60 



CARRON WORKS. 



PART VI. 



at Perth, within coffer-dams. To give additional pro- 

 tection to the piers during winter time, when heavy 

 floods sweep down the valley of the Tweed, they were 

 surrounded by strong sheet-piling, 1 as well as by rubble 

 slopes pointing up stream. The bridge was finished at 

 a total cost of about 6000/., and was opened for carriage 

 traffic in October, 1766, having been rather more than 

 three years in building. 



k 



COLD3TREAM BRIDGE. [By E. M. Wimpcris, after a drawing by J. S. Smiles.] 



Whilst engaged on his engineering business in Scot- 

 land, Mr. Smeaton formed the acquaintance of Dr. Roe- 

 buck, the enterprising but eventually unfortunate pro- 

 jector of the Carron Iron Works near Falkirk. That 

 gentleman was one of the first who attempted to develope 

 the iron trade of Scotland, since become so important. 

 He was then engaged in the double task of carrying on 



1 Sheet-piling consists of a row of 

 timbers driven firmly side by side 

 into the earth, and is used for the 

 protection of foundation-walls or piers 



from the effects of water. Cast-iron 

 is now employed in many cases for 

 the same purpose, instead of timber. 



