Hackney-COACHES, those exposed to hire, in the streets of London, and some other great cities, at rates fixed by authority.
One thousand hackney-coaches are allowed in London and Westminster: which are to be licensed by commissioners, and to pay a duty to the crown. They are all numbered, having their numbers engraved on tin plates fixed on the coach-doors. Their fares or rates are fixed by act of parliament; and by a late act have been increased in consequence of a new weekly tax.
Stage-COACHES are those appointed for the conveyance of travellers from one city or town to another. The masters of stage-coaches are not liable to an action for things lost by their coachmen, who have money given them to carry the goods, unless where such master takes a price for the same.
Persons keeping any coach, berlin, landau, or other carriage with four wheels, or any calash, chaise, chair, or other carriage with two wheels, to be employed as public stage-coaches or carriages, for the purpose of conveying passengers for hire to and from different places, shall pay annually 5s. for a licence; and no person so licensed shall by virtue of one licence keep more than one carriage, under the penalty of 10l.
Mail-COACHES are stage-coaches of a particular construction to prevent overturns; and for a certain consideration carry his majesty's mails, which are protected by a guard, and subject to the regulations of the post-office. They are punctual as to their time of arrival and departure, are restricted to four inside passengers, and from experience have proved very beneficial to the commerce and correspondence of this country. The late John Palmer, Esq. who had the merit of the invention, and was indefatigable in bringing the establishment to a permanent footing, was greatly patronized.
Coach II
Coal.
tronized by government; and got, as the reward of his service, a handsome appointment in the general post-office, London. See WHEEL-Carriages.