_The Special Expenditure due to Forest: Roads which Skirt Woodlands: Roads which have been Deflected by Forest: Proximity of Material as a Final Main Cause Modifying the Trajectory of a Road: Cost of Transporting Material and its Effects in Ancient and Modern Times_ 47 CHAPTER V Political Influences _The Factor of Cost Resulting in the “Strangling of Communication”: Congestion which leads to decay: A Great Modern Problem: The Compulsory Acquisition of Land: Old Roads Serving New Objects_ 56 CHAPTER VI The Reaction of the Road _The Physical Effects of Roads: The Way in Which the Road Compels Communication to follow it: The Formation of Urban Centres and the Urban Habit: The Spread of Ideas by Means of Roads: History Deflected by the Deflection of the Road: The Example of Shrewsbury and Chester: Towns which are Maintained by Roads: The Road in Military History: Results of the Decay of Roads: The Road as a Boundary_ 63 § II THE ENGLISH ROAD CHAPTER VII The Road in History _Through the Dim Ages: The Characteristics of the English Road: Absence of Plan: A Local instead of a National System Leading to the Present Crisis_ 81 CHAPTER VIII The “Blindness” of English Roads _The Two Causes Governing the Development of English Roads--Waterways and Domestic Peace: The Relation of the English Road to Military Strategy_ 92 CHAPTER IX Five Stages _The “Potential” in Political Geography Examples: The Primitive Trackways: The Roman Road System: The Earlier Mediaeval Period: The Later Mediaeval Period: The Turnpike Era_ 107 CHAPTER X The Trackways _The Three Divisions of the British Pre-Roman Road System--the System of which Salisbury Plain was the “Hub”: The System Connected with London: Cross-Country Communications--The Three Factors which Have Determined Travel in Britain_ 116 CHAPTER XI The Making of the Roman Road _The Great Initiative: The Mark of the Roman Military Engineer: The Theory and Practice of the Straight Line: Modifications of the Straight Line: How it was Carried Out: The Method of Odds and Evens_ 133 CHAPTER XII The Dark Ages _The Decline of the Roman Road: The Period at its Occurrence: Gaps: Roman Roads which Fell into Disuse: The Relationship of the Modern to the Roman System: Watling Street: Stane Street: The Short Cut Between Penkridge and Chester: Peddars Way: The Coming of the New Civilization in the Twelfth Century_ 147 CHAPTER XIII Wheeled Traffic and the Modern Road