The Sun.
London, England, 1822-01-17 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR, OF TILE SUN.

" Desch in -Artsl Arais claims Public Honour."
Sin.—The natural progress of mechanical arts is from rude-
ness to convenience, and from conveniencto comfort and neat-
ness. The first labour is the work'of necessity ; and, it is pleas.

ing to contemplate the progressive improvement of any manual

art, by the successive exertions of innumerable minds, from less
to greater degrees of perfection. The burst of intelligence
which the last half century has diffused over the civilized world,

has revealed to us farts before unknown, and taught us a more

advantageous application of others. But while we have been
improving the state of our agriculture, extending our manufac-
tures, and by canals uniting distant seas for the extension of
our commerce, there hasibeen one science unaccountably over-
looked or neglected, on which the individual intercourse of
mankind, and the internal prosperitylof kingdoms, very mate-
rially depend. The science to which , I allude is that of Road
Making. When Columbus discovered a new world, he Saw
nothing to which he could so much impute the superiority in
arts and arms, which he found among the Peruvians over their
Mexican countrymen, as to this branch of knowledge. The
Romans have left vestiges of the importance they attached to
the science, in the roads we find in many parts of Britain. Till
the military road opened a communication to the Highlands in
the last century, the Sovereign had neither the command of his
subjects in that remote part of our island, nor they the protec-
tion of his laws. The late Ruler of France, when lapse of
years permits us to view his actions unobscured by the mists of
prejudice and party feeling, will be acknowledged as the bene-
factor of mankind, in having more closely united the two most
beautiful countries in Europe, by opening the new route over
the Simplon. _ _

