1841.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



45 



Xerxes the successor of Darius, in his previously montioneil cam- 

 paign against the Greelcs, also had occasion to pass the same sea, but 

 at another point.* While he was preparing to go to Abyilos, num- 

 bers were employed in throwing a bridge over the Hellespont from 

 Asia to Europe. The coast toward the sea from Abydos, between 

 Sestos and Madytus in the Chersonese of the Hellespont, is described 

 as rough and woody -. the distance from Abydos being seven stades, or 

 nearly a mile. The work however commenced at the side next Aby- 

 dos. The Phoenicians used a cordage made of linen, the Egyptians 

 the bark of the biblos. The bridge was no sooner coraiileteii than a 

 great storm arose which destroyed the whole work, which wdien 

 Xerxes heard, he ordered, as is well known, the Hellespont to be 

 flogged, and a pair of fetters to be thrown into it. The engineers got 

 worse oft", for they were sentenced by the king to be beheaded. Our 

 historian goes on to say with some naivete that abridge was then con- 

 structed by a -.'ifFerent set of engineers — which we should naturally 

 imagine, for it is difficult to conceive how men who were beheaded, 

 could very easily preside at works i) la Sain/ Dc7iis. The mode em- 

 ployed, as far as it can be made out, was to connect together ships of 

 different kinds, some long vessels of fifty oars, others three banked 

 gallies. These were arranged in a double row, one set transversely, 

 but the other in the direction of the current. When these vessels 

 were firmly connected to each other, they were secured on each side 

 by anchors of great length ; they left however openings in three places, 

 sufficient to afford a passage for light vessels, which might have occa- 

 sion to sail into the Euxine or from it. Having performed this, they 

 extended cables from the shore, stretching them upon large capstans 

 of wood, for which purpose they did not employ a number of separate 

 cables, but united two of wdiite flax with four of biblos. These were 

 alike in thickness, and apparently so in goodness, but those of flax 

 were in proportion much the more solid, weighing not less than a 

 talent to a cubit, an expression showing that the ancients knew how to 

 appreciate the qualities of cordage. When the pass was thus secured, 

 they sawed out rafters of wood, making their length ecpial to the space 

 required for the bridge ; these they laid in order across upon the ex- 

 tended cables, and then bound them fast together. They next brought 

 umvrought wood, (fascines qy.) which they placed very regularly upon 

 the rafters : over all they threw earth, and which they raised to a pro- 

 per height, and finished all by a fence on each side, that the horses 

 and other beasts of burden might not be terrified by looking down 

 upon the sea. Two ways were thus made, one on each set of boats ; 

 on one of these ways, namely, the northern, the infantry and cavalry 

 passed, and over the southern the camp followers and the baggage. 

 The bridge was afterwards destroyed by a storm. 



At a subsequent period of the campaign Xerxes contemplating flight, 

 for the purpose of amusing the Athenians, he made an effort to con- 

 nect the island of Salaniis with the continent, joining for this purpose 

 the Phoenician transports together to serve both as a bridge and a wall. 



BRIDOE. — EUPHR.\TES — BRICKS. 



Babylon,'!' being divided by the river Euphrates into two distinct 

 parts, whoever wanted to go from one side to the other was obliged to 

 pass the water in a boat. To remedy this general inconvenience, and 

 mentioned by the historian as an expedient not usual, Nitocris, Queen 

 of Babylon, determined upon building a bridge, from which period we 

 may date the formation of permanent bridges as a part of engineering. 

 Having procured a number of large stones, she changed the course of 

 the river, directing it into a canal prepared for its reception, and so 

 into a large marsh or reservoir. The natural bed of the river being 

 thus made dry, the embankments on each side near the centre of the 

 city were lined with bricks, hardened with fire. Upon this we may 

 remark that the Babylonians used two kinds of bricks, the common 

 brick, baked in the sun, and another brick burnt in a furnace ; this 

 latter kind was most probably used on this occasion, as the more dura- 

 ble. Nitocris, then with the stones before prepared erected a number 

 of piers, strongly compacted with iron and lead ; on these piers a plat- 

 form was laid, which was removed at night to prevent communication 

 between the different quarters of the city. The bridge being com- 

 pleted, the river was allowed to return to its natural bed. This work, 

 according to Diodorus Siculus, was five furlongs in length. 



EMBANKMENTS. — EUPHRATES — ACES — SLUICES. 



