The Tay Bridge. 33 



thought desirable. The fact, however, that the bridge stood 

 as long as it did, and that so much of it escaped destruction, 

 appears to show that either the gale was not so heavy as 

 reported or that the defects of workmanship did not to any- 

 very large extent affect the strength of the structure. 



Note. — Since this paper (which was originally pre- 

 pared for the June meeting of the Society) was written, 

 certain further particulars have come to hand, including the 

 designer's own evidence, and the calculations of Dr. Pole, 

 F.R.S., all tending to confirm the preceding conclusions, A 

 telegram in the Argus of the 6th July states that the Board 

 of Inquiry has just made its report public, which " arrives at 

 the conclusion that the general design of the bridge was 

 such as to call for strong censure," and that the engineer " is 

 accordingly severely blamed for the construction of such a 

 bridge, to which the disaster to the train is considered to be 

 mainly attributable." 



D 



