A TREATISE ON ROAD S; WHEREIN THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH ROADS SHOULD BE MADE ARE EXPLAINED AND ILLUSTRATED, BY THE PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, AND CONTRACTS MADE USE OF BY THOMAS TELFORD, ESQ. ON THE HOLYHEAD ROAD. Second Edition. BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR HENRY PARNELL, BART. HONORARY MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, LONDON. LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS, PATERNOSTER-ROW. Eng 808.38 35823 1873, Sept. 17. Bry Exchang of Duplicates. LONDON: Printed by A. SPOTTISWOODE, PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. SINCE the first edition of this Treatise on Roads was published, a work has appeared, entitled "The Life of Thomas Telford, Esq., written by himself," which contains the following passages relative to this Treatise, and to the circumstances which afforded the author that particular kind of knowledge which enabled him to write it : "It has already been stated, that, on Lord Oriel's retiring from public life, Sir Henry Parnell, member of parliament for Queen's County in Ireland, and since for Dundee in Scotland, was not only the principal instrument in carrying the Holyhead Road Bills through parliament, but has ever since continued to be the most efficient of the commissioners. Fully impressed with the importance of rendering the communication between London and Dublin perfect, he has, during the last twenty years, applied himself to this object, for effecting which both talents and management have been required, as well as perseverance. "1st, He had to convince government of the advantages to be derived from the scheme, and induce them to furnish the means of defraying the expense; 2d, to procure the consent of all the numerous, and in some instances turbulent, bodies of local trustees, upon an extensive line of road; and, 3d, to arrange the sea communication between Holyhead and Dublin; for which purpose the harbour of Holyhead was improved, in a manner which has rendered it serviceable as a harbour of refuge, far beyond the immediate purpose of protection of the packets; and a harbour has also been made at Howth, northward of the city of Dublin. All this he has effectually accomplished, and by extending his services beyond the usual duties of a parliamentary commissioner, and therein devoting much of his time to the personal inspection of practical operations, he has acquired so perfect a knowledge of road-making in all its branches, as has enabled him to produce the most valuable Treatise which has appeared in England, on the history, principles, and practice of that species of national improvement." |