Mr. Alexander Gordon.
17 August, 1831.
Will you give the proportion of surface for the horses' feet?—I think twelve square inches superficial for one horse-shoe. I cannot say that I have measured it.
What is the weight of the Carriage which you say imbeds itself eight inches?—I take the weight of the ordinary Post Coaches, when fully loaded, to be somewhere about three tons. I principally rest my opinion, as to the comparative tear and wear, upon the wear of the horses' shoes when compared with the wear of the tires. A horse, after a run of 200 miles must be shod; and after a run of 3,000 miles, in dry weather, a coach must have new tires.
From thence you infer, that the wear of the two is in proportion to those numbers?—I think it must be thereabout; that is, setting aside altogether for the present, the consideration, that the horse's movement is a series of thumps and picks, while the wheel is a roller.
Is not the iron of the wheel thicker than that of the horse's shoe?—Yes; to keep the wheel firm.
Do you not infer, from the action of the horse's hoof upon the road, that the injury would be great in proportion?—I think that the action of the horse's foot on the ground is more destructive to the road: there is more tear and wear to the road by the horse's shoe than by the tire. In rolling two tons along the ground, on four wheels, there will be less damage done than by driving four horses without drawing any thing after them along the same ground.
Have you made any observations as to the relative wear of the shoes of riding horses compared with those of horses employed in Carriages?—No; I now speak from circumstances which came to my knowledge when I was connected with running a stage.
Have you had an opportunity of comparing the wear of the wheels of a Steam Carriage with the wear of the wheels of a Carriage, supposing they run equal distances and carry equal weight?—I have seen Mr. Gurney's proceedings from the beginning to the present time, and in riding with him. I have very narrowly observed the driving wheel to see whether it