The advantages of road-makingbeing admitted, the apothegm
of the philosopher naturally occurs, "'Whatever is worth doing-
at all, is worth doing well ;" and I think fbw persons can be
found who will question the point, that till within a very few
years this. science 'has not been attended to according to its pri-
vate and public importance. While we have solicitously re-
garded the formation and mechanism of our carriages, and la-
boured to expedite their loco-motion, by endeavouring to im-
prove the breed of our horses, we have unaccountably neglected
the roads by which they were to travel. The very improvements
which have taken place I am almost tempted to ascribe to ne-
cessity, when the termination-of the war discharged upon the
country a superfluity of hands for labour ; as 'these could neither
be employed by the manufacturer, nor paid by the agriculturist,
employment on the roads became a " Bernier resort." By these
means much has been done, and much is now doing, to 'facili-
tate the internal communication of the country. 1 nave been
engaged for nearly 30 years as a Surveyor of private and pub-
lic roads; and as the columns of your valuable paper are al-
ways open to every thing connected with national improvement,
I take the liberty ofstatiug the results of my experience through
your journal to the public.
The first scene of my operations in this line was the making
and maintaining an Act of Parliament road, of which I was the
Surveyor and Treasurer. -- Though 1 bestowed upon it my best
attention, and employed the most experienced workmen the
neighbourhood at that time -afforded, -at the end of about nine
years my success was not at all 'adequate to my wishes or ex-
pectations. I was at that time, 1 may now be allowed to say,
'a novice in the science, and being dissatisfied with the method
I.had hitherto practised myself, and every method I had seen,
I determined to adopt a new system of ray own. On that
-.system I have since invariably a.ted; and I beg leave to lay
before you the process, because the state of my roads-and ex-
penditure prove that my efforts have been crowned with Coma
plete success.
In the first place, I view the whole length of the road I have
to improve: I observe its form and breadth,. and what materials
have been used; whether they have been TOllo'4l or small broken;
and what conduits may be required to free the road from water.
When these observations hays been attended to, I commence
my improvements by employing men who have been my work-
men for a considerable tune, and are become 'masters of their
business. These persons I furnish with proper hammers, picks,
rakes,, scrapers, shovels, and wheel-barrows ; for the making of
which implements 1 have impraved models of my own, but
'which .I cannot now describe without engrossing too large as
portion of your valuable paper. After having cleared the road
of water as much as possible, I proceed to hack up the whole
breadth of the road, where it appears necessary, endeavouring
carefully to rake off every stone, the cubic side or surface of
Which exceeds l inches. The road is levelled as Igo on, and
at the same time I have men employed in breaking the large
stones, which have been raked oft, to the above dimensions : as
many of these- as the circumstances of the road may require are
replaced upon It. This part of the business requires a proper
shovel, and a skilful operator with an accurate eye, where such
can be met with. I have generally found it most advantageous
to repeat the cover sparingly for two or three times, till the road
appears sufficient; the surplus stones being left _unbroken, in
proper places and at proper distances, for further contingencies.
In repairing old roads which have been-made with half-broken
stones, according to this system, the whole expence consists in
the laboUr : there is neither quarry-work nor carting, and it
frequently happens that on roads which were so bad as to be
almost impassable before they were lifted, a larger quantity Of
stones are found than are requisite for • the present use of the
roads : in some cases they are fully equal ao half the expellee of
labour. ‘l'hen the road is thus made, I pay the greatest atten-
tion to scratching down the ruts, and keeping the road perfectly
level, till the whole becomes like a smooth cement, and capable
of bearing almost any weight. I have never acted -as Surveyor
of any road which required a greater depth than from five to six
inches of blue limestone, (as circumstances require) ; the Mate-
rial to which I have been most accustomed, and to which 1 give
the preference. - Sometimes, however, from propinquity cf ma-
terials; or other causes, I have made roads of rough- gravel with
equal success—always carefully breaking down the large stones
to the dimensions I have before mentioned, or nearly so. •
Along with other improvements, I have not neglected ao
study the form of roads, and should generally give it as my
opinion, that they ought to vary according to the quality of the
materials. If the road is constructed of hard stones, I should
prefer it nearly level; if softer and less durable Materials have
been used, the centre of the road requires a greater elevation%
but at all events it ought to be so formed as to pass the water,
which if suffered to remain and stagnate upon the surface would
infallibly do much damage. i.
-
I confess myself in direct opposition to the method which
many -Surveyors recommend and practice;—that of forming
the substratum of their road of large stones, reducing them gra-
dually, and crowning it with stones of proper size. Here lam
a Radical Reformer, and recommend that the read throughout
should be of the same material and the same size ; as 1 think
the contrary system equally inexpedient, whether die tor/ is on
a soft or hard bottom. 1 would also beg leave to recommend
to the Surveyors of both public and private roads, Where cir-
cumstances. require, or will admit it, to remove the gutters of
the road, and give them their course on the field side of the
hedge. This will in many situations be found a material im-
provement, and enable them to widen their roads to suit their
purposes, where the lanes are narrow.
Such is the system I have new followed for many years with
complete success. But though the enlightened and the liberal
approve my plan. and have-for some years surveyed the results
or my labours with approbation, such is theitifluence of preju-
dice and ignorance, that I see many. Surveyors still stumbling
on in the ways of error.. 'When I see their lanes full of excel-
lent materials thrown together like a remnant of chaos, without
order, symmetry, or effect, they remind me of at rs. Bountiful,
it neighbouring farmer's wife's Christmas suppers, when, amidat
a profuSion of excellent viands, . and on a tablegroaning with
plenty, all harmony arid comfort are, destroyed by the want of
the " Mons divinior ' to direct the culinary operations.
When any man has been so ingenious or fortunate as to
-strike ant any new light in science, las the discovery of Harri-
son's Time-piece, or Jenner's Vaccination, 1 consider it as'
much a matter of policy as of duty in the Government of his
country to reward hint • but when the ouestion is the advance-
ment of any art with which many-are already' acquainted, it is
not who can do it, Wit who can do it best and cheapest. Ido
think it was bad policy on the part of the Executive to reward
any man with £4OOO for a discovery, which was no discovery to
many. Would it not have been 'moreadvantageous nationally,
as well as fairer to the individuals concerned, to propose a
premium for the best and roost explanatory Essay on the sub-
ject of making and improving roads ; to invite as many.com-
petitors as possible, and to reward diem according to their re-
spective deserts ? With the, successful geatteman I have no
quarrel: I consider him a good road-rnaltee ; but froth his sys-
tem I have not been able to glean one hint which I had not
practised before he probably ever thought upon the subject. I
cannot; therefore, but think he stole a march' upon the public :
it is the principle and not the man I should wish to arraign, as
"deter dignissimo" has ever been and-ever shall be my motto
and maxim.

I am, Sir, your most obedient Servant,
JAMES KITCHING.
Rokeby, near Greta Bridge, Jan. 1, 1822-.