816 



TELFORD. 



of one hundred and fifty feet span, and another one 

 hundred and twenty-two feet high, were con- 

 structed. Under the same commissioners, and local 

 trustees, above thirty harbours were built ; some 

 of which, a* at Aberdeen and Dundee, are upon tin 

 extensive scale. At and adjoining to Edinburgh, 

 two very lofty and expensive bridges were built 

 from his design, and under his direction. He was 

 also occasionally employed by the city of Glas- 

 gow. 



Nor were bis labours and talents exclusively de- 

 voted to Scotland and Wales. In England his 

 professional employment became very extensive. 

 Five large bridges over the Severn were executed 

 after his plans. One of these was one hundred 

 and thirty, another one hundred and fifty, and a 

 third one hundred and seventy, feet span. In all 

 the works to which the commissioners for the loan 

 of exchequer bills granted aid, he acted as their 

 engineer, which, in the aggregate, amounted to 

 more than twenty instances. By the general post 

 office he was also employed in making many exten- 

 sive surveys in sundry districts of England, Scot- 

 land, and Wales. 



As engineer to the parliamentary commissioners 

 for improving the communication between London 

 and Dublin, all the works on the Holyhead road, 

 including the Menai and Conway bridges, were 

 performed under Mr Telford's direction, with the 

 exception of the landing-piers of Holyhead and 

 Howth, for those he only completed. 



While the preceding works were being executed, 

 several other branches of inland navigation were 

 carried on under his direction. Among these may 

 be named the Birmingham and Liverpool, and the 

 Macclesfield canals ; the unrivalled improvements 

 upon the old Birmingham, and the extension of the 

 Ellesmere and Chester canals. A new tunnel also, 

 3000 yards in length, under the Harecastle hill, on 

 the summit of the Trent and Mersey canal, was 

 conducted under his superintendence, as was like- 

 wise the improvement of the river Weaver navi- 

 gation, which is the outlet of the Cheshire salt 

 works. 



In the metropolis, the St Catherine's docks, at 

 Tower hill, were constructed under Mr Telford's 

 direction; and in the Fens, the new outfall of the 

 river Nene, and the drainage of the North Level, 

 stand as memorials of his scientific skill, industry, 

 and perseverance. 



In the year 1808 he was employed by the 

 Swedish government to survey the ground, and 

 lay out an inland navigation, through the central 

 parts of that kingdom. The design of this under- 

 taking was to connect the great fresh water lakes, 

 and to form a direct communication by water be- 

 tween the North Sea and the Baltic. 



In 1813 he again visited Sweden, taking with 

 him some experienced British workmen, with such 

 suitable materials as were wanted. Here he in- 

 spected the work in its progressive state, and su- 

 perintended such branches as required practical ob- 

 servation. This gigantic undertaking has been 

 fully accomplished, notwithstanding the numerous 

 obstacles it became necessary to surmount. The 

 communication between the lakes has been in ac- 

 tive operation for several years; and the whole 

 works being completed, the entire intercourse be- 

 tween the Baltic and the North Sea was to be 

 opened in October, 1834. 



The honorary distinction of fellow was awarded 

 to Mr Telford by the royal societies of London 



n'id Edinburgh. In 1818 an institution of civil 

 engineers was established, which, being found of 

 practical utility, was incorporated by royal charter 

 in 1828. This institution consists of above two 

 hundred members, resident not only in the British 

 isles, but in Russia, Germany, France, Holland, 

 and India. Of this institution, from its com. 

 mencement, Mr Telford was annually elected pre- 

 sident, a tribute of respect to his transcendent 

 talents cheerfully paid by its numerous members. 



We have already adverted to some of Mr Tel- 

 ford's undertakings. The following is a more de- 

 tailed list of the principal works executed by him, 

 and under his direction: 



1788. Shrewsbury Castle converted into a dwelling !i> 



New gaol built for the county of Salop. 



Twcifty-six bridges in the same county, from 20 to 130 feet 

 span ; two of these over the river Severn. 



1798. A bridge over the river Severn, at the town of lieu <|- 

 ley, consisting of three arches. 



