THE PROFITS OF A HACKNEY COACHMAN
so large as his hard service seems to indicate that they ought to be—though the Outfit does not cost much. A Coach may be purchased for about £30. or £40.—a Chariot for about £20.—the Horses may be had from £8. to £20. each:—but, as the old saying is,
“They Eat o’ Nights.”
Bad Horses have as good an appetite as the best: ay, sometimes a better, (if Goodness be measured by Greatness,) in the same way that bad land wants more manure than good. It may be said, that the inferior Provender provided for these poor hard-worked Hacks, is not so dear as that which is purchased for the pampered animal, whose sleek coat is his Master’s pride: but it must be taken into the account, that if their Food be somewhat cheaper, their Stomachs are so constantly stimulated by those strongest excitements to good Appetite, Air and Exercise, that they are ever and aye, “as Hungry as a Hunter,” and eat nearly double what those Horses do who pass their days indolently in an over-heated Stable: indeed, we think that to be “as Hungry as a Hackney Coach Horse” must be a few degrees beyond being as Hungry as a Hunter; or one degree nearer to that state which is considered by the Grand Gourmand as the most enviable in Existence.
It is told of a certain worthy and wealthy Citizen, who has acquired the reputation of being a considerable Consumer of the good things of the Table, and has been “widened at the expense of the Corporation,” that on coming out of a Tavern, after a Turtle Feast, a poor Boy begged Charity of him—“For Mercy’s sake, Sir, I am so very Hungry!” “Hungry!—Hungry!—hey!—what!—complain of being Hungry!—why I never heard the like!—complain of being Hungry!!—Prodigious!!!—why I’d give a Guinea to be Hungry!!!—why, a Hungry Man (with a good Dinner before him) is the Happiest fellow in the world!—There, (giving the Boy Half-a-Crown,) there, I don’t want you to take my word for it: run along, my fine fellow, and make the experiment Yourself.”
It appears, from the following Estimate, that a Hackneyman must every day earn Thirteen Shillings for the maintenance of his Machinery, before he will receive any Profit.
| £. | s. | d. | |
| The Keep of Three Horses, (a Hackney Coach cannot be well worked every day withfewer of such crazy cattle as they are oftenobliged to be content with) at £31. 10s. per Annum for each, (see Estimate No. 4) | 94 | 10 | 0 |
| Coachman’s Wages, at 9s. per Week | 23 | 8 | 0 |
| Board, ditto, at 14s. ditto | 36 | 10 | 0 |
| Coach-house and Stables, and Tax thereon | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Tax on Coach and Horses, £2. per Month, per Annum | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| Interest of the Purchase money of the Carriageand Horses, and the wear and tear thereof,and New Wheels annually | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| —————— | |||
| 238 | 8 | 0 | |
| —————— | |||
The above Estimate, however considerable it may appear, will not be considered as too high, when it is recollected that the Carriage is in continual use, that the Horses are exposed to all weathers, and are often Over-worked and Under-fed.
Hackney Coachmen get upon the Stands about nine in the Morning, and are often out till past twelve at Night, except those who work double, who take out one Coach and Horses Early in the Morning, bring them home at about six or seven in the Evening, and then take out another pair for Night-work.
It appears from Mr. Jervis’s Journal, which account I believe to be “quite correct,” that the Harvest of a Hackney Coachman, like the Hay-farmer’s, is in the Sultry Summer Months.