BRIDGE. 
flood without any drawing's to explain them; as fimilar 
methods to thofe pr'opofed for the fufpending of bridges 
and aqueducts may be applied, with fuch variations as die 
nature of the buildings may require. The ceiling-floor 
may be fufpended by timbers, inftead of irons, connected 
to "the tie beams Snd fufpending ribs, by iron ftirrups 
and bolts ; the ribs may vary fomewhat from a curve, and 
the roof over may be of a common form. The principles 
of my invention being thus explained and illuflrated, by 
fome of the modes which may be adopted, I obferve that, 
as the invention itfelf is not fubjeft to any precife form, 
fize, or fcantling, it iiiuft always vary according to the na¬ 
ture, extent, and intended fervice, of the works, as well 
as the kind of materials to be tiled, which the judicious 
architeft or engineer will accommodate to local and exift- 
jng circum dances. I have confidered it mod proper not 
to perplex the explanation with di.menfio.ns of the various 
parts, thinking it quite fufficient to defcribe the nature 
and utility of my invention, and the manner in which it 
may be applied. Neither have I explained the good ef¬ 
fects and advantages that will arife from it, by (peedy 
ereftion, by a faving in expence, by durability, by the 
certain and eafy mode of repairing, and various other ad¬ 
vantages, becaufe fuch explanations would not properly 
form a part of the fpecification.” 
There are fe'veral particular laws for the regulation of 
public bridges, which, being of general utility, are of com¬ 
mon right to be repaired by the whole inhabitants of that 
county in which they'lie. Hale's P.C. 143. 13 Co. 33. 
Where a particular diftrift re-built a foot-bridge over a 
more convenient part of the dream, and converted it into 
a bridge for horfes, carts, and carriages ; as the diftrift was 
not bound by cudom to build or repair fuch a bridge, but 
a foot-bridge only, and as they built quite a different bridge 
in a different place, which proved of common public uti¬ 
lity to the county, the county, and not the diftrift, are 
bound to repair it. Burr. 2594. Blackfl. 685. But a cor¬ 
poration aggregate, either in refpeft of a fpccial tenure of 
certain lands, or in refpeft of a fpecial prefcription ; alio 
any other perfon, by realbn of fuch. a fpecial tenure, may 
be compelled to repair them. A tenant at will of a houfe 
which adjoins to a common bridge, although he is not 
bound as between landlord and tenant to repair the houfe, 
yet, if it become dangeroully ruinous to the neceffary in- 
ifcercourfe of the bridge, the tenant is bound, by reafon of 
his poffetlion, to repair it fo far as to prevent the public 
being prejudiced. Ld. Raym. 856. 
At common law, thole who are bound to repair public 
bridges, mud make them of fuch height and drength, as 
ihall be anfwerable to the courfe of the water; and they 
are not trefpaffers if they enter on any land adjoining to 
sepair them, or lay the materials neceffary for the repairs 
thereon. Dalt. c. 16, If a man erefts a bridge for his own 
ufe, and the people travel over it as a common bridge, he 
fhall notwithftanding repair it; though a perfon fhall not 
be bound to repair a bridge, built by himfelf for the com¬ 
mon good and public convenience, but the county mud 
Repair it. ilnft. 701. 1 Salk. 359. -Where inhabitants of a 
•county are indifted for not repairing a bridge, they mud 
fet forth who ought to repair the fame, and traverfe that 
they ought. 1 Vent. 256. Unlefs perhaps, where the real 
queftion is, whether it be a public or a common bridge. 
A vill may be indifted for a negledt in not repairing a 
■bridge ; and the indices of peace in their felfions may im- 
pofe a fine for defaults. And any particular inhabitant of 
a county, or tenant of land charged to repairs of a bridge, 
may be made defendants to an indiftment for not repairing 
it, and be liable to pay the fine affelfed by the court for 
the default of the repairs, who are to have their remedy 
at law T for a contribution from thofe who are bound to bear 
a proportionable lhare of the charge. 6 Mod. 307. If a 
manor is held by tenure of repairing a bridge, or high¬ 
way, which manor afterwards comes into feveral hands, in 
fuch cafe every tenant of any parcel of the demefnes and 
fervices is liable, to the whole charge, but fhall have con- 
Vol. 111 . No. 137. 
