CHAP. XX. ROBERT STEPHENSON'S TUBULAR BRIDGES. 461 



harassing work of his profession; and his reply (15th 

 June, 1850) was as follows : " The suggestion which 

 your kind note contains is quite in accordance with my 

 < >wn feelings and intentions respecting retirement ; but 

 I find it a very difficult matter to bring to a close so 

 complicated a connexion in business as that which has 

 been established by twenty-five years of active and 

 arduous professional duty. Comparative retirement is, 

 however, my intention ; and I trust that your prayer for 

 the Divine blessing to grant me happiness and quiet 

 comfort will be fulfilled. I cannot but feel deeply 

 grateful to the Great Disposer of events for the success 

 which has hitherto attended my exertions in life ; and I 

 trust that the future will also be marked by a con- 

 tinuance of His mercies." 



Robert Stephenson lived long enough, however, to 

 repeat his Tubular Bridge in the magnificent structure 

 across the St. Lawrence at Montreal, and, in a modified 

 form, in the two bridges across the Nile, near Damietta 

 in Lower Egypt. The Victoria Bridge was erected after 

 Mr. Stephensoii's designs under the immediate direction 

 of Mr. Malcolm Ross, who acted as resident and joint 

 engineer. With its approaches it is only sixty yards short 

 of two miles in length. In gigantic strength and majestic 

 proportions there is no structure to compare with it in 

 ancient or modern times. It consists of not less than 

 twenty-five immense tubular bridges joined into one ; the 

 great central span being 330 feet, the others 242 feet in 

 length. In constructing these tubes, the cellular prin- 

 ciple has been entirely dispensed with. The weight of 

 wrought-iron in the bridge is about 10,000 tons; the 

 piers being of massive stone, each containing some 

 8000 tons of solid masonry. This vast structure was 

 begun in 1854, and finished in 1860 ; but the engineer 

 did not live to see its completion. 



The principal feature of Mr. Stephenson's Egyptian 

 bridges was in the road being carried upon the tubes in- 



