134 
Robert Stephenson in the designing and construction of 
the Britannia tube. 
Although it has been the subject of an unfortunate dispute 
to whom the merit of this great work belongs; yet owing 
j)artly to the researches of Mr. Smiles, the country knows 
enough to insist on assigning to all three a full share of 
merit; for it is clear that each of them performed his work 
in a perfect manner. Sir William Fairbairn claimed to 
hawe originated the idea of a cellular structure for the tube, 
and he from the first advocated the plan of a simple tube 
without chains, which plan was eventually adopted with 
such success.^ 
Judged, however, by the light of subsequent experience, 
this plan, although it has in every respect fulfilled the 
most sanguine hopes, is not better than certain others ; and 
it appears that recently but few tubular bridges have been 
constructed, while of the plans which have been adopted in 
place of it, some much more nearly approach to Stephenson’s 
original idea of a tube supported by chains or a stiffened 
suspension bridge. Thus the fact that Sir William Fair- 
bairn succeeded in persuading Stephenson to adopt his plan, 
must be looked upon as an instance of the extraordinary 
force of character and readiness of mind to which as well 
as to his ability Sir William Fairbairn owed his success. 
Although not now much used for bridges, the cellular 
method is largely used in ship building. The Great Eastern 
is built on this plan, as are almost all our ships of war. 
In 1862 Sir William Fairbairn conducted, in conjunction 
with Mr. T. Tate, a series of experiments on the density of 
saturated steam, which form a very valuable addition to our 
knowledge of that subject. 
Sir William Fairbairn was elected a member of this Society 
in 1824, and was president from 1855 until I860. In I860 
* Smiles’ Lives of tlie Engineers,’* Vol. III., note on p. 474. 
