GENERAL INCREASE OF ASPHALTED ROADS. 201 



on the one hand, and that of roads on the other 

 both of them being within its scope has moved in 

 neither direction. Feeling itself incompetent to treat 

 the opaestion at all, it has maintained a 'masterly 

 inactivity.' The last of the two exponents who thus 

 invoke in such opposite ways the aid of the Society 

 in favour of an animal over which it watches in 

 other matters, sets forth that asphalte makes the 

 best road of all, except for the horses. Yet we are 

 asked to abandon the economies and comforts of this 

 production of modern intelligence, because it would 

 render another improvement necessary, which would 

 bring about as much or more economy and comfort 

 on its part. This is to offer a two-fold opposition to 

 progress. 



Asphalte, however, is not yet suppressed ; nor 

 does it appear likely to be, since we read within the 

 last fortnight that ' the carriage-ways of London 

 Wall, Bucklersbury, Cannon Street, Abchurch Lane, 

 Castle Street (Cripplegate), Trump Street, the north 

 side of St. Paul's Churchyard, Long Lane, Broadway 

 (Blackfriars), and Philpot Lane, are to be forthwith 

 asphalted ' the contracts being signed. 



Science and progress cannot be put down by 

 4 old-fogyism,' however much the latter may retard 

 them. Asphalte will ultimately supersede, in towns, 

 both wood and granite ; and the asphalting com- 

 panies could forward this end to their immense 

 commercial benefit if they had the intelligence to 

 demonstrate that unshod horses would not slip on 

 their productions, by using unshod horses them- 



