Reported in the papers in 1820. "Voices in educated circles have been raised in righteous outrage that a steel 'roadway' should be proposed, carving through open fields and close to hamlets for little more benefit save one might be arriving three days early at the great metropolois of Manchester. Men in the street were heard grumbling that "should one be required to be at one's destination at a certain date, then one simply travel by perfectly adequate carriage, three days before you had need of being there. Such wisdom is not dentistry!!". The poorer classes, who cannot avail themselves of such speedy travel arrangements, have still their trusty legs, and being poor, with much time being of their possession, may put aside perhaps a week or more in which to cover the same journey. What benefit would such folk gain from arriving in an unseemly rush? And it is of little need of stating, the cost to them most egregious! Passenger capacity, mentioned most fleetingly in closed quarters, were it a genuine reason for such fancy, would surely be met by the obvious solution of coaching entrepreneurs taking on more coaches, requiring in turn the breeding of more horses to facilitate such expansion. Business benefits to all! The horse breeders and blacksmiths, the saddlers and coach builders to name a few. The future populous of Great Britain will hail us for our foresight in standing firm, cancelling such folly, and saving the nation from the curse of haste-driven transportation."
Freddie Francis ● 2476d