Star.
London, England, 1801-08-29 00:00:00

-

IRON BRIDGE.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE IMPROVEMENT! OF THE PORT

OF LONDON, AND MORE PARTICULARLY OF THE

INTENDED BRIDGE. CONSISTING OF A SINGLE
ARCH OF 600 FEST SPAN. (lihilojiok. Magazine).

' Nothing tends fo much to promote the improve-
ments of a Rate, as the eltablifhing of an eat.), and
uninterrupted communication through all its dif-
triets. It has therefore been a leading objeet with
every welt-wither of his country, to reader the ge-
neral intercotufe as perfeet and convenient as pof-
fible. Public roads and bridges have been the
means chiefly employed to dial:drill this intercourfe :
bridges, as requiring fcientific and mechanical
• knowledge, and, in many cafes, the utmoft exer-
' tions of talents and have frequently engaged
the attention of perfons of eminence and learning.
It would be an amufing talk to trace the progrefs
of this ufeful art, from the rude efforts of the La-
nge, in his rinallifted Rate, to the magnificent
works of civilized nations, v. hen fcience, wealth,
and increaledpopulation, have united to overcome
difficulties confidered before as unformountable.
, When a work is,to be performed, mankind, at
firkienake ufe of the materials which are nearer
at' and. and which require the lean tkill in the
preparation ; timber and lions were therefore the
materials with which bridges were fire con ftruCted,
and there edifices have been rendered more or lets
perfee,' in proportion to the quality of the mate-
rials, the flute of the arts, and the degree of wealth
. and power, in the countries in which they were
ereated.
In our olden bridges, it is evident, there has
bees much timidity, and only a fmall portion of
: deepptger, the lower parts of- the piers
have been costinwied with timber, and the ma-
fonry begins to take placeut the line of low wa-
ter; the arches art of narrow loan, and the ma.-
font employed in them is frequently competed,
yof rubble, and partly of fquared Rene. In
, meant • were deviled (by Ming cofferdams
and cailloons) to place the niafonry as low, com-
moldy lower than the natural bed of the river;
the were all formed of a bolder fpan, and
:the mafeinry was trade much ,roore perfect, being
Jfil of iquareal Amu. In this manner bridges have
been conftruded in Italy, .France, and the Britifb
. *kis which lurrejuftly been confidered, not only as
• riarles•of genevalutdity, btu ofgreat magnificence.
Ja like earnmer, tisnlierlieidgft have been gra-
des* imprtnied. from the rough trunk of a tree
threwnecrofia finallareamoo the bold and iogeni-
. onalabourseif dieSwifs carpenter ut Schaffhaufen.
Bridges ,continued to be chiefly compofed of
timber or of alone, till of late years : on account
of ceconomy. in Acne cafes, they havelseen built
with bricks.
Metals not beiaggeoerallyfouud in a pure Rate.
require mach labour and expence to make them
falsfervient to she purpefes of math and therefore.
ill the uncultivated periods of fociety, were not.
applied to works'of great magnitude but the hit.
' portant improvements in ohensical and mechani-
cal knowledge. have, in a great degree. removed
thole difficulties, anireodered them not only the
- mad penverfui, but the moft ufeful means of man.
Iron being the mod 'abundant, cheap, and ge-
nerally ufeful, of all the metals, has of late years
bean applied in all works where great flrength was
required inproponion to the weight ofthe Material :
beset cylinders, beams and pumps for Ream
engines, boats* and barges for canals and naviga-
mere, beabist and pillars for large buildings
and bridges, have been coaltru&ed of iron.
The firft iron bridge we knew of, is,over the ri-
ver Severn, near Coalbrookdale, in Shropthire ; it
coons of one arch too feet and fix inches in the
Span, and fifes 45 feet : there are five ribs, each
cad is two pieces, fecund where they join at.the
crows of the arch by a can-iron key plate, and
conureted together, lunizoatally and vertically, by
can-iron braces, formed with dovetails and fore-
locks; the ribs are covered with cad-iron plates,
British e railing tothe fides is of iron: the Mal weight
of iron is 3.734- toss. The plojea's being carried•
into execution Was chiefly owing to the genius and
exertion of Mr. John
_Wilkinfon and Mr. Abraham
Maley, iron mailers, whole fcientific knowledge
and eztenfive prargice, in all that regards the ma.
aufaeure of iron, have long been known to the
public. The bridge was built by Mr. Abraham
Darley, and the iron work was can at Coalbrook-
dale in the year 1779. It was a bold effort; for,
in the firft inflance of adopting a new material,.
-they exceeded the fpan of the centre arch of Black-
friars bride, which had been confidered as a great
exertio* with done.
'The iron work of this bridge has fully juftified
th..ildes of making tire of that metal ; for it is at
this time as perfea as when it was firft put up, ex-
cept the cracking of Tome of the (mall pieces, ow-
ing to the giving way of the abutments of (lone,
which, it is to be regretted, were not made futh-
ciently arcing to oppofe the great mats of alluvial
earth, of which the very high and deep adjoining
banks are compofed; for, the& abutments had
been fortunately built on the coal roeafures, no
filch flip could have taken place.
The fecond iron bridge was built over the fame
river, about two miles above the former one at a
place called Buildwa' ; it was meted at the ex.
pence of the county of Salop, agreeably to a plan,
and under the direction of Mr. Telford, who is
employed as Purveyor of the public works of that
coumy : it was alto call at Coalbrookdak in [795
and [796. It confifts of one arch ya feet in the
fpan, and riles, from the fprising to the Colt of
the arch, 27 /at. In this bridge, as it was need-
(cry to keep the roadway as low as poßible, the
principle of the Schallsaufen bridge was in tome
degree adopted; for the outfide nbs are made to
go up as high as the tops of the railing ; they are
conflated with the ribs that bear the covering
• Mr. John Wifhiafoo has easitradited boats sod barge. of
irea.factie of which are tied as the river Severn, and the own
aro the canals la Stalforgibbe avid Worcciterakire.
t A brie manuoroary for (pinatas lax 11510 thread, tl• ma-
chinery warted by a fteauvenghse, has been riveted >a sttrewf-
bury by Megm Beagoa, Marls" and Doge, where there are
emir heights of flows, awl a roof anspufad of brick arches,
which are fop?artnd by cattArcas beans and

