What would be the effect produced upon the necessity of raising the road for the purpose of alteration of the pipes and other works under the street?—At present, when this operation is necessary, a paviour, whose wages are from five to six shillings a-day, is required. Were the streets converted into stone roads, a labourer at eighteen-pence a-day would perform the same service; and by due care in laying the materials on one side, and the earth on the other, the injury to the road would be extremely small, and the spot would very soon become obliterated; whereas in raising a part of a paved street it is quite impossible ever to unite the piece so raised with the rest of the pavement.
Supposing the pavement to be converted into a road, in that case, would it be necessary, when any pipe was repairing, to stop up the way to prevent carriages and horses passing?—Certainly not more so than at present, as that circumstance must always depend upon the width of the street. In very narrow streets, where the pipe lies in the centre, a large opening is necessary; it would follow as a matter of course that the street must be stopped; but upon large streets one side would be left free.
Would not a repair be more rapidly executed, supposing the way to be a road instead of a street?—Were the streets converted into roads, the repair of the roads would be almost unknown to the public, and no stoppage whatever would take place; the repair of such roads would be limited to a one-inch coat at a time, which would scarcely be known to persons passing in carriages, and the great inconvenience at present constantly felt in every part of this large metropolis by the necessity of repaving the streets would cease.
You assume that the roads for the streets in London must be made with granite?—Most assuredly, I should never recommend any other material to be made use of for the roads in the town.
Mr. William MᶜAdam, further Examined.
Have you, in the course of your practice, converted any paved street into a road?—Yes, I have; Fore-street Hill, in Exeter, forms part of that turnpike trust; it is very steep, and was exceedingly slippery, so much so, that I never rode on horseback down it myself till it was converted into a stone road; it has been so for a year or two; it has answered every purpose, and stood remarkably well, and by being watered a little in very dry weather, I believe there is less inconvenience found from dust than when it was paved. I have heard some gentlemen say, that in coming up that hill with their carriages, it not being above a furlong and a half or two furlongs in length, they have saved from five to ten minutes time since it was made road; and I have heard coachmen say, that when they brought their horses quite cool to the bottom of that hill, they have been quite in a lather by the time they got to the top of it, from the terror of the horses in slipping about.
That was when it was paved?—Yes.
What kind of stone do you use for making that road?—The pebble of the country, picked from the gravel pits.
Have you converted any other part of Exeter from pavement into road?—There is no other part of Exeter under the care of the trust; but in consequence of the effect which the Chamber of Exeter saw in Fore-street, they have broken up a great many of the streets in Exeter, and, I believe, are proceeding gradually to do them all. In the town of Newton-Abbot there is a county bridge; the county have broken up the bridge bands, and converted it in a similar manner.