Here with degrees of Swiftness, there of Force.”
Pack Horses in Yorkshire carry, not unusually, loads of 420 Pounds.
A London Dray Horse has been known to move, on a plane surface for a short space, the weight of Three Tons, and to draw half that weight a considerable distance.
On the Turnpike road, one Ton per horse is the Weight usually allowed for a Journey.
The famous Childers moved 82½ Feet in one second of time, which is nearly at the rate of a Mile in a Minute; for he ran round a course at Newmarket (little less than four miles) in six minutes and forty seconds; a degree of Velocity, which no horse has been known to exceed.
Another account avers that he ran over another course at Newmarket (which is 380 yards more than Four English Miles) in 7½ Minutes.
In general, the Racers run round the Four Mile course in about seven minutes and forty seconds, or eight minutes, which gives Forty-four feet six inches in one second of time, and twenty-four English feet at each stretch.
The late Duke of Queensberry, on the 29th of August, 1750, won his wager, that he would produce a machine, with four wheels, which should pass over 19 miles in six minutes. The Carriage was made by Wright, of Long Acre, and was constructed partly of Wood and partly of Whalebone; and for the Harness, Silk was substituted for Leather.
The match was run at Newmarket, and four blood Horses rushing on with a velocity almost rivalling the progress of sound, darted within the appointed time to the Goal.—See an Engraving and particular Account of this Carriage in the Gents. Mag. for 1756, p. 440.
It would be happy if a Law were passed to prevent the furious spirit of Gaming which prevails at Horse Races:—this amusement might also be rendered useful, which it is not at present, for Horses of most Speed, are generally of least Use.