All other branches of the public revenue are defended by the station and character of the persons, under whose care they are placed. The Legislature and the Government have wisely considered it important (with a view to economy) to purchase talents, and station, as a protection for every branch of the public expenditure; but in the case of the Roads they have miscalculated the power and effect of the controlling and directing authority. A proper comparison has not been made of the duties, or of the effect of the exertions of a body composed of unpaid and unresponsible individuals, like the road Commissioners, and those of bodies composed of Boards of Commissioners, in the pay, and responsible to the Government for the due administration of the trust reposed in them: having also proper officers equally responsible as themselves to act under their directions. The state of the public roads, the alarming amount of an increasing debt, the loose and neglected state of the accounts of the several Trusts, are the best proofs of the defects of the system, and of its comparative inefficiency. The returns made to Parliament by the several Trusts in the kingdom (defective as they are) afford matter for serious reflection. England alone, is divided into 955 little Trusts which may be considered, in fact, as hostile to each other; while it is evident that unity of action is of vital importance among Commissioners of the same branch of the public service, for effecting the great object of their appointment. While therefore each of those small communities is liable to be biassed by individual interest or feeling, it will hardly be deemed inexpedient to recommend some central control over the District Commissioners, that may have the effect of regulating the eccentricity of their measures, as well as giving their views, in many instances, a better direction. This central control will be most beneficially established in each county, under such regulations, and with such powers as the wisdom of Parliament may deem most effectual. A General Road Act must, in order to adapt itself to the exigences of the times, embrace a comprehensive view of the subject: and effectually remedy all the great evils which have originated in the weakness of the system, and have been allowed to grow up, through a want of attention to the altered state of the commerce, agriculture, manufactures, and general interests of the kingdom. Until the Legislature shall be pleased to enter into a serious consideration of the subject, no general and useful amendment can take place. The great debt, (exceeding at this moment Seven Millions,) will continue to increase, and improvement will still be impeded by obstacles not removeable by any other power except the authority of Parliament. PREFACE TO THE SEVENTH EDITION.