Rolling Carts and Waggons.

TO ascertain the Advantages of thefe Waggons, a few Journies have been made into Warwickshire and Staffordshire; about thirty Journies to Bedford; and, on the 3d of November last, they began going from Whittlebury Forest to Northampton, about fourteen Miles, and continued without Infermission every Day, till the latter end of March following, with fuch heavy Loads of Timber, that fome PeopleSUPPOED the Road would have been destroyed by fuch conftant Carriage in wet Weather (it not being ufual in this Country to carry Timber in Winter Months) but the contrary Effect was remarkaby proved by the Use of Rolling Waggons, and the Road, fo far from being injured, was a very extraordinary Sight, the Quarters formed by the Rollers, both in the private Roads and Turnpikes, were fo even and flat as to make an excellent Paflage for Horſes abreast, or any Kind of quartering Carriages, and ſo ſmooth and clean, that even foot Paſſengers preferred them to walking in the Fields, and the Road being thus rolled, enabled the Cattle to draw much heavier Loads than are usually carried in ſo deep a Country.

The good Effects of Rollers were ſo apparent during the Winter, that Advertifements were frequentely inferted in all the London News-papers, that the Public might view the Carriages and their Effects, while they were at Work in the Neighbourhood of Northampton and Stony Stratford.

Mr. William James and Son, Proprietors of the Bath and Bristol Waggons, had their firſt Rolling Waggon in the beginning of August laſt, which fet out for Bristol with a larger Load than is usually carried upon that Road; and it was found to anſwer ſo well, upon its firſt Journey, that more Rolling Waggons are now building for Mr. James, and there is no Doubt but he will ſoon find them profitable to himſelf, as well as ſerviceable to the Public.

The following Encouragement is allowed by the two late Acts of Parliament to Carriages upon this Construction.

BY an Act ' for the Amendment and Prefervation of the public Highways,' all Carriages, moving upon Rollers of the Breadth of fixteen Inches, are allowed to be drawn with any Number of Horſes, or other Cattle. And,

By an Act ' for regulating the Turnpike Roads,' fuch Waggons are allowed to carry eight Tons in Summer, and ſeven Tons in Winter, and may be drawn with any Number of Horſes or other Cattle.

They are also permitted to paſs upon any Turnpike Road, TÖLL-FREE, for the Term of one Year, to be computed from Michaelmas, 1773, and, after the Expiration of the ſaid Term, ſhall paſs upon any Turnpike Road, through any Toll-Gate or Bar, for Half Toll.

This Encouragement to Rollers, together with the ſeveral Restraints laid upon Nine Inch as well as Narrow Wheels, by theſe Acts, make it the Interſt of all People to put their heavy Carriages upon Rollers, which cannot fail of making every Road in the Kingdom perfectly ſmooth. It will then be found that every Horſe will draw much more than he now does; for it is well known that upon rail'd Roads that are level (where Waggons move upon a frame of Wood) almost any Horſe is able alone to draw four Tons, merely because the Road is made a Part of the Mechanism, which every Road ought to be, and which desirable Effect nothing but Rollers can produce.

Upon the Whole, both Carts and Waggons, upon this Construction, are found by Experience to anſwer every Purpofe that can be defined, even in the very worſt of Roads: They are both cheaper and much lighter than common Nine-inch Broad Wheels; they are more durable, and are ſure to produce a ſmooth Road.

Great Variety of Rolling Carriages, and also Garden and Land Rollers of a new Construction, are ready for Inſpection.

N. B. Rolling Carts and Waggons of all Kinds, according to Act of Parliament, are built by JAMES SHARP, of Leadenhall-Street, London.

1773