OUR COMMON ROADS—MURPHY. 433 
tous, and the way often such as it was hardly possible to distin- 
guish, in the dusk, from the unenclosed heath and fen which lay 
on both sides. Ralph Thurseby, the antiquarian, was in danger 
of losing his way on the great North road, between Barnaby 
Moore and Tuxford, and actually lost his way between Doncaster 
and York, * * * It happened almost every day that coaches 
stuck fast until a team of cattle could be procured from some 
neighbouring farm to tug them out of the slough. But in bad 
seasons the traveller had to encounter inconveniences more 
serious. * * * The great route through Wales to Holyhead 
in 1685 was in such a state that the Viceroy going to Ireland 
was five hours in going 14 miles from St. Asaph to Conway.” 
The roads in England were at that period in a much worse 
condition than those of most European countries, and they were 
sometimes almost impassable, even in the heart of the great cities. 
Long after this, so late as 1736, the roads in London were so bad 
that in wet weather it sometimes took no less than two hours to 
drive from Kensington to St. James’ Palace. About the middle 
of the last century, some decisive steps were taken for improve- 
ment in both construction and maintenance, and shortly after- 
wards much improvement was effected by the introduction of the 
systems of Telford, McAdam and Parnell, and some other road- 
makers well known as equally efficient, but not so fortunate as 
to be brought, through their work, into such prominent notice. 
During the present century a great deal has been done to improve 
the highways of Europe, more especially in France and Great 
Britain. 
It is not proposed to touch upon any of the engineering oper- 
ations connected with the successive improvements that have 
been effected, and that have now become so numerous within 
city or town limits, in the construction and maintenance of public 
streets and footways, such as pavements, pitched or stone block 
pavement, asphalt, wood, iron, and other pavements, or to enter 
into their merits or demerits. The object of this paper is to 
assist in enquiring into and formulating a system that may in 
some measure tend towards the improvement of our common 
roads in Nova Scotia. 
