11 MAY 1918, Page 11

THE SUNKEN ROADS OF THE SOMME.

[TO THE EDITOR or THE " SFEOTATOR."]

Soo—The sunken roads of the Somme (which are matched in all lands of similar soil conditions which have been tilled for many years) are probably farmers' tracks. It would seem that the farmer of past generations made cart tracks from his fields to the Main roads by scraping the soft top-soil aside, and continued to do this as the track became -muddy until the track became a great broad ditch paved with the hard subsoil. When a more perma- nent road was needed it most often followed the old sunken track, the subsoil pavement being covered with metalling. I have notes) on the Somme the beginnings of new sunken roads where military emergency tracks Were made across country.—I am, Sir, &c.,