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In reply to your letter of the 27th ultimo, I beg to forward you 

 a description of the timber measurements, and mode of erecting 

 the " swing gate " as nearly as I can give it you from memory. 



The original plan, sent you herewith, is drawn on a scale of a 

 i inch to i foot. The two posts are of white gum, i8ft. 6in. long, 

 about yin. in diameter at the smallest end, 3ft. 6in. of this is in the 

 ground, leaving i5it. out. Cut down into the top end of each post 

 a slot 3in. wide and 4ft. long. At 2ft. from the top rix the arms 

 that are to carry the levers. These arms are 4in. x 2in. karri, sup- 

 ported by struts of the same size, and are best dove-tailed into the 

 posts, driven in lightly, and nailed on the outside, so as to have a 

 clear surface, free of bolt-heads inside the slot. The struts can 

 also be notched into the posts and bolted through, the upper ends 

 checked into the arms on the outside, with a small f or 5-1 6th bolt, 

 with the head counter-sunk inside. Fit a cross-piece in between 

 the heads of the posts and bolt it through, leaving 18 inches 

 between the posts clear on the inside. Adze or hew down any 

 inequalities on the insides of the posts. Do all the fitting on the 

 ground, even to the levers mentioned later on. Number the pieces 

 and the places they belong to, then take them apart before 

 erecting. Sink the hole 3ft. 6m. deep, and level the bottom with a 

 spirit level, and if the posts are exactly the same length this will 

 save trouble afterwards. Erect the posts and put in the top cross- 

 piece, on which put a mark in the middle, that is, 9 inches from 

 each post, and drop a plumb line from this mark between the posts, 

 and see that they are 9 inches from the plumb line, then nil in and 

 ram well. 



The levers should be saplings, white gum, or marlack, 21 feet 

 long, adzed down to 2\ inches one way only, unless they require 

 making lighter, but don't allow any spring in them if possible that 

 is, don't make them too light so that they will bend. It requires 

 pretty heavy levers to balance a large gate. Fit on the end of each 

 lever an iron plate with a hook see the design in diagram No. i- 

 to carry the lifting bars. Adjust the levers so that they work clear 

 of each other, and about 3 feet from the ends bore the holes 

 through them and the arms to carry a f or |-bolt. The lifting 

 bars are of f round iron, 7 feet long, with an eye at each end. 

 These bars should be short enough to keep the inner ends of the 

 levers well down when the gate is shut or at rest ; and when the 

 gate is half-way over, or at its highest point, the outer ends of the 

 levers should be high enough so as not to strike a person on horse- 

 back or in a carriage. 



The gates are made of 3 x i karri, five rails, and loft. 6in. in 

 length, and 4ft. 6in. high, the heads or stiles and centre bar being 

 double and bolted together. The four parallel bars that guide the 

 gate should be 5in. wide, more especially the pair to which the 

 lifting bar is bolted. These guide bars are loosely bolted to four 

 stump posts 2 feet in the ground, as shown in the diagram (No. i). The 



