THE ROAD. 
country, as it has long been administered by the late 
Sir Francis Freeling ; although we feared in this, as in 
more important matters, we were about to loose sight of 
the good old rule of "letting well alone." It was said 
to have been the intention of Government to substitute 
light carriages with two horses, for the present mail- 
coaches drawn by four ; but we had many suspicions as 
to the result of such a change. It is true, the persons 
that horse the mails cry out lustily against the Govern- 
ment for not remunerating them better for the increased 
speed at which they are now required to travel the 
maximum price being ten-pence a mile. Indeed, several 
proprietors have, in consequence of their losses, taken 
their horses off some of the mails ; and others would 
refuse fresh contracts, unless more liberal terms were 
offered them. The Chester has already disappeared. 
These complaints have, no doubt, been troublesome 
and, in some cases, perhaps, not quite reasonable ; but 
we will state our reasons for thinking the present system 
cannot be improved upon. 
First, the build of the mails is admirable for endur- 
ance. Why do we often hear of axletrees and other 
parts giving way with stage-coaches, and scarcely ever 
in the mails ? Simply because the sustaining powers of 
the latter are more than equal to the weight, and they 
cannot lose their wheels. Moreover, they are excellently 
adapted for quick travelling ; the centre of gravity being 
low and now still lower in those furnished by the new 
contractor, the term of Mr. Vidler's contract having 
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