Are you of opinion that any benefit arises from those broad-wheeled waggons, which would justify their total exemption from tolls?—None at all. Does the answer you have given to the Committee relative to the effect of great weights, apply equally to roads made with gravel, as well as broken stone?—I mean it to apply to all well-made roads, whether of gravel or of other materials. You mean after the road is smooth and solid?—Yes. But with regard to a new road, are you not of opinion that the materials are crushed and worn out by a great weight?—Yes; no doubt that is so on a new-made road, and one of those waggons with the wheels made conical, would crush a greater proportion of stone than it ought to do. Do you not conceive that the state of the turnpike roads would be improved by not allowing any waggons to carry more weight than four ton?—I don’t know that that would make any great difference, under good management. I think the defect lies in a want of science in road-making. _Martis, 9° die Martii, 1819._ _John Loudon MᶜAdam_, Esquire, called in; and Examined. In your evidence last week, you stated that less improvement had taken place in the roads in the neighbourhood of London than in any other district, to what causes do you attribute this circumstance?—I consider the principal cause to be the small extent of the trusts, and the peculiar situation of London, which increases the bad effects of the division into very small trusts. What are the particulars of the situation to which you allude?—The situation of most of the roads near London is very low, difficult to be kept free from water, the traffic is very great both in weight and number, and therefore requiring more skill, as well as more care and attention, than the other roads of the kingdom; the material found near London for making the roads is gravel of a very bad quality, it is mixed with an adhesive loam that cannot be separated from the gravel, except by the united power of water and friction; this operation cannot be effectually performed before laying it on the roads, but is done by the rain and the traffic, producing a stiff mud, which is not only in itself an impediment to travelling, but has the effect of keeping the roads loose; the form of the gravel is also unfavorable, being smooth round masses of flint, without any angles by which the parts might unite. On the other hand, London is placed in a situation peculiarly convenient for being supplied with materials from a distance, by water carriage. The materials that may be so procured are of the very best description, and, under the sanction of parliament, may be procured on very moderate terms. The Thames furnishes gravel of a very good quality and quite clean; by using this gravel, the navigation of the river will be improved; the several canals, the Surrey, the Grand Junction, Paddington, and river Lea navigation, present facilities for procuring