Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-06-17
FAMOUS ENGLISH CARRIAGES.
Those Used on State Occasions by Queen Vie
t0ria and the Lord Mayor Of LOndon-HOw
l.o On

Those Used on State Occasions by Queen Vie
tOria and the Lord Mayor of London-How
They Are Built.
Magazine of Art.
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 Oar
nley, now at South KinsingtOn The frame
work is admirably carved, and the top COW
cred with gilt coroners at the angles. The
panels are gayly painted, and the hinges
and other metal work are modelled in
bronze. The reader will remember carria-
ges like it in etchings and pictures of Hog
arth. Sedan chairs carried by two men
have been in use down to recent times.
Persons of rank went to drawing rooms
and receptions with a string of sedan
chairs accompanied by footmen, each con-
tanning one of the ladies of the family.
Such a procession has been described to
the present writer by an eyewitness as
nothing uncommon eighty years ago. The
tops of sedan-chairs are hinged-are, in
fact lids which shut down over the front
and sides. and keep them together when
closed. There are specimens from other
countries now in the KensigtOn museum,
for they were in use all over Europe.
There are besides the speakers coach
already noticed two other state carriages
in London both built in the last century,
those of the lord mayor and of her ma
jesty the queen. The former was built in
the reign of George II. 1t was first used
during the mayOralty of 1857. The frame
work is carved in bold acanthus work, aft
er the pattern of the Italian acanthus
carving on looking -glass frames, etc. of
the day. The upper panels are of plate
glass. The royal state coach is of later
date-more fanciful in structure. The
bed of it is composed 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
caIlOp shell for a foOtbOard. The body is
composed of eight palm trees, with trO-
phies on the four angles. A crown sur
mounts the center, upheld by three boys,
representing the three kingdoms, and
holding the sword and other insignia. The
panels are of beveled Vauxhall plate-glass.
The painting represents groups of allie
gOrical figures Britannia. victory, album
dance, and the virtues. 1t is drawn by
eight hOrsee, 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, sculptor, and by CaptisOldi and
VOuers, decorators settled in London.
Joseph Wilton superintendent the paint
ing, the carving is by Nicholas COllett;
the chasing by Colt, the builder was But
Ter. The harness is of morocco, with sill
ver-giIt mounts, made by Ringstead. 1t
measures "a feet by feet 3 inches; the
pole is II feet long.
Whatever may have been the skill
pc+ no Of
Italy and other continental countries dur
ing the reign of Louis the Magnificent
and his contemporaries, it seems indis
pUtable that from the reign of George III.
London builders have held the palm in
structures of this Kind. They were the
first to make carriages good carriages
of lighter and more convenient 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 pescribed. chariot
made for George III. differs from those
OEd-fashioned chariOts which have not
wholly gone out of use with G. springs and
sword cases. The sides are fatter, and
the fore and hind parts of the bed are
connected by two perches instead of one.
During the last century good English car
rlages We're bought by foreigners who
wanted the best thing of the kind that
could then be had. There is one in the
Hotel de Cluny. Lord Mccartney took
English carriages as presents to the en-
error 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 it
was believed that they had never been put
into use.