plates by means of pieces of iron, dovetailed in the '
form of king-polls. The plates which form the
covering over the lower ribs are calk with deep
flanclies, are laid clofe to each other, and form an
arch of themfelves, fo that, altogether, the bridge
is compact and firm. The weight of iron is 173
tons iB¢ cwt. Some fmaller bridges, and an
aquedua at Longdon, (the firll made of iron over
a navigable canal,) have alto been made under
Mr. Telford's diredions, in Shr9pfhire.
The next bridge, on a large fcale, which was
made of iron, was that over the river Wear, at
Monk-wearmouth, in the county of Durham.—
This bridge is 236 feet in the fpan, and the arch
riles only 34 feet : it is compofeciofveey fhort cal-
iron frames, which are conneded together by bars
of wrought iron, and hollow tubes with Ranches
and fertws ; the ribs. are covered with timber
planking. The weight of calf iron tiled in "this
bridge is 805 tons, hammered iron 55 tons. This
bridge was built under the direction, and chiefly
at the expence, of Rowland Burdan, Efq. ; it was
call at the manufactory of Melts. Walkers, of Ro-
therham, in Yorkihire, and does much honotir to
the projector and to the iron mafters. It was a
eonfiderable Rep in the praCtice of bridge building,
being nearly double the fpan of the arch of
Buildwas, and more than double that of the
centre arch of Blackfriars bridge. This will, per-
haps, appear rafh to thole who have not had an
opportunity of confideriag the qualities of iron, or
seho have not carefully compared its firength with
the ftrength of the materials formerly ufed in con-
flru(ling bridges. In great works it is proper we
fhould proceed with elution ; but the very princi-
ple of improvement molt be wholly abandoned,
if the demonftrations of feience and the evidence
of pradicallenowledge are to be difregarded. To
thee who will take the trouble of comparing the'
fpecific grailty and the ftrength of call iron with.
thofe of lone, it will not appear extraordinary,
that by ufing that metal, the practice of bridge-
building may be changed, and the opening of arch-
ways made ta-extend far beyond what has hither-
to been attempted. The advantages to be deriv-
ed from this pradice are obvious, and become of
great national iznportance in every ,country where
the free navigation of rivers is intimately connect-
ed with its pvofperity.
We have been led into the confideration of this
!object by the information we have received re-
fpeding the plans fiir re-building London bridge.
Underftanding that there was a plan for confirud-
ing a bridge over the Thames .of a tingle arch of
cad iron,. we have made particular inquiries, and
have authority to fay that the following is a cor-
rect flatement.of the hidory, principles, and plan
of this defign :
The manufa&ures, trade, and commerce of
Great Britain having increafed to an extent un-
paralleled in the hittory of nations, a great pro-
portion of which is carried on through the metro-
polis by means of the fine river upon which it is
fnuated, and the important centre it forms for the
commerce of great .part of the world; although
this river forms an excellent channel to admit the
intercourfe of (hips of the largell burden within a
few miles of the city, yet, from the increafe of the
number and flee of the veftels frequenting the port
of London, great inconveniences and lollei have
been experienced in tranfaCting the bulinefs con-
nected with the !hipping. The diftance at which
the large !hips are obliged to lie, ,theconfafion of
;hipping in the River, the lots of time in loading
and dikharging goods, the expence of lighterage,
the frequency of thefts, the delays and vexation ex-
periented by the merchant and manufadurei, have
at length given rife to propofitions and plans to
remedy thofe evils. On this great national fub:
jeCt, which embrates inch a vanety of objeds, opi-
nions have, of courfe, been various, and fome of
them contradiCtory : this produced mach difctif-
I Grin while the bufinefs remained with an open
Committee of the Houle of Commons ; and, al.
though much ufeful information was obtained, yet
no projed appeared to be finally agreed on, and
brought to maturity.
Thii led to the judicious meafure of appointing
a feled committee, confiding of members who
were not concerned in any of the projects brought
forward. This committee has made three molt
valuable reports to the Houle of Commons, where-
in every thing relative to the port of London, and
the general commerce of the kingdom, as far as
ie is connected with this port, has been arranged
with an accuracy and precifion which will enable
the legiflature and the public to comprehend, at
one view, a fabled which requires information be-
yond the power of any individual to bring together.
In this great plan, they have judicioufly divided
the port of London into three parts. The firft is
the docks iwthe We of Dogs, which are calculated
to accommodate the Weft India trade, which,
ufually arriving in large fleets, contributed in a
peculiar degree to the crowded and embarraffed
date of the river, and which, from the valuable
nature of their cargoes, were very much capled
to depredation. There is alto, in this part, a canal,
by means of which thole !kips that with to come
up the river, may avoid the circuituous route by
Greenwich and Dag/Ilford.
The fecond part ilfthe docks in Wapping, which
are intended for the accommodation of feveral
great branches of our trade which are fubjed to
heavy duties. And
The third•is, the improvement of the river from
the Tower, upwards, to Blackfriars bridge • and
this third part includes the rebuilding of London
bridge. By this means, colliers and coaling vef-
fels, and all veffels of light burthen, are to be ad.
mitted to pals the new London bridge, and (hip
and cfifcharge goods immediately at wharfs and
warehoufes, to be conftruded along the banks of
the river, and oppofite to the centre of the city.
The two fir* parts of the plan have been fanc-
tioned by Parliament, and have been undertaken
by incorporated companies, excepting the canal,
which is now executing under the diredion of the
city of London.
The committee have, in their third report, alfo
recommended a general plan for improving the
third or upper part of the port of London; that
is, by removing, the prefent London bridge, and;
upLiciag a with cu of WI itoa,6s tut AO in

