The making of Lamps for Carriages is a distinct branch of business—and those who are desirous of choosing for themselves, should ask their Coachmaker to attend them to his Lamp Maker, where they may see the various patterns which are in vogue.
The same with regard to the Door Handles.
There are several Shops for both these Articles in Long Acre.
The present fashion for Lamps is preposterous—many are made so large and so heavy, that they are evidently too great a Load on the Front Pillar of the Carriage. Have Square Lamps, about six inches square:—these are sufficiently large to hold air enough to feed the Lamp or Candle, and the less they are, the lighter they are, and the less injury they do to the Carriage Pillars:—Two sides of this Lamp are to be of Glass, and the others furnished with Reflectors, which will increase the light on the Road, and exclude it from the interior of the Carriage.
Circular Lamps are the most elegant; but if your Carriage is much used in Travelling, we must recommend the Square sort; because if a Square Glass is broken, it can be replaced easily, and costs not one-half so much as a Circular one, which it is also difficult to find, except at the place where the Lamp was bought; moreover, they seldom fit so nicely and so closely as the Square ones, and the Air rushing in, your Candles are quickly consumed, without any additional light being given.
Lamps are generally lighted by Wax Candles, which weigh each a quarter of a Pound, and cost about 1s. each: if the Lamp is well made and well glazed, and no air gets in except where the air-holes are, they will burn about five hours: such Candles will burn about 7½ Hours when still in a Room; but the motion of the Carriage, and the current of Air in the Lamp, so greatly accelerates their consumption, that they will sometimes flare away in three or four hours.
Lamps with two Flat Wicks will burn for the same time as a quarter of a pound Wax Candle, at one-fourth part the expense.
However, Candles are most commonly used, because they remain ready for immediate use for half a year together, without being injured in quality, but will burn as brightly as if only put in the day before:—Oil soon loses its spirit by remaining in Lamps; and in a little time it will hardly burn at all, therefore can only be recommended to those who use their Lamps and trim them carefully every day.
The Best Lamps are those which give plenty of light around the Carriage, but do not throw any into it,—unless the Passengers think there is an absolute necessity for letting those without see who are within.
Now the Streets are so well lighted, Lamps are useful in London only in Foggy Weather: the lighting them in London at any other time—is an act of Puerile Pomposity.