CHAP. VIII. DUNKELT) BRIDGE. 383 



the Government and the other half by local assessment. 

 But in addition to these main lines of communication, 

 numberless county roads were formed by statute labour, 

 under local road Acts and by other means ; the land- 

 owners of Sutherland alone having formed nearly 300 

 miles of district roads at their own cost. 



By the end of the session of 1803 Telford received his 

 instructions from Mr. Yansittart as to the survey he was 

 forthwith to enter upon, with a view to commencing 

 practical operations ; and he again proceeded to the High- 

 lands to lay out the roads and plan the bridges which 

 were most urgently needed. The district of the Solway 

 was, at his representation, included, with the object of 

 improving the road from Carlisle to Portpatrick the 

 nearest point at which Great Britain meets the Irish 

 coast, and where the sea passage forms only a sort of 

 wide ferry. 



It would occupy too much space, and indeed it is alto- 

 gether unnecessary, to describe in detail the operations 

 of the Commission and of their engineer in opening up 

 the communications of the Highlands. Suffice it to say, 

 that one of the first things taken in hand was the con- 

 nection of the new lines of road by means of bridges at 

 the more important points ; such as at Dunkeld over the 

 Tay, and near Dingwall over the Conan and Orrin. 

 That at Dunkeld was the most important, as being the 

 portal to the Central Highlands ; and at the second 

 meeting of the Commissioners Mr. Telford submitted his 

 plan and estimates of the proposed bridge. In. conse- 

 quence of some difference with the Duke of Athol as 

 to his share of the expense which proved to be greater 

 than he had taken into account some delay occurred in 

 the commencement of the work ; but at length it was 

 fairly begun, and after being three years in hand the 

 structure was finished and opened for traffic in 1809. 



The bridge is a handsome one of five river and two 

 land arches. The span of the centre arch is 90 feet, 