the clear above high water, with inclined planesl
connecting it with the prefent limas, and loch
other improvements as may grow out of this al-
teration. Alfo, deepening the bed of the river, to
admit of (hips of two hundred tons lying afloat at
low water; and contrading the width of the river,
in order to preferve its prefent velocity, and to ac-,
quire fpace for wharfs and wareboufes, and for
the inclined planes, without encroaching upon the
property which is now connected with the lhores.
'he portion of this plan which has been more im •
mediate] y under the confideration of the committee
during the prefent feftions of parliament, has been
a deign by Meflis-Telford and Douglafs, in which
it is propofed to conftrud a bridge of a Lingle arch
compofed wholly of call iron: the fpan of the
arch is Goo feet, being the width to which, by Mr.
jefrop's report, the river ought to be contracted,
if it is excavated to have 13 feet at low water:
the height in the clear above high water is 65 feet,
being the elevation determined by the refolution
of the committee laft fefGons.
The boldnefs and fimplicity of this defign ren-
der it an objet of attention, .not only to the com-
mittee, who are engaged in confidering the fur-
ther improvement of -the port of London, but to
men of fcience and pralical engineers, and to all
who feel an intereft in the improvement and credit
of)their country.
It is now generally admitted that the prefent
London-bridge ought to be removed, being ex-
penfive and dangerous in itfelf; and forming an
obftrudion in the moll valuable part of the river.
if the prefent bridge is to be removed, the new ,
bridge ihould be rebuilt upon that plan which
fhould leave the river clear of obflacles, and, at the
fame time, reflect rfioft credit on the Britifh artills.
If A tingle arch can be. conarated without en-1
dangcring the folidity and duration of 'lmbue-
cure, mca undoubtedly then can be only one
opinion as to the propriety .of adopting it. It
would be a great national work, combining the
greateft degref of utility and magnificence, and fu-1
perior in its kind to any thing the world has yet feen.
Itt a work of this nature it, would have been im-
prudent to have been guided by the judgment or
opinion of any individual; it therefore became ne-
celfary to coiled the fentiments of all the perfons
moll eminent for feientific knowledge and pradical
101: this has been done by the committee in the
molt effedual and Impartial manner that could be
deviled, by tranfmitting copies of the plans, ex-
planatory drawings, acrd the queries relating there-
to,lo perfons Who are well qnalified to invefrigate
the lubjeet: thofe gentlemen have taken it up With
an impartiality, candour, and patriotifin,.which
does them much honour, and have furnifhed able
and fatidadory demonftrations and opinions. The
refult is, that an arch,'of the plan and dime:talons
referred to their confideration, may be conftitieted
fo as to berenderedafuPantial and durableedifice.
The particulars of thefe mafterly difquifitions
are contained in the Appendix to the fourth Re-
port of the Sete& Committee for the further im-
provement of the port of London ; they will be
the means of throwing much new light on this
important fubjed, and will, molt probably, change'
the principles and pradice of this fpecies of archi-
tedure..

