Page:Remarks on the Present System of Road Making (1823).djvu/153

 In the last year, a sum equal to nearly five times that of the preceding year, has been paid into the 5 per cent. fund.

A floating debt, which did not appear in the printed annual account of last year, but which amounted to about 1,400l. has been paid off. The balances of treasurer's accounts, which last year showed the trust to be indebted on the whole to the treasurer 356l. are now so much on the other side, that your treasurers have on the whole account a balance in hand of 614l. and this balance is efficient, because the floating debt is now reduced to the smallest sum possible, under the circumstances of a business so extended. In addition to which, I have to congratulate the commissioners on a reduction of the principal debt in the sum of 729l. 10s. 3d. and that turnpike tickets, which were at a discount, are now in demand at par. (Signed)     John Loudon M'Adam.

8th March 1819.

The foregoing is a true copy from the book of proceedings of the trustees of the Bristol turnpike roads.

Osborne & Ward, Clerks.

Report of Mr. John Loudon M'Adam, to a General Meeting of Commissioners, 1st June 1818.

Bristol Office of Roads, 1st June, 1818.

Since I had the honour to report to the commissioners, in June 1817, the business of the roads has gone on successfully, and they have been kept in invariably good repair under the present system of management, notwithstanding the roads having been tried by all vicissitudes of the most unfavourable seasons ever known.

Several valuable improvements have also been effected in different parts of the district; the very promising state of the