260 Description of the Great Bridge 



that bodies take to receive or part with magnetism, or any 

 other similar quality. 



Abt.XIII. — Description of the Great Stone Bridge of Seven- 

 teen Arches erected over the Garonne at Bourdeaux. In a 

 Letter to the Editor, from a Correspondent. 



My Dear Sir, 

 I avail myself of an opportunity of sending you a short ac- 

 count of the erection of the bridge now nearly completed 

 here. I had the pleasure of going over the whole of the 

 works yesterday with MM. Des Champs, and Billaudel, 

 the engineers in charge of the undertaking. It is truly mag- 

 nificent and displays the resources of able men employed 

 in overcoming what had so long been deemed insurmountable 

 difficulties. The interior of the bridge, i. e. t the space be- 

 tween the road-way of the inner surface of the arches, is all 

 open work, and is capable of lodging several regiments of 

 soldiers. This mode of finishing the work cannot have dimi- 

 nished the expence, but it certainly, in a great degree, lessens 

 the load on the piers, which were originally intended for car- 

 rying a light bridge of iron. M. Des Champs is preparing a 

 work, containing the history and particulars of the erection. 

 The plates (which are ready) are so numerous and detailed, 

 that they will form a very useful work for all engineers in si- 

 milar situations. 



So early as 1772, M. Le Trudaine conceived the project 

 of uniting Bourdeaux and Libourne by two bridges, and by 

 a new road, which should establish a direct communication 

 between the capital of the kingdom and the capital of 

 Guienne. This scheme was submitted to the inspector-gene- 

 ral of roads and bridges ; but M. De Voglie, after examining 

 the locality, returned with the persuasion, that there were in- 

 surmountable obstacles to the foundation of a stone-bridge 

 over the Garonne. This scheme, however, was brought for- 

 ward in 1808, but Napoleon thought that a bridge of wood 

 was all that was necessary for the passage of his soldiers. 

 This bridge was begun in 1810. Its length was to have 