Nitocris, just mentioned, is said to have been the author of several 

 other remarkable works, some of which are however, doubtful. Being 

 fearful of the ambition of the Medes, she is said, for the purpose of 

 preventing communication with them by the Euphrates, to have di- 

 verted the course of the river above Babylon, by sinking a number of 



" Herodotus, Polymnia. 

 T Herodotus, Clio. 



canals, and giving it a winding shape. To restrain the river on each 

 side, she raised banks, which are described as wonderful on account of 

 their enormous height and substance. A large lake or reservoir is 

 also attributed to this queen, its circumference being stated at fifty 

 miles, but it is more than probable that her works were confined to 

 reclaiming part of a natural marsh, or to securing the banks; these 

 she lined with stones brought thither for that purpose. 



Herodotus relates in his third book an account of operations on the 

 river Aces, on which doubt has been thrown, but which whether true 

 or false, will be equally interesting as illustrating the engineering 

 opinions of the ancients. He says that there is in Asia a large plain 

 surrounded on every part by a ridge of hills, through which there are 

 five different apertures. It formerly belonged to the Chorasmians, 

 who inhabit those hills in common with the Hyrcanians, Parthians, 

 Sarangensians, -and Thomaneans ; but after the subjection of these na- 

 tions to Persia, it became the property of the great king. From these 

 surrounding hills there issues a large river called Aces: this formerly, 

 being conducted throtigh the openings of the mountain, watered the 

 several countries before mentioned. But when these regions came 

 under the power of the Persians, the apertures were closed, and gates 

 placed at each of them, to prevent the passage of the river, from which 

 expression we infer that the Persians were accjuainted with the use of 

 sluices. Thus on the inner side, from the waters having no issue the 

 plain became a sea, and the neighbouring nations, deprived of their 

 accustomed resource, were reduced to extreme distress from the want 

 of water. In winter they, in common with other nations, had the 

 benefit of the rains, but in summer, after sowing their millet and 

 sesame, they required water, but in vain. Not being assisted in their 

 distress, the inhabitants of both sexes hastened to Persia, and presented 

 themselves before the palace of the king, made loud complaints. 

 In consequence of this, the monarch directed the gates to be opened 

 towards those parts where water was most immediately wanted, or- 

 dering them again to be closed after the lands had been sufficiently 

 refreshed ; the same w'as done with respect to them all, beginning 

 where moisture was wanted the most. This, however, was only 

 granted in consideration of a large donation over and above the usual 

 tribute. 



That the Persians were well acquainted with the operation of 

 damming appears also by other instances. Xerxes having examined 

 the Peneus, a river of Thessaly, inquired whether it could be con- 

 ducted to the sea by any other channel, and received from his guides, 

 who were well acquainted with the country, this reply ; " As Thessaly, 

 O King, is on every side encircled by mountains, the Peneus can have 

 no other communication with the sea." "The Thessalians," Xerxes 

 is said to h-ave answered, "are a sagacious people. They have been 

 careful to decline a contest for many reasons, and particularly as they 

 must have discerned that their country would afford an easy conquest 

 to an invader. All that would be necessary to deluge the whole of 

 Thessaly, except the mountainous parts, would be to stop up the mouth 

 of the river, and thus throw back its waters upon the country." 



C To be coniinned.) 



A SUB.STITUTE FOR CHIMNEY-POTS. 



Sir — Owing to the many accidents which have occurred through 

 the late storm, from the falling of those ugly and useless appendages 

 (called chimney pots), which disgrace the noble works of architecture 

 in our metropolis, I am induced to trouble you with a few lines, should 

 you consider them worthy of insertion in your valuable publication. 

 It has frequently been a subject of my thoughts, how chimney pots 

 were first introduced, as they certainly are most useless and unsightly 

 articles. 



Perhaps, if I draw the attention of your readers to the form of a tin 

 horn, such as is used by guards of mail coaches, the principle of 

 chimneys wiU be better and more easily understood ; if builders will 

 only try the experiment, I feel satisfied they will no longer continue 

 one of the greatest imperfections of our common system and mode of 

 building. If the large end of the horn be placed downward over some 

 ignited bituminous matter, we shall find only part of the smoke will 

 ascend ; but if we place the small end down,' we shall not only find the 

 draft greatly increased, but the smoke will ascend freely up the tube. 



Hoping these observations will be of service to the public, 

 I remain, Sir, 



Brixlon Road, Your obedient servant, 



January, ISih J. R. B., C.E. 



