The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-21
DRIVING a THOUSAND MILES.
An Englishman Covers the Distanct
With One Horse.
Letter 10 London Times.

Letter TO London Times.
It is needless for me to compare the aver
age swiftness or strength of a horse as
against that of man. as it is well-estab-
lished that for strength and speed combined
the horse has no rival. But it is quite an
other thing when we consider the latent
staying power or physical endurance of n
horse over that of man. This was supposed
to have been proved conclusiveiy in favor
OF man by the remarkable walking achieve
ment performed few years ago by Weston,
who, as your readers may remember walked
5000 miles in so many consecutive days
barring Sundays-covering, partly upon a
prepared track. fifty miles in each day. 1t
was said at the time that iC would require
two well-bred horses to successfully com
pete with Weston.
I'M past and present times for speed we
have remarkable examples upon record,
and among these l may mention that of
Thornhill, an innkeeper from Stilton,
Huntingdonshire, who rode, with a relay of
horses, 2lS miles in twelve hours and seven
teen minutes. In 1850 the Earl of March
drove team Of four horses nineteen miles
in one hour. There was in this case O
specially prepared carriage and harness,
and these were so light that il was said that
one man could carry them. a few months
ago Lord Lonsdale gave us a splendid ex-
hibition OF all kinds of driving, both as re-
CARDS speed, style and good order, having
his horse under perfect control.
Having wish TO test as far as practicable
the endurance of a well bred horse on Mon
day. July 6, We started on a l,000-mile
drive, dog cart, passengers and luggage
being registered ever 500 weight. Before
hand l consulted an authority as TO the DOS
sibility of our covering 500 miles at an aver
age of fifty miles day, or GOO miles. av-
eraging about forty-four miles day ex
cept Sunday, and was told that the shadow
of disappointment was waiting me, and was
advised to abandon the proposed drive, as
no horse would be equal Co 1t. The result,
however, has given a contradiction to this
and has proved conclusively, l maintain,
that horse has, under proper control aud
care, more endurance than is popularity
supposed. We covered tho 1000 miles in
nineteen days, averaging over fifty-two
miles q day. The longest distance-nam ely,
sixty-eight miles-was covered in the last
day. When the following circumstances
are taken into consideration | claim | have
broken the record of one-horse driving:
We selected roads at random, and they
proved to be very hilly, covered with loose
stones, generally uhfsyorable to the extent
of half the distance covered; added to this
seven DAYS rain. The route taken was some
what as follows London to York, Durham,
Berwick-on- Tweed Edinburgh, Stirling,
back to Glasgow. Carlisle. Kirby, Lonsdale,
Barnsley, Bradford, Nottingham, Bedford.
London. The horse We drove was fifteen
hands high aud we'll bred and was in a good
condition when we finished the journey, as
the following certificate l hold proves:
July 25-I drove with Mr.. Davies four
miles and consider his cob in good condition
and no worse for the long journey he has
done"
had but one object, and that was to
show what o valuable servant a horse is to
man and worthy the care and kindness ex-
tended to mine Your readers can see that
an equal task would not be performed I'M
less an equal weight be carried and the same
roads covered.