Construction, Cost, Repair, and Management. 
389 
may now be called the science of road-making, than that the first 
effectual step towards general improvement must be the emploj- 
inent of persons of superior ability and experience as superin- 
lending surveyors. The duties of surveyor demand suitable 
education and talents ; and some skill in the science of an 
engineer should also be regarded as a valuable qualification. 
These qualifications must be fairly remunerated ; and it is 
evident that the limited extent of the funds of trusts in general 
do not afford the means of paying to such an officer an ade- 
quate salary. The difficulty might, in many instances, be 
obviated by voluntary associations ; but when the system is 
wished to be universal, it ought not to be left to so precarious 
a dependence." 
The Highway Act of the present reign, sanctioning the for- 
mation of highway districts, allows a sufficient length of road to 
be brought under one jurisdiction to warrant the employment of 
a regularly qualified and paid officer. Thus, while ensuring 
uniformity of management, economy is effected, yet the mixed 
composition of the Board prevents a parsimonious expenditure 
of the funds. 
The desirability of forming several parishes Into districts for 
road purposes has been admitted by all the committees which 
have reported on the subject for the last thirty or forty years. 
The select committee of 1838, in their report, recommended, 
" That the formation of parishes into districts should be com- 
pulsory," and that " they should be co-extensive with the district 
formed under the direction of the Poor Law Commissioners." 
They also recommended that the Board of Guardians should 
constitute the Board to direct the repairs of the highways, " inas- 
much as under the Board of Guardians there already existed an 
establishment of skilful and responsible paid officers, who act as 
clerks, auditors, and treasurers, which, at a very trifling increase 
of expense — ^if any — could be made applicable " to the manage- 
ment of roads. 
Cost of Maintenance. 
From the Report of the Commissioners for inquiring into the 
State of the Roads in England and Wales, made to Parliament 
in 1840, it appears that the length of highways then in existence 
was 104,770 miles, in addition to 22,000 miles of turnpikes. 
The average expense of maintaining the highways at that time 
was 111. 3s. per mile, and of the turnpikes 45Z. per mile. Since 
then, 348 districts, containing 59,808 miles of roads, have been 
formed under the Acts 25 and 26 Vict., and 27 and 28 Vict. ; 
VOL. XII. — S. S. 2d 