A bridge, 112 feet span, over the river Dee, at Kirkcud- 

 bright, in Scotland. 



Bridgenorth Church. 



The tllcsmerc Canal, commenced in 1790. Length, 103 

 miles. 



Highland roads and bridges commenced in 1803. U nder (his 

 commission were l>tii!t 11:7 t'ridrre, in the Highlands. Of the 

 roads, that from Inverness to the county ot Sutherland, and 

 through Caithness, is superior in point of line and smoothness 

 to any part of the road of equal continuous length between 

 London and Inverness. This is a remarkable fact, which, 

 Irom the great difficulties Mr Telford had to overcome in 

 passing through a rugged, hilly, and mountainous district, in- 

 controvertibly establishes his extraordinary skill in the engin- 

 eering department, as well as in the construction of great 

 public communications. 



The Caledonian Canal, begun in 1804. Locks, each ISO feet 

 long, 40 wide, depth of water, 20 feet. One of Mr Tellord's 

 most splendid works ; in constructing every part of which In- 

 surmounted prodigious difficulties. 



Dunkeld Bridge, finished in 1809. Nine arches, centre one 

 90 feet span. 



The Glasgow, Paisley, and Ardrossan Canal. 



Aberdeen Harbour. Extension and improvements com- 

 menced in 1810. 



Dundee Harbour. Extension and improvements com- 

 menced in 1815. 



Dundee Ferry Piers on both sides of the river, in ]82'2. 



The Glasgo v and Carlisle Road, commenced in 1816, upon 

 which were built 23 bridges of 150, 90, 80, GO, 50 feet -, an and 

 under. 



The Lanarkshire Roads, including bridge at Cartland Craigs, 

 123 feet high ; and four other large oridges. 



Increasing the width of the roadway over Glasgow old 

 bridsre with cast-iron. 



The Dean Bridge over Leith Water, at Edinburgh, four 

 arches, each 90 feet span. Roadway above the river IOS feet. 



Pathhead Bridge, 11 miles from Edinburgh, on the Dalkeith 

 road, five arches, 70 feet high. 



Morpeth Bridge, Northumberland, consisting of three 

 arches. 



The Holyhead Road from London to Dublin, including the 

 Menai and Conway Bridges. It has been said, and no doubt 

 trnly.that Mr Telford was inclined to set a higher value on the 

 which attended his exertions for improving the yrent 

 communication from London to Holyhead, the alterations of 

 the line of road, its smoothness, and the excellence of the 

 bridges, than on that of any other work he executed. The 

 Menai Bridge will unquestionably be the most imperishable 

 monument of Mr Telford's fame. This bridge over the ]!an- 

 gor Ferry, connecting the counties of Carnarvon and Ang- 

 lesey partly of stone and partly of iron, on the susp 

 principle, consists of seven stone arches, exceeding in magni- 

 tude every work of the kind in the world. They connect th" 

 land with the two main piers, which rise 53 feet above the 

 level of the road, over the top of which the chains :u 

 pended, each chain being 1714 feet from the fastenings in the 

 rock. The first three-masted vessel passed under the bridge 

 in 1826. Her topmasts were nearly as high a a frigate; but 

 they cleared 12 feet and a half below the centre of the road- 

 way. '1 he suspending power of the chains was calculated at 

 2016 tons ; the total weight of each chain, 121 tons. This stu- 

 pendous undertaking occasioned Mr Telford more inten-e 

 thought than any other of his works: he told a friend (Dr 

 James Cleland,) that his state of anxiety for a short, time pre- 

 vious to the opening of the bridge was so extreme, that he 

 had but little sound sleep ; and that a much longer continu- 

 ance of that condition of mind must have undermined his 

 health. Not that he had any reason to doubt the strength and 

 stability of every part of the structure, for he had employed 

 all the precautions that he could imagine useful, as si. 

 by his own experience and consideration, or by the y.eal and 

 talents of his very able and faithful assistants, yet the bare 

 possibility that some weak _ point might have eseap* 

 and their vigilance in a work" so new, kept the whole struc- 

 ture constantly passing in review before his mind's e 

 examine if he con!.' discover a point that did not contribute 



