There is an idea deeply rooted among coach-builders and coach-buyers too, that the draught of a vehicle is diminished by placing the front part of the carriage as far back as possible. Intelligent men who have given the subject great attention, and tested the actual working of this idea, say that it is a fallacy; but other intelligent men, who also say they have tested its working, say that it would effect a great saving in the draught if it were successfully accomplished. The general idea amongst practical men is, that it would not be an advantage. We have already seen that the draught of a vehicle with large wheels is less than that of a vehicle with small wheels. If, therefore, a load has to be placed on a four-wheeled vehicle, it should be so placed in relation to the front and hind wheels that the greater part of the weight should rest on the higher wheels. To obtain this result, it is sufficient to bring the hind-carriage part as far under the body as it will work with comfort and safety, in order that as little weight as possible rests on the fore-carriage part. English coachmakers have been working at this for thirty years, but for the most part blindly; they have copied well known builders in construction as well as shape; they hear that these well known firms’ carriages run and follow very lightly, and if they could copy accurately they would obtain the same reputation. [Illustration: Fig. 56.—Single Brougham.] But while there is some doubt as to throwing the front wheels backward for the purpose of lessening the draught, Mr. Offord of Wells Street, Oxford Street, has been exercising his ingenuity for the purpose of throwing the back wheels further forward, and has produced a brougham that offers peculiar advantages in this respect (Fig. 56). The hind wheel appears to be placed right across the door, but the facilities for ingress and egress are quite equal to those given in the ordinary brougham. This novel contrivance presents nothing singular in appearance, while a very little reflection will satisfy the practical thinker that the advantage sought after, of lessening the draught of the carriage, must be obtained far more completely with this arrangement than by throwing the front wheel backward. The rattling so constantly complained of in carriages can in a great degree be obviated by placing pieces of india-rubber so that the doors shall press upon them when closed; it is a good thing also to have india-rubber at the bottom of the doors for the windows to drop upon when let down. The difficulty of protecting carriages from the dirt has recently been met by placing what is called a “mud scraper” just at the back of the hind wheels. It is formed of a piece of india-rubber about 3 inches square and a ¼ inch thick, held in position by a short iron rod attached to the end of the hind spring.