1833. ] Beosi River, near Sagar, Central India. 541 
* The flat bars, four inches broad by 2 inch thick and in lengths of fifteen feet, 
are joined together at their ends by nicely turned bolts passing through bored holes 
two inches in diameter ; they are adjusted in their height by double wedges, 
resting on holders that connect the sides of the loops together. The girders are 
also adjustable in their lengths, the bars that enter the masonry have their ends 
made broader than the rest of the bars, in which are long openings 2 inches broad 
to receive wedges. (Fig. 10, 11.) 
“ Eight timbers in an upright position are set in the masonry of the pillars, having 
upright grooves or spaces cut through them, and faced with thick plates of iron ; 
through two of these beams each end bar passes, and may be wedged on either side 
of the timber towards the land as occasion may require ; thus is the whole length 
of girder drawn more or less to either end of the bridge, and also rendered exceed- 
ingly tight and steady. The grooves in the timbers towards the river, being about 
four inches longer than the breadth of the bars, permit them to adapt themselves 
to their proper directions when drawn lengthwise by the wedges acting against the 
landward beams ; by these means the bars have sufficient play to adapt themselves 
to the motion of the platform, and all jerks at the pillars are obviated. 
“ Thirty-seven double joists twelve feet long are, (having their ends notched be- 
low for the purpose,) laid on the girders: their centres five feet apart correspond 
exactly with the vertical rods that pass through them ; the joists are composed 
each of two cheeks a foot in depth and three inches thick, separated at intervals 
by four blocks of wood of the same height and thickness ; all firmly put together 
with bolts, screws and nuts : two cleats are nailed to each end of the joist on their 
under sides, whose ends fit flat against the girder and keep all steady. 
“Planks sixteen feet in length running longitudinally, each plank stretching rove 
three spaces, and regularly disposed as to their joints, are spiked down on the joists : 
in a direction across these and upon them other planks are spiked down, their lengths 
being the same as the breath of the platform. The planks are allimbedded ina com- 
position of resin boiled in linseed oil, which in laying on is mixed with ashes. 
The lower planks are three, and the upper ones two and half inches thick: they are 
only six inches broad to prevent warping, and have two strong square-headed spikes 
passing through them near their edges, at every crossing of the upper over the 
lower planks: their points are clinched below the platform, to accomplish which 
16,370 spikes, weighing a ton and a half, were used; thus the platform has been 
rendered extremely strong and firm. 
“The better to secure the sides of the platform and the ends of the timbers from 
the weather, a cornice or moulding of wood is nailed along the outside. 
“The hand-rail is trussed, and consists of iron pillars or stanchions ; diagonal 
braces of iron ; and a stout wooden rail running from end to end of the platform : 
the whole put together with screws aud nuts, and adjusting screws for setting up 
or tightening the diagonal braces whenever required. (Fig. 10.) 
“The rise in the platform is (as before stated, nine inches, but the curve of 
the hand-rail is only three inches, to effect which the stanchions that support the 
rail are of varying lengths. The rail being four feet six inches above the platform 
at its connection with the masonry, but only four feet in the centre of the bridge.’’ 
The following are the weights of the chains, rods, and materials of 
the platform : 