It would require many drawings and much de-
tail to convey an adequate idea of the forin and
conftrudion of this magnificent arch it cannot
properly be 'fbewn as whole in a drawing upon any
kale that would fuit a publication of this nature.
We underftand the public cur iofity will be fpeedily
gratified with a peripedive view, taken from the
Surrey fide of the prefent Landon bridge, on a
plate four feet long and two feet wide, and which,
befides the new litidge, comprehends he principal
objects in the cities of London and Weltminfter,
from Bow church to Whitehall ; and the propoled
wharfs, w:trehoufes, and terraces, between the
bridges. The bridge part is engraved by that emi.i
nent artift Mr. Lowry, ,whofe fcientific knowledge
is only exceeded by his dexterity as an engraver;
and all the reft. by Mr. Malton, whore views of
London have done him honour, and qualify him
to give the back ground with a precifion which no
other artift could be expelled tdequal. -
According to this plan, the bridge is to be corn.
poled wholly of calf iron, which is much lefs lia-
ble to decay or alteration than hammered iron.—
The ribs are to be cart in portions of as large a fize
as to be conveniently moulded, and call correctly,
and fuch as can bereadily managed in the remov-
ing and putting up : they are to be connected to-
gether by crofs and diagonal tyes and braces,
placed in filth a manner that any of the pieces of
the ribs or tyes, or braces, may he taken out cepa.
rately, and be replaced without injury or inter-
ruption to the bridge. The ribs will receive the
weight and prelrure in a direction that the firers
will operate Upon the pieces of iron endways ;
therefore, before the bridge can give way, the iron
mutt be crufhed to pieces. All the frames or ribs
arc to be cdnnedcd vertically and horizontally from
the foffit of the arch to the roadwaY, fo that the
whole bridge will ad as one frame, and by that
means leffen the lateral preffure againft the abut-
ments, and guard againft any error in the equili-
bration'of the arch. The ribs are to be to difpored
that they fpread from the middle of the bridge to
the abutments, with the view of caufing the abut-
ments to embrace a greater (pace on the fhore, to
increafe the width of the bridge, to accommodate
the roadway in turning towards the inclined
planes, and to prevent any tendency the bridge
might have to fide vibrations : the fide wibrations
will be further oppofed by the crofs and diagonal,
tyes and braces, and by the plate or grating which
is to be laid acrofs the ribs to receive the roadway.
The roadway is to be compofed, firft of a light,
dry, and durable fubflance, laid next to the iron
plates; fecondly, of a compact fubttance, which•
will not admit of water palling through it ; and,
thirdly, of the, fide-paths and pavements for the
driving-way.
The whole external form of the bridge is to be
compofed of Gothic tracery ; the railing is alto to
be of Gothic work,' with Gothic- pinnacles to re-
ceive the lamps ; fr that the bridge will, at a dif-
tabu., haVe the appearance of a frame of light 1111
Gxhic trAcery,finillted on the top with that wildneLsi
of outline of whack tide (bible itylc is fa capable.

