BRIDGE. 



487 



.KXXV1I 



idge at 

 ekabers. 



idgc at 

 Ukeld. 



twcen the large arch and the rocky banks upon which 

 it abuts, instead of being filled by earthen cmbank- 

 arc occupied by sm:ill ari-hes raised upon elt-n- 

 der piers. The whole IMS a bold effect, especially 

 during the flux and reflux of a high spring tide im- 

 mediately under the bridge, when agitated by a strong 

 ly wind, and accompanied by a great land flood, 

 tumbling down a rocky channel at some distance 

 ,above it. See Plate LXXXVII. 



A large bridge has been lately built over the river 

 Spey, near Oordon castle, at Fochabcrs. It consists 

 of four arch's ; the two middle ones are each 95 feet 

 span, and the breadth over the parapets is '21 feet 6 

 inches. There being an even number of arches, a pier 

 is brought into the middle of the river, and the ar- 

 chitecture of the facade is feeble; still the structure 

 does credit to the architect and builder, Mr G. Burn. 



The finest bridge in Scotland is that which has just 

 been built by the Duke of Athol, over the river 1 ay, 

 at Dunkeld. There are five large arches and two smal- 

 ler land arches ; the middle arch is 90 feet span, and 

 rises 30 feet, the width over the parapets is 27 feet 

 6 inches. The facade lias castellated turrets over the 

 piers and abutments ; the outlines of the parapets and 

 roadway is a curve only sufficient to carry off the wa- 

 ter; the approaches to the bridge, the Duke has ren- 

 dered very complete; and the whole forms a feature, 

 suitable to the magnificent scenery which surrounds 

 Dunkeld. The design for this bridge was made by 

 Mr Telford. It was executed under his directions, and 

 finished in 1809. 



From the foregoing statements, it is evident that the 

 progress of bridge building in Britain has of late 

 years been great ; but the effects, though consider- 

 able, have been distant and unconnected. Perhaps 

 however, the greatest and most regular scheme for 

 opening the general intercourse through a great extent 

 of country, that has ever been voluntarily undertaken 

 by a free people, was that which originated in 1802. 

 Previous to this, the northern districts of Scotland, 

 although in sundry parts intersected by military roads, 

 were very imperfectly opened ; for these had been 

 hastily constructed, and frequently ill fitted for the 

 purposes of civil life. 



pid pro* In order, therefore, to encourage the spirit of im- 

 s * of provement which had strongly manifested itself in 



the northern parts of the island, a board of parlia- 

 ildmtr in r . . . .. , , 



Hland. mentary commissioners was established, viz. 



The Right Honourable the Speaker of the House 

 of Commons, 



The Right Honourable the Chancellor of the Ex- 

 chequer, 



His Majesty's Advocate for Scotland, 



The Right Honourable William Dimclass, 



Sir William Pulteney, Bart, 



Isaac Hawkins Browne, Esq. 



Nicholas Vansittart, Esq. 



Charles Grant, Esq. 



William Smith, Esq. 



Charles Dunda?, Esq. 



John Rickman, Esq. Secretary, 



James Hope, Esq. Commissioner and Law Ajjcnt 

 in Scotland, 



Thomas Telford, Engineer to the Board. 

 This Board, upon the application of individuals, or 



bodies of men, pointing out communications in the Rridgt. 

 Highlands of Scotland, of public utility, and under- "--' 

 taking to defray a moiety of the expense, causes sur- 

 veys and estimates to be made, and, if found to be 

 t> uly useful, advances the other moiety fruin the pub- 

 lic funds. In consequence of this, about sixty dif- 

 ferent roads have been surveyed, and a great propor- 

 tion have either been already completed, or are nowr 

 (1812) in a state of forwardness. Upon these roads 

 there are bridges of different sizes, to the number of 

 1-1'SfJ, and several of no inconsiderable magnitude, vi/.. 



Bonar bridge, of cast iron, 150 feet span, over an 

 arm of the sea. 



Dunkeld bridge, of 7 arches, viz. one of 90, two 

 84, two 74, two '22 feet. 



Conon bridge, of 5 arches, viz. one 65, two 55, 

 two -1-5 feet. 



Ballater bridge, of 5 arches, viz. one of CO, two 

 55, two 34 feet. 



Lovat bridge, of 5 arches, viz. one of 60, two 50, 

 two 4-0 feet. 



Wick bridge, of 3 arches, viz. one of 60, two 48 

 feet. 



Alford bridge, of 3 arches, viz. one of 48, two 60 

 feet. 



Potarch bridge, of 3 arches, viz. one of 70, two 

 45 feet. 



Besides these, there are upwards of 60 bridges of 

 one arch each, from 30 to 60 feet span. 



In Ireland, the city of Dublin has several fine stone jj r j<] ees j n 

 bridges over the river Liffey, the principal of which Ireland, 

 are, 1. Queen's bridge, built upon the scite of Arran 

 bridge, which had been erected in 1684, and destroy- 

 ed in 1763. It was designed by Colonel Vallcncy, 

 and was finished in 1768. It consists of three 

 arches ; the middle 46 feet span, the others 35 feet 

 each ; the piers are 7 feet thick, and the breadth be- 

 tween the parapets is 35 feet. 2. Essex bridge, 

 which was originally founded in 1676, by Sir Hum- 

 phrey Jarvis, in the viceroyalty of Arthur Earl of 

 Essex ; it being decayed, was taken down and rebuilt 

 in 1753, from a design and under the direction of Mr 

 George Semple, who published a very full account 

 of the proceedings. It consists of five arches, one 58 

 feet span, three of 45, and one of 37 feet; the thick- 

 ness of the piers on each side of the center arch is 6 

 feet, the breadth between the parapets 48 feet. 3. 

 Sarah's bridge, consisting of an arch of 110 feet span, 

 with a rise of 22 feet ; the breadth between the iron 

 railing 37 feet. This was built by Mr Stevens, an 

 experienced bridge builder from near Edinburgh, in 

 the year 179'2. 4. Since that time Carlisle bridge 

 lias been rebuilt ; it consists of three arches, the mid- 

 dle 50 fert span, the others 40 feet each ; the thick- 

 ness of the piers 10 feet, breadth between the para- 

 pets (j:l feet. 



There is also a very fine stone bridge over the river 

 Lee, at Cork, built within these few years, with a 

 draw bridge for ships at the north end of it. 



TIMBER EIIIDGEJ. 



Tni^ historical sketch respecting bridges, hashiiiur- Ti 

 to been confined to those constructedof stone, but 



