you may perhaps do yourself the pleasure of Paying.
If the Coachman conducts himself improperly, or if any thing is left in
the Carriage, apply to your friend _Mr. Quaife_[27]: by summoning the
Coachman to the Hackney Coach Office, at the bottom of Essex Street
in the Strand, or to one of the Police Offices, you will most probably
recover it.
_Avoid any dispute with a Hackney Coachman_--pay what he demands,
although you know it to be more than his Fare, and seek redress at the
Office in Essex Street.
The Driver of a Hackney Coach has the option of charging[28] either for
the _Time_ he is detained, or for the _Distance_:--Time is rated at
less than half what is charged for Travelling.
When you intend to be charged according to _the Time_ you keep the
Coach, in order to prevent any dispute when you discharge it, tell
the Coachman the time when he first arrived, making allowance for the
minutes that he has been coming from the Stand whence he was called.
The Machine used to measure the distances at the Hackney Coach
Office is called “_a Perambulator_,” or “_Surveying Wheel_.”--This
consists of a Wheel which is 8 Feet 3 Inches, _i. e._ half a Pole, in
circumference; so in two revolutions it measures one pole, or 16½ feet.
One revolution of this Wheel turns a single-threaded worm once round;
the worm takes into a Wheel of 80 teeth, and turns it once round in 80
revolutions: on the socket of this wheel is fixed an index, which makes
one revolution in 40 Poles, or one _Furlong_; on the axis of this worm
is fixed another worm with a single thread, turning about a wheel of
160 teeth, whose socket carries an index that makes one revolution in
80 Furlongs, or 10 Miles: on the dial plate there are three graduated
circles; the outermost is divided into 220 parts, or the _Yards_ in a
Furlong; the next into 40 parts, the number of _Poles_ in a Furlong;
the third into 80 parts, the number of _Furlongs_ in ten Miles, every
Mile being distinguished by its proper Roman figure.
The above Apparatus, MR. HARRIS, Mathematical Instrument maker, No. 50,
High Holborn, makes for £12. 12_s._: it may be attached to the wheel of
a Carriage, and the Dial will shew the progress made in Travelling, and
then is called a _Way-wiser_.
This Machine may be applied to any kind of Chaise or Carriage, and may
be put on and off at pleasure, without any injury to either.
It will accurately register the number of Miles the Vehicle travels
over, to any distance. It is fixed so as to be of no possible detriment
to the Carriage, and can be ornamented as elegantly as fancy may
desire. A Time-piece may be attached to it, by which may be seen the
Distance travelled per Hour.
I can think of only One way of _infallibly preventing all disputes
about Distance_, between the Riders in and the Drivers of Hackney
Coaches.
_To Regulate all the fares by Time_, according to the present charge
for Time, 2_s._ for the first hour, and 3_s._ for every hour after:
as the Pace in Travelling seldom exceeds five Miles in an Hour, about
double the sum is charged while the Coach is in motion that is charged
while it is in waiting. Let after the rate of Five or Six Shillings
per hour be paid while the Wheels are going round;--this could be much
easier reckoned than the Distance they have gone over, and would put an
end to all Disputes on the subject.
To determine exactly between an extremely long _Twelve_, and an
extremely short _Eighteen-penny_ fare, is not a very easy task to
the most Experienced: it is, in fact, determining whether you have
proceeded 1760 or 1761 Yards!
A friend of mine informs me, that he puzzled himself and the Hackney
Coachman too on one occasion, by pulling him up so that the Horses had
exceeded the Shilling fare, and the Coach had not. This deserves to be
referred to a _full_ bench of Justices. They might, at the same time,
decide how it would be, if the Coach had been stopped, so that the two
fore Wheels were in the above predicament of the Horses, and the other
two in that of the Coach. Perhaps then it would make the difference of
6_d._ on which side the passengers sat.
QUERY. Can persons who can afford to ride in a Hackney Coach lay out
_Sixpence_ more to their own advantage than in spending it to prevent
their being put out of Temper?--If they are going out to Dinner, any
disagreeable irritation of the Animal Spirits will destroy their
Appetite;--if they are returning Home, it will as inevitably invite an
Indigestion. Surely no man who is worth a Shilling, would encounter
either of these tremendous evils for the sake of Sixpence! unless the
Gentleman (to use the nomenclature of the Hero of a certain popular
Drama) be a regular _Jarvy-Teaser_.