Flambe: its
Altana
Leghorn
Napies
Galas

The mhtttMents,.bithc fProgliAg loin of the
•hridge, their conneetion with the entrances at each
end, and with the wharfs_ at racti fide of it, will
occupy a fpace on the orc; fuificien t, ta , form an
ample foundation for as edifice Opable of ref-I:II:17
any preffare whatever.. he form and conneJlioii
of the mafotuy. mall allWecalculated to dill: ibute
the refiltance dirmigh`the'whole mars, in the fame
manner as if it was'a•folid rock of equal magni-
tude : additional ftrength will alto be gained by
the land arched, Or wareheufes,, yhich-are under
the.inclined planer. .
~ . .
By making three enttinces or avenues with the
additional width ofifte bridge et each end, advan
tages nearly equal to Om& arifing from three
bridges will be afforded to the ptiblic. In all ie"-
fpeCts, therefore, the bridge wilt be an original de-
fign, as its importlntlirraion and diftinguilhed
name jultly demand. ' •
The fcaffolding upon which the iron arch will
be turned, is to be formed by driving rows of piles
into the river, the top of which will be abovelow.
water mark ; thefe piles to. be-properly brazed r.b.
gether ; upon them. wi 11 heraifed.a proper frami,ng
to fupport the part of the iron work which will
reit upon them : at a convenient diiiancel 'lto ad-
mit barges to pats, another fit. ofipiles and frames
will be fixed, and thefe frames will allele braced
together, at a vroper height, over the-barge open-
ings, 'which will admit afigangways'being made
quite sterol's the river, fo that the whole will be-
come one general franiefroM Aare to here. The
top bring made to fuit the ectrve of &trot& of the
arch, the iron work will then be fated 'upon it with
facility and cafe. Thei weight of the whole iron
work, when difiributed ova fo great a fpace, is
very fmalli when conitia cid voids %corks conitrufted
with none- The 6,dt-tiding will not, therefore,
require to be of the.latic.thmertfions which may
at firlt he imagined: the truth of the principles
was fully proved by the very ingenious, though
apparently flight, fcaffoldingiover which the arch
of Wearmouth was turned; and they maybe il.
lultrated by Rating, that thistgreatell`done Arches
are turned upon centres formed of timber. When
the courfes of ftone'have theen brought up to near
the crown of the arch, on each fide; the Whole iefts
upon the timber centres, and it large arches this
weight.-ismery greet 1 the centre molt, however,
be •equal to fupport the weight; othersfifelt would
give way, and the tione.irenik would fa dowri.
The irowarch is, 'in fativaio ntore than lamm-
ing fimilar to that forelteeentring for a {lone arch,
with this difference, igatkielfrinTraming has lit.
de =Ma to:carry than -its' • weight.-4.lmOron
work having muchinoreat than tisnlicsonay
saitit
be made pruportitirtally linti ~ In iamb,* wild
putting up s.omber centresjhere bunibe prApsitnd
lonians, ;Ma the fcaffoldias 4rir istpporting.sbe
iron framing mai.be conapad to theteivapasad
.
fupports. ••• -. l. ~. . • . .
By deepening and embearbint. the rirer,"nitnir.
ufeful (pace will be gteaaii, and the properties
along each bank of the rive*, ativell nalheitosets
adjoining, and leading fisim:rhince info thi,'citt,
will, by a judicieusarrangetnent. 'be rendered xtry
valuable. Depofits, and public snarkitsfor:agala,
may alto be formed under the whorl's, ,by 'which
means the lighterage amp's bmtighifrom the pool
up as farasßlackfriars bridge would he coniiiletely
raved. .This,plan is inapora Tay 14;;Dousl#04
who has given a full defcription of it ie. the,Aip-
pendix to the third Report Of the SeleftC.Autimittre
of the Houfe of Comnitri.'" 'Elora his efiliates
on the general cOnfumptioh of coat in—Lonclon,. it
appears, that the ravings in two years will be ade-
quate to the ill pence of_ eroSing the new icon-
bridge. This plan merits -snatort .confidersitiort-
The coals being regularly iiipplied, would teral to
prevent fudden injurious COmpetiliositialiich of late
years has been fuch a burthen pp tht public.
If this part.pt the plan for improving the,port of
London be fucceftfully executed, welball molengrr
-be reproached byforeigners,thmt we, aveone of the
fineft rivers in the woad running through ousprin-
cipal city, ytt that we.fnifei its nfernlnsfs to be ill
a great meature dpftroyed by maintaining l• one
embankment "actors the molt TalupPe part ,Of..it,
by fuffering its litotes Tolitsibit, an eittent ftr.mtitl,
initead of convertiNc thsin into Valid' wharfs ;
and its banks to le covered V;itli.ntein and UP&
left buildings, ;Mica of edifices Athol' 'to fo noble
a fituation, and wOrthythecOrwaiiitail metropolis
of Europe. ' _ • .

