A 19th century treatise on the history and importance of roads, this book explores the development and use of roads throughout history, from the Roman Empire to modern times. The author also provides a detailed examination of the engineering and construction of roads, including the materials used, the methods of paving, and the principles of drainage. This work is an important historical document on transportation and infrastructure. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.