THE LITERARY PANORAMA. FOR OCTOBER, 1808. HIGHWAYS OF THE KINGDOM. THE Committee of Hon. House of Commons appointed to investigate the subject of the proper Breadth of Wheels, what Shape of the Road is best calculated for ease of Draught and certainty of Preservation, and for considering certain Acts relative to Stage Coaches and other Carriages, have communicated their opinion to the House in three reports: The First ordered to be printed May 11, 1808. The Second ordered to be printed May 30, 1808. The Third ordered to be printed June 17, 1808. Each of these contains three articles, on which, in particular, the report is made: but, in order to obtain a more regular connected and complete view of these subjects, which are, in fact, intimately connected, we shall combine these three reports into one narrative. Some of these matters have already been given at large in our work, from a former report, as may be seen in the first volume of LITERARY PANORAMA, p. 365 et seq. The Committee have directed their attention to "of our wants, and a great proportion of our "conforts, so much depend, these is per-' "haps no circumstance more interesting to tion of the means of interior communicamen in a civilized state, than the perfec 66 "tion." It is a matter therefore to be wondered at, that so great a source of national improvement has hitherto been so much neglected. Instead of the roads of the kingdom being made a great national concern, a number of local trusts are created, under the authority of which, large sums of money are collected from the public, and expended without adequate responsibility or controul. Hence arises a number of abuses, for which no remedy is provided, and the resources of the country, instead of being devoted to useful purposes, are too often improvidently wasted. Your committee do not mean, by these observations, to recommend that the turnpike roads of the kingdon should be taken into the hands of government, as such a measure is liable to various objections. But your committee are perfectly convinced, that leaving matters in their present state, is in the highest degree impolitic. They are of opinion, that a parliamentary commission ought to be ap pointed, to whom every trust should be obliged annually to transmit a statement of its accounts, to be audited and checked. Before these commissioners, any complaints of improper expenditure, by which so many innocent creditors suffer, ought to be brought, and properly inquired into. An annual report of the state of the turnpike roads of the kingdom, ought also to be laid by such commissioners before his Majesty and both houses of parliament. Such a commission would not be attended with any expence to the public treasury, as a small poundage, on the money received by the different trusts, would defray all the expense it could possibly occasion. Under the direction of such an institution, the necessary experiments might be tried, for ascertaining the best mode of forming roads, the best means of keeping them in repair, the proper construction of carriages and wheels, and the system of legislative provi B 2. CARRIAGES IN GENERAL. sions, the best calculated for the preservation lasting much longer, and preserving the and improvement of roads, &c.* All these roads. are points, which cannot be brought to that state of perfection of which they are capable, without some attention on the part of the legislature, nor by committees of the house, occasionally appointed, however zealous in the cause. Such great objects, which would add millions to the national income, and would increase the comfort of every individual in the kingdom, can only be successfully carried through, by a great and permanent institution, whose whole attention shall be directed to that particular object, and who would take a just pride in accomplishing some of the greatest benefits that could be conferred on their country. In regard to carriages for the conveyance of goods, it is an important subject of discussion, whether large waggons, or single horse carts, ought to be preferred. Many arguments may undoubtedly be adduced in favour of single horse carts; at the same time, they cannot be recommended for universal adoption, there being various cases, when, in the opinion of your committee, waggons, provided their wheels are properly constructed, may on the whole be preferable. 1. WHEELS. This is a point which has been very fully discussed in a report already before the house, to which your committee beg leave to refer. In that report, the superiority of the cylindrical form of wheels, over the conical, was fully explained; and from the additional evidence which has been laid before them, your committee can entertain no doubt of the infinite superiority of the cylindrical shape, with respect to ease of draught, and the preservation and improvement of the roads. Mr. Jessop says, I may venture to assert, that, by the exclusive adoption of "cylindrical broad wheels and flat roads, "there would be a saving of one horse in four, of 75 per cent. in repairs of roads, 50 per cent, in the wear of tire, and that "the wheels with spokes alternately inclined, would be equally strong with conical ones, and wear twice as long, as wheels do now on the present roads.' Wheels of a conical form, may be altered to a cylindrical shape, at a very moderate expence. It appears also, that much less wood, and much less iron, would be necessary for making such wheels, in addition to the other advantages they possess; in particular their The improvement of roads and wheel carriages cannot be effectually accomplished without expence, and