( 10 ) 
fe Q ding the railways; these came after and it was 
not until after federalization in 1895 that our rulers 
began to think of the main trunk roads and through 
railway communication which we enjoy to-day. 
With the advent of motors in 1902, a systematic 
overhaul of the roads of Malaya was instituted and 
large sums were spent annually on road improve- 
ments; temporary bridges were substituted by 
permanent ones, roads were widened, deviations 
made to avoid bad curves and incidentally reduce 
the mileage, blind corners were cut back, and in 
many cases the whole bearing surface of the road 
was reconstructed with proper foundations and top 
metalling as seen at the present day. 
The standard aimed at for country roads is a 
1 6 feet metalled surface composed of a bottom layer 
6 inches thick of large stones hand packed and 
consolidated, over which is laid some 4 inches of 
metal broken to a 2 ins. or 2 1 /?, ins. gauge, the whole 
after consolidation, being not less than 8 ins. in 
thickness and laid upon a formation 22 feet in width 
between drains, no gradient to exceed 1 in 40 unless 
in mountainous districts, and if possible to be reduced 
to 1 in 60, and no bend to be so sharp that it will 
not afford the traveller a view of the road for, at 
least, 2 or 3 chains in front of him. 
All roads are marked with mile, half mile and 
quarter mile posts, the mileage being taken from 
the capital of each State. 
Construction of roads is, in the main, carried 
out by Chinese Labour; Maintenance of metalled 
surfaces being performed by Tamils who are com- 
fortably housed on selected sites convenient to their 
work. 
