"Carriages Without Horses Shall Go"

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1896. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... broad ways," and that "they shall run like the lightnings." At the risk of incurring the eternal displeasure of our lamented Hibernian, we would venture to predict that the closing four years of our century will be as prolific in developments in the propulsion of "carriages without the assistance of any animal" on our common highways as have been the combined six centuries referred to. The keen interest which, it is gratifying to observe, is at this moment being evinced in our own country in regard to Horseless Eoad Locomotion is due, it need hardly be pointed out, to a recent legislative enactment bearing upon the subject. This, happily, will have the effect of neutralising those preceding it, and which for half-a-century have acted so deleteriously upon this mode of transport and travel. The former restrictions and measures, introduced by a less enlightened legislature, have, indeed, had the effect of nipping in the bud and entirely preventing the growth of industries which, perforce, must have attended the employment of self-propelling vehicles upon our highways. It is but reasonable to assume--by analogy with the vast strides made in collateral branches of it--that this industry, unfettered, would ere this have attained to great commercial magnitude and national importance. The history of development, however, like the course of true love, " never runs smooth." It matters little of what we endeavour to trace the development, we always find the course of progress towards perfection has been intermittent, and assuredly the subject of the improvement of travel and the development of locomotion upon common roads offers no exception. Moreover, it will be found that the intermittencies, consisting of periods stationary and progressive, of quiescence and of rapid a...