606 POST OFFICE, ROADS, AND CONVEYANCE. 



First of all, sweep away entirely all statute-duty and composition ; 

 which, while it sits unequally and unjustly upon the farmer, is not, if 

 spoken of in the bulk or aggregate, of much profit to the turnpike 

 roads. Then put up a sufficient number of gates, with tolls to pro- 

 duce the necessary fund. Let the gates be erected in such situations 

 as may be equitable to the public, without any regard to their being 

 on any particular district, and the funds of a// paid into the Bank of 

 England, or some general depository, from whence all payments may 

 be made. The quantum of allowance to each district should be made 

 upon an estimate of the surveyor, after having been submitted to and 

 received the sanction of a meeting of local trustees. This proposed 

 mode of raising the funds would be attended with this recommenda- 

 tion, viz. it would tax the parties who travel over a road, and those 

 only, with the repair of it. This mode of taxation appears to be just 

 in theory, and, I believe, would be easy in practice. Besides, it 

 would obviate one great and just cause of complaint, now generally 

 made by farmers that they are, by the present law, taxed in two 

 ways for the repair of roads ; first, by tolls, in an equal ratio with 

 the public at large j and, secondly, by statute duty and composition, 

 in a greater ratio, according to profit, than others of the community. 



I apprehend that the sum necessary for the repair of all the roads 

 in England, and for the payment of the interest of the debt, could 

 be easily raised by toll in this way, without laying a burthen on the 

 back of any one greater than he now bears ; while the destruction 

 of the system of repairing the roads by statute-duty and composition, 

 would very much tend to the relief of farmers, and I think that the 

 funds thus lost would be rendered unnecessary by the reduction of 

 the expenditure which would attend a course of systematic, econo- 

 mical, and skilful management." 



Mr. Porter then proceeds to make some valuable observations in 

 detail ; but it is sufficient to give the bare outline of his plan, which, 

 from his long experience, he considers simple in construction, easy in 

 administration, economical and effective in operation. 



The opinions, then, of these two writers, who, from their long prac- 

 tical acquaintance with the subject, may be deemed in every respect 

 competent authorities, is decisive in support of the position that the 

 present system of Roads and Trusts is most defective and injurious. 

 Indeed, upon this point we believe there is no difference of sentiment. 

 With respect to the remedies, however, proposed by these gentlemen, 

 neither of them go far enough. We have adduced them as evidence 

 as to the necessity for a complete revision of the existing system, but 

 only as runners to the much more comprehensive and important 

 proposal submitted by Mr. Broun. As the subject is new and not 

 much promulgated, we shall now proceed to lay the substance of his 

 pamphlet before our readers. 



" The ROIDS of the kingdom, and the present mode of PUBLIC 

 CONVEYANCE upon them, are both shortly about to undergo a com- 

 plete change. The latter by the introduction of Locomotive Car- 

 riages, the former by being accommodated for their use. 



" These changes will take place without any reference whatever to 

 the abstract question of whether the systems of roads and public car- 



