The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-10-23
GcItGt 4flieccI!nlll,.
Invention of Carria ecs

Invention of Carriages.
The New Ymk Fcsniag I'ost contains
I long historical account Of the invcntio,
and manufacture Ct carriages, of which W,
make the following condensation
We learn tha t.the most primitive sncrimen,
OF vchlrlcS were two-whcrlcd. In Roman
antiquities find descriptions of their claim
rate finish and elegant decorations. In Mo
sac history, the chariot and wagon ara botl
spoken of. ('h'c Genesis but no light is
thrown upon their construction. II is TO Le
inferred that they were not in general use ms
mention Is made that " Joseph rode in the
second chariot of pharoah," as a mari, OF
peculiar dignity; much is also mentioned
about charIots BEING used, and they are rcprc.
s'nttd In rude cngravings as vehicles Of two
Wheeis There is an exception to this rule
IN one on the English libraries is an illumina-
tu Saxon MS. supposed to be the work OF
@Ie,lna, which illustrates the meeting ofJacoll
aud Joseph, and IS peculiarly constructed
vehic'e, looking for all the world like "a eigan-
uc frame work, inclosirg hammock. moving
on tour wheels of equal size. Here we first
have the original four whcelrd vehicle
Again, we find representation in frcsco, bv
= Sir l'llam Gel, from the excavation of
fotnpell, OF wine cart Of neat and Ingenious
construction, wlthan open arch for its wheel
to turn more easily under it. This vehicle had
also four wheels.
Italy, France, Spain, and Germany all
contend for the honor Of the first introduction
"l carriages, and in the early records of the
ijth century, we find that q Charles Of An
lou entered Naples, his Queen riding In a
ctm'etH elegantly decorated with velvet and
golden lilies This vehicle was rcp,escntcrl
as Two wheeled, drawn by two horses, on
one OF which the diver rode. While Italy
and France thus claimed the honor Of the first
introduction OF carriages, England was not
behndland. From Ells's specimens ofca,ly
English poetry. we lind in The SQuyr Of
Low Degree, supposed to have been written
before Chauccr, an alusion to a charc, y
covered with "yelyct red and cloths of fine
gold"
In the sixteenth century. carriages increased
IN number and richness, Germany being fore
most IN displaying them, so much 50. that in
1888, an tdlct was issued by the Duke of
Brunswick fubiAding his vasSalS to ride in
carriages, il which he says. " That the use
'ui discipline and skill in riding have been
almost lost: and that the principal cause Of
tins Is, that cur vasSals, servants, and kns-
men, without distinction. young and old .
have dared to give themselves up to Incidence,
and ruling IN coachts."
The first coach made in England. was in
1853. made for the Earl of Rutland, by Wal
ter Rlppon, and in 1854 the same maker made
one for Queen Mary. The Ea,l Of Arundel
brought one from Germany IN 1880. In lGQj.
about the time Of the Gunpowdcr Plot.
coaches increased 50 much so as to be trouble
some.
II is over three centuries since wheeled
vehicles came into general lse. Englnnd has
improved but iitllt during the last century in
style and construction, though she may
manufacture the most substantial ones :;
but for beauty Of finish and elegance
France, Germany and America take the lead
Previous to the breaking ont of the Alncrj
can Revolution, there were to he found now
and then among the wealthy English families,
and III fact among the American lovaIists re-
siding IN Boston, those cumbiouS carriages
adorned with family crests on the panels,
which cha,aS'crizc luxury and ease, and
whose liyoli,d and oiiicious mcnials were
objects o! adherence to lhc plain American
citizen.
The " Adomscs and Quincvs" kept
carriages. but they were PLAIN modest aNlj,s
compared with the English vehicles. In Viz
GINA were few, which were brought ont by
colonists from England but ii was not until
after the close OF the Revolution that they
became III general use. Even then they wcr c
confined TO wealthy classes OF the ucorle.-
IWo-whccl vehicles called ctaiscS, and by
some the nlg, came into use, and confirmed