613 
The justly approved creosote process, patented by Mr Bethell, had 
been largely employed in railway works, with universally admitted 
success, and, in common with many of his professional brethren, the 
author adopted it in several marine works, in the expectation that it 
would prove an antidote to the Limnoria ; but having now ascertained 
beyond all doubt that creosote was not a universal or permanent 
preservative of timber used in marine works, the author proposed, 
in the present notice, to state briefly the facts on which this opinion 
was grounded. 
Before doing so, however, he wished it to be distinctly understood 
that he did not undervalue Mr Bethel? s highly important invention 
as a preservative of timber against all ordinary decay incident to 
railway sleepers, timber viaducts, and, indeed, all timber structures 
not exposed to sea-water infested with the Limnoria terebrans. 
His remarks referred exclusively to its application for marine works 
below half-tide level. For all other classes of works, he believed it 
to be a most valuable preservative. 
In 1859, in a discussion which followed a paper on the 11 Per- 
manent Way of the Madras Kailway,” at the Institution of Civil 
Engineers, the author first stated that there were distinct evidences 
of the attack of the Limnoria terebrans on creosoted timber used at 
Scrabster Harbour in Caithness ; while Mr Bethell, the patentee, and 
others, expressed their conviction that creosoted timber could not be 
perforated by any worm or insect. 
Subsequent experience and observation have satisfied the author 
that the statement which he then made was correct, the fact, as now 
ascertained, being that thoroughly creosoted timber is, in certain 
situations, readily perforated by the Limnoria Terebrans. 
The first instance to which he referred was the pier at Leith, which 
was executed about 1850, by the late Mr Kendel. The whole of the 
timber employed was creosoted on the spot in the most careful manner. 
As the piers at Leith were washed by a constant admixture of fresh 
water from the water of Leith, the author expected that the pro- 
gress of devastation at that place would be so slow as to be hardly 
appreciable on creosoted timber. But having carefully examined the 
West Pier, he corroborated the evidence given by Mr A. M. Rendel 
in 1860, before the Select Committee on Leith Docks’ Bill, that, not- 
withstanding the most careful application of creosote, the timber work 
has been attacked by the insect to a great extent. 
