Account of the Great Suspension Bridge at Fribourg. 123 



tion, unavoidably prevented me, and I am doubtful now if I 

 shall resume them. The results are of easy application ; whilst 

 they shew how clay and marl may act in arresting the descent 

 of water, and in producing springs, they also illustrate how, if 

 water has access to great masses of clay or marl, full of fissures, 

 so that it may act on a very extensive surface, a large quantity 

 of it may be absorbed, and therefore it may be supposed a con- 

 siderable effect of expansion may be produced. 



In conclusion, I will only add, that if any of the remarks I 

 have made, or the conjectures which I have ventured to throw 

 out, should happily lead to the discussion of so interesting as 

 well as mysterious a subject as earthquakes, I shall not consider 

 them offered in vain, more especially should they induce, as I 

 hope they may, any one to investigate the subject experimen- 

 tally. I remain, &c. 



J. Davy. 



Account of the Great Suspension Bridge at Fribourg. 



The town of Fribourg is built on the left bank of the Sarine. 

 Both sides of this small stream are very steep, and rise to the 

 height of about 220* feet above its bed ; and travellers coming 

 from Berne to Fribourg were formerly obliged to descend the 

 hill in order to reach a small wooden bridge which crosses the 

 river, and immediately after by a steep ascent of about 200 feet 

 to reach the top of the opposite bank before coming to the centre 

 of the town. The passage through Fribourg thus occupied nearly 

 an hour ; but the casii is changed since the erection of , the new 

 suspension brid^i^e. 



These difficulties and delays were long consideretl the un- 

 avoidable consequence of the local situation of the town, until 

 some bold spirits conceived the idea of uniting, by means of a 

 suspension bridge, the steep banks of the Sarine. It was neces- 

 sary that the bridge should pass over a great part of the town 

 itself, and the scheme was considered completely Utopian ; yet 

 certain of the authorities and some active citizens determined to 



« All the measurements have been reduced from French'to English, agree- 

 able to thj ratios given in the Annuaire ilu Diireau des I.ongiludes for 1 



