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wear and tear which they occasion of them。 It seems scarce
possible to invent a more equitable way of maintaining such
works。 This tax or toll too； though it is advanced by the
carrier； is finally paid by the consumer； to whom it must always
be charged in the price of the goods。 As the expense of carriage；
however； is very much reduced by means of such public works； the
goods； notwithstanding the toll come cheaper to the consumer than
the； could otherwise have done； their price not being so much
raised by the toll as it is lowered by the cheapness of the
carriage。 The person who finally pays this tax； therefore； gains
by the application more than he loses by the payment of it。 His
payment is exactly in proportion to his gain。 It is in reality no
more than a part of that gain which he is obliged to give up in
order to get the rest。 It seems impossible to imagine a more
equitable method of raising a tax。
When the toll upon carriages of luxury upon coaches；
post…chaises； etc。； is made somewhat higher in proportion to
their weight than upon carriages of necessary use； such as carts；
waggons； etc。； the indolence and vanity of the rich is made to
contribute in a very easy manner to the relief of the poor； by
rendering cheaper the transportation of heavy goods to all the
different parts of the country。
When high roads； bridges； canals； etc。； are in this manner
made and supported by the commerce which is carried on by means
of them； they can be made only where that commerce requires them；
and consequently where it is proper to make them。 Their expenses
too； their grandeur and magnificence； must be suited to what that
commerce can afford to pay。 They must be made consequently as it
is proper to make them。 A magnificent high road cannot be made
through a desert country where there is little or no commerce； or
merely because it happens to lead to the country villa of the
intendant of the province； or to that of some great lord to whom
the intendant finds it convenient to make his court。 A great
bridge cannot be thrown over a river at a place where nobody
passes； or merely to embellish the view from the windows of a
neighbouring palace： things which sometimes happen in countries
where works of this kind are carried on by any other revenue than
that which they themselves are capable of affording。
In several different parts of Europe the ton or lock…duty
upon a canal is the property of private persons； whose private
interest obliges them to keep up the canal。 If it is not kept in
tolerable order； the navigation necessarily ceases altogether；
and along with it the whole profit which they can make by the
tolls。 If those tolls were put under the management of
commissioners； who had themselves no interest in them； they might
be less attentive to the maintenance of the works which produced
them。 The canal of Languedoc cost the King of France and the
province upwards of thirteen millions of livres； which （at
twenty…eight livres the mark of silver； the value of French money
in the end of the last century） amounted to upwards of nine
hundred thousand pounds sterling。 When that great work was
finished； the most likely method； it was found； of keeping it in
constant repair was to make a present of the tolls to Riquet the
engineer； who planned and conducted the work。 Those tolls
constitute at present a very large estate to the different
branches of the family of that gentleman； who have； therefore； a
great interest to keep the work in constant repair。 But had those
tolls been put under the management of commissioners； who had no
such interest； they might perhaps have been dissipated in
ornamental and unnecessary expenses； while the most essential
parts of the work were allowed to go to ruin。
The tolls for the maintenance of a high road cannot with any
safety be made the property of private persons。 A high road；
though entirely neglected； does not become altogether impassable；
though a canal does。 The proprietors of the tolls upon a high
road； therefore； might neglect altogether the repair of the road；
and yet continue to levy very nearly the same tolls。 It is
proper； therefore； that the tolls for the maintenance of such a
work should be put under the management of commissioners or
trustees。
In Great Britain； the abuses which the trustees have
committed in the management of those tolls have in many cases
been very justly complained of。 At many turnpikes； it has been
said； the money levied is more than double of what is necessary
for executing； in the completest manner； the work which is often
executed in very slovenly manner； and sometimes not executed at
all。 The system of repairing the high roads by tolls of this
kind； it must be observed； is not of very long standing。 We
should not wonder； therefore； if it has not yet been brought to
that degree of perfection of which it seems capable。 If mean and
improper persons are frequently appointed trustees； and if proper
courts of inspection and account have not yet been established
for controlling their conduct； and for reducing the tolls to what
is barely sufficient for executing the work to be done by them；
the recency of the institution both accounts and apologizes for
those defects； of which； by the wisdom of Parliament； the greater
part may in due time be gradually remedied。
The money levied at the different turnpikes in Great Britain
is supposed to exceed so much what is necessary for repairing the
roads； that the savings； which； with proper economy； might be
made from it； have been considered； even by some ministers； as a
very great resource which might at some time or another be
applied to the exigencies of the state。 Government； it has been
said； by taking the management of the turnpikes into its own
hands； and by employing the soldiers； who would work for a very
small addition to their pay； could keep the roads in good order
at a much less expense than it can be done by trustees； who have
no other workmen to employ but such as derive their whole
subsistence from their wages。 A great revenue； half a million
perhaps；* it has been pretended； might in this manner be gained
without laying any new burden upon the people； and the turnpike
roads might be made to contribute to the general expense of the
state； in the same manner as the post office does at present。
* Since publishing the two first editions of this book； I have
got good reasons to believe that all the turnpike tolls levied in
Great Britain do not produce a net revenue that amounts to half a
million； a sum which； under the management of Government； would
not be sufficient to keep in repair five of the principal roads
in the kingdom。
That a considerable revenue might be gained in this manner I
have no doubt； though probably not near so much as the projectors
of this plan have supposed。 The plan itself； however； seems
liable to several very important objections。
First； if the tolls which are levied at the turnpikes should
ever be considered as one of the resources for supplying the
exigencies of the state； they would certainly be augmented as
those exigencies were supposed to require。 According to the
policy of Great Britain； therefore； they would probably be
augmented very fast。 The facility with which a great revenue
could be drawn from them would probably encourage administration
to recur very frequently to this resource。 Though it may；
perhaps； be more than doubtful whether half a million could by
any economy be saved out of the present tolls； it can scarce be
doubted but that a million might be saved out of them if they
were doubled： and perhaps two millions if they were tripled。*
This great revenue； too； might be levied without the appointment
of a single new officer to collect and receive it。 But the
turnpike tolls being continually augmented in this manner；
instead of facilitating the inland commerce of the country as at