CHAP. XIII. GLASGOW BRIDGE. 467 



stream was scarcely deep enough to float a herring-buss. 

 Now, the Broomielaw is a quay frequented by ships of 

 the largest burden, arid bustling with trade and com- 

 merce. Skill and enterprise have deepened the Clyde, 

 dredged away its shoals, built quays and wharves along 

 its banks, and rendered it one of the busiest streams in 

 the world. It has become a great river thoroughfare, 

 worked by steam. On its waters the first steamboat 

 ever constructed for purposes of traffic in Europe was 

 launched by Henry Bell in 1812 ; and the Clyde boats 

 to this day retain their original prestige. 



The deepening of the river at the Broomielaw had 

 led to a gradual undermining of the foundations of the 

 old bridge, which was situated close to the principal 

 landing-place. A little above it was an ancient overfall 

 weir, which had also contributed to scour away the 

 foundations of the piers. Besides, the bridge was felt 

 to be narrow, inconvenient, and ill-adapted for accom- 

 modating the immense traffic passing across the Clyde 

 at that point. It was, therefore, determined to take 

 down the old structure, and build a new one ; and Mr. 

 Telford was called upon to supply the design. The 

 foundation was laid with great ceremony on the 18th 

 of March, 1833, and the new bridge was completed and 

 opened on the 1st of January, 1836, rather more than a 

 year after the engineer's death. It is a very fine work, 1 

 consisting of seven arches, segments of circles, the 

 central arch being 58 feet 6 inches ; the span of the 

 adjoining arches diminishing to 57 feet 9 inches, 55 feet 

 6 inches, and 52 feet respectively. It is 560 feet in 

 length, with an open waterway of 389 feet, and its 

 total width of carriageway and footpath is 60 feet, or 

 wider than any river bridge in the kingdom. 



Like most previous engineers of eminence like Perry, 

 Brindley, Smeaton, and Reniiie Mr. Telford was in the 

 course of his life extensively employed upon the drainage 



1 See illustration at p 286. 



