PHILLIPS, ROBERT. [ROAD CONSTRUCTION].

A Dissertation Concerning the Present State of the High Roads of England, Especially of those near London. Wherein is propos'd A New Method of Repairing and Maintaining them. Read before the Royal Society the Twenty-Seventh Day of January and the Third Day of February, 1736-7.

London, Gilliver and Clarke, 1737. 8vo. Near contemporary half calf with gilt title label. (16),62,(2) pp. and 8 engraved plates (1 folding). 4cm tear to bottom of title page - proffesionally repaired with no loss. A fine clean copy.

First edition. Phillips recognized that a layer of gravel, if resting on a well-drained dry sole would be beaten by the traffic into a firm road surface. He was thus the pioneer in the development of the Macadam method. The present work is described in Gregory: The Story of the Road, p.207-211. Very uncommon.

Order-nr.: 29354