Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/201

ROADS AND RAILROADS. 181 ROANOKE. First, those incidental to the advunoe of civi- lization aiul the dexelopnient of a new country; as, for example, in the ease of the many roads constructed by army officers durinj; the develop- ment of the western and central portion of the Inited States, and such as are now lieing con- structed in places in the Pliilippines. These roads are simply such modifications of ordinary country and macadamized roads as seem hest to suit the purposes in hand. Frequently their main object is to keep up a line of communica- tion for the supply of permanent garrisons in time of peace. The second class comprises new roads and repairs to existing road.s incident to the active operations of an arni.y. These are sometimes short pieces of road built to furnish communication to and between different parts of camps and fighting lines where they are used for a period extending from several days to months, and sometimes roads necessary tor the move- ment of an arm}' and used perhaps but once. There are many excellent examples of work of this kind by the United States Army in the Civil War. Some of the commanding generals organ- ized pioneer companies in each regiment whose special duty it was to keep the roads and bridges in proper shape for the movement of the army. The work consisted generally in such repairs to existing dirt roads as would make them cajiable of standing the passage of a large body of troops with its trains. It will readily be seen that in such cases makeshift methods were followed that would not be tolerated under other circum- stances. Frequently tolerable results were se- cured by placing on the roads brush, cornstalks, and similar material which were bound together sutficicntly to permit of temporary use, but which eventually probably left the road in as bad if not ^•orse condition than before they were used. A favorite method, where a])])licable, was to cordu- roy the road. This was done if timber were ac- cessible by cutting down trees and saplings, lay- ing a line of logs parallel to the axis of the road and covering them with small saplings placed across the road. These were fastened down, and, if time afforded, were smoothed on top or covered with dirt. Many modifications of this method have been used. Instead of saplings, brush is sometimes bound together in bundles and used similarly, 'here sawed timber could be quickly and easily procured, roads have been planked in the same manner. An enormous quantity of this class of work was done by Sherman's army in marching northward from Savannah in the Civil War. It is evident that the method of repair of a road under such circumstances must de))end almost entirely on the material at hand. It is usually out of the question to metal, or put stone on the road, as is done in macadamized roads for regular use. Still gravel is sometimes at hand and can be used for the purpose. Where time affords, the roads should always be carefully con- structed according to approved methods. (See Ro.D. ) In view of the temporary character of military roads, greater slopes are permissible than in roads to be used for longer periods. It is usually considered admissible to increase the length of the road from 1.5 to 2.5 feet for the pur- pose of saving a foot of vertical height. Rarely less than 8 feet width should be given. If the road 5s not made wide enough to permit the pas- sage of vehicles at all points, turnouts for this purpose should be established at convenient in- tervals. The longer movements of nrniies are nuide by rail or steamboat and in the early stages of war. during the mobilization of the" army and Iho forwarding of its equipment and supplies, the railroad occupies a position of |uinie importance. In the wars of the future it will, of nercsBity, play a very important ))art in all operation's, uhetlu-r offensive or defensive. Tile objective railroad points are usually the large railroad centres, junctions, etc., the great objective point being the frontier, for thronghout Continental Europe railroads are built as much for strategi- cal reasons as for purely conuuercial purposes, so that their general direction is toward the frontiers, fortified places, magazines, general sup- ply stations, and important points of rendezvous. The military powers of Euro|)e include the |)er- sonnel of railroads in their national military scheme of defense, so that on the call for mobili- zation the railroad emjiloyee at once becomes a component part of the military forces. So far as possible in a country like the United Stales, the operation is kept in the hands of the olliccrs and employees of the road. During the Civil War the repairs made to roads by the military authorities became a matter of great imjiortance, so much so that special construction corps were organized for the maintenance of certain jjieces of roads. The most important railroads — those known to carry the principal supplies for the Northern Army — were frequently attacked and damaged in many places. Sy.stematic provision was made for the material most likely to l)e used. The maintenance of the road proper, excepting at bridges, was of course simple. The dilliculty experienced with bridges is referred to under the head of BRIDGES AND DocK.s, Military, ROAN ANTELOPE. One of the largest and finest antelopes of Central Africa {HiiiputriKiux eqviniis), I'elated to the oryx, and called "bastard gemsbok' by the Boers. It stands more than four and a half feet high at the withers, and varies from bright roan-color to various tints of gray or brown, with the face dark brown, broken by a broad white streak in front of each eye, and a white nose. The horns of the bucks are massive, heavily ringed, and sweep backward in a scim- itar-like curve which may measure from .13 to 42 inches. This species, though widely distributed, was never very numerous, nor inclined to gather into large herds. Consult authorities cited under Antelope. See Plate of Antelope.s. ROANNE, ro'an'. The capital of an arron- dissement in the Department of Loire, France, on the left bank of the Loire, which is here navigable, 42 miles northwest of Lyons by rail (Map: France, L 5). Its streets arc wide, and its houses handsome. The chief structures are the bridge over the Loire, the pul)lic liluary, and the college buildings. Roannc manufactures muslins, calicoes, and woolen and other fabrics. Ship-building is carried on. It has numerous Gallo-Roman remains. Population, in 1901, 34,- 901. ROANOKE, ro'o-nok'. A river formed in southern Virginia by the union of the Dan and the Staunton, which rise in the Blue Ridge (Map: Virginia, F .5). It flows in a winding southeast course of 250 miles through a fertile and picturesque valley in northeastern North