On Roads and WW heel-Carriages. lk 
public by any schemes or measures of improvement which I may 
contemplate in referefice to the foregoing. I trust, however, 
that I may assume the privilege of mentioning a few points of a 
general nature, which call loudly for parliamentary interposition. 
The present mode of dragging waggon wheels in descending 
hills, if continued, will render every effort for the preservation 
of roads in hilly countries wholly unavailing ; for, in fact, the 
smoother and more even we render the figs teeny the more de- 
structive is the system of dragging. The custom on smooth roads 
is to drag ‘‘ rough,” as it is termed, that is by tying the wheel 
so as to bear on a projecting angular nail, which sometimes rises 
above the streak of the wheel, half and even three-quarters of 
an inch, operating on the most consolidated surface literally as a 
plough. This destructive plan cannot be more severely felt than 
on the roads about Bath; where the hills, which are the avenues 
to the city, for all ponderous materials, stone and coals, are steep 
and long. But every hilly country will exhibit abundant evi- 
dences of this terrific mischief. 1 am unwilling to express-my, 
opinion as to a remedy; but I should think that a shoe, as it is 
here designated, not as made at present, but properly constructed 
and pr oper ly used, is preferable to anv other mode of dragging: 
at all events, “ dragging rough” should be interdicted. 
The restrictions now in force as to the Lreadth of carriages are 
also productive of serious evils, At the period when the general 
Highway and Turnpike Acts were passed, (13th of the present 
king,) the roads were then generally narrow, especially at the en- 
trances of towns and cities; but the commercial intercourse of 
the country, though comparatively with its present extent of 
small importance, was increasing, and wheeled carriages of all 
burthens obtaining. The legislature, therefore, to meet the con- 
venience of the public, thought it necessary to regulate the width 
or breadth of wains and waggous, so as to make them suitable 
to the then confined state of the roads ; and it was accordingly en- 
acted, that all wains and waggons should be of. the width of four 
feet six inches from inside to inside of the wheels; but a breadth 
of wheel was allowed to heavy carriages. [t was, according to some, 
from this restriction, that the extreme conical wheel now so much 
in public use, and deemed so injurious to the roads, owes it's in- 
troduction. Now it will be readily seen, that this compulsive 
uniformity in the breadth of ¢arriages has conduced in a great 
measure to the rutting of roads, as every carriage covers the same 
space. By repealing this law, (and the roads beiug universally 
extended in width, there is no reason for its continuance,) and 
regulating the breadth of carriages, those with broad wheels by 
a maximum and minimum, and those with narrow wheels by a 
maximum ouly, an immediate improvement, or rather diminution 
of 
