Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-07-12
ENGLISH CARRIAGES.
Those Used on State Occasions by Queen
Victoria and the Lord Mayor of Lon
dOn-How They Are Built.


don-How They Are Built.
During the reigns of Anne and of the
first two Georges most persons of rank
and wealth had carriages State car
riages of great men of the Georgian
time are well illustrated by that of Lord
Darnley, now at South Kensington. The
framework is admirably carved, and the
top covered with leather, aud with GILT
coronets at the angles. The panels are
gayly painted, and the hinges and other
metal work are modelled in bronze. The
reader will remember carriages like il
in etchings and pictures of Hogarth.
Sedan-chairs carried by two men have
been in use down to recent times. Per-
sons of rank went to drawing-rooms and
court receptions with a string of Sedan
chairs, accompanied by footmen, each
containing one of the ladies of the fam
lily. Such Il procession has been des-
cribed to the present writer by an eye
witness as nothing uncommon eighty
years ago. The tops of the scdan-chairs
are hinged-are, in fact, lids which
shut down over the front and sides, and
keep them together when closed
There are, besides the speakers coach
already noticed, two other state car
riages in London, both built in the last
century, those of the lord mayor and
her majesty the queen. The former was
first used during the mayoralty of 1857.
The framework is carved in bold acan-
thus work, after the pattern of the
Italian acanthus carving on looking
glass frames, ETC., of the day. The up
per panels are of plate-glass. The royal
state coach is of later date-more fanci-
full in structure. The bed of it is COM
posed of four tritons, who support the
body on massive cables of carved oak
The drivers box is planted on the two
front figures, and he has carved scallop
shell for footboard. The body is COM
posed of eight palm trees, with trophies
on the four angles. A crown surmounts
the center, upheld by three boys, repre-
senting the three kingdoms, and hold
ing the sword of state and other insig-
MIA. The panels are of beveled Vaux-
hall plate-glass. The painting represents
groups of categorical figures Britannia,
victory, abundance, and the virtues. 1t
is drawn by eight horses, but it has not
been used since the death of the prince
consort 1t was designed by Sir w.
Chambers, and the decorations were
superintendent by Pigalle, a sculptor,
and by Capitsoldi and Vouers. decora-
tors settled in London. Joseph Wilton
superintendent the painting; the carving
is by Nicholas Collect; the chasing by
Colt; the builder was Butler. The har-
ness is of morocco, with silver-gilt
mounts, made by Rihgstead. 1t meas
ures twenty-four feet by eight feet three
inches; the pole is twelve feet long
Whatever may have been the skill of
the coach-makefs of Hungary, France,
Italy, and other continental countries
during the reign of Louis the Magnifi-
cent and his contemporaries, it seems
indisputable that from the reign of
George Ill. London builders have held
the palm in structures of this kind. They
were the first to make carriages-good
carriages-of lighter and more conven-
lent shape. Englishmen bred the best
horses. and had passion for travelling
fast The state carriage of the Irish
chancellor is, though large, light in
comparison with the older carriages we
have described. A chariot made for
George Ill. differs from those old-fash-
Toned chariots which have not wholly
gone out of use, with G springs and
sword cases. The sides are fiatter, and
the fore and hind parts of the bed are
connected by two pcrches instead of one.
During the last century good English
carriages were bought by foreigners who
wanted the best thing of the kind that
was then to be had. There is one in the
Hotel de Cluny. Lord Mccartney took
English carriages as presents to the
emperor of China when he made his
embassy to that potentate. They were
found by our allies. the French, when
they looted the summer palace of the
reigning emperor during the Chinese
war, some few years ago. They were
covered with dust. and 1t was believed
that they had never been put into use.
-Ndgdztne Of Dirt.
A Valuable Dog Killed.