Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-12-28
TIE BRIDGES OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

A distinguished lecturer has undertaken
to SHOW that we are all borrowers from the
ancients, and that, in but few respects,
have we improved upon the arts OF the
earlier ages The reader of Motley's Uni
ted Netherlands will find that even in the
matter of war, we have not so far outdone
the Spaniards of the sixteenth century as
many suppose. His account of the siege
of Antwerp by Alexander Farnese, the
prir4UU &c D~---A.- affnrde T>1n f~~>h for
reflection and comparison in this respect.
Antwerp was the chief commercial city of
the States, and Parma found it necessary
to reduce it, in order to bring his enemies to
submission. One of the means necessary
to prosecuting the siege successfully was
decided to be the bridging of the river
Schelde. This stream was two thousand
four hundred feet wide and sixty feet deep.
It was subject to an ebb tide and flood Of
ten feet.
In winter huge mountains Of ice were
washed up and down from the seas and
certain to prove formidable obstacles to
engineering skill. But in the winter of
1856, near three hundred years ago, Span
ish General with an army of but ten thou
sand half clad half starved men, determin-
ed to bridge the river and reduce a city
with twenty thousand fighting inhabi-
tants. The work was prosecuted with
great energy and skill. The Antwerpers
looked upon the project with derisiOn.
They laughed at the idea Of bridging such
stream and watched its progress day by
day with perfect Indifference. They believ-
ed that without supernatural powers such
an engineering feat was simply impossible.
The account of this wonderful work CIV
en- by the eminent historian is extremely
full and interesting and shows the engi-
neers in charge to have been possessed of
wonderful skill. Piles were driven fifty
feet deep in the bottom of the surging
river. Upon these piles, from the two
shores, were extended a solid bridge,
standing upon huge piers, five hundred
feet towards the center of the stream.
The shore piers were surrounded by heavy
forts, and were models Of engineering
skill. Between the ends Of the stationary
bridge, projected from either shore, was
constructed bridge on boats, which was
then naturally considered the most mar
vellous work. This bridge was laid upon
thirty-two barges, each sixty-two feet in
length and twelve in breadth, tine spaces
between each couple being twenty feet
wide, aud all being bound together stem,
stern and midships by quadruple hawsers
and chains. Each boat was anchored by
loose cables. Strong timbers with cross
rafters were placed uron the boats, upon
which heavy frame work the planked
pathway was laid down. On each of these
boats were mounted cannon, and on both
sides of the bridgeway was erected a thick
parapet of close-fitting beams.
Besides the batteries to protect the bridge
from attacks of the enemy's fleets addi-
tional precautions were taken to ward of
icebsrgs and fire ships. Above and below
the bridge, at bowshot distance, was an
chored heavy raft fosting upon empty
barrels. Each raft was composed of heavy
tinbsrs bound together in punches of
three, the spaces being connected by ships
masts and lighter spar.work and with a
tocth~like projection along the whole outer
edge formed of strong rafters pointed with
sharp iron hooks. These RATS were twelve
hundred and fifty feet long and protected
the bridge on boats and part of that on
piers.
This mammoth structure thus h0ilt