CONTINENTAL ROADS. 43 



the scholars are fifty in number. These are selected 

 from the Polytechnic School, and receive an allowance 

 of seventy-five francs a month. 



" The roads of France were divided at this time 

 into four classes, according to their importance and 

 the breadth that is given to them. The first class 

 comprised the great roads which traverse the whole of 

 France, from Paris to the principal cities and the 

 ports ; the second class, the roads between the 

 provinces and principal cities ; the third class, the 

 roads between the principal towns in the same 

 province and the neighbouring provinces ; and the 

 fourth class, the roads between small towns and 

 villages. 



'•' By an Order of Council of the 6th of February, 

 1776, the breadth of the first class was fixed at 

 forty-two feet (French) between the fences ; of the 

 second at thirty-six feet ; of the third at thirty feet ; 

 and of the fourth at twenty-four feet. 



'■'The roads have since been divided into three 

 classes, not according to their breadth but their 

 direction." — (Peuchet, p. 458.) All the principal roads 

 of France are under the management of Government. 

 The Department of the Fonts et Chaussees has the 

 care of them. In the year 1836, the sum of ^896,000 

 was granted by the Chambers for maintaining them. 



" Sir Henry ParnelL in his treatise on roads, 

 published in 1838, remarks that, in Spain, the Caminos 

 Reales, or King's Highways, are not numerous, nor 

 are they kept in good repair. Taking Madrid as a 

 point of departure there are two good roads to 

 Burgos ; one passing through Valladolid, and the other 

 through Aranda de Duero. From Burgos, the road is 

 continued by Vittoria and Irun to France. Both 