that judiciously laid out. At present, there is no fund, whence the cost of any necessary experiments can be drawn, nor any body, under whose superintendance the money can be laid out, nor by whose means, any useful discoveries can be promulgated. Any moderate poundage, on the income of the trusts, would not be felt by them, whilst any improvement in the construction of wheels or carriages, would tend so much to the preservation of the roads, as to diminish, to a very considerable extent, the expences of their reparation, by which every trust in the kingdom would be essentially benefited. Another question connected with the subject of carriages for the conveyance of goods, and for agricultural purposes, is, whether oxen or horses ought to be preferred. Where oxen can be advantageously employed, it may be a subject which claims deliberate consideration, whether the use of them may not be entitled to legislative encouragement, by the subjecting carts or waggons, drawn by oxen, to inferior tolls. 3. ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. On the subject of roads in general, your committee have to refer to evidence given by Sir Alex. Gordon of Culvennen in Scotland, and of the Rev. Mr. Morphew in Norfolk, which are of peculiar importance, as pointing out the great advantages which result from the making of roads in districts where they had not previously been much known. The necessity of strictly adhering to the proper direction of the road, without deviating from the true line, in order to gratify private purposes, is also very ably enforced, in a communication from a most intelligent engineer, in that branch of improvement, Mr. Charles Abercrombie, who is said to have lined out a greater extent of road, and with more satisfaction to the public in general, than any engineer in the United Kingdom. 4. GENERAL HIGHWAY ACT. In regard to the general highway act, your committee wish to impress the house with the necessity of thoroughly revising and correcting that act, presuming, however, to suggest in what respect it has seemed most to require alteration or amendment. 1. As to authorizing the appointment of surveyors of the roads over districts, formed by consolidating several parishes ;-such surveyors to possess extensive powers with respect to directing the mode of repair, seeing the orders of magistrates properly executed, and reporting to them; but not to meddle with the internal pecuniary concerns of pa rishes. The appointment and removal of these officers should rest with the magistrates, who must also be empowered to assign certain reasonable salaries, and to apportion them. 2. As to introducing a more regular system regulations to compel all carriages to be weighed at them. 5. GENBRAL TURNPIKE ACT. of repairing and preserving the roads in every rally be found sufficient to protect the roads : district and to effect this, your committee but they do not foresee any inconvenience are of opinion, that all clashing of jurisdic- from allowing parishes to erect weighing mations should, as much as possible, be avoid-chines, if they think fit, and, under proper ed. The powers therefore given to magis trates, should be limited to the particular division for which they act; and probably, Some restraint may, with advantage, be imposed on the now existing facilities of indictment; as well in the case of a single magistrate, presenting on his view, as in that of other persons going, without any previous step, before a grand jury, and stating a particular road to be put out of repair; thus completely overturning all plans for amend ing the highways, according to any deliberate system, founded on public utility or con venience. 3. Your committee are of opinion, that all wilful acis tending to injure the public roads should be made punishable, without particular notice, by moderate fines before magistrates, with a power of mitigation: such as laying straw, permitting tiinber to remain on the road, placing stones there, or suffering a single stone, of any considerable size, to remain on the road, which may have been used for supporting the wheels of carriages; making ditches capable of endangering horses or carriages, digging pits, or even scraping the roads at improper times, or with improper instruments. It has also been suggested to your committee, that it would be proper to regulate the weight of carriages with manure, and to prevent, by some useful provisions, the injury which the roads sustain, by the practice of dragging timber on the surface No one can question the justice, nor the. expediency, of imposing, on those who use them, the burden of sustaining great public roads, forming lines of communication between distant places, and of more advantage to strangers, than to the inhabitants of their immediate neighbourhood. It is well known that all the excellence of our roads, and consequent facilities of internal conveyance, and of travelling, may be imputed to the adop tion of this principle: and many trusts continue to exercise the powers reposed in them after a manner most honourable to themselves, and most useful to the public. But the circumstances of several turnpikes are now very much changed. In some instances, they have contracted debts, bearing an interest nearly equal to the amount of their tolls; and, when those have been increased, fresh debts are incurred; so that the contributious levied on individuals using the road, become directed to purposes wholly different from their repair. It is moreover suspected, that cases may be found, where persons taking the management, are rather disposed to maintain