1803. Ohferiiations on the conJlru£}ion of Gates. 187 



men have the patterns before theai, iiiilefs a great many of a fort 

 were made together •, and there would liill be a falling oft' in fi- 

 nilhing the work which has been eftc6ted by pra61ice,and by means 

 of fome tools adapted for the purpofe. 



My obje6t is to fpread the improvement in all dircdlons, and 

 the bell manner of accompliihing it, appears to be this : for a- 

 ny perfon who approves of my fuggeltions, and who wifhes to a- 

 dopt them with the lead troubk and expence to himfelf, to pro- 

 cure one complete gate and iron work to open one way, and from 

 that pattern to fet his ov.n workmen to imitate it, which m.ay 

 eafily be done, as to all the eflential points *. 



A gate, with al! the iron-work complete, weighs about 6 fcorei 

 and 10 pounds, and I have fo far fettled the terms of carriage, 

 that any number of them, either together or fingly, fball be deli- 

 vered at Bridge-north, on the river Severn, 11 miles from Shif- 

 nal, for is each ; or at Gaily Wharf, on the StafFordfhire Ca- 

 nal, for the fame charge, which may be paid with the amount of 

 any order, if defired. Shifnal is alfo conveniently fituated for 

 land carriage, being on the great road between London and 

 Shrewfbury, and confequently a thoroughfare for the ftage, wag- 

 gons. 



I fhall now clofe this fubjeft with obferving, that it is impof- 

 fible to allege a lironger proof of the moderate prices at which 

 thefe goods are furniilied, than to exprefs the difficulty which has 

 been experienced in getting the orders executed ; infomuch, that 

 a fmall proportion of them have aflually been returned : this, 

 however, is not likely to recur, in regard to fuch orders as may 

 be received during the fummer months, while long days admit of 

 fo much more work of this kind to be undertaken, than duiing 

 the comparatively few hours of day light in winter. 



calculated, in the fame proportion 01^ profit to the workmen ; but it does net anfwcr 

 to furnifh the iron-work, unlefs a complete gate is alfo ordered, on many accounts ; 

 and particularly, as the ignorance or obftinacy of some people, into whof^ hand* 

 they have occafionaliy fallen, is apt to pervert their life ; v.hereas a complete gate 

 fubftitute* matter of fadl in the place of argument, and by adu>itting of no miscon- 

 ception, it has never failed to give entire fatisfadtion, and £0 do much credit to tliC 

 workmen who executed it. 



* JNo claim to invention is •assumed in tlvis paper: Gates are commonly made of 

 oak, hung on hooks and thimble?, and faltened with latches and catches ; but the 

 quelHon is, whether a good n>ethod for adjufting thcfe th:n'/s is generally undcr- 

 floud, as it certainly has been but rarely practifcd. 



