The Sun.
London, England, 1832-10-09 00:00:00

As many observations have very r- irally been
made on the subject, and some doubts xpressed of
the capability of continued progression, from the
time which has elapsed since the vehicle left South.
ampton, we will, after offering a few observation:,
give a briefly detailed account of the circumstances
which caused delay, and of the journey.
The vehicle containing water, coke, tools, luggage,
and twenty-five persons, left the village of Milbrook,
two miles from Southampton, on the 13th of Au-
gust, and proceeded to Winchester ; the road is
known to be very hilly, and in parts soft—the
distance of fourteen miles was cleared in one
hour and ten minutes, while steam was so abun-
dant it was blowing away the whole time. It
was on this part of the road observed, from the
steepness of the hills, that the method of retarding
the carriage in going down was not sufficient. The

journey Was, however, prosecuted towards Oxford,
through Whitchurch, a cross road, so hilly that the
best horsed coaches can only clear eight miles an
hour. The steam vehicle easily cleared twelve and
a half—the delay on the road in no instance being
occasioned by the slightest failure in the machinery,
or by want of firmness in the general structure. At
the summit of a steep hill the drag (then used) was
displaced, and the vehicle run amain, and actually
passed over one mile in one minute and ten seconds.
We are not aware that the slightest injury ensued
from so severe a trial. In another instance, the car-
riage was necessarily driven through a river. On
the vehicle reaching Oxford it was determined to
add a more powerful break. There, on examining
the crank axle, it was found defective. Subsequent
inspection showed that the man who had forged it
at Messrs. Teffrys and Haseldens had concealed
three cold-shuts and other faults. While we deeply
deplored the necessary delay, we could only be
thankful that the axle had not been broken when
rushing down the steep declivity. It was the
only piece of the machinery not made by our.
selves. Mr. Summers immediately proceeded with
the axle to Bristol, a distance, by the way of Mil-
brook, which he went, of one hundred and twenty
miles. It required more than a fortnight to com-
plete and convey to Oxford the new axle. While
there, some trifling things were done, a pump was
added to save the labour of handing water to the
'tank. The spring; of du. o.rriage hotly were
strengthened. The boiler was perfectly tight and
fully answered our expectations. As soon as the
axle had been replaced, we proceeded towards Bir-
mingham, and cleared the first stage at Woodstock,
through a very sticky, clammy road, in thirty-eight
minutes. On this stage, we tried some experiments
relative to our waste steam, which we think may
hereafter be partially used to heat the supply of
water. On leaving Woodstock, the attendants
reported the proper quantity of water to be in
the boiler, but to our mortification we dis-
covered in less than five minutes that they
had in some inexplicable manner been in error; and
to complete the misfortune the communication be-
tween the tank and the pump had been as unac-
countably closed, and the boiler was found without
water, and red hot. Every precautionary measure
was :nstantly adopted, and the boilers allowed to
cool gradually. After a delay of three hours water
was again injected, but to our great annoyance, we
found that two portions of our boiler were injured.
Its great power, however, enabled us to reach,
though with rather diminished speed, Chapel-house,
where we remained and again examined the boiler.
On the following morning we proceeded towards
Birmingham, and notwithstanding the misfortune
which had happened to us, the steep hills, well
known on the road, were ascended with faci-
lity ; that of Liveridge, nearly a mile long, at
eight miles an hour, and our break, on descend-
ing, was found efficient. A clutch of one of the
wheels was dropped on the road, so that we were
compelled, when ascending the steepest hills,
to work with only one wheel, a very serious disad-
vantage, when the ascent is considerable. On reach-1
ing Birmingham, it being dark, and the fog very
dense, our lamps were lighted, and we passed with-
out the least difficulty the various coaches on the
road towards London, and with scarcely any fire,
and no coke, for it was all consumed, and one wheel
only in gear, we forced, with rapidity, our way
through long-continued masses of heavy gravel and
broken granite just laid down, up the steep ascent,
called the Bull-ring, to the Church, without one
check. There one wheel, and little steam, were
found hardly sufficient to propel so heavy a body
up so great and so rough an ascent. The ar-
tisans of Birmingham, who now formed a dense
crowd, saw the cause of the difficulty, ar►d instantly
applied the little additional power which was requi-
site, and the vehicle reached its destination. Bu-
siness, and a wish to see the various manufactories
there, at Stourbiidge and Shut End, &e., (where
Mr. Rastrick's excellent locomotive engine is at
work, and his useful and scientific hydraulic lift,) in-
duced us to remain a fortnight. On our leaving
Birmingham, the portion of the boiler which had
been injured, still leaked. Our blowing strap proved
rotten, and, to crown our vexation, it was found
that the connection between the tank and pump
was closed, and we were compelled to stop close
to Soho, the factory of Messrs. Watt and Bol-
ton, who neither rendered, nor offered to render
us the least assistance, being the solitary in-
stance we encountered, in a journey of 200 miles,
of sordid illiberality. On examining the cause of
the stoppage in the pipe, we found that some one
had fitted in, very neatly, a piece of wood fitted into
the cock, which acted as a plug. We do not envy
the feelings of the malicious person who could per-
petrate such a crime against those who had not
given him any offence. After the discovery and re-
moval of the cause, the vehicle proceeded to Wol-
verhampton, and then to Penkridge, in Staffordshire.
From the badness of the fuel, the leak in the boiler,
&c., the only real defect which has happened to any
of the machinery, this part of the journey was per-
formed in an unsatisfactory manner. The defect alluded
to, was the loosening of one of the piston rods, from
the key not having been accurately fitted. The
three last miles into Penkridge were performed with
only one engine ! At Penkridge a new key was put
into the piston, and one portion of the boiler cut
out and left behind! This occupied several days.
We then proceeded to Trentham Inn. On the fol-
lowing morning, the agent to the Marquis of Stafford