286 HIGHWAYS 



Surveyors were not appointed for their skill, but were compelled to 

 serve against their will. The experience Avhich they gained in their 

 twelve months' service was wasted by their retirement at the end of 

 the year when their successors were appointed. Already in France, 

 Pierre de Tresaguet (1716-74) had set an example to European 

 countries, laid down the principles of the construction of broken- 

 stone roads, organised his corps of day-labourers, and substituted 

 the principle of continuous upkeep for that of periodic repair. 

 Already both Ireland and Scotland had gained a lead over England 

 in the matter of road improvement. In Ireland statute labour was 

 abolished in 1765, 1 and road-making entrusted to the County Grand 

 Juries. Arthur Young says that before the Act was passed, Irish 

 roads, " like those of England, remained impassable under the 

 miserable police of the six days' labour ; . . . now the effect in all 

 parts of the Kingdom is so great, that I found it perfectly practicable 

 to travel upon wheels by a map. I will go here, I will go there ; I 

 could trace a route upon paper as wild as fancy could dictate ; 

 and everywhere I found beautiful roads, without break or hindrance, 

 to enable me to realise my design." 2 In Scotland, in 1803, Com- 

 missioners were appointed for making roads in the Highlands. 

 The expense was defrayed in equal portions by grants from Parlia- 

 ment and local contributions ; the assistance of Telford was secured, 

 and more than 900 miles of good roads were constructed. 



England, however, still lagged behind. Various alterations in the 

 law were proposed and discussed. It was suggested that the labour 

 service should be commuted for a money payment, and that, even 

 if only a quarter of the equivalent were obtained in money, the roads 

 would gain. On the other hand, it was said that commutation 

 would be certainly unpopular with farmers, who would regard the 

 pecuniary li ability as a new tax. It was urged that large districts 

 should be formed by uniting a number of parishes ; that surveyors 

 should be appointed for their knowledge of road-making, and should 

 be paid salaries ; or that, as Mace had suggested in 1675, " daymen " 

 should be continuously employed upon the roads at weekly wages. 

 It was not, however, till twenty years after the peace of 1815 that 

 any substantial legislative changes were made. Before that time 

 the science and practice, as well as the expense, of road-making and 

 repair had made considerable advance. From 1811 onwards 

 Parliamentary Committees sat almost continuously to hear evidence 



1 Irish Acts, 5 Geo. III. c. 14. a Tour in Ireland, part ii. p. 40. 



