Notwithstanding these difficulties, the importance of applying steam as a locomotive power for passenger traffic became so apparent, that a Committee of the House of Commons was appointed in 1831, to consider whether the plan could be adopted with safety on common roads, and whether it should not be encouraged by passing an Act of Parliament for regulating the tolls chargeable on such carriages, and for preventing the obstructions to which they had been exposed. The evidence given before the Committee was greatly in favor of steam carriages, and tended to show that there was no insuperable difficulty to the general adoption of them. The Committee accordingly reported as follows:-- "Sufficient evidence has been adduced to convince your Committee-- "1st. That carriages can be propelled by steam on common roads at an average speed of ten miles an hour. "2nd. That at that rate they have conveyed upwards fourteen passengers. "3rd. That their weight, including engines, fuel, water, and attendants, may be under three tons. "4th. That they can ascend and descend hills of considerable elevation, with facility and safety. "5th. That they are perfectly safe for passengers. "6th. That they are not (or need not be, if properly constructed) nuisances to the public. "7th. That they will become a speedier and cheaper mode of conveyance than carriages drawn by horses. "8th. That as they admit of greater breadth of tire than other carriages, and as the roads are not acted upon so injuriously as by the feet of horses in common draught, such carriages will cause less wear of roads than coaches drawn by horses. "9th. That rates of toll have been imposed on steam carriages which would prohibit them being used on several lines of roads, were such charges permitted to remain unaltered." In defiance of this favourable report, experience proved that there were defects in that system of locomotion greater than its advocates were disposed to admit, and that the mechanism was frequently broken or disarranged by the constant jarring caused by the roughness of the road. The alarm of the horses drawing other carriages was also calculated to produce fearful accidents.