ftleidtitiliD, •
Monday fenniett. of alktiline, Mr. lament' didit:hef;.tnneof
Mr. John johnton, MthrTaiker .
On Saturday fensight:dbilitt Willarettaty,E4 'Captain-
of his Majefty's skip Edgar, as MfglieneWb. OlSlShecr of
Aar-Admiral Hailpway, itcoad Wt esetuttniairderiPortisneSth.
Saturday lalt, !Art Efq. }kb ' or the county
of Sotnerfct, to Mili Cruelititunk,Ml- thirieltinntf.
We nefilv bit, it St- jlonceercisele4mmlly NAP* rarri-
too. of the yth Dragoon Chards, Eft As Mifajmnes. &miser
of the late-Pita ea, Efq. of Moor Cwt. arastfordatire-
At Earth, Capt. Thomtn Annie/ow, of tis4Esitiloyd
H; Arrnttist, dial/fuer M the It Telex et Arai-
-o.rong, of Ennis, Eft.

DIED.

On Thurfday evening, Mr. Thome Balmer, of Shorediteb,„
grocer.
At Yarmooth, aged kg, Lim. Aagualase.Plaigerald, .of the
eptk reginade, yeses& fan et.itagaltisee Pkagtrald, of New-
t own-Fery, Efq. • '' •
On Sauday awning the apt but. at Sorthangeon, muck re-
gretted by all her friends, Mra Roboal, wife or Dr. goboal, of
that town, and eta, of the bee Dereher NIA% Ilk
On Saturday let, 114weead jenny, E.fig. of Hama, Dear.
Woodbridge, Suffolk.
On Sunday lift, at her manke-hook, E Great-iladdrise„.
in her 77th year, fiera 'MK widow of Lewis Atiols
formerly an eminent swam la Mdtke-triara.
Oa Studs, evening kit, at kla boefe at lUaludaera, In the
loth year of his age, Mr. Thanes kleirseds.
On Friday fendlght, Mrs. Jaekket, et Cahlo.aneet, Livesnol,
widow of the late Mr. Wen. *Moo.
Smut demellandbaili, egad ss, after a loaf sad tallies In-
difpodeiao, Mrs. Dare. raft at the lac Cated Miami Dana, •
of Liverpool.