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A grant of money was then given, vested in the hands of re-spectable Commissioners, apparently altogether unconnected withthat part of the country, and acting without fee or reward, whowere empowered to grant one-half of the estimated expense ofsuch roads and bridges as should be deemed of general advan-tage, upon condition of the proprietors of that part of the coun-try, more immediately interested, advancing the other half, andbecoming bound to see the work contracted for, fully and suffi-ciently completed.
The system was wisely contrived. Private interest being thusnecessarily embarked in the same bottom with the public fund,less of idle enterprise in design, and less of waste and want ofeconomy in expenditure, was to be expected, than what general-ly is found to take place in the management of public money.
From the reports of their management given in by the Com-missioners to Parliament , they would appear to have executedtheir trust in a manner highly to their credit.
That they might not engage rashly and unadvisedly in anyenterprise, but avail themselves as much as possible of intimatelocal knowledge, they seem to have determined that motions forroads or bridges should rather originate from the various districtsthan from themselves : And accordingly, they began with mere-ly publishing every where the powers with which they were in-vested, and the funds with which they were entrusted. Whenapplications were made, and a strong probability appeared thatfne half of the expense would be contributed by the applicants,the Commissioners then ordered surveys to be made by skilful en-gineers, as to the most eligible allignment of the road, and esti-mates to be given in of the probable expense ; upon receivingthe returns of which, a duplicate was sent to the applicants,with intimation from the Commissioners, that, so soon as moneyequal to the half of the estimated expense was lodged by the ap-plicants, the Commissioners would be in readiness with the othethalf; and they would jointly proceed to take in offers from con-tractors, according to the allignment, and specifications as toformation, determined upon by the surveyors whom they hailappointed. When these terms were complied with by the apP"'cants, the road and bridges were advertised, in terms of the sur-
veyors’ specifications. The preferred offerer had to produce
ef-
ficient caution for the due performance of his contract; and theapplicants for the road were taken bound by the Commissione 15to see that the whole was executed in the terms specified, and toincur any additional expense that might accrue above the s' 1 ®contracted for. *
* The Commissioners, by a liberal and rational construction of rheii'powers, advanced money from their fund- to such proprietors as could gb' e ^negotiable security on their estates ; even proprietors under entail mifita
tli* accommodation.
Tht