40 THE COACHING AGE. 



in the hands of the creditors, and the parishes would 

 be left to keep them, not in good, but in passable 

 repair. 



Under the institution of Highway Boards, else- 

 where referred to, this has come to pass, with some 

 assistance from the national Exchequer in the case of 

 the main roads. 



In his annual report some four years later, he 

 says : ' Much additional thoroughfare and wear have 

 continued to take place upon the upper portions of 

 the roads in the Metropolis during past years, arising 

 from the great increase in the number of public 

 carriages rendered necessary for the conveyance of the 

 public to and from the several railway stations, and 

 by the extension of buildings in almost every direc- 

 tion along the lines of the several roads. A large 

 addition has therefore taken place in the number 

 of horses kept in London, by which the carriage 

 of hay, straw, corn and green provender, paying only 

 half toll, has been much increased ; and the roads 

 have now to sustain, principally during the winter 

 season, a severe additional and heavy return-carriage 

 of manure which pays no toll, and being principally 

 in narrow-wheeled waggons weighing from six to 

 eight tons, causes the consumption of much material, 

 and the expenditure of much labour.' 



Notwithstanding the vast national benefits derived 



