kOADS AXJ» I'vAILAVAYS. 45 



nine miles in lengtli, iVuni St. John's to Portugal Cove, on the 

 southern shore of Conception Bay. On the opposite shore of this 

 bay Avere the thriving towns of Harbour Grace, Caibonear and 

 Brigus, the centres of a considerable population. By establish- 

 ing a regular system of boats to cross this bay, carrying mail* 

 and passengers, a route was established Ity which nearly half the 

 population then living in the country were provided with a rough 

 means of comuiunication. To Sir Thomas Cochi-ane, Governoi-, 

 belongs the honour of introducing this essential step in civiliza- 

 tion. He also constructed a road to Torbay, a village north of 

 St. John's ; and a third along a beautiful valley through which 

 Hows a small stream falling into St. John's harbour, to a spot 

 now called Waterford Bridge. This beginning of road-making 

 took place only 69 years ago, liut the progress made since has 

 been remarkable. Year after year roads radiating from St. 

 John's in several directions were built, along which farms and 

 neat farm-houses soon became visible. One of these roads ex- 

 tended first to Topsail on Conception Bay, thence to Holyrood at 

 the head of the bay, and onward to Salnionier, St. Mary's and 

 Placentia. Efforts were made by the more distant settlements to 

 connect themselves with each other by roads, though often of 

 a very rcngli description, and to establish means of connnunica- 

 tion with the capital. When Representative Government was 

 established in 1832, an annual grant Avas voted for making and 

 repairing roads and bridges ; and of late years over 0150,000 per 

 annum, have been devoted to this purpose. The Great Northern 

 Mail road, for establishing communication with the people of the 

 northern bays, was projected and commenced. At present there 

 are about 1,000 miles of postal roads, and over 2,000 miles of 

 district roads. 



THOUGHT WIDKXING. 



Road-making, witliout wliich no country can advance or make 

 progress in other arts or in social life, though of late introduc- 

 tion, has had a most important civilizing influence in this Colony. 

 Still these roads only connected the fishing towns and settle- 

 ments on the coast, and hail little effect in opening up the good 



