ROADS. The subject of this article opens to us so vast a field of inquiry, historical, philosophical, and mechanical, that it is impossible to do justice to its importance within the limits prescribedlo us. To the curious explorer of ancient records, a search into the history of roads, from the earliest ages of antiquity, would repay his utmost labour ; while to the philosopher, it offers ample scope for meditation and reflection : the theorist may speculate on the influence, moral and political, exercised by facility of communication between distant members of the same body-politic ; and the sound reasoner find, in the opening of good roads alone, data on which to base a true estimate of the progress of society.
Roads may be described as both the cause and effect of civilisation : the formation of roads invariably tending to improve the most barbarous district, to evolve its resources, and civilise its people ; while, on the other hand, the internal communications of a country afford the surest proof of her prosperity ; and her roads, the infallible signs, because the certain consequences, of her civilisation. " Let us travel," says the Abbe Rayne], "over all the countries of the earth, and wherever we find no facility of travelling from a city to a town, sr from a village to a hamlet, we may pronounce the people to be barbarians." "The making of roads," observes Sir Henry Parnell, in his admirable Treatise, , in point of is fundamentally essential to bring about the first change that every rude country must undergo, in emerging from a condition of poverty and barbarism." The beneficial effects resulting from an easy communication between different parts of a country, are productive of luxury to the rich, wealth to the merchant, employment to the poor ; by all felt, because by all enjoyed ; and because the conveniences of life, thus brought to the mansion and the cottage, tend naturally to ameliorate the condition of man, and to raise the standard of society. But it is by a comparison between the countries where good roads are plentiful, and those where they are scarcely to be found, that their effects are most vividly illustrated. Let us compare the state of England,--estimated to poems above 20,000 miles of turnpike road, and 100,000 miles of roads not turnpike,—with Ireland, rich in all the elements of commercial greatness, yet wanting the same means of transit and intercourse. Contrast the condition of a district of Ireland before and after the formation of some new roads, as given in Mr. Kelly's evidence before a Committee of the House of Commons:—" At Abbeyfeale and Brosas, above half the congregation at mass, on Sundays, were barefoot and ragged, with small straw hats of their own manufacture, felt hats being worn only by a few. Hundreds, and even thousands of men could be of to work at
sixpence a day, if it had been offered. The condition of the is now very different ; the congregations at the chapels are now as we r clad as in other pads •' the demand for labour is increased, and a spirit of industry is getting forward, since the sew roads became available." Again, on the occasion of some new roads being opened in the year 1824, by Mr. Mount; the eminent engi neer :—" A few years ago, there was hardly a plough, car, or carriage of any kind ; butter, the only produce, was carried to Cork on horseback. There was not one decent public-house, and only one house slated, or plastered, in the village ; the nearest post-office, 30 miles distant. %ice the sew road was made, there were built in three years, upwards of twenty respectable two-story houses, slated and plastered, with good sash windows; a respectable shop, with cloth, hardware, and groceries; a comfortable inn, a postce, bridewell, and a new chapel; a quay, covered with lime-stone for manure, a salt-work, two stores for purchasing oats, and a considerable traffic in linen and yarn." The following passage of Mr. Telford's evidence on the effects of the formation of new roads in the Highlands of Scotland, is well worth transcribing :—" The moral habits of the great mass of the working class are changed. They see they can depend on their own exertions for support. This goes on silently, and is scarcely per ceived until apparent by their results. I consider these improvements one of the greatest blessings ever conferred on any country. About 200,0001. has been expended in fifteen years. It has been the means of advancing the country at least ' a hundred years.' " Extracts, like the above, might be multiplied almost infinitely, were it necessary to adduce proofs of the advantages and influence of roads. In this day of enhghtennaeut, it is, however, we are persuaded, a work of supererogation ; and we doubt not that the hearts of our readers will cordially respond to the following sentiment, as embodying all that can be wished on the subject :—" Next to the genial influence of the seasons, upon which the regular supply of our wants, and a great portion of our comfort, so much depends, there is perhaps no circumstance more interesting to men, in a civilised state, than the perfection of the means of interior comthunication." In treating on this important subject, we propose to adop the following arrangement :— First. A slight sketch of the history of roads.