Some of the greatest improvements in the shape and style of various vehicles were effected by a celebrated maker named Samuel Hobson, who remodelled and improved pretty nearly every vehicle which came under his hands. He particularly directed his attention to the true proportion of parts, and artistic form of carriages. He lowered the bodies, and lengthened the under or “carriage” part. The curves and sweeps also received due attention. In fact, he carefully studied those “trifles” (as Michael Angelo’s friend would have termed them) on which depended the success of the production as a work of art. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, the other coachmakers soon showed their sense by copying his best ideas, though, to give these other coachmakers their due, they greatly assisted Mr. Hobson with suggestions for improvements, and as a reward availed themselves of his superior talent for working on these ideas. As our interior trade and manufactures increased, the custom arose of sending commercial travellers throughout England to call attention to the various goods, and it was found very convenient to send these travellers in light vehicles which could convey samples of the various articles. This led to a very great increase in the number of gigs; and about 1830 one coach factory of London supplied several hundreds of these vehicles to travellers at annual rentals. And though on the introduction of the railway system long journeys by road were unnecessary, these gigs were found of great use in town and suburban journeys, and in London they may be seen by hundreds daily, and they are scarcely used by any one else but commercial travellers. They are too familiar to need detailed description. In 1810 a duty was levied by Government upon vehicles for sale. It was repealed in 1825, but the returns give the number of vehicles built for private use in 1814 as 3,636, and in 1824 as 5,143, whilst the number of carriages in use in 1824 had grown to 25,000 four-wheeled, and 36,000 two-wheeled, besides 15,000 tax-carts; an increase since 1814 of 20,000 vehicles. In 1824 there was built for George IV. a low phaeton, called a pony phaeton, which has since become very common, and has undergone but very little change from the original. It was a cab shape, half-caned, with a skeleton bottom side hung upon four elliptical springs, with crane ironwork back and front. It was drawn by two ponies; the wheels were only 21 and 33 inches high. A carriage had been introduced from Germany, called a droitska or droskey—an open carriage with a hood, on a perch, and suspended from C springs. The peculiarity was, that the body was hung very near the perch, so that the seat was only 12 inches above the hind axletree, and the place for the legs was on either side of the perch. The chief merits of this vehicle consisted in its lightness as compared with barouches and briskas, and its shortness.