Thirty years later, Mr. Palmer, of Bath, after a considerable amount of opposition, suc ceeded in inducing the government to put in practice certain suggestions which he made, by which he showed that great saving both in time and money in the conveyance of passengers and letters would be effected. The result was the establishment of the system of mail-coaches, which continued to be the means of traveling in England until their place was taken by the railways. The first mail-coach started between London and Bristol on 8 Aug. 1784.
The introduction of steam and motor cars has gradually superseded the manufacture of coaches. But they are still made to some ex tent. The typical American coach is the Con cord coach, so-called from the place of manu facture. Two famous coaches of Great Brit ain are the King's state coach, which was executed by Sir William Chambers, with paint ings on the walls by Cipriani dating back to 1761• and the coach of the lord mayor of London of about the same date. Both are highly ornamented and the bodies are sus pended on straps.
Coaching became a very popular exercise in the early 19th century. It required con siderable skill to manipulate four spirited horses on the bad roads which were then avail able. The sport survived, in a more limited measure, the introduction of railways. In 1856, the Four-in-Hand Club was started in Eng land; and the Coaching Club in 1870 as suc cessor to the old Bensington Driving Club (1807-52). In America, the New York Coaching Club began in 1875. To-day the sport has developed, in great centres and cities of the world, in the form of horse-racing. For a history of vehicles and their manufacture, see CARRIAGE; CARRIAGE AND WAGON INDUSTRY.
Consult the Badminton, 'Driving> by the Duke of Beaufort (1888) • Roger, 'Manual of Driving> (Philadelphia 1400) ; Nimrod, 'Es says on the Road> (1876) ; Adams, 'English Pleasure Carriages> (London 1837); Thrupp, 'History of the Art of Coach Building> (Lon don 1877) • Gilbey, 'Early Carriages and Roads> (London 1903) ; Straus, 'Carriages and Coaches: Their History and their Evolu tion> (London 1912).