TRAVELLING CARRIAGES
Should not be hung higher than Three feet from the ground, should have strong well-seasoned Springs, which should be corded, and every part of it should be much stronger than a Town Carriage. Bolts inside should be attached to the Doors, to prevent their being opened on the outside.
The Dickey Box should have Pistol Holsters on each side, covered with black fur tops.
A front Budget attached to the Body, or fixed on the beds of Carriage.
A hind Rumble for two servants, with knee boot attached to the Body.
Cap Case to front of Body.
Trunks for Travelling must be very strong, and strengthened at the corners with Iron Plates, and should have Inside Straps and Laths; these are conveniences to confine what the trunk contains from shifting about; they are made with four or five laths covered with cloth or paper, which are nailed, at a small distance from each other, to three pieces of girth web, and lie at the top of the parcels within the trunk; on the bottom of the trunks straps are nailed, which buckle round the laths and keep all tight.
TRUNK COVERS
are made to fit the outside of the trunks, to cover and preserve them from the weather; they are usually made of thick painted cloth, with holes at the sides, for the handles of the trunk to be got at.
IMPERIALS,
are large flat cases made to the form of the whole or part of the Roof or Body; they are conveniences to carry light articles safe, mostly designed for wearing Apparel; they are made of thin boards, covered with Leather, and lined with tow and baize: to prevent its rubbing the roof, if intended to cover the whole of the roof, they are most convenient to remove, if divided into, two parts; and as the half is often sufficient for use, it saves unnecessary luggage. They are fixed on the Roof by means of straps and staples.
DRAG CHAIN, SHOE, AND STAFF,
are necessary to every Travelling Carriage: the Chain is to lock the Wheels, and to prevent the going too fast downhill; the Staff is to stop the Carriage, and give rest to the Horses, when ascending a hill; the chain is fixed to a hook about the middle of the perch or crane, with a hook or shoe at the end for the Wheels. The Hook is most handy for use, but the shoe is preferable, as it preserves the Iron of the Wheel from Injury when dragging on hard stony ground. The Chain being covered with Leather prevents it from rattling.
OIL-SKIN COVERS TO THE BODY
preserve the Paint from the injury of the Road dirt, or Boughs, while Travelling: these covers are frequently used, and are so made that the Doors may be opened and shut with them on. Every part of the Body except the Windows and bottom is covered; it is looped on to the Body by small buttons, and is put on and off with the utmost facility: they are made of common oiled linen, lined with soft baize.
SPRING CORDING.
Springs are corded to prevent danger and delay, if by accident a plate should break, and also to strengthen them, especially when Carriages are loaded with heavy Imperials and much Luggage: it is done by placing a thin piece of ash or a length of cord along the back, and afterwards twisting a small but strong cord round, and fastening it well at the top.
SAFETY BRACES
are fixed by strong Braces attached to the C springs, passing directly under the bottom of the Body, (and prevent any stopping on the road by the springs breaking or body-loops giving way), the expense of which, with the fixing and check-loops, is 5 Guineas; the length varying from nine to twelve feet, according to the length of the Carriage.
England is celebrated for the construction of Carriages of peculiar Elegance and convenience; but the completest machine we have seen was
BUONAPARTE’S
TRAVELLING CHARIOT,
of which the following description may furnish hints to those who wish to have a convenient Carriage.
The very curious and convenient Chariot of the late Emperor of France, which I examined when it was exhibited at the London Museum, Piccadilly, in 1816, was built by Symons of Brussels, for the Russian Campaign, and was adapted to the various purposes of a Pantry and of a Kitchen; for it had places for holding and preparing refreshments, which, by the aid of a Lamp, could be heated in the Carriage; it served also for a Bed Room, a Dressing Room, an Office, &c.;—there was a separation rising about six inches, dividing the Seat. The exterior of this ingenious vehicle was of the form and dimensions of our large Modern English Travelling Chariot—only that it had a projection in front of about two feet, the right-hand half of which was open to the inside to receive the feet, and thus formed a Bed—the left-hand contained a store of various useful things.
Beyond the projection in front, and nearer to the Horses, was the seat for the Coachman, ingeniously contrived so as to prevent the Driver from viewing the interior of the Carriage, and yet so placed as to afford those within a clear sight of the Horses and of the surrounding Country:—beneath this seat was a receptacle for a Box, about 2½ feet in length and 4 inches square, which contained a Bedstead of polished Steel, which could be fitted up in a couple of minutes.
Over the Front Windows was a Roller Blind of strong painted Canvass, which, when pulled out, excluded Rain, while it admitted Air: we wonder this is not an universal appendage to every Chariot in this Country.
On the Ceiling of the Carriage was a Net work for carrying small travelling requisites: in a recess there was a Sécrétaire 10 inches square by 18 inches in length, which contained nearly an hundred articles presented to Napoleon by Maria Louisa, under whose care it was fitted up with every luxury and convenience that could be imagined, and contained, besides the usual requisites for a Dressing-Box, most of which were of solid Gold,—a magnificent Breakfast service, with Plates—Candlesticks—Knives—Forks—Spoons—a spirit Lamp, for making Breakfast in the Carriage—Gold Case for Napoleons—Gold Wash-hand Basin—variety of Essence Bottles, Perfumes—and an almost infinite variety of minute articles, down to Pins, Needles, Thread, and Silk. Each of these were fitted into recesses, most ingeniously contrived, and made in the solid Wood, in which they packed close together, and many within each other, in so small a compass, that, on seeing them arranged, it appeared impossible for them ever to be put in so small a compass:—at the bottom of this Toilette Box, in divided recesses, were found Two Thousand Gold Napoleons;—on the Top, Writing Materials, Looking Glass, Combs, &c.—a Liqueur Case which had Two Bottles, one with Malaga Wine, the other Rum,—a silver Sandwich Box, containing a Plate, Knives, Spoons, Pepper and Salt Boxes, Mustard Pot, Decanter, Glasses, &c.—a Wardrobe, Writing-Desk, Maps, Telescopes, Arms, &c.—a large silver Chronometer, by which the Watches of the Army were regulated, two Merino Mattresses, a Green Velvet Travelling Cap—also a diamond Headdress (tiara), Hat, Sword, Uniform, and an Imperial Mantle, &c. &c. &c.