THE 
EDINBURGH 
PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL. 
Art. I .—Description of Bridges of Suspension . By Robert 
Stevenson, Esq. F. R. S. E. Civil Engineer. Communicat- 
ed by the Author. 
TL he art of building bridges, or at least of forming some equi- 
valent for a bridge, must have been coeval with the earliest 
stages of civilization. At this day, the common mode of cros- 
sing rivers and ravines in the wilds of America, and the inland 
territory of Hindostan, is by means of ropes of various kinds, 
stretched from side to side, on which a roadway is generally 
formed for the traveller and his equipage; though, in some 
instances, he is placed in a basket, with his goods suspended 
from the ropes, and drawn across, while his mule fords the 
stream, or clambers through the ravine. 
It may even be considered as rather a mortifying circumstance, 
that, in the present advanced state of the arts, we should be lay- 
ing aside the stupendous arch of masonry, with all its strength 
and symmetry, and adopting bridges of suspension, formed 
of flexible chains, in imitation of the more rude and simple 
efforts of early times. We wish not, however, to be understood 
to underrate modem science, but would rather acknowledge our 
obligations to the mechanical philosopher, who has thus convert- 
ed the catenarian curve to a useful purpose, by turning the 
crude ideas of savage life to advantage, even in the most ad- 
vanced state of society. When, from more extended views, or 
from motives of economy, a check is put to our application of 
the bridge of masonry, in certain situations, it is highly gratify- 
ing to observe, that, by this contrivance, we are enabled to ae- 
VOL. V. NO. 10 . OCTOBER 1821 . R 
