506 An Account of a Scheme 



It is a great hardship upon the inhabitants in any 

 country to be obliged to leave their own domestic 

 affairs, and turn out with their cattle and servants, when 

 called upon, to work upon the public roads ; but this 

 was peculiarly grievous in Bavaria, where labourers 

 are so scarce that the farmers are frequently obliged 

 to leave a great part of their grounds uncultivated for 

 want of hands. 



My plan was to measure all the public roads from the 

 capital cities in the Elector's dominions to the frontiers, 

 and all cross country roads ; placing mile-stones regu- 

 larly numbered upon each road, at regular distances of 

 one hour, or half a German mile from each other ; to 

 divide each road into as many stations as it contained 

 mile-stones, each station extending from one mile-stone 

 to another ; and to erect in the middle of each station, 

 by the roadside, a small house, with stabling for three 

 or four horses, and with a small garden adjoining to it ; 

 to place in each of these houses a small detachment of 

 cavalry of three or four men ; a soldier on furlough, em- 

 ployed to take care of the road and keep it in repair 

 within the limits of the station ; an invalid soldier to 

 take care of the house, and to receive orders and mes- 

 sages in the absence of the others, to take care of the 

 garden, to provide provisions, and cook for the family. 



If any of the soldiers should happen to be married, 

 his wife might have been allowed to lodge in the house, 

 upon condition of her assisting the invalid soldier in 

 this service ; or a pensioned soldier's widow might have 

 been employed for the same purpose. 



To preserve order and discipline in these establish- 

 ments, it was proposed to employ active and intelligent 

 non-commissioned officers as overseers of the highways, 



