Phaeton (carriage) most impressive phaeton was the English four-wheeled high flyer. The mail and spider phaetons were more conservatively constructed. The mail phaeton was used chiefly to carry passengers with luggage and was named for its construction, using "mail" springs originally designed for use on mail coaches. The spider phaeton, of American origin and made for gentlemen drivers, was a high and lightly constructed carriage with a covered seat in front and a footman's seat behind. Fashionable phaetons used at horse shows included the Stanhope, typically having a high seat and closed back, and the Tilbury, a two-wheeled carriage with an elaborate
HMS Phaeton (1782) "Charente" near the Cordouan lighthouse. "Phaeton" fired on "Charente", chasing her first into range of the guns of the 74-gun Third Rate , under the command of Captain Sir John Borlase Warren, with whom she exchanged broadsides. "Charente" grounded, but then so did "Canada". "Phaeton" and "Anson" had to abandon the chase to pull "Canada" free. In the meantime, "Charente" threw her guns overboard, floated free, and reached the river of Bordeaux, much the worse for wear. With "Anson", "Phaeton" took the 18-gun privateer "Mercure" on 31 August. "Mercure" was pierced for 20 guns and had a crew of 132