CHAP. XIX. MR. WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN CALLED IX. 425 



feasible method of bridging the strait at Menai and the 

 river at Conway was by means of a hollow beam of 

 wrought iron. As the time was approaching for giving 

 evidence before Parliament on the subject, it was neces- 

 sary for him to settle some definite plan for submission 

 to the committee. " My late revered father," says he, 

 " having always taken a deep interest in the various 

 proposals which had been considered for carrying a rail- 

 way across the Menai Straits, requested me to explain 

 fully to him the views which led me to suggest the use 

 of a tube, and also the nature of the calculations I had 

 made in reference to it. It was during this personal 

 conference that Mr. William Fairbairn accidentally 

 called upon me, to whom I also explained the principles 

 of the structure I had proposed. He at once acquiesced 

 in their truth, and expressed confidence in the feasibility 

 of my project, giving me at the same time some facts 

 relative to the remarkable strength of iron steamships, 

 and invited me to his works at Millwall, to examine the 

 construction of an iron steamship which was then in 

 progress." The date of this consultation was early in 

 April, 1845, and Mr. Fairbairn states that, on that occa- 

 sion, " Mr. Stephenson asked whether such a design was 

 practicable, and whether I could accomplish it : and it 

 was ultimately arranged that the subject should be in- 

 vestigated experimentally, to determine not only the 

 value of Mr. Stephenson' s original conception (of a 

 circular or egg-shaped wrought-iron tube, supported by 

 chains), but that of any other tubular form of bridge 

 which might present itself in the prosecution of my 

 researches. The matter was placed unreservedly in my 

 hands ; the entire conduct of the investigation was 

 entrusted to me ; and, as an experimenter, I was to be 

 left free to exercise my own discretion in the investiga- 

 tion of whatever forms or conditions of the structure 

 might appear to me best calculated to secure a safe 



