Stage station

Stagecoaches, post chaises, private vehicles, individual riders and the like followed the already long-established system for messengers, couriers and letter-carriers.

Systems of arranging a supply of fresh horses to expedite travel along a particular route had been in use at least as far back as the ancient Romans when they were used by messengers and couriers or bearers of letters.

Common in England and continental Europe[5] posting declined once railways provided faster transport that was much more comfortable.

[6] Beginning in the 18th century crude wagons began to be used to carry passengers between cities and towns, first within New England in 1744, then between New York and Philadelphia in 1756.

Travel time was reduced on this later run from three days to two in 1766 with an improved coach called the Flying Machine.

Coachmen carried letters, packages and money, often transacting business or delivering messages for their customers.

[10] By the mid 17th century a coach would depart every Monday and Thursday from London to Liverpool and, during the summer months, take about ten days to make the journey.

Lighter faster and better-bred horses were used as the road surfaces smoothed and heavy mud-slogging could be forgotten.

Once they had attracted passengers they arranged partnerships with the others along their route and after deducting wages and hire of vehicles divided surplus takings according to the work done by their horses.

An owner's financial success depended on finding the right horses and suitable feed for them at a good price.

The Duc de Rovigo gives the following account of Napoleon's arrangements for his journeys:— "The establishment of saddle-horses was divided into brigades of nine horses each—two for the emperor, and seven for those whose duties attached them immediately to his person.

Suppose the emperor had to perform a journey of twenty leagues on horseback, six brigades would in general be stationed upon the road.

If the journey was to be performed in carriages, six relays were placed at the stations upon the road, in lieu of six brigades of saddle-horses.

The emperor's aides-de-camp were required to have a horse with each brigade when the journeys were performed on horseback; on other occasions they had places in the carriages.”[13]