The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1810-01-24

el in m EngisA coach In France there are ha.t .so
modes of travelling in the diligence, OF p,ibi.sk
stge, more slow, inconvenie,It and dissgreeable
than any thing which you cnn possibly iussgire or
e pesn, thar is to say, WAL post,ho,scs, furnisfed
by postmaster, appointsd BY the government. and
whose whole conduct, fees and every thing applr-
tainng to the subject, s regulated by Raw which,
together with dt distances between the postAouses,
Is published in book under the authority Of the
government and with which you furnish ycurself at
fhe commencement Of the tour The syatern is ad-
mirabie, and exceedingly convenient for strangers,
and know OF but two faults IN II which require re-
medy. The first is, your beng Obliged 10 pay for
six horses,' when four would suffice. | now pf no
case where four horses woald not be Sufficient, and
in no part of Europe, except France, do they dc
rnand more The second Fault is, that the postmas-
tiers are obliged to furnish any Kind of carriage
The consequence is chat single gentlemans is O.
blged TO purchase hire his carriage for the whole
journey and ii il breaks he is compelled to wait till
II is repaired for il would be as impossible TO pro-
care carriage on the road, as IL would be to mike
one Are al the pubiick roads paved M France, and
are they badly paved A very large portion Of all
the pubIick roads paved al very great expense.
in the original formation CT these roads, they cost
forty eight Thousand iyres for each league, three
English miles, tht is to say, thar three thous
( lid dollars per mile which IS five times much
the turnpike roads cost in Engand They laid
out in the saue te road o,ef Boston
I Neck pavement IN the centre occupy wing about
one third aud the two sides covered with gravel.
The pavement is made Of large square stones laid
very neatly, and when new, II forms most e&cel-,
lent road There is another circumstance in their
roads highly worthy ef imitation; tlcy very gci-
erali, lined with single, and sometimes viii ;:cubie
Of trees, which produce very handsome effect
and contribute TO the pleasure of the uaseer. The
government Of France therefore, entitled 70 great
credit for the noble manner which sher putlick
roads and bridges are constructed, but there
dark shades in the picture. witch love OF truth o.
bliges ,oe 10 give you. III France there are very
few canals, while at the imc.ihe interrtl co'o-
merce is immense. All this commerce Is carried on
by &c ans and So bigoted the French poGsarits
III favour of their ancient ,sages that they continue
to make use of the narrow wheels which were in
two senturies since. The weight OF one OF theIr
loads is usually from three to five tons. When,
therefore, you consider that during he winter season
they are subjected TO perpetual rams. which, falling
upon cayey soil, render their roads extremely soft,
you will not be sstonished that tbelr Pavement is
extremely liable to bs damaged. In order 10 give
YOU some faint idea of the astonishing nurnbe, Of
loaded teams which are perpetually on the road in
France will state to you one fact 80 which p<id
particular attention. Travelling the road 10 o.
leans between, Paris and Bordeaux was so impres-
sed with the number of teams which were constantly
passing, that determined to count them for giving
distance. l found that III riding three mes, we pas
sed two hundred teams and there was nothing
peculiar in that part of the road, but tho contrary
iey appeared pretty equally dispersed through the
whole distance, il will follow, that there were at
giving moment, no less than four thousand and six
hundred teams, employed ON the road between Paris
1tld Orleans, distance Of about seventy miles. You
will not be surprised after this, TO hear me say that
we ratified over bad pavement, for it would be i'm
possible to keep such rosd in order.
Letter Goth to be continued
This has been since reredicd by an imperig re-