2i6 Mr. Estcourt on Wheel Carriages, 



the repair, per mile, of such roads? Probably these facts may be ascertained 

 through the correspondents of the Board; and if the information should be deemed 

 correct, the Board might make any use of it that the occasion might require, or its 

 importance justify. It would be competent to any Member of Parliament to bring 

 the subject under the consideration of the House of Commons, in any way that his 

 prudence should dictate. All that the Board could do on that point would be, 

 probably, to furnish the information for others to act upon. 



If the one horse carts should have, in use, such decisive advantages, both to the 

 roads and to the farmer, as is supposed, there seems to be an obvious way by which 

 they might be gradually introduced into every part of the kingdom, without com- 

 pulsion, and with strict equity to all parties concerned. It will be allowed, I think, 

 that the principle adopted in levying the tolls on turnpike roads, by laying the 

 burden of repair on those who do the injury, is perfectly unexceptionable. The 

 repair of the parochial roads is, we know, done by a tax or duty in kind on the 

 visible property of the parish ; but if the former principle could be made applicable 

 to the parish roads, jointly with the principle now established, of a tax on property, 

 it would be a more equitable process. Suppose a person, rated at ^^o. per ann. 

 was to use one horse carts only, and supposing another, rated at the same sum, 

 was to use a waggon with four horses, and both carried the same weights, or that 

 the carls carried one-third more weight, and it should be proved that the four carts, 

 going each once, or any given number of times over a road, will do less injury by 

 three-fourths than the loaded waggon going the same number of times, it would be 

 perfectly equitable then that the former should be liable to be called upon for only 

 one-fourth part of the same statute duty, or to pay only one-fourth part of the 

 same composition as the latter. The amount of the tax would be in proportion to 

 the injury done, and no one could have room to complain. 



I have, within these few days, stated this proposal to several sensible practical 



farmers, who have frequently acted as surveyors of highways, and they unanimously 



agree in the justice of it, and that if it was carried into effect would have a most 



rapid and salutary effect on the condition of the roads. 



I am. Sir, your most obedient humble servant, 



T. Estcourt. 

 To Sir John Sinclair, Bart. M. P. 



P.B.A.&c. 



Estcourt, May 26, 1806. 