establishments, bene ficial to themselves, than to relieve, in an expeditions manner, the public burdens. This subject is however so extensive, and embraces so great a variety of cases and circumstances, that your committee rather again It appears also expedient, that more ample recommend the establishment of a parliamen powers should be given to waywardens, for tary commission, which, by receiving annual collecting materials proper to repair the roads, accounts and statements, may correct abuses, when necessary; and to remove the scrapings if any are found to exist; and, by compar of the roads into the adjoining lands, and ining the practices of different parts of the kinginclosed districts, where the roads are nar-dom, may be enabled to circulate information, row; with compensations to be fixed by the and to recommend the best modes for adopmagistrates. tion, than presume to point out specific re medies. of the roads. But one of the most important alterations, and without which every other must to a certain degree be incficient, is a new adjustment of the compositions for statute duty. And your committee presume with confidence to recommend, that attention should be paid, in this adjustment, to the breadth of wheels, compared with the number of horses used for draft, so as to encourage the use of broad cylindrical wheels; and to make the contributions for repairs of roads, in some degree, commensurate with the damage they receive; and perhaps all carts, with wheels of less than six inches, should be prohibited from using more than two horses. Certain regulations, connecting the power of the draft with the breadth of wheels, your committee are induced to hope, will gene Your committee however beg leave to suggest, as a prospective measure, the infinite importance of connecting, with every future establishment of artificial property, a sinking fund for its ultimate liquidation. 6. PARTICULARS CONNECTED WITH HIGHWAYS. On the subject of railways, and other particulars connected with roads and carriages, your committee have to refer to a proposed species of single railway, and to the plan of stone railways, and other particulars. Your committee has received from Mr. Jessop some information regarding a mode of improving roads by means of water, a plan that has been tried in several of the midland counties of England, and it is said with success. As in many cases it might be advisable, to pave the whole, or at least a part of any particular road that is much frequented, in the manner adopted at the Commercial Road near London, your committee thought it necessary, to apply to a respectable magistrate (the Lord Provost of Edinburgh), for information upon that subject, the metropolis of Scotland, having long been celebrated for the excellent mode in which its streets are paved. In the course of their inquiries, your committee learned, that a considerable tract of road, had been made by sonie detachments of his Majesty's forces in the neighbourhood of Bagshot Heath, respecting which, they thought it their duty to make some investigation. It has occurred to your committee, that even in time of war, while so large an army is kept up, a portion of it might be usefully employed in public works, but at any rate, as at the termination of the present war, it will probably be found expedient, to keep up a larger peace establishment, than ever was thought necessary on any former occasion ; a considerable part of that force, cannot be better employed, than in making and repairing the highways of the kingdom. 7. STAGE COACHES. drawn by four horses, shall not carry more It would also be desirable, with a view to safety, that the wheels should run wider on the ground than the construction now commonly in use; in regard to width, the outside of the wheels of stage coaches and other carriages, should be at least five feet two inches on the road, for the safety of such carriages travelling: and, for the better preservation of the roads, that the wheels should be from four to six inches broad, according to the weight they are respectively allowed to carry, and also of a cylindrical form.* Your committee are satisfied, that the measures they have pointed out are not only essential to the safety of passengers, but will ultimately be found advantageous, rather than otherwise, to the proprietors themselves. They would be less liable to any prosecution for damages, in which cases considerable sums are frequently awarded; their horses and carriages would be less injured, if they conveyed less Various acts have passed for limiting the number of persons to be carried on the out-weight many persons are deterred from traside of stage coaches; notwithstanding which it is a point which still requires legislative interference. A great number of accidents are continually happening, owing to the coaches being overloaded either with passengers or Jaggage, and in consequence thereof, being overturned or breaking down. It is proper at the same time to observe, that this is a subject, in which a variety of interests are implicated; that the property of a number of persons is embarked in such undertakings; that they produce a considerable revenue to the public; and that any material check given to the regular communication between one part of the kingdom and another, by means of these conveyances, might be attended with injurious consequences to the public interest. velling in stage coaches, owing to the personal risk they run under the present system, and in general they would pay with pleasure an additional charge, if they were certain of travelling with security; by limiting the number of outside passengers, also, many would become inside passengers, and would pay more for the places they occupied; and in regard to the luggage, the proprietors, by enlarging the front and hind boots of their carriages, or by making what are called sub-imperials, would be enabled to carry fully as much weight as is consistent with the preservation of the roads, to which such machines are particularly injurious, or perhaps than any carriage, with narrow wheels, ought to be permitted to convey. It was stated to your Proposed Regulations.