There is an amusing anecdote re "Mine Host" given in the New Sporting Magazine, and quoted in the Times of March 27, 1835—
"Innkeeper's Ways.
"I will conclude with a story told me the other day, by a Kentish gentleman, of an innkeeper's 'ways' on the Dover Road. Two gentlemen having dined and stayed all night, called for the bill in the morning, and one of them happened to be within earshot when the waiter went to the landlord to have it made out, and overheard the following colloquy: Waiter: 'Please, sir, the gemmen in No. 5 wants their bill.'—Landlord: 'Very well' (taking down a printed form), 'let me hear what they had.'—Waiter: 'Soup, sir.'—Landlord: 'Soup; very well; what sort was it?'—Waiter: 'Mock turtle.'—Landlord: 'Mock turtle, 3s. Did they make any remark about it?'—Waiter: 'No, sir; only one of them said it was werry good.'—Landlord: 'Did they eat of it twice?'—Waiter: 'Yes, sir.'—Landlord: 'Oh, then, mock turtle, 5s.; now go on.'—Waiter: 'Fried sole and shrimp sauce.'—Landlord: 'Fried sole, 2s.; shrimp sauce, 1s.; 3s. Did they make any remark about that?'—Waiter: 'One of them said that the fish was werry fresh.—Landlord: 'Indeed! then, fried sole, 3s.; shrimp sauce, 1s. 6d.; 4s. 6d. Now go on.'—Waiter: 'Small leg of Welsh mutton, potatoes, and French beans.'—Landlord: 'Mutton, 5s.; potatoes, 1s.; French beans, 5s.; rather early for French beans, isn't it?'—Waiter: 'Yes, sir; both the gemmen remarked that it was werry early.'—Landlord: 'Oh, then, French beans, 10s.'"
Of the coaching hotels enough has been written from Smollett's time, or before, to date; and, as for their number, any visitor to Barnet can judge, by those that remain, several having been made to serve other purposes. This was the first change out of London, on the great North Road, and even I remember fifteen coaches running each way, and the last one being run off. I think it was either the Luton Coach or the Bedford Times.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Steam carriages on roads — Commission thereon — Steam omnibus — Railways — A nuisance — Railways started during the reign — Opening of the Greenwich Railway.
But the road was not monopolized by horseflesh. Steam was asserting itself, and many were the trials of steam carriages on the turnpike roads. In 1821 Mr. Julius Griffith invented, and Messrs. Bramah manufactured, a carriage, on which the engineer sat in front, and two directors or steersmen behind, in vehicles separated from the carriage, which swung easily on a variety of springs fastened into a strong connecting frame. The error of this invention lay in the boiler, which consisted of 114 tubes. These, unfortunately, would not always contain the water; and, when empty, they became so heated, that no force-pump could inject the water. In 1822, 1824, and 1825, Mr. David Gordon tried his hand on steam carriages and failed. In 1829 Sir James Anderson and Mr. James constructed one, under the patents obtained by the latter gentleman in 1824 and 1825, and are said to have worked the engine at a pressure of two hundred pounds each square inch of the piston. In 1827 Mr. Goldsworthy Gurney patented one, as did also Messrs. Hill and Burstall in 1828.
There was one running in August, 1830, belonging to Messrs. Summers and Co., which began its journey by bursting a pipe. This repaired, it utterly demoralized itself by running into a turnpike gatepost at Turnham Green, and had to be taken home. Anyhow they must have become fairly common, for we read in the Times, May 12, 1831—
"Steam Carriages on Common Roads.
"Some of the advantages to the public from the use of steam on the turnpike roads already begin to show themselves. Previous to the starting of the steam coach between Gloucester and Cheltenham, the fares were four shillings each person—now the public are taken by all the coaches at one shilling per head. On Tuesday morning the steam coach took thirty-three passengers from Cheltenham to Gloucester in fifty minutes."