The last, and probably much the largest of these, is the State Coach of England, built for King George III. It is not known who built it; it was designed by an amateur, who could not be expected, perhaps, to consider so much its usefulness as a certain massive grandeur which he expected to gain from an exaggeration of some of the principal parts, such as the body, the total length, and the hind wheels. This coach, built in 1761, was designed by Sir William Chambers; the length is 24 feet, the height 12 feet, the width 8 feet; the weight is stated as 4 tons. The introduction of the figures of four Tritons, to support the braces, is probably imitated from Lord Castlemaine’s coach of 1687, but it would have been better to have introduced such figures as leaning against the standard-posts, than to make the figures themselves the bearers. Why the coach was not hung upon =C= springs, or rather whip springs, it is very difficult to say, as they were in common use in 1760. The City State Coach was built in 1757, about the same time as the royal coach. It is, in some respects, in better taste and proportions, but is very unwieldy still. It deserves some study, recollecting in how many city shows it has borne a conspicuous place. The body is the Louis Quatorze shape. The panels would look better if they were repainted; fresh colours would lighten the whole coach. It is to be regretted that the name of the builder is not on record at Guildhall. But, in the same year, a state coach was supplied to Sir Charles Asgill by Messrs Runciman and Barker for £860; it was refitted the following year for Sir Richard Glyn, and successively for Sir Thomas Chitty, Sir Matthew Blakiston, Sir Samuel Fludyer, and lastly for Mr William Beckford. It was, probably, from the original cost, only a second coach, and appears to have been newly painted and otherwise adorned for each successive Lord Mayor. If the present City State Coach is to be kept for state use it should be supplied with springs. The city coachmaker, who has for some time had the charge of this coach, could add springs without any difficulty, and without much expense. [Illustration: PLATE 26. FROM A PRINT PUBLISHED AT ROME 1692.] [Illustration] CHAPTER IV. CARRIAGES FROM 1790 TO 1876.