-i. That all coaches committee, by Mr. Charles Ward, that he travelling for hire, shall take out a licence, was informed by the coachman who had for a certain number of outside passengers, as weighed it, that the Worcester heavy coach, well as inside passengers; and that the num- drawn by four horses, weighed, when laden, ber of both to be permitted shall be painted three tons eighteen hundred weight. in a conspicuous manner on each coach, toge ther with the name of the proprietor or company to whom such coach shall belong.—2. That no luggage whatever shall be put or carried on the top of any coach travelling-forting hire; nor more than four passengers on the roof of the coach, nor on any board or contrivance attached thereto.-3. That stage coaches, drawn by less than four horses, shall not have more than five persons as outside passengers, besides the coachman,-4. That stage coaches, er Before quitting this subject, your commit It is also suggested, that the turnpike-keepshould be subject to a penalty, for permit stage coaches to pass with more than the legal number of passengers. In the country, the passengers get down before the coach arrives at the gate, and afterwards remount; but at the gates immediately around London, there is, it is said, a pecuniary understanding between the toll-takers and the coachmen. tee beg to refer to the memorial of Rev. Mr. Milton, and the evidence adduced in behalf of his patent coach of safety. They consider his plan entitled to the particular consideration of those who are interested in such undertakings, and of the public in general. 8. MAIL COACHES. No legislative provision has been enacted, for limiting the number of outside passengers on coaches of this description; and in some cases, more passengers are probably carried on them, than was originally in contemplation. The enormous weight thus conveyed is much complained of, as injurious to the roads on which those coaches travel, without paying any toll. This subject will, probably, require the consideration of parliament in the course of a future session. 9. RETURN POST-CHAISES. The number of persons conveyed, both in the inside and on the outside of return postchaises, must strike the most careless observer in the neighbourhood of this metropolis, though perhaps few take into their consideration the mischiefs which arise therefrom. By these means, in particular, the horses of the postmaster are considerably injured, and the stage coaches, which pay a considerable revenue to government, are prevented from having their proper chance of customers. : | every one has, at some time, occasion to tions as little painful as possible. If we We are so firmly convinced of these An application has been made to your com-, mittee, by a number of respectable postinastruths, that we shall, without scruple, ters, on this subject, accompanied by a state- place first among the subjects comprised ment of the disadvantages arising from this in the following evidence, that information practice. It seems expedient to your commit- which the committee has acquired, in tee, that a heavy penalty should be inflicted relation to the general powers and conforon the driver of any return post-chaise, who mation of the horse. It is not possible carries any inside passengers whatever, or that any of our readers should be insensimore than one outside passenger, except on ble to the merit of this noble animal. The mads where no stage coach passes, and couse- introduction of statements intended to quently, where greater latitude may be ad- counteract the savage principle of disremissible, for the accommodation of the pub-gard would even imply something dishon lic. Conclusion.-Your committee have now terminated their investigation; and are deeply impressed with a conviction, that if the measures which they have ventured to suggest were adopted, many lives would be saved, and the interest of the public would, in various other respects, he most essentially promoted; indeed to an extent far beyond what is generally apprehended. EXTRACTS FROM THE EVIDENCE, WITH THE Consideration of the state of the high roads of the kingdom presents at first sight merely a question of political and public concern: but on examination we shall find it come closer home to the hearts and bosoms of individuals than such a conception of it supposes. Almost ourable: some may think this better than direct cruelty, but the difference in our opinion is but a single shade. Inadver tency, or want of information, is the usual source of those sufferings under which the horse labours, when in our service. Few have inquired into the powers of this animal; fewer still are aware of the principles on which he acts. The mechanical properties of animal conformation are known to few, and therefore we think the public is deeply indebted to the committee for the investigation which they have caused to be made of the subject. The leading ideas of a discussion by Mr. Adam Walker, well known as an eminent geometrician, will be read with pleasure. The horse is certainly constructed by |