©4 J^iographical Anecdotes of 



account o^ the history, trade, a-.id population of that 

 piace. 



The old bridge of ISJewcastle being borne down by a vcrv 

 high flood oil the 17th of November 177 Ij which raisccl 

 th'j waters in the river about uine feet higher than the nsual 

 Spring tides, — this accident gave rise to so manv absurd 

 notions among the people in regard to the arclies of bridges, 

 that Mr. llutton conceived that a demonstration of the re- 

 lation between the more essential parts of bridges might be 

 of great utilitv to such architects and builders as might 

 have mathematical knowledue sutficicnt to enable them to 

 comprehend the theory of arches. In a few months, there- 

 fore, he compo;-;ed, and published at Newcastle, a very 

 learned and useful little book, entitled " The Principles of 

 Bridges, kc," 1772, 8vo. As this tract had been out of 

 print for many vcars, the author was induced, in conse- 

 quence of being consulted on the project of a new bridge 

 for the improvement of the port of London, to give a new 

 edition of it. This edition, as the author thought, was 

 very illiberally and unfairly attacked in the Monthly Re- 

 \'icw for March 1 802 ; and he consequently wrote a very 

 able and masterly reply to the reviewer, which was pub- 

 lished in the Monthly Magazine tor August the same year. 

 About this period the health of Mr. John Lodge Cowlevj 

 professor of mathematics at Woolwich, having $0 nuich 

 declined that he could no longer attend the duties of his 

 office, the master-general and principal officers of the Board 

 of Ordnance, came to the resolution of permitting him to 

 retire. His successor was to be appointed by competition ; 

 and the gentlemen made choice of to examine the candi- 

 datcs were the ablest mathematicians that could be found, 

 VIZ. the Rev. Dr. Horsley, now bishop of St. Asaph, the 

 Rev. Dr. Maskelyne, astronomer Royal, Colonel Watson, 

 chief engineer in the service of the East India Company, 

 aujd Mr. Landen, well known by his publi^cations on ma- 

 thematical subjects. The candidates were in number seven 

 or eight; but Mr. Hutton, who had repaired to London 

 for the purpose of competing on this occasion, was the 

 person whom the examiners thought it their duty more 

 particularly to reconmicnd, on account of the very able 

 manner in which he had answered all the proposed 

 questions. 



In ctnisequence of the advantage which Mr. Hutton ac- 



cpiired by his new situation at Woolwich, he entered upon 



a new and severe course of study, with a view of qualifying 



himself better for the important task he had undertaken, 



1 and 



