Remarks on the Present System of Road Making: With Observations, Deduced from Practice and Experience, With a View to a Revision of the Existing Laws, and the Introduction of Improvement in the Method of Making, Repairing, and Preserving Roads, and Defending the Road Funds from Misapplication. Seventh Edition, Carefully Revised, With an Appendix, and Report from the Select Committee of the House of Commons, June 1823, with Extracts from the EvidenceMcAdam, John Loudon
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Remarks on the Present System of Road Making: With Observations, Deduced from Practice and Experience, With a View to a Revision of the Existing Laws, and the Introduction of Improvement in the Method of Making, Repairing, and Preserving Roads, and Defending the Road Funds from Misapplication. Seventh Edition, Carefully Revised, With an Appendix, and Report from the Select Committee of the House of Commons, June 1823, with Extracts from the Evidence
McAdam, John Loudon
Macadam roads; Roads -- Great Britain
Can you state to the Committee the probable future expense of keeping
these roads in repair, after they have once been put into good order, as
compared with the annual outgoings under the old management?—I am of
opinion that the expense of maintaining these roads in good condition
will be considerably less than the former expenditure; for the reason,
that the better a road is, the less the wear; and that there will be a
less quantity of materials required, when properly prepared, than were
formerly used, when they were brought to the road in a very foul and
improper state.
Can you state generally, whether the proportion of labour, materials and
cartage that you have described upon the Epsom trust, agrees with the
same proportion upon the other roads under your management?—On some of
the other roads, the proportion of labour to cartage will be found
greater than upon the Epsom road. At Cheshunt, in five months, during
which the roads have been put into good repair, I have expended the sum
of 800_l._ forty of which alone was paid for cartage. Upon the
Wades-mill trust, out of 600_l._ expended, not a sixpence was paid for
cartage. Upon the Royston roads, where I have spent 500_l._ not any of
it was paid for cartage. Upon the Huntingdon roads, I have spent 20_l._
a week, the whole of which has been paid in labour. At Reading, during
eight months, 500_l._ were laid out, 400_l._ of which were paid for
labour.
Is it your opinion, that the proportion of labour, wages, and cartage,
is likely to continue the same, in the future reparation of the roads?—I
am of opinion they will; because there will be an increase of labour, in
the preparation of the materials, previous to their being brought to the
road; and also in the formation of the road after they are laid on. By a
more careful and proper preparation of the materials, a much less
quantity will be required to uphold the roads than formerly; I am,
therefore, of opinion, that the proportion of labour to cartage will
continue the same.
It appears, by your answer to a former question, that the expense of
cartage has been much diminished, owing to your making use of the
materials of the old road; will not the proportionate expense of cartage
for future years be increased in consequence of your no longer having
the resource of breaking up the roads, but being obliged to repair them
with fresh materials?—In some degree it certainly would.
In what way is the statute labour at present performed upon these
roads?—Upon two of the trusts only, the Royston road and the Huntingdon
road, I have had occasion to avail myself of any statute labour; the
fund upon the other trusts being more than sufficient to uphold the
roads without having recourse to statute labour. Upon these two trusts I
have derived some small advantage from statute labour.
_Colonel Charles Brown_, called in; and Examined.
Are you one of the commissioners of the turnpike road upon the Cheshunt
trust?—I am.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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