But who grudges these Poor Fellows their full Fare? except a
few Washerwomen, Milliners, and Tailors, and Coffin-makers, and
Grave-makers, who may like them as little as Link Boys love the Moon,
who, for their outrageous antipathy to
“The silver Queen of Night,”
are denominated in _Mr. Grose’s Classical Dictionary_, “Moon-Cursers.”
How many pretty Bonnets and smart Dresses would have been spoiled
the first day of wearing, but for a Shilling Fare?--How many Colds
caught?--How many Lives lost?--but for these convenient Rests to
Weariness and Shelters from Rain; a shower of which sometimes does as
much mischief to Man’s person as it does good to his Potatoes, often
produces the most dangerous Diseases, and even Death itself!
In a note in the _Prolegomena_ of Malone’s supplement to Johnson and
Steevens’s Shakespeare, we have the following account of
THE ORIGIN OF HACKNEY COACHES.
“I cannot (says Mr. Garrard) omit to mention any new thing that comes
up amongst us, though never so trivial. Here is one Captain Bailey, he
hath been a Sea Captain, but now lives on the land, about this city,
where he tries experiments. He hath erected, according to his ability,
some _four Hackney Coaches_, put his men in livery, and appointed them
to stand at the Maypole in the Strand; gives them instructions at what
rates to carry men into the several parts of the Town, where all day
they may be had. Other Hackneymen seeing this, flocked to the same
place, and performed their journey at the same rate, so that sometimes
there are twenty of them together, which disperse up and down, that
they and others are to be had every where, as watermen are to be had
by the water-side. Every body is much pleased with it. For whereas,
before, coaches could not be had but at great rates; now a man may have
one much cheaper.”
This Letter is dated April 1, 1634.--See _Gents. Mag. for 1780_, p. 375.
The Rules given in the preceding pages will protect the Rider from
extortion on the part of the Driver, beyond _Sixpence_; and for that,
is it worth contending? However the furious Economist, and Penny
wise and Pound foolish Boys may differ from us, we say again, it
is too great a trifle for the Wise to be nice about. A man who has
Twelve-pennyworth of Sense will have no Sixpenny Sorrows.
“There is a Time for all Things.”
_Ecclesiastes_, chap. iii. verse 1.
“There is a Time to Save, in order to Spend”--and so is there also “a
Time to Spend, in order to Save.”
The Price of Labour is usually in proportion to the degree of Skill or
Strength requisite to perform any operation, or to the Disagreeableness
of the work, or to the Detriment it occasions to Health:--few
situations are more disagreeable, or more destructive to Health, than
the exposure at all Hours to extreme Heat in Summer, and intense Cold
in Winter, and continual Wet in the Rainy Season:--neither are
THE PROFITS OF A HACKNEY COACHMAN
so large as his hard service seems to indicate that they ought to
be--though the Outfit does not cost much. _A Coach_ may be purchased
for about £30. or £40.--_a Chariot_ for about £20.--_the Horses_ may be
had from £8. to £20. each:--but, as the old saying is,
“_They Eat o’ Nights.”_
Bad Horses have as good an appetite as the best: ay, sometimes a
better, (if Goodness be measured by Greatness,) in the same way that
bad land wants more manure than good. It may be said, that the inferior
Provender provided for these poor hard-worked Hacks, is not so dear
as that which is purchased for the pampered animal, whose sleek coat
is his Master’s pride: but it must be taken into the account, that
if their Food be somewhat cheaper, their Stomachs are so constantly
stimulated by those strongest excitements to good Appetite, Air and
Exercise, that they are ever and aye, “_as Hungry as a Hunter_,” and
eat nearly double what those Horses do who pass their days indolently
in an over-heated Stable: indeed, we think that to be “_as Hungry as a
Hackney Coach Horse_” must be a few degrees beyond being as Hungry as a
Hunter; or one degree nearer to that state which is considered by the
_Grand Gourmand_ as the most enviable in Existence.