444 



THE MENAI AND CONWAY BEIDGES. PART VIII. 



CHAPTEK XII. 

 THE MENAI AND CONWAY BRIDGES. 



THE erection of a bridge over the Straits of Menai had 

 long been matter of speculation amongst engineers. As 

 early as 1776 Mr. Grolborne proposed his plan of an em- 

 bankment, with a bridge 

 in the middle of it ; and a 

 few years later, in 1785, 

 Mr. Nichols proposed a 

 wooden viaduct, fur- 

 nished with drawbridges, 

 at Cadnant Island. Later 

 still, Mr. Rennie proposed 

 his design of a cast iron 

 bridge. But none of these 

 plans were carried out, 

 and the whole subject re- 

 mained in abeyance until 

 the year 1810, when a 

 commission was appoint- 

 ed to inquire and report 

 as to the state of the roads 

 between Shrewsbury, 

 Chester, and Holyhead. 

 The result was, that Mr. 

 Telford was called upon 

 to report as to the 

 most effectual method of 

 bridging the Menai Strait, and thus completing the com- 

 munication with the port of embarkation for Ireland. 

 Mr. Telford submitted alternative plans for a bridge 



MAP OF MENAI STRAIT. [Ordnance Survey.] 



