Transcriber’s Notes: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_), and text enclosed by equal signs is in bold (=bold=). Additional Transcriber’s Notes are at the end. * * * * * THE ROAD * * * * * Profit, Conveniency, and Pleasure, to the whole Nation. Being a short Rational Discourse, lately presented to His Majesty, Concerning the High-ways of ENGLAND: Their _Badness_, the _Causes_ thereof, the _Reasons_ of those _Causes_, the impossibility of ever having them _Well-mended_ according to the _Old way_ of _mending_. But may most certainly be done, and for ever so maintained (according to _This New way_) substantially, and with very much _Ease_. And so, That in the very depth of _Winter_ there shall not be much _Dirt_, no _Deep-Cart-rutts_, or _High-ridges_; no _Holes_, or _Uneven Places_; nor so much as a _loose stone_ (the very Worst of Evils both to Man and Horse) in any of the _Horse-Tracts_. Nor shall any Person have cause to be once put out of his way in any hundred of miles Riding. _To mend_ High-ways, _loe Here the way is shewn, No better way than This, shall e’re be known: A Firm and Certain way, of no great Cost, In all wayes else their Labour’s wholly lost. The Old way ne’re could do’t, ’twas meer Deceit, As may be prov’d, it was a very_ Cheat. Printed for a Publick good in the Year 1675. AN OLD TITLE PAGE showing the antiquity of the Road Problem * * * * * THE ROAD _By_ HILAIRE BELLOC _Printed & Published for_ THE BRITISH REINFORCED CONCRETE ENGINEERING CO. LTD. _By_ CHARLES W. HOBSON, St. James’s Sq., MANCHESTER 1923 THE CONTENTS § I THE ROAD IN GENERAL _Page_ CHAPTER I The Origin of Roads _How Did the Road Come into Existence: The Experimental or the Scientific Method: The Haphazard Road: The Case for Design in Road Construction_ 3 CHAPTER II The Crossing of Marsh and Water _Physical Factors Modifying the Formula of the Road: Marsh as the Chief Obstacle to Travel: The Political Results of Marshes: The Crossing of Water Courses: The Origin of the Bridge: The Effect of Bridges upon Roads: The Creation of a Nodal Point: The Function of the Nodal Point in History_ 13 CHAPTER III Passability _The Choice of Soils: Following the Gravel or the Chalk: Conditions in the South and East: The Obstacle of Gradient: The Early Vogue of Steep Gradients: “The Other Side of the Hill”: The Modern Importance of Gradient: Passes or Gaps in Hill Country_ 33 CHAPTER IV The Obstacle of Vegetation