56 lbs. suspended over a pulley | It required 60 lbs. to move moved the mail on a horizontal | the Balloon. plane. | | Weight 18 cwt. 20 lbs. | Weight 18 cwt. 1 qr. 19 lbs. | Fore wheels 3 feet 8 inches. | Fore wheels 3 feet 6 inches. | Hind wheels 4 feet 6 inches. | Hind wheels 4 feet 10 inches. | The fore wheel raised on a block, | The fore wheel of the Balloon stood at 26 inches without | would only stand at 17. upsetting. | | The hind at 16-1/2. DOUBLE-BODIED COACH WITH FORE AND HIND BOOT. Weight 14 cwt. Fore wheels 3 feet 8 inches. Hind wheels 4 feet 6 inches. 28 lbs. suspended over a pulley moved this coach on a horizontal plane. The fore and hind wheels raised on blocks at 31 inches did not upset the coach. It required only 35 lbs. to move this coach with 5 cwt. in front boot. 32 lbs. to move it with 5 cwt. in the hind boot. 33-1/4 lbs. to move it with 5 cwt. in the centre of the body. I confess I am not expert enough to quite understand all this, but I have been induced to place it before the reader, as it occupies little space, and may be of interest to those who have a practical acquaintance with mechanics. I am equally at a loss to say what sort of conveyance the Balloon or the Double-bodied Coach were. The Postmaster-General, and those under him, appear to have always been ready to listen to any proposals or suggestions made to them for the improvement of coaches, even if, as in the case below, they were not very promising. In the year 1811, the Rev. Mr. Milton tried to persuade the Postmaster-General to adopt a system of broad wheels to save the roads, and got it adopted by a Reading coach; but, as might be expected, it was found to add immensely to the draught, and is described as being the only coach which distressed the horses. The rev. gentleman must have been a commissioner of some turnpike trust, and had imbibed such a predilection for broad wheels for the sake of the roads, that he resembled the tanner, who affirmed that "there was nothing like leather." Even without the wheels being broad, the difference between square tires and round tires is enormous. This was brought to my notice very strongly one summer when the round tires which were worn out were replaced by square ones. The difference to the horses in the draught was considerable, but it was most striking when going down hill, where the change made the difference of a notch or two in the brake.