42 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



will influence their judgment, or induce them to 

 take an enlio^htened and intellicjent view of the 

 situation. 



Among modern nations, France is one of the most 

 distinguished for her early attention to establishing 

 numerous roads. The following account of her roads 

 is taken from Peuchet's " Statistical Account of 

 France ": 



"The origin of our principal roads is generally 

 attributed to Philip Augustus ; it was under his reign, 

 and by his orders, that the city of Paris began to be 

 paved. 



" Sully took great interest in the improvement of 

 the roads. He first introduced the practice of planting- 

 trees on the sides of them, and established regular 

 funds for their repair, Colbert neglected nothing to 

 advance the extension of roads throughout France ; 

 and M. Desmartis, who succeeded him, caused the 

 road from Paris to Orleans to be made. He was the 

 founder of the Corps of Engineers, appointed to 

 superintend the works belonging to the roads. Under 

 the administration of the Duke de Noailles, the roads 

 were improved and carried through the provinces. 



"In 1726, the Department of the Ponts et Chaussees 

 fell into great disorder, and was in want of sufficient 

 funds; but the Director-General, the brother of the 

 celebrated Cardinal Dubois, recommenced the repairs 

 of them, and continued them with great regularity. 



" Under the administration of M. de Trudaine, 

 in 1787, a number of new roads were made. He 

 established the Ecole des Ponts et Chaussees, under 

 M. Perronet, as Chief Engineer, and at his death he 

 left to this school his manuscripts and library. This 

 school is under the Minister of the Home Department; 



