proposed to be erected at Montrose. £71 
from each other on each side of the roadway, and at every five 
feet in its length. Similar rods are also to be attached be- 
tween the chains and the roadway on the outside of the pillars, 
and filling up the space between these and the descending 
chains. At the top these rods are attached by bolts and eyes 
to the couplings which bind all the chains together, so that each 
suspending rod has thus a bearing, not on one, but on the whole 
mass of chains. But besides the upright rods, I propose, as al- 
ready stated, and as shewn in the principal drawing, to have 
cross rods running from the chains to the suspending pillars. 
The object of these is to keep the arch steadily in its place, and 
prevent the undulations to which its flexibility subjects it: 
These cross rods to be extended, if necessary, and, as is shewn 
in the drawing, quite across the centre of the bridge. They 
are also to run from the pillars on each side to the descending 
chains ; and, together with the upright rods, will fill up the 
whole intervening space, while these upright and cross rods, in- 
terweaving with each other, will have such a degree of strength 
and stiffness as to keep the chains here in a straight line, and 
prevent them from sinking by their own weight, or shaking the 
pillars by their undulation. These upright and cross rods can 
be also strengthened and stiffened, if necessary, by diagonals. 
In regard to the couplings for binding the chains together, 
the principal part consists of three bars or prongs standing at 
right angles to the chains, the middle one passing up between 
the two middle chains, and the extreme ones embracing the ex- 
treme chains on each side ; these bars are cast open and un- 
connected above, but are united below by a cross bar cast in the 
same piece, and terminating in two sockets, which receive the 
eyes of the suspending rods, and hold them fast by a bolt. These 
bars, after being let up through and on each side of the chains,* 
are united at the top by a cross bar fastened to them by nuts" 
or otherwise, and thus the square of chains is completely en- 
closed. But this coupling is still more securely attached to the 
chains by bolts passing through the coupling blocks of the 
chains. At every five feet there are twelve of these coupling 
blocks, and these are disposed horizontally in two rows, and a 
bolt passed through all the six blocks of each row, and also 
through the bars or prongs of the suspending coupling. The' 
