462 STEPHENSON AND BRUNEL. CHAP. XX. 



stead of within them. The larger of the two is over the 

 Damietta branch of the Nile, near Benha. It contains 

 eight spans or openings of 80 feet each, and two centre 

 spans, formed by one of the largest swing-bridges ever 

 constructed the total length of the swing-beam being 

 157 feet ; leaving a clear water-way of 60 feet on either 

 side of the central pier. The greatest difficulty encoun- 

 tered in the erection of the bridge was in getting in the 

 foundations, which were sunk 33 feet through soil of a 

 peculiarly shifting character. 



During the later years of his life Mr. Stephenson was 

 frequently called upon to act as arbitrator between con- 

 tractors and railway companies, or between one com- 

 pany and another- great value being attached to his 

 opinion on account of his weighty judgment, his great 

 experience, and his upright character, and we believe 

 his decisions were invariably stamped by the qualities of 

 impartiality and justice. He was always ready to lend 

 a helping hand to a friend, and no petty jealousy stood 

 between him and rivals in the engineering world. The 

 author remembers being with Mr. Stephenson one even- 

 ing at his house in Gloucester Square, when a note was 

 put into his hands from his friend Brunei, then engaged 

 in his first fruitless efforts to launch the Great Eastern. 

 It was to ask Stephenson to come down to Blackwall 

 early next morning, and give him the benefit of his 

 judgment. Shortly after six next morning Stephenson 

 was in Scott Russell's building-yard, and he remained 

 there until dusk. About midday, while superintending 

 the launching operations, the balk of timber on which 

 he stood canted up, and he fell up to his middle in the 

 Thames mud. He was dressed as usual, without great- 

 coat (though the day was bitter cold), and with only 

 thin boots upon his feet. He was urged to leave the 

 yard, and change his dress, or at least dry himself ; but 

 with his usual disregard of health, he replied, " Oh, 

 never mind me I'm quite used to this sort of thing ;" 



