The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-28 00:00:00

4a.2 z -

NEWSP..k.P.7.

111 STLPUTION Of CIVIL ENOINMAL
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THE LATE J. M. RENDEL, JiEtk-SV-' --•
On taking the chair Mr. Brunel a totrett la
the meeting the decease, on the 21st Aailf, of
Mr. James Meadows Rendel, past president 4 the
k.
institution, and proposed, as a mark of respect for
the memory of the late distinguished member, to
adjourn the meeting. This proposition was unani-
mously agreed to, several members availing them-
selves of the opportunity of expressing their re-
spect and esteem for their late friend,- and their
sympathy with his family for the heavy lora they
had mistaincd. : •
Tho Into Air. J. M. Retulell was a native of. the
west of England, where lie was practically instruct- •
ed in -the executive part of the profession, and was
early selected by that acute observer of talent, Mr.
Telford, for laying out and constructing-consider-
able lengths of turnpike roads in Devonshire
and Cornwall ; and the difficulties he there en-
countered and overcame 'tended much to give him
that :elf-reliance so useful to him in his subse-
quent career.
After being engaged in several large works in his
native district, he undertook the construction of
the cast-iron bridge over the river Lary, near Ply-
mouth, at the express desire of the Earl of• Morley,
who had the discrimination to discover the latent
talents of the young engineer, then only 22 years
of age, and to his exclusive direction,: with the ap-
proval of Mr. Telford, was intrusted the execution
of that important work. It was commenced in the
year 1824, and was completed in 1827, as described
in the first volume of the Transactions of the Idsti-
tution. This was soon followed by the construction
of the floating Steam bridge for crossing the estuary
of the Dart, near Dartmouth, somewhat on the
same principle as those subsequently established
by him for crossing the Ilantoaze between Torpoint
and Davenport, as described in the second volume
of the Transactions ; and, later still, those at Salt-
ash, at Southampton, and at Portsmouth.
He was engaged also in the distribution of the
water-mains-at her-Majesty's dockyard, Plymouth,
and ou the water. works at Edinburgh.
In the year 1838 he removed from Plymouth to
London, and soon became extensively occupied on
important works, and was engaged in the Parlia-
mentary contests of that remarkable period in the
history of engineering. Among the numerous
works upon which he was occupied may be men-
tioned the Montrose Suspension Bridge; the In-
verness Bridge ; the Leith, and the East and West
India and London Dscks, whet() he designed and
executed extensive improvements, amounting to
partial reconstruction.

1`0(-)
Yht,

- The design for the construction of docks at Bir-
kenhead, in Cheshire, of such an extent as to create
a formidable rival to Liverpool, brought Mr. Jten-
del very prominently before the world, and the
protracted contests on this subject will not only be
long remembered in the history of Psrliamentary
committees, but the evidence given by the projector
and other engineers, as now collected, forms a va-
luable record of the state of engineering practice.
The almost incessant labour, and th mental
anxiety inseparable from this undertaking, were
more than even his powerful constitution could
support, and it is feared • that they tended to
shorten his valuable life.

The daring project of constructing a dock at
Great Grimsby, by projecting the works far out
upon the mud banks of the river Humber, was
next successfully accomplished ; and he commenced
the two great works which alone suffice to hand
down his name to posterity beside those of Smea-
ton, Rennie, and Telford,—the harbours of refuge
of olyhead and Portland ; both these works were
conceived with the largest views, and have been
carried on with great rapidity. In both cases the
system was adopted of establishing timber stages
over the line of the jetties, and depositing the
masses of stone of all dimensions, by dropping
them vertically from railway waggons into their
positions ; thus bringing up the mass simultane-
ously to above the level of the sea. In this man-
ner, as much as 24,000 tons of stone have been
deposited in ono week, and to supply this vast de-
mand monster blasts of five or six tons of gun-
powder were frequently employed. Theso two
great works are progressing very satisfactorily,
and it is worthy of remark, that although the
severe storms which have repeatedly occurred on
the exposed coasts where they are situated have
done some injury to portions of the stages and
of the temporary works, not a stone would appear
to have been carried away from the jetties ; and
the success of the system may be said to be com-
plete, in spite of the sinister predictions which
prevailed before the system was tried.
Among the other works upon which Mr. Rendel
was engaged should also be mentioned the con-
sty-art-ions on the River Lea and tlaeinsproinsinents
of the Nene River—the latter a work of consider-
able difficulty, and not yet completed. He was
also employed by the Exchequer Loan Commis-
sioners to report upon the drainage and other public
works in Ireland.
He was less engaged in railways than in hydrau-
lie works, but in England he executed the Birken-
head, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction line ;
and in India he had the direction of the East
Indian and the Madras Railways, the former pro-
jected by Mr. Macdonald Stephenson, as the first
of the vast system now being formed, and which
will work such a revolution in the destiny of the
Indian empire. The Ceylon and the Pernambuco
lines were also under his charge.
The limits of this short sketch preclude the pos-
sibility of enumerating mere of the works upon
which Mr. Rendel was engaged, and it would
appear extraordinary how ho could find time for
such varied occupation, as, in addition to these
active duties, he was very frequently called upon
by the Government to report on large works, the
most implicit confidence being reposed in his truth-
fulness, the correctness of his views, and the
fearless expression of his opinions.
He was a man of great energy, clear perception,
and correct judgment ' • his practical knowledge was
well directed, and he knew how to make good use
of the scientific acquirements and skill of all whose
services he engaged. His evidence before com-
mittees of the house was clear and convincing—
seldom failing in carrying his point—and his re-
ports on engineering works are so well conceived
and drawn up that it may be hoped that they will
be given to the world for the benefii of the profes-
sion. With these qualities, which were fully ap-
preciated, it need scarcely be mentioned that he
rose rapidly to a very high position in his profes-
sion. He became a fellow of the Royal Society,
and was elected on the council ; he was a very
early member of the Institution of Civil Engineers,
having joined it in 1824. He had been for the
last 16 years upon the council, and held the post of
president during the years 1852 and 1853.
He was as amiable and kind in private life as he
was energetic and firm in public, and his decease,
which occurred on the 21st of November, cast a
gloom over the whole of the profession of which he
was a brilliant ornament.