APPENDIX (C.)
LETTER from Postmaster General to the Lords of the Treasury; dated 20th
December 1819.
To the Right Hon. the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty’s Treasury.
My Lords,
We beg to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Harrison’s letter of the 26th
ult. transmitting, by your lordships command, the application of John
Loudon MᶜAdam, submitting his claim on account of his inquiries relative
to the improvement of the roads in this kingdom, and requesting any
information in our power with regard to Mr. MᶜAdam’s services.
In conformity to your lordship’s desire, we have applied to the
superintendent of mailcoaches, as the officer in our department most
competent to give information upon the subject of Mr. MᶜAdam’s
exertions; and we beg leave to inclose his report, and to add, that with
respect to the road near Staines, to which he alludes, we had found it
necessary to give notice of indictment, which has been prevented, by the
commissioners resorting to Mr. MᶜAdam’s assistance and advice, which
have produced the excellent road mentioned by the superintendent.
The road from Newbury, through Reading to Twyford has been so much
improved, that the mail-coach has been better enabled to keep its time
than heretofore; and we are convinced, that if the roads near London
were improved in a similar manner, considerable advantages would be
obtained to the correspondence in general, but particularly in places
from ninety to one hundred miles distant.
We are, with great respect, My Lords,
Your Lordships very obedient humble servants,
CHICHESTER.
SALISBURY.
_General Post-office,
20th Dec. 1819._