272 TIMEHRI. 
that the want of unanimity amongst the colonists pre- 
vented being carried into effe€t works of improvement, 
and indeed it has happened that a petition for a Canal 
has been followed in a few weeks by a petition against if, 
and both with the same signatures. 
But this is not surprizing. Individuals with their own 
interests in view are the worst judges of works of public 
utility, and it is the province of Governors and Govern- 
ments to serve their country even against its will. 
This principle with regard to public works is unim- 
peachable, for opposition dies with the experience of the 
benefit resulting,—and had it not been the principle of 
the earlier Governments, Demerara would still have been 
a waste of waters, It is said that before there were any 
public roads of consequence, a Field Piece with a Com- 
pany of Artillery were sent from Stabroek to Mahaica, a 
distance of 25 miles, with orders to make free quarters 
on every estate till a road was made through it praéti- 
cable for the Artillery. The road has been excellent ever 
since, and the French or Dutch Governor with whom 
this device originated has done more for the Colony than 
any succeeding British Governor has done after him. 
What renders this sluggishness most unaccountable 
is, that there is at this moment a sum of money in the 
British Funds belonging to the colony, the simple inter- 
est of which would be adequate to the annual expendi- 
ture required for such public works as were necessary 
without any additional taxation. It is equally a faét that 
the Legislature are absolutely at a loss to find out to 
what purposes this funded property is applicable. 
These observations under the head of drainage may 
appear irrelevant, but the faét is that they are as inti- 
