IHE STAGE- WAGGONS 117 



three strangers drew their swords, and, being 

 joined by their servants, bloodshed seemed immi- 

 nent, when the landlord, interposing, offered to 

 part with his own dinner, for the sake of peace," 

 which proposal was accepted, and all ended 

 happily. 



Such was the picture of travel by stage-waggon 

 it was possible to present to the public in 1748 as 

 a reasonably accurate transcript of road-life. 



It was at that time the usual practice among 

 a party of travellers by waggon to elect a chair- 

 man on setting out. The one thus set above his 

 fellows arranged with the waggoner where they 

 were to halt during the day, settled with the inn- 

 keepers an inclusive charge for meals and accom- 

 modation, and was treasurer, paymaster, umpire, 

 and general referee in all disputes. Thus was the 

 ancient original idea of government in larger com- 

 munities — government solely for the welfare of the 

 community itself —reproduced in these poor folk. 



The gradual replacement of the pack-horses 

 by heavy waggons began on the most frequented 

 roads about the third decade of the eis-hteenth 

 century. Twelve Turnpike Acts for the improve- 

 ment of local roads had been passed in the ten 

 years between 1700 and 1710. They increased 

 by seventy-one in the next ten years, and no 

 fewer than two hundred and forty-five came into 

 existence between 1730 and 1760, followed from 

 1760 to 1770 by a hundred and seventy-five more. 

 The great number of five hundred and thirty Acts 

 in seventy-five years shows both the crying needs 



