Mr. Abercromby made all his roads with stones broken very small. This practice had long existed in Scotland, and is recommended by the old writers on roads in France.

Since his time, many other good road-makers in Scotland have followed the same rules; so that Scotland has been making great progress for a number of years in establishing excellent roads.

In Ireland the abolition of the system of statute labour in 1763, and the placing of the business of making roads under the grand juries, immediately led to a great improvement in them; for, notwithstanding the abuses which have attended the exercise of the powers of the grand juries in money matters, the general result has been the establishing of good roads throughout the whole kingdom.*

Mr. Arthur Young, in his Tour in Ireland, says, "For a country so far behind us as Ireland to have got suddenly so much the start of us in the article of roads, is a spectacle that cannot fail to strike the British traveller ;" and, in speaking of the law to which this was owing, he says, "The original act was passed but seventeen

* By 3 Geo. 3. c. 14., 1763, all former road acts from 11 James 1., in 1614, to 3 Geo. 3. c. 8. inclusive, were repealed, and the statute labour, or six days' system, abolished.

years ago, and the effect of it in all parts of the kingdom is so great, that I found it perfectly practicable to travel upon wheels by a map. I will go here, I will go there; I could trace a route upon paper as wild as fancy could dictate and every where I found beautiful roads, without break or hinderance, to enable me to realise my design."

;

"What a figure would a person make in England who should attempt to move in that manner, where the roads, as Dr. Burn has very well observed, are almost in as bad a state as in the time of Philip and Mary.

"Arthur French of Moniva was the worthy citizen who first brought this excellent measure into parliament. Before that time the roads, like those of England, remained impassable under the miserable police of the six days' labour.

"Similar good effects would here flow from adopting the measure which would ease the kingdom of a great burden in its public effect absolutely contemptible." *

One of the greatest efforts which has been made in modern times by the legislature, to afford, on an extensive scale, to a part of the pub

• A. Young, Tour in Ireland, vol. ii. p. 56.

lic, the benefit of improved communication, is the plan that was adopted in 1803 for making roads in the Highlands of Scotland. Commissioners were appointed in that year for making these roads. The expense was defrayed in equal portions by grants of Parliament and local contributions. The operations were conducted by Mr. Telford; and the result has been the constructing of 875 miles of road in every respect suitable to the country, and the building of 1117 bridges. These roads traverse the Highlands of Scotland in all directions; and, although the whole region consists of high mountains, the lines of road have been laid out with so much science, that the inclinations are every where moderate.

Next to the tracing of these roads, the principal merit consists in the forming and draining of them in such a manner as to place them out of the reach of all injury from the torrents of water to which they would otherwise be exposed.

In the districts between Glasgow, Cumbernauld, and Carlisle, upwards of 150 miles of new lowland roads have been made by Mr. Telford, acting under the same commission. But it was not until Mr. Telford was employed by the commissioners appointed by Parliament, in 1815,

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for improving the Holyhead road, that he had an opportunity of carrying into execution a plan of road-making suitable to a great traffic on completely perfect principles. In that year, a sum of money having been voted by Parliament for the improvement of the Holyhead road, Mr. Telford was consulted by the commissioners with respect to the best plan of accomplishing the object Parliament had in view. He strongly recommended that he should be allowed, if employed by them, to execute all the new works upon this line of road in the most substantial and perfect manner, in consequence of its great importance from being the main communication between England and Ireland.

The commissioners having adopted Mr. Telford's advice, and Parliament having continued to grant further sums of money, an extent of eighty-two miles of new road has been made by him through North Wales, between Chirk and Holyhead three miles between Chirk and the village of Gobowen, near Oswestry, and seven miles on the Holyhead and Chester road. Thirty-one miles have also been made by Mr. Telford at various places on the Holyhead road between London and North Wales, with money advanced to the Parliamentary Commis

sioners, on loan, by the Commissioners for giving Employment to the Poor. These roads have been constructed in the most substantial manner. A foundation of rough pavement has been made as a bed to support the surface materials. They are uniform in breadth and superficial convexity. They are completely drained, and when carried along the face of precipices, they are protected by strong walls. They are acknowledged, by all persons competent to form a correct judgment on works of this kind, to be a model of the most perfect road-making that has ever been attempted in any country.

The obvious utility of a work on road-making, explaining the principles on which this business should be carried on, and containing an illustration of those principles by a reference to the plans, specifications, and contracts which have been made use of in constructing this extent of new road, through a country presenting every kind of difficulty, has suggested the present publication. The object of it is to point out, in a clear and concise nanner, the best method of tracing out and constructing roads, under every variety of circumstances; and it is confidently expected, that the course which has been pursued of proceeding on experience by referring