Page:Remarks on the Present System of Road Making (1823).djvu/256



(B.)

MEMORANDUM of Mr. Johnson, respecting the Roads under Mr. M'Adam's superintendence.

As I travel rapidly over great distances, and my attention is usually much occupied with the immediate business of the office, I cannot speak with accuracy about particular and local alterations. But I feel myself well warranted in stating, that whenever I have found any thing done under Mr. M'Adam's immediate direction, or by his pupils, or even in imitation of his plan and principles, the improvement has been most decisive, and the superiority over the common method of repairing roads, most evident; and, as superintendent of mailcoaches, I have abundant reason to wish that Mr. M'Adam's principles were acted upon very generally. If they were, a pace, which in winter or any bad weather cannot be accomplished without difficulty, would become perfectly easy, to say nothing of the comfort and safety of the traveller, and the credit to humanity in lessening the hard labour of the animals. I may add, that although so much has been accomplished, the postmaster general could still expedite the conveyance of the mails, and bring the arrangements of the posts nearer to perfection, if the roads were universally as much improved as the practice of Mr. M'Adam's plan would effect.

''General Post-office, Dec. 8, 1819.''

P.S. As one instance of the benefit of Mr. M'Adam's im