39 7 
tribution of the red ; and this though the lord may agree 
with the purchafers' to difcharge them of fuch repairs, 
which only binds the lord, and doth not alter the remedy 
which the public hath. 1 Danv. Abr. 744. So if a manor, 
fubjeft to fuch charge, comes into the hands of the crown, 
yet the duty upon it continues; and any perfon, claiming 
afterwards under the crown, the w hole manor, or any part 
thereof, lhall be liable to an indictment or information, 
for want of due repairs. 1 Salk. 358. If part of a bridge 
lie within a franchife, thofe of the franchife may be char¬ 
ged with the repairs for fo much ; alfo, by a fpecial te¬ 
nure, a man may be charged with the repairs of one part 
of a bridge, and the inhabitants of a county are to repair 
the reft. 1 Hawk. P. C. c. 77. f. 2. Raym. 384, 385. In¬ 
dictments for not repairing of bridges, will not lie but in 
cafe of common bridges on highways; though it hath been 
adjudged they will lie for a bridge on a common footway. 
Mod.Caf.2$6. Not keeping up a ferry, being a common 
paffage for all the king’s people, is indictable, as well as 
not keeping up bridges. 1 Salk. 12. 
By flat. 22 Hen. VIII. c. 3, all houfeholders dwelling 
in any county or town, whether they occupy lands or not; 
and all perfons who have land in their own poffeflion, whe¬ 
ther tiiey dwell in the fame county or not; are liable to be 
taxed as inhabitants, towards the repairs of a public 
bridge. Where it cannot be difcovered who ought to re¬ 
pair a bridge, it mull be prefented by the grand jury in 
quarter felfions ; and after their enquiry, and the order of 
felfions upon it, the juftices may fend for the conftables of 
every parilh, to appear at a fixed time and place, to make 
a tax upon every inhabitant, &c. but it has been ufual, in 
the levying of money for repairs of bridges, to charge 
every hundred with a fum in grofs, and to (end fuch charge 
to the high conftables of each hundred, who fend their 
warrants to the petty conftables, to gather it, by virtue 
whereof they affefs the inhabitants of parifhes in particu¬ 
lar fums, according to a fixed rate, and colled it; and 
then they pay the fame to the high conftables, who bring 
it to the felfions. This method’of railing the money was 
long obferved ; but, by flat. 1 Anne, c. 18, juftices in fef- 
fions, upon prefentment made of want of reparations, are 
to affefs every town, parifh, Sec. in proportion, towards the 
repairs of a bridge; and the money affeffed is to be levied 
by the conftables of fuch parifhes, &c. and being demand¬ 
ed, and not paid in ten days, the inhabitants ftiail be di- 
ftrained ; and, when the tax is levied, the conftables are 
to pay it to the high conftable of tile hundred ; who is tp- 
pay the fame to fuch perfons as the juftices (hall appoint, 
to be employed towards repairing of the bridge: and the 
juftices may allow any perfon concerned in the execution 
of the aft, 3d. per pound out of the money collected. All 
matters relating to the repairing and amending of bridges, 
are to be determined in the county where they lie, and no 
prefentment or indiftment fhall be rerpoved by certiorari. 
And, by this ftatute, ’ the evidence of the inhabitants.of 
thofe places where the bridges are in decay, fhall be admit¬ 
ted at any trial upon an information or indiftment, &c. 
By iqGeo. II. c.33, the juftices at their general felfions 
may p.urchafe or agree with perfons for any piece of land, 
not above one acre, near to any county-bridge, in Order to 
enlarge or more conveniently re-build it; and the ground 
lhall be paid for out of the money raifed by ftatute of .12 
Geo. II. c. 29, for better affefling, collefting, and levying, 
of county rates, See. And, by the (aid ftatute, when any 
public bridges, See. are to be repaired at the ex pence of the 
county, the juftices at their general or quarter feflions, af¬ 
ter prefentment made by the grand jury, of their want of 
reparation, may contraft with any perlotj for re-building 
or repairing the fame, for any term not exceeding feven 
years, at a certain annual fum, They are to give public 
notice of their intention to make fuch comrafts, which are 
to be made at the moft reafonable prices, and fecurity giv¬ 
en by the contraftors for performance; which contrafts 
are to be entered with the clerk of the peace. No per¬ 
fons are compellable to make a new bridge but by aft of 
5 I parliament; 
