CHAPTER IV.

CARRIAGES FROM 1790 TO 1876.

Mr Felton’s Opinions--Proper Strength of Carriages--Method of Construction--Usual Width of Coaches--The Perch--Great Height of Wheels in 1790--The Lord Chancellor’s Coach--The Landau--Phaetons of 1790--Two-Wheeled Vehicles--Taxation on Carriages--Advance of the Trade--Invention of Elliptical Springs--Carriages of Napoleon Buonaparte--Number of Vehicles Paying Taxes--The Curricle--Introduction of Undersprings--Mr S. Hobson’s Improvements--The Briska and the Stanhope--The Tilbury and Dog-Cart--Commercial Travellers’ Gigs--Travelling Carriages--The Pony Phaeton and the Droitska--The Cab Phaeton and the Victoria--Dress Carriages--Coronation Procession in 1838--Improvement of the Landau--Introduction of the Brougham--Waggonnettes--Exhibitions of Carriages--Numbers of Carriages in 1